Expert business travelers know the ins-and-outs of making the most of each trip, as quickly and comfortably as possible. The following tips will help save you money, optimize opportunities and squeeze a little extra enjoyment out of business travel.
- Be loyal to your loyalty programs. It’s best to do a little research ahead of time to find the best deals, but the bottom line is, loyalty pays off, when you are dealing with airlines and hotels. If you are logging a lot of miles, a frequent flier program could help you get upgrades to first class – which is especially useful on longer flights. Hotels will often make check-in – one of the least fun parts of traveling – quicker and easier, if you are a loyal customer. It’s also easier to get a late checkout, which can come in handy, depending on your schedule or when your flight is leaving. Little things add up and can make a BIG difference in the enjoyment of any trip – and it’s ALWAYS good to save money. Bottom line: Loyal customers get treated better by companies. Don’t you do the same for yours?
- Have you tried temporary office space? Airline clubs can be handy, but there are mobile office companies that have locations around the world, providing travelers with an office away from home. You can work on projects, make phone calls and even meet with out-of-town clients in a professional setting… and with privacy. You can also often plug into a nice fast Internet service, get administrative support, and have access to office equipment.
- Get Global Access and TSA Precheck. Whether you travel out of the country or domestically, this can be very handy and allows you to spend a lot less time in security lines. At the very least, you will be able to get to your gate, and get some work done, rather than standing in a massive line with your shoes in your hand… and let’s face it, NOBODY likes waiting in lines.
- Try your best to do carry-on only. If you can help it, never check luggage. It takes too long to retrieve and costs extra. Adapt, pack less and spend a little extra to buy luggage that allows you to optimize space. It also helps to learn some useful packing tips.
- Have a data plan. If you’re like a lot of people, you are online all the time – and slow Internet is painful and prevents you from making the most of your time. If need be, pay a little extra for a better, faster data plan. It will quickly pay for itself if you spend a lot of time on the road. There are also generally fewer security issues than public wifi.
- Keep a spare battery on hand. Even if you keep the screen brightness on a super-low setting, batteries always seem to run out faster than expected – and at the worst possible time. Fork over the extra money, buy a backup and keep it charged and at the ready. You can often get an extra 4-6 hours of work time on your laptop – plus, you can plug in your phone, too.
- Buy a good pair of headphones. You will be glad you heeded this advice the next time you’re sitting next to some guy on a plane who wants to tell you his life story… and all you want is some peace, a little time to unclutter your brain and some of your favorite music to soothe your soul.
Source: Huffington Post
