50+ Tips for Business Trips

Some love business trips, and others describe it as the worst part of their job. The company policies, tight packing, tight schedule, busy airports, kids are crying on your flight, and so on.
On the other hand, if you plan your trip the right way, you might even find time to relax from your daily routines, see new places, and meet new people.
Based on my own experience, and thanks to the help of some very experienced business travelers, I’ve collected a list of the best tips for your next business trip. The tips are divided into X main sections: Planning, Packing, At the Airport, On the flight, Car and Hotel, Health and General tips.
Adjust To Your Destination Time Zone

If you’re traveling to a destination with a different time zone than yours, use the flight to adjust.
I mean that if you land in the early morning, try to sleep on the flight for few hours. If you arrive at night time, try not to sleep on the flight, so you’ll be tired and ready to sleep when you come to the hotel.
Pro Tip
Remember to adjust your watch when you arrive or during the flight.
If you use a smartwatch/smartphone, they'll probably adjust automatically or display 2 timezones when you lend and connect to a local currier.
Ask For An Upgrade
Many times, the car rental agency might have fancy cars available. Keep your smiling face and ask if it’s possible to get a better car than you ordered.
Backup your documents

Never forget to backup your essential documents before leaving for the airport. Simply take photos of all those documents and save them on your phone and upload them to the cloud as well or email them to yourself.
Such an approach can be a lifesaver in case if you have lost your wallet or bag.
Pro Tip
You can also leave a copy with a relative or a friend you trust.
Be nice

The same tip we gave about the airport employees apply with hotel employees – be nice. Make a good impression and be pleasant at check-in, including the bellboy helping you with your car or opening the door for you to the person helping you at the front desk. Doing so might pay off later. You might get good treatment throughout your stay, exceptionally if you’re requesting an upgrade.
Pro Tip
Being nice will make you feel better even if you won't get any special treatment. It just feels nice to smile. Why won't you give it a try right now 🙂
Buy a small treat for the flight crew

How about buying a small treat for the flight crew? Does it sound like a crazy or ridiculous idea? Well, you can bring a huge difference to the entire trip simply by having something to share with the flight attendants. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars in this case. For instance, buy a large bag of candy for them and yourself. That will fix everyone’s mood, and this is particularly useful when you are facing a delayed or packed flight.
Pro Tip
Simply be nice to the crew. Say hello when you get on the plane, ask them how was their day. It's that simple.
Check For More Than One Option

Some business travelers might be on some restricted budget plans, and they want to check for coach class flights only. Yes. It makes perfect sense. However, when it comes to holidays, the number of business travelers can be small.
As a result, the price of the business class can drop significantly. For instance, some airlines can face a lack of performance on some routes or during particular times of the year. Under such cases, you might be able to buy tickets for a significantly lower price. So, checking for all the options available is a very smart option.
Check-in early

You must check in for the flight either online or using the respective airline’s app. Then, get a hard copy of your boarding pass before you arrive at the airport. That will help you stay on track. As a result, you might be able to skip the check-in procedure and present at the security straightaway.
Pro Tip
Yes, you can probably use your smartphone instead of a hard copy, but in that case, as much as we try to reduce the use of paper, a hard copy might be a better idea.
Diet

On your business trip, you have to be at your best. This is not the time to go wild and eat comfort food all day. Keep your health routine, avoid unhealthy restaurant foods, go for salads, keep the dressing on the side, don’t go wild on events, just keep things as if you were home.
Pro Tip
It's the case for any time and any trip, but more important if you have many business trips.
Do some stretching before getting into a new flight

Your muscles get strained and tired when you sit for an extended period during the flight. In some cases, you may not even realize how tired you are. So, it is always better to do some stretching between your flights to make things easier.
Pro Tip
Remember you have a long flight with a lot of settings, even if you fly business.
Free cancelation

It feels a bit weird recommending this one, but here we go. If you need to cancel your hotel reservation at the last minute, you’ll probably have to pay a fine.
To avoid the cancellation fee, you can often manipulate a small loophole in most hotel systems. Try rescheduling for a later date (which is usually free), and then call again and request a cancellation through another representative.
Get ready to pamper yourself

The flight is probably the most challenging part of the trip. It’s hard to sit in a crowded seat for a long time, sometimes in a noisy surrounding with compressed air. Have your book/Audiobook, movies, music, or any other hobby to pass the time. Try to pamper your body the best you can. If you’re a Germaphobes, bring your hand sanitizer and your own travel pillow. Remember that you can’t have large liquid bottles on the flight so that you can get hand sanitizer wipes.
Does sitting too long causes you to tight muscles or leg cramps? In that case, consider bringing a tennis ball to roll out the tight muscle.
Pro Tip
Frequent travelers might consider investing in a pair of compression socks to increase blood flow during such long periods of immobility.
Pack items that help you sleep, such as a pillow, headphones, and eye mask.
Get rid of travel gear as much as possible

It is crucial to have the correct packing list and equipment for your trip. Make sure you pack what you need, but pack light.
For instance, you can avoid bulky noise-canceling headphones, neck pillows, etc. Instead, use your jacket as a pillow by rolling it up. You can expect the same amount of comfort and have less to carry.
Pro Tip
Download The Perfect Packing List to save time and stress for free.
Go social media

Social media is exceptionally popular these days. It has become one of the fastest ways to grab the attention of customer service representatives regardless of the industry. If you have missed a connection or got bumped, you can use Twitter to catch the respective airline company’s attention. This is a much easier way compared to sending emails or calling them. Also, a tweet can grab attention quickly, and you are likely to get an answer quickly with this method.
Pro Tip
If you're looking for places to travel or eat, try more visual social networks, such as Instagram.
Have an agenda

Business trip schedules are tight. Ensure you plan your stay in advance, set the relevant meetings, and double-check you have received approval from other participants.
Pro Tip
Remember time zones when you plan your meetings and try to have some time to rest after your flight before you start your meetings.

Happy Traveling
Nadav
Last update: May 2022
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