Best International Business Travel Tips

Business Travel Packing Tips

The key to packing is to put each outfit on a hanger and tuck shoes around the edge of the suitcase.

If you’re going on a long trip, don’t over pack.  The idea is to pack basic colors so you can mix and match.

Make sure to bring your running shoes.  A long run can relieve travel and business stress.  Plus, it’s a good way to see more of the location you’re visiting.

Pack some coffee filters in your bag.  Use the cheap filters to: clean your glasses; disposable snack bowl; as a paper towel or napkin replacement; strain cork out of your wine, etc.

Download your gadget product manuals on your laptop.  That way you don’t have to pack the manuals, and can use your computer search features to figure out how to use a product feature.

Wear your heaviest or bulkiest shoes to the airport so you don’t need to pack them.

 International Business Travel Tips

If you travel to both Israel and Arab countries, consider getting two passports.  If you go to Israel with stamps from anywhere in the Middle East that’s an Arab nation, it can be problematic.

Ensure your Passport hasn’t expired before you book an international trip. It’s easy to forget your passport expiration date, and express renewals can be expensive – so can the opportunity cost of missing an international meeting.

Carry your wallet in your front pocket when traveling internationally to help avoid pickpockets.  A rubber band around your wallet makes it harder for a thief to get your wallet without you noticing.

If you need sleep before an international business meeting, consider traveling in business class or in the mid-cabin (premium economy/ world traveler plus) on your outward flight with the return in economy. The extra cost may be worth considering and well worth the investment.

Business Travel Airport/Airplane Tips

Always ask about the best way from the airport to where you’re going.  You’d be surprised at how many times public transportation is not only cheaper, but faster and more convenient then alternative transportation.

Consider investing in a second laptop battery.  Not all planes have power sources.  On those long flights having that second battery will be a huge relief.

3 ways to avoid flight delays:  fly first thing in the morning; take nonstop flights; and fly via less crowded airports.  Why?  In the morning delays haven’t had the chance to build up across the country.  If nonstops aren’t possible, try to connect through a warm-weather airport like Dallas, Houston, Phoenix and avoid Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit.

If you have scheduling flexibility, avoid peak travel times to save money. The lower fares sell quickly on popular peak time flights. Flights during mid-morning or early afternoon are less sought after and may offer a lower fare.

Decide whether your itinerary will allow you to live with flight tickets which are inflexible (this means they are non-changeable and non-refundable once ticketed). If you can, you may save money as some airlines offer cheaper fares for restricted change tickets. However, if you think there is a possibility you may need to change the outward or return flights, then ensure you buy a ticket which is changeable, otherwise you may have to buy a whole new ticket which could prove even more expensive.

When you park your car at the airport’s long term parking, use your GPS’s “Favorite” function to mark the exact location of your parking spot.  When you get back from your trip your GPS device can help you find your car if you get lost.

Or, if you don’t have GPS, not the parking location of your car by entering a calendar appointment in your phone for the date and time of your return.

Be careful opening packaged foods like salad dressings or yogurt on an airplane (buyfrozenyogurt.com to make at home here).  The differences in air pressure from ground to flight altitude can cause messy explosions.

Buying a long-haul ticket with a changeable return date is usually cheaper than buying an “open return”. Even if the ticket has a fee for changing the return date, the total cost is often less than that of an open return.

If you know your plans and itinerary well in advance – book early. There are often savings to be made the earlier you purchase your ticket. But be aware that if your plans change it could cost you money if you have to change or buy a new ticket.

A lot of laptops look the same.  To avoid mix-ups while going through airport security, tap a business card to the bottom of your laptop.  That will help you make sure you take the correct laptop back, and no one accidentally takes your computer.

Business Travel Hotel Tips

https://travel.usnews.com/Hotels/business-USA/

A hotel concierge can make a difference.  If you use a concierge, tip when you first show up on a repeat visit.  It doesn’t matter how much.  It’s the gesture and the fact that you’re showing appreciation.  If you’re a frequent visitor of a hotel and use the concierge often, bring a small gift.  You’ll get amazing service.

Instead of exchanging extra foreign currency at the airport or at your bank back home, use whatever you have left to pay your hotel bill.  The hotel can then put the balance due after the cash on your credit card.

Keep your toothbrush clean while at your hotel.  Just flip over a disposable cup, poke a hole in the bottom, and have an instant toothbrush holder that won’t fall over and that keeps your toothbrush off the potentially dirty counter.

Business Travel Misc. Tips

Business travelers go to locations most only dream about.  If you travel extensively, once in a while invite your spouse, partner, or a friend.  It can make your travel time more enjoyable, and turn a business vacation into fun during your off-work hours.

Take half as many clothes as you think you need and twice as much money.

If you can’t find an open frequent-flyer award seat, try calling your airline just after midnight on a weekend.  Carriers change their award inventory on Friday and sometimes Saturday at midnight, but most people don’t call until Monday.   Most airlines charge for a phone redemption, but if it helps you find a seat you wouldn’t have otherwise it’s worth the ~$25.

You have the best chance of nabbing a frequent-flyer award seat you want six months before the flight date.  So plan ahead if you can.