Best Business Travel Tips for Frequent Flyers

As someone who’s been traveling for business for many years, I’ve learned the hard way how to get the best business travel tips. Connecting at 2 a.m., losing luggage in Frankfurt, food poisoning in São Paulo. Each failure gave me a lesson. I don’t have any tips here that I’m just sharing again because I myself fly twice a year. These are difficult-to-come-by habits of someone who’s seen airlines as a hobby. Many of them have saved my career. There were a select few who saved my sanity.

1. Pick One Airline Alliance and Stay Loyal

The quickest track to no reward is to fly on all carriers. Decide on one alliance, Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam, and adhere to it with dogma.

Three years ago I signed up with United and Star Alliance. After 18 months I was Premier 1K. That includes extra amenities such as complimentary upgrades, complimentary checked bags, priority boarding and lounge access on most international flights. None of that occurs if you’re trying to book the lowest-cost flight with another airline each time.

2. Always Carry On When You Can

Checked baggage is a risk; the house always wins. I had to wait 36 hours for my bag to arrive at the airport in Munich, but still wore the same suit for two appointments with clients.

If you pack smart, a solid carry-on such as the Away Bigger Carry-On or the Travelpro Platinum Elite will allow you to pack a full week of business clothes. Roll everything. Use packing cubes. Have an extra outfit in your personal items in case. You’ll breeze through airports, don’t have to wait in baggage claim, and never have to worry about missing your flight due to a lost bag.

3. Get TSA PreCheck and Global Entry

If you fly more than four times a year and don’t have Global Entry, you’re wasting hours of your life standing in lines. The application fee is $100, is valid for five years, and automatically enrolls one in TSA PreCheck.

I submitted my application to the CBP website and then interviewed at JFK 15 minutes later 2 weeks later. I now go through security without removing my shoes, my laptops or liquids. The customs line is left blank for international returns. The $100 has been a great investment many times over!

4. Download Every Airline and Hotel App

In 2009, paper boarding passes and printed confirmations are over. The apps you need for your airline, hotel chain, and lounge finder (LoungeBuddy) should be preloaded on your phone before you leave for your next trip.

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The United app will notify you before the airport screens update that the gate has changed. The Marriott Bonvoy app allows them to check in, select their room and use their phones as room keys. I have never walked directly from an Uber to the hotel room on the floor of the hotel, without stopping at the front desk. When you work 30–40 weeks per year, the little savings you make add up quickly.

5. Build a Permanent Packing List

Losing the charger is a hassle. Losing the laptop charger at a client presentation is a disaster. There is a “permanent packing list” in the Notes app on my phone and I check it before each of my trips.

I have some things in my bag that most people would leave behind:

• A portable power strip (no power strips in hotel rooms)
• A universal adaptor
• Melatonin
• Imodium
• A pair of dress socks

I also have a pre-packed toiletry bag that I never take out of between trips. It remains in my carry-on, well packed, and ready.

6. Use a Travel Credit Card That Actually Rewards You

Reward cards aren’t created equal, nor are card-to-cashback cards for frequent travelers. Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum are good for business travelers, but they are different.

I’m going to take the Sapphire Reserve since the 3x points on travel and dining can really equal a lot of money, and the $300 travel credit can cancel out the fee over the course of a year. That’s just the lounge access at Priority Pass that has kept me from buying those over-priced meals at the airport hundreds of times. If you fly the same airline consistently, then it may be more advantageous to have a co-branded card, however if your travel plans change, you will have options with a flexible points card.

7. Protect Your Sleep Like It’s Your Job

A lack of sleep will kill your performance. I have attended meetings that have lasted three hours on zero sleep, and I can attest to the fact that my work was subpar each time. One of the most overlooked business travel tips for regular travelers is to secure their sleep.

• Use ear plugs and a sleep mask on all flights
• When making a reservation, ask for a room that is not near other elevators or ice machines
• Once on the flight, adjust your watch to the destination time zone, and begin planning meals for the time there
• If you have a red-eye flight, avoid watching a film and use melatonin 30 minutes before bed

You’ll thank yourself for this when it’s time for your big 8 a.m. presentation.

8. Book Hotels With Consistent Standards

Instagram is a great place to showcase boutique hotels. The last thing you want when you arrive at 11 p.m. exhausted and famished, is to have to wait hours to find out what you’re eating. That involves selecting a hotel line, accruing status and staying with the chain.

I always use Marriott as they have a vast portfolio and everything from Courtyard to Ritz-Carlton in almost all the big cities. The platinum level enjoys late checkout time, room upgrades and access to lounge facilities at full-service properties. I am saving $20–$30 a day by having those lounge breakfasts. That’s been thousands of dollars and dozens of mornings I didn’t waste looking for a good coffee shop over the course of a year.

9. Create a “Go Bag” That’s Always Ready

It’s stressful and prone to error to pack the night before a 6 a.m. flight. Rather, prepare a travel kit that you keep stored and ready by your front door.

I have a duplicate of all my everyday supplies in my go bag in case of an emergency, including:

• An extra double set of chargers
• A small umbrella
• A travel-sized grooming kit
• A small first aid pouch

If a trip comes up at the last minute (and they always do), I pick up the bag and bring clean clothes along and walk out the door. This one habit has taken away more pre-trip anxiety than any other thing I’ve done.

10. Know When to Upgrade and When to Save

This doesn’t require that all flights have to be booked in business class and all hotel stays at luxury hotels. It takes time to learn how to spend and to save.

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With flights under four hours I do the economy option and save my upgrade certificates for the transatlantic or transpacific leg — where a flat bed seat is a God-send and I arrive functional, not wrecked. If you’re staying for less than 2 nights you can go for a decent hotel that doesn’t break the bank. I will pay more for a room that has a good work space and good internet access, but I will not if it is just a 5-day trip with back to back meetings. Rules do not necessarily apply to every situation.

11. Keep Your Expense Reports Current

There’s nothing like returning home from a week-long trip to find a stack of crumpled receipts. This I discovered the hard way, after losing a $400 receipt for dinner in a taxi in Chicago.

I now take a picture of all my receipts as soon as I receive them with Expensify. The app reads the amount and categorizes the expense, which synchs with my company’s system. I report while things are still fresh when I’m flying home. When I arrive I don’t have to trawl through a packet of paper in my wallet and my evening can be a pleasant one.

12. Stay Healthy on the Road

Road warriors are sicker. No, that’s not a myth, it’s biology. You’re sharing surfaces, inhaling recycled air, and eating erratically, sleeping badly. Your immune system is weakened.

• I use hand sanitizer and I have it
• On flight days I drink 1L per 3 hrs of flying
• I bring protein bars to have for when I can’t settle for Cinnabon at the airport and I’m just dying of hunger
• If my hotel offered a gym I would use it — even if I only had time to go for a 20 minute run on a treadmill

When a living depends on being in top form, there is no such thing as not taking care of yourself.

Best Business Travel Tips for Frequent Flyers: The Tech That Helps

Some of these tools are worthy of special note because they have really revolutionized my travel routine.

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Flights and hotel rooms become much quieter with the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max. I wear mine on every flight — even when I’m not listening to anything.

A Reliable VPN

Wifi access in hotels is far from secure. NordVPN is my VPN of choice, and I take it with me on every trip to protect my client’s data and to access region-locked content. There is a 10-second connection and it works in the background so you do not hear it.

Portable Charger

With the Anker 737 powerbank, a laptop can be fully charged and a phone can be charged thrice. I’ve done it at layovers when all the outlets were reserved at the gate, which is pretty much all layovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Some Tips That Are Great for Business Travelers on the Cheap?

Instead of trying to get deals from many airlines and hotel chains, concentrate on status with one airline and one hotel chain. Pay all expenses with a travel rewards card, not just travel purchases. Pack carry-on, to prevent baggage fees. If available, have breakfast in hotel lounges. Regular, regular savings are more important than one-off big discounts.

What Are Some Tips for Preventing Jet Lag While Traveling for Work?

Change your sleep schedule 2 days prior to the trip. Stay well hydrated and drink in moderation on the plane. If you are able to take melatonin at night, do it in the time zone where you are traveling. Get sun, as soon as possible post-landing. The one food thing that really gets me in tune with local time sooner than anything else is eating meals at local time.

Is Airline Status Really Worth Pursuing?

Yes, if you fly on a regular basis. Lounge access, priority boarding, complimentary upgrades, and waived fees are just a few of the benefits that can accumulate to thousands of dollars of value annually. The main thing is to focus on a single alliance. If you travel through multiple carriers, you don’t accrue enough points anywhere.

What Should I Always Have in My Carry-On for Business Travel?

A change of clothes, everything necessary to charge, a portable power bank, noise-canceling headphones, basic first aid supplies, travel size toiletry kit and copies of important papers. I have a granola bar and a dry water bottle on me, too. These fundamentals help you cope with lost luggage, delayed flights or an unexpected overnight stay without fear.

How Do I Stay Productive During Long Flights?

Need to download all files before leaving for the flight as Wi-Fi connectivity on planes is unstable. I upload my documents, spreadsheets and offline playlists before I go to the airport. Noise-canceling headphones eliminate background noise. I do the most challenging tasks in the first two hours of the flight when I’m at my peak, and then move on to lighter activities or sleep.

Conclusion

Business travel is always exhausting but it doesn’t have to be hectic. But the right gear, be it a go bag or just one airline loyalty programme, helps to turn the grind into manageable and even fun. What’s one habit you’ve developed that made traveling much easier for you?