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Travel Tips for Business Travel

Frequent business travelers know all about the hassles inherent in business travel. But those in the know can avoid plenty of inconveniences by doing some planning and by following these travel tips for business travel.

Booking a Flight and Rental Car for Corporate Business Travel
When buying a ticket for business travel, you should first check with your company to see if it has a deal with a particular airline. Sometimes, airlines allow companies to buy tickets in bulk at reduced rates. If your company does not use a specific airline, then do a little research yourself to compare flights.

When booking a flight for business travel, pay attention to the times between your flights if you will be making a connection. With the tightened security at airports, transfers can take longer, and business travelers know that nothing adds stress to a business trip faster than missing a connecting flight.

When it comes to booking a rental car for your business trip, it's always worth becoming a member of at least one rental car agency. This will ensure faster check-in times and better service.

Dealing with Airline Problems on Business Trips
If the airline has problems during your business trip, such as delays or luggage problems, make sure to speak to someone about compensation. The airline must pay for your meals or overnight accommodations if you miss a flight due to problems on their end. They are even required to look into putting you on a competitor's flight at their own expense if they are suffering from severe delays.

Hotels for Business Travelers
If you use the same hotel chain regularly, look into becoming one of its members. By being a member, you will earn points each time you stay at the hotel; these points will eventually add up to free stays. Also make sure that your hotel has all the services you might need, such as free in-room Internet or an exercise room.

Do not always trust online sites to find you the best hotel deals. A lot of the time, calling the hotel directly will get you a better rate and will help you avoid paying a booking fee.

Luggage Tips for Business Travel
When packing for a business trip, the number one rule is to pack light. Traveling with only carry-on luggage will save you a lot of time at check in and after landing.

When packing for your business trip, be sure to throw these items in your luggage:

• a hard copy of important phone numbers and addresses (in case anything happens to your phone or laptop)
• a laptop computer
• a mobile phone
• a spare battery for your laptop
• chargers for all your electronics
• comfortable walking shoes (in case you want to exercise or explore the city).

Using Credit Cards for Business Travel
Using credit cards for business travel has numerous advantages for business travelers. For instance, many credit card companies can provide you with free rental car insurance and free travel protection insurance. Some credit card companies even offer you concierge services to help you plan out your trip.

But if your business travels take you outside of the U.S., watch for currency-conversion fees. These can add up quickly on your statement, and you probably won't be aware of them until you receive your bill. Explore using different types of credit cards for business travel, since some do not charge these fees.

However, even with currency-conversion fees, you will save more money using credit cards for business travel than you will by paying with cash, because credit card companies can negotiate better rates than banks, exchange bureaus or hotels.

Business Travel Expense Management
Having a separate credit card for all of your business travel expenses is an easy way to avoid the hassle of business travel expense management. It keeps all of your expenses together in one place, making it easier and more efficient to submit a reimbursement request to your company.

In addition, make sure to save all of your receipts. It's also helpful to label precisely what each receipt was for each evening before going to sleep, while all the information is still fresh in your memory. Or you can use computer software to keep track of all your business travel expenses.