Traveling for business can be a daunting task. From remembering to pack the essentials to making every trip count towards your next one with coupons, rewards points, etc. where do you even start? This guide will not only give you a good starting point, it will help you make the most out of each trip and save money.
How To Book Your Business Travel
There are tons of websites out there for booking travel online but only a few are excellent solutions for the busy business traveler. The first thing you will need is transportation. If you are flying, then HipMunk is the best website to use for booking flights. Their user interface is super easy to use and their price comparison will find you the best deal.
Their hotel comparison is not bad either, however, a website called TravelPony will give you a much better deal. Not only are their rates much cheaper but they are even cheaper than the big travel websites. For an example, the Days Inn hotel in Orlando Florida on International Drive right near the Orange County Convention Center is around $100 per night with the dates that we selected. Other websites including Orbitz, Hotels.com and Expedia are offering the same hotel for about $8 more. In addition to already being cheaper, the TravelPony rate comes out to $60 per night at check out with their savings coupon. The way it works is they basically pay their customers to market for them by sharing with their friends and they in turn give the what would be marketing expense to the customer in the form of an awesome discount.
Develop a Solid Packing Strategy
Each business trip is different and will require specific items for that specific trip. In general, a good guideline to start with is:
- Essentials – Under garments, toiletries, medications and a change of clothes just in case fall under this category. You will want to make sure that you have all of your essentials with you at all times. It is best to carry a separate bag just for these if you need to check in your main suitcase.
- The Right Amount of Clothing – Try to take just what you will need and no more than that. On extra change of clothes just incase is a good idea.
- Technology – Only the technology that you will need while in transit and during your stay are necessary. You will also want to make sure that you have back up chargers for each. For a back-up travel document solution there are several different apps that you can download to keep this information on you at all times. TripIt and TripCase are 2 great apps for storing back-up travel documents.
Making Each Trip Count Towards The Next One
One of the best ways to save on frequent business travel is to pick a rewards program and stick to it. Accumulating rewards points is still a great way to save on frequent travel. And don’t forget the benefit of status upgrades.
What are some tips that you would like to share? Which rewards program do you use? What is your favorite travel company to use for business travel?