Is it obligatory for the traveler to combine prayers with shortening them, or is it sufficient to do only one of them?

It is permissible to pray the full prayer (itmaam) while traveling and also to omit combining prayers (jam‘), but shortening the prayer (qasr) is better according to the majority of scholars due to the Prophet (peace be upon him) consistently doing it. Therefore, shortening the prayer during travel is a Sunnah and not obligatory, and combining prayers is a concession (rukhsah). So, a traveler may combine prayers or pray each prayer at its designated time. Since shortening and combining prayers are not obligatory, there is no impediment to performing the full prayer while traveling.