You arrive promptly at the airport with your boarding pass printed. Slip-on shoes help you breeze through security. Buying breakfast is a smooth, paperless transaction, thanks to your corporate credit card and travel expense management software. Your carry-on glides silently down the concourse and fits precisely in the overhead bin.
The economic crisis kept vacationers at home for years, and those traveling on business got used to quiet airports, hotels and restaurants. According to The New York Times, that’s all over. Experts predict a boom in leisure travel this summer, resulting in packed flights and hotels.
But there is some good news. Savvy travelers can follow these five tips to adjust expectations and remain productive while on the road.
- Don’t bank on getting work done. If you’re planning to finish an important report at the airport gate, you’re asking for trouble. Treat any calm moments as an opportunity for such low-intensity tasks as using your smartphone to review email and complete your online expense reporting.
- Sleep before you fly. Don’t plan on getting much shuteye on the plane, or even an empty seat beside you. Experts predict domestic flights will be operating at 84 percent capacity, according to The New York Times. You’re going to have neighbors and noise.
- Streamline where you can. Many travel headaches are beyond your control, so compensate by optimizing where you can. Using a mobile app for online expense reporting allows you to take advantage of spare moments, and integrating a corporate credit card can speed up transactions and reduce paperwork.
- Avoid vacationers at security. Don’t get stuck behind a large group of inexperienced travelers, especially in TSA lines. To breeze through security, stick with fellow business travelers and explore options for expediting clearance, like biometric ID cards and TSA Pre✓™.
- Request out-of-the-way rooms. You’re at a hotel to work; other guests are there to have fun. With average occupancy expected to reach a six-year high of 62 percent, try to keep your distance. For more quiet, The New York Times suggests requesting corner rooms and higher floors.
Airports and hotels are increasingly filled with infrequent travelers. These five tips can help business travelers stay productive and sane on the road.
We want to hear from you. What are your favorite business travel tips and strategies? Let us know by posting in the comments section!
Source: The New York Times, June 2013
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