Air fares will return to sustainable levels once the price of oil stabilises, Martin Cowley, senior vice president EMEA for Sabre Travel Network, said.
Mr Cowley also predicted that the current "year on year increases in roundtrip fares" will become a "thing of the past."
This was one of four predictions he made for the business travel industry for when it emerges from its current "tough times" in 2012.
Martin Cowley
Speaking at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives' (ACTE) global education conference in Rome, Mr Cowley said there would also be consolidation of small or inefficient operators or of those with high operating costs.
This will result in a more balanced airline industry where capacity reflected demand "with more passenger-friendly schedules and choices."
This would also mean that the "hub and spokes" systems at airports would be "confined to the history books."
He also forecast that corporates would no longer take the "same radical approach to reducing costs."
Instead he said they would drive out costs by taking a "more objective and conservative approach" by consolidating their global travel programmes.
Finally Mr Cowley said the supplier landscape will evolve in the next four years and "intermodal travel will be a reality for business travellers" because of rail de-regulation in Europe in 2010.
He said rail travel will continue to grow and challenge air with the number of passengers using high speed trains passing 700m.
At the same time, airlines will have unbundled their services and mobile services will have become a "fundamental part" of booking travel.
But he said the industry would only reach these goals if it worked together.
"History shows that moments of economic chaos and panic present wonderful opportunities.
"So let's work together to ensure that we pursue these wonderful opportunities and return to a buoyant and sustainable travel industry for all," he said.
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