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Issue: July / August 2015

An Admin’s Guide to Travel Planning

By Julie Perrine / July 25, 2015

From apps to stats, Julie Perrine takes us on a journey and shares her guide to travel planning

As an administrative professional, it’s your responsibility to make your executive’s professional life easier. This probably isn’t an issue when your executive is sitting nearby at their desk, but it gets a little more complicated when he or she has to travel.

Making travel arrangements for your executive and keeping him or her as productive and stress-free as possible on the road requires planning. There are a lot of details to figure out, reservations to make, and schedules to coordinate. And even if you plot out every last detail of the trip, there’s still no guarantee your executive won’t experience a travel snag. So the best thing you can do is be as organized as possible, and be ready to solve travel problems in the moment.

But how do you do that?

These best practices will help make the travel planning process before, during and after a trip as simple and stress-free as possible.

Develop travel planning templates and checklists

My travel planning documents are some of the most useful tools in the travel planning process. One of my main motivations for creating a lot of these travel forms, templates, and checklists is because I forgot (or was afraid I would forget) an important detail in the travel planning process. In these instances, I was forced to resolve issues on the fly as my executive was checking into a hotel, boarding a plane, or renting a car. It was stressful for my executive and me, so I sought out ways to prevent mistakes or oversights from happening again.

The primary documents I developed to keep me on track include: a traveler profile form, a travel planning intake checklist, and a travel itinerary template.

Traveler profile form

The traveler profile form is a single page document that includes all of the contact information for each traveler I supported. It includes their name, title, employee ID and other related work contact details, as well as their home contact information. The form has a section for airline preferences, including frequent flier numbers and status, seat preferences, and meal requests. There are also sections for car rental memberships, hotel preferences, and passport and citizenship details. This was a helpful form for my travel agent and any assistants who filled in for me while I was out of the office.

Traveler planning intake checklist

The travel planning intake checklist is a multiple page form that includes sections for commercial or charter flight arrangements, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, dining reservations, meeting or event details, and room for additional notes. Each section also includes related details that need to be handled, and specific questions to ask the traveler to ensure all of the relevant information is successfully captured. This checklist kept me on top of all of the details related to each trip my executive took.

Travel itinerary template

The travel itinerary template is the ultimate document in summarizing, verifying and creating order out of all of the planning details. To effectively organize all the details, you need a travel itinerary template that you use consistently. Don’t ask your travelers if they want one – just do it! You’ll save them a lot of time and hassle in sorting through multiple documents or scrolling through multiple emails to find the information they need while they are traveling.

If you haven’t done a lot of travel planning, one of the first things I encourage you to do is think chronologically. What is the order of events for your traveler throughout their trip? This will help you get all of the necessary arrangements made from the start (flights, ground transportation, hotel, meals, meetings etc).

If you need some help getting started, download my travel itinerary template at www.AllThingsAdmin.com/free-templates . It’s designed to cover all of the basic details that need to be included on an itinerary for a traveling executive. Not every trip requires airline travel. Not every trip requires rental cars. It may change from trip to trip and traveler to traveler. Remain flexible. Customize your template to make it fit your executive’s specific travel needs.

Treat the compilation of the itinerary as though you are the traveler

Include all the traditional information, such as flight, hotel, and car rental details, as well as additional, useful information, including driving directions, dining options, and entertainment venues.

Even if your executive prefers to have everything available electronically when they travel, a printed travel itinerary can save the day when their internet connection is bad or their phone battery dies. It’s also a valuable resource for you to keep printed and accessible at all times so you have all of the details and phone numbers you need at your fingertips if they call and need help navigating a travel snag.

Finally, before you give your executive the itinerary, make sure to proofread it. There are a lot of details in there and you don’t want to mistakenly throw your executive off with a typo.

A travel itinerary is a valuable resource that helps ensure you and your executive are on the same page for the duration of the trip, and that it’s as productive and smooth as possible.

Develop a relationship with a travel agency

Travel agents are an admin’s best friend when it comes to figuring out trip details and making reservations, especially for complex travel itineraries. They have extensive knowledge of the travel industry and frequently have access to tickets, suppliers and prices that are unavailable online.

But to get the most out of this resource, you need to develop a long-term relationship with a local travel agent or agency affiliated with a national brand. This ensures you’ll have a trusted, reliable travel advisor who can offer assistance and access online money-saving booking tools. My travel agents have saved my executives, former employers, and me a lot of money throughout the years. They’ve corrected mistakes, secured better seats at better prices, and saved the day on more than one occasion.

Most travel agencies charge a ticketing fee to assist with booking tickets, but I look at it as “travel insurance” if things go bad. That fee means I have my travel agent on standby on the other end of the phone line if my traveler encounters a travel issue of any sort. They typically have more resources and expertise in resolving the issue more quickly and effectively than I could ever do on my own. However, this fee means a travel agent might not always be the cheapest option for a trip.

So, when do you call the agent and when do you go it alone?

Use a travel agent for:.

• First-class travel
• Refundable tickets
• International travel
• Multi-stop trips
• A trip that requires research to figure out the best options at the executive’s destination.

Book it yourself for:

• Coach tickets
• Non-refundable tickets
• Personal travel
• Repeat itineraries

A travel agent’s ticket fee can be worth it if you consider the time, stress and hassle you save by having someone else do the research and booking for you. An agent also gives you and your executive some reassurance that he/she won’t be stuck in an airport or bad hotel, or over pay for a trip.

Preparing your executive before, during and after a trip

As an admin, there are several things you can do before, during and after a trip occurs to help your executives be as prepared and efficient as possible.

Before your executive departs, create a travel folder with a copy of their printed itinerary, envelopes for travel receipts, and any important travel documents or meeting materials he or she will need while traveling. Make sure their mobile office is ready for travel by replenishing business cards, batteries, basic office supplies, and other consumables. Create a checklist to ensure your executive always leaves with all of the cords, adapters, flash drives, computers, phones, tablets and presentation tools he or she will need. Discuss how you can best assist him or her during travel so you both have the same expectations of how communication and work will flow in their absence.

Learn as much as you can about your traveler’s destination in advance of their trip.

• What is the local currency?
• What is the local time zone?
• Will they need power adapters for electrical cords?
• What local laws or cultures does your traveler need to be aware of?
• What diseases are common for area(s) that will be visited?
• Is the area prone to natural disasters or pests that can pose a travel risk?
• Are there security warnings in effect?
• Does your traveler’s health insurance provide international coverage?
• Does your traveler’s mobile phone plan provide coverage (especially for international travel)?

If vaccinations or medications are required for the trip, your traveler may need to visit a doctor who specializes in travel health four to eight weeks before their departure. If your traveler is traveling internationally, locate the contact information for your country’s local embassy or consulate in the destination country.

While your executive is away, communication is key

Be sure you’re clear on their preferred method of connecting – phone, email, texting etc. What types of updates do they want and how often? Are you able to share their travel details with others internally or is it strictly confidential? It’s also a good idea to catch up on your executive’s filing and cleaning their office so things are neat and tidy when he or she returns. Ask yourself, “What would make their re-entry process as smooth as possible upon their return?” Then take care of as many of those details as you can.

When your executive returns to the office, the first thing you should do is retrieve their travel folder

Be sure all travel receipts are in it. Note any important details required for submitting their expense report. Then process the expense report as soon as possible so your executive gets reimbursed in a timely manner. Replenish any mobile office supplies that are low so you’re both ready for the next trip. Review any outstanding voice messages, emails, or other important updates with your executive. Finally, ask him or her if everything worked well during the trip, including flights, transportation and accommodations. Find out what you can adjust or change for the next trip, and update your travel planning notes accordingly.

You also need to pay attention to your executive’s health after the trip. If your executive isn’t feeling well, he or she should see their doctor and alert him or her of their recent travels. People visiting areas prone to malaria should continue taking their anti-malaria medications upon their return to prevent infection. Malaria symptoms can take up to a year to appear, so tell your executive to seek medical attention if he or she feels sick.

Technology is your friend

There are countless travel planning resources and apps available online and for download on your mobile device. Travel sites, such as Frommer’s and Fodor’s, can provide valuable travel insights on everything from the best time to book airfares to specific destination information. Travel apps like TripIt and GateGuru can make the process a little more manageable and a lot less stressful.

Here are some travel app categories that you should research, download and test out. If you like how they work and find them helpful, then install them on your traveler’s devices before their next trip:

• Trip planning apps (eg TripIt, SeatGuru)
• Airline apps
• Flight tracking apps (eg Flight Aware, Flight Tracker)
• Ground transportation apps
• Restaurant and dining apps
• Currency converter apps
• Cities regularly traveled to
• Time zone apps
• Weather apps
• Connectivity and sharing apps (eg Skype, Evernote, GoToMeeting)
• Translation apps
• Dictation apps (eg Dragon Dictation)
• Book reading apps
• Movie watching apps
• Social media apps

How to stay current as a travel planner

The travel industry is changing and evolving all of the time. So it’s important for admins to develop best practices for coordinating travel and engage with staying current as a travel planner. Here are some ways you can do that.

1 Read travel websites, blogs, e-newsletters and magazines

You need to be educated on what tools exist to help you successfully accomplish your job as a travel planner. There are a wealth of resources out there and many of them are at your fingertips – quite literally. Figure out which ones work best for the types of travel you coordinate and use them!

2 Connect with travel planning experts and service providers on social media

When you come across a new travel resource in your reading, connect with them on social media. Search Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the airlines, ground transportation companies, hotels and other travel resources you already use. Then “like”, follow or connect with them so you can stay up-to-date on the latest news, trends and tips.

3 Attend events and conferences

There are numerous events and conferences held annually that are hosted by travel or trade groups. Watch for them and attend when possible. Some of these organizations also offer free or low-cost online training with industry experts.

4 Do internet research

If you have a burning travel question, do an internet search and see what you can learn on your own. There are countless travel review sites that often have first-hand advice and tips from experienced travelers.

5 Ask your travel agent

Travel agencies make sure their agents are subject matter experts on destinations around the world. Reputable agencies regularly invest in training their agents and sending them to the destinations so they can share first-hand experiences with you. Tap into their wealth of knowledge and expand yours at the same time.

6 Ask other travelers

Never underestimate the advice of other travelers. Ask as many people as you can about their experiences, what they enjoyed, what they’d do again and what to avoid.

7 Travel yourself!

Travel is one of the best ways to become a better travel planner. It gives you a new appreciation for the details that go into the planning process. You gain a new respect for the stress that is associated with various types of travel. And it helps you understand just how important your role is in planning and preparing for each trip your executive takes.

If doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to travel planning or you’re a seasoned pro, coordinating travel for your executives can be challenging. By implementing some of these best practices, tips and advice, your confidence will increase. Your skills will improve. And you will make your travel planning responsibilities less stressful, more enjoyable and downright fun!

Put online travel planning resources to use

The web is a valuable source for travel information – whether you want to make reservations, get recommendations or learn more about a particular destination.

Below are some of the online resources I’ve come to rely on for travel planning. Make a point to visit each site. Explore what each has to offer. Sign up for their free newsletters. Visit them regularly to become familiar with the ins and outs of travel planning. You’ll become more knowledgeable and gain confidence in your abilities. Your executives will appreciate the value added support.

Frommers ( frommers.com )

Frommers has destination info, hotels, trip ideas, deals, news, tips and tools, blogs, member forums, and more!

TripIt ( tripit.com )

With the simple forward of an email, you can turn your flight, hotel, and rental car information into a mobile travel itinerary that organized everything in one convenient location. All of the trip details are accessible from mobile devices or can be printed for your traveler to have in hand.

Landlopers ( landlopers.com )

Explore destinations worldwide, find great restaurants, and research the best means of transportation (planes, trains, ships). Check out their “top travel tips” page – specifically the “top travel apps.”

Smart Women Travelers ( smartwomentravelers.com )

If you support female travelers, there are a lot of very good tips and ideas for staying safe, efficient, and productive while on the road.

Christopher Elliott ( elliott.org )

Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate, multimedia journalist and professional speaker known for his practical advice and creative solutions to customer-service problems primarily in the travel industry.

SeatGuru ( seatguru.com )

Ever had one of your travelers complain about their airline seat size, location, or legroom? SeatGuru includes more than 700 airplane seatmaps from nearly 100 different airlines.

FlightStats ( flightstats.com )

Track flights, view airport delay information, find out what the weather is like in the destination city, setup alerts, and much more. This site can help you troubleshoot potential delays before they ever occur with a few mouse clicks.

The Schengen Visa ( schengenvisainfo.com )

A Schengen Visa makes it easier for a traveler to travel between its 26 member countries. This site explains everything you need to know about the visa, including how to apply for one.

Limolink ( limolink.com )

Reserve chauffeured limo or car service in cities around the world. This site allows you to locate providers and book reservations.

Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands

This book by Terri Morrison and Wayne Conaway is a great read on how to do business in different countries and abide by international customs.

Travel Weekly ( TravelWeekly.com )

Travel Weekly delivers late-breaking news, analysis and research on the travel industry. It provides travel planners with a global perspective through in-depth coverage of airlines, car rentals, cruises, destinations, hotels and tour operator as well as technology, economic and governmental issues.

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8 comments on “ an admin’s guide to travel planning ”.

Hello, Thank you so much for this article! I started a new job as a Travel Coordinator at a Tech Company in February and I’m still learning the ropes. Essentially, I’m an administrative assistant that books a lot of travel. I’m not certified as a travel agent but the core of my job is booking travel. I mostly book through third-party sites like Expedia, Google Flights, etc. I was wondering if you had any advice on using a travel agent or becoming certified myself. Do you think it would help?

This is such a useful article – thanks!! I’m organising a complex trip through my work which has involved many inter changing flights which i booked myself but now wish i’d gone through an agent as i’m worried about delays etc. I will ensure my colleagues have the necessary travel insurance in place. The Flight apps are very useful so i will make sure i set up alerts on all flights so I can keep track!!

Great info. I am just starting to plan trips for guest speakers, so this is extremely helpful. Thanks!

This is a great article, thank you for putting so much useful information in one place. A great site I don’t see mentioned is https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ especially when looking for the most economical route as it allows you to choose multiple cities in an area and dates of travel.

[…] An Admin’s Guide to Travel Planning – … – As an administrative professional, it’s your responsibility to make your executive’s professional life easier. This probably isn’t an issue when your … […]

I totally agree with that statement that technology is your friend. It’s so true that there many travel planning resources that exist. You just have to do a little research to find them.

That’s wonderful, thank you for putting in every small thing in detail. Yes totally agree that technology is our friend, and as busy professionals & entrepreneurs it becomes difficult sometimes to plan for proper time management. I have used Habiliss virtual assistant services to plan-up few of my trips in India and all I would want to say is ‘Incredible India!’

Wonderful guide! Thank you for sharing it with us!

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Top tips on how to plan a business trip

Follow these 6 steps for an effective business trip:

• Make your travel arrangements well in advance
• Select your accommodation based on both price and convenience
• Create an itinerary

Research your destination

• Remember your electronics, accessories and travel documents
• Prepare for your meeting

In today’s digital world, we can communicate across different time zones at a moment’s notice. However, when it comes to brokering a big deal or fostering a solid and long-lasting business relationship, nothing beats face-to-face interaction.  

Corporate travel is still so important, and it’s equally important for anyone making a business trip to prepare thoroughly. When you arrive at your destination relaxed and well-prepared, you’re better equipped to make a good impression and focus on the purpose of your meeting. Preparation lets your mind focus on the here and now, making sure you stay on the ball in that all-important meeting. If you’d like to fine-tune how you get ready for your next excursion, follow these essential tips to become an effective business trip planner.

Make travel arrangements

Whether it’s your name on the travel documents or you’re a travel manager, planning business travel thoroughly is important. Your first step should always be to familiarize yourself with your company’s corporate travel policy . You’re making travel arrangements for a business trip, not planning a personal or a short break, so being compliant with your company policy is essential.

Next, it’s time to book your travel. This may involve traveling by air, rail, car hire or even boat. Think about the journey door-to-door, balancing travel times against cost and convenience. Visualize the various steps of the trip from A to B. Consider details like how long it will take to move between airport and railway station, the time it takes to fill out paperwork at the vehicle hire company, and whether luggage storage might be useful. Use multiple sources and different comparison sites, researching which companies are offering the best deals. Again, be aware of any budget restraints in your company’s travel policy.

Don’t forget the small details. Does the airplane have Wi-Fi so you can work on the move? Would leaving a day earlier allow you to arrive at your first meeting better rested and prepared? At this stage, the more carefully you prepare, the more confident and relaxed you’ll be when you depart.

Select your accommodation

Preparing business travel is, of course, only half the job. Choosing the best accommodation for your requirements is also essential. If you’ve only got one meeting place to reach, make sure you book a hotel that’s nearby – rather than be swayed by a more luxurious option that might be a stressful 45 minute trip away. Use maps on your smartphone to measure distances from the station or airport to your hotel – and remember the roads and transport networks will be busier at certain times of day.

Check your company’s hotel policies to see if there are any preferred hotels - you might be able to get a good deal too. When considering the cost, make sure you compare rates for similar types of accommodation and make sure you select something that’s fairly priced – some companies even stipulate a cost per day that would limit the choice of hotels.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the amenities at the hotel. Some tourist-focused hotels may serve breakfast too late for your early starts, and as a business traveler you’re likely to want free Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, plenty of power points for charging your devices. CWT Hotel Intel gives travelers access to trusted peer hotel reviews and can be a handy tool for business trip planners.

Create a detailed itinerary

Your itinerary is your blueprint for a successful business trip. Use it to stay in control of every detail – from transport times and the names of those you’re meeting, to your travel reservations and hotel address. Be sure to allow yourself extra time on your itinerary for relaxing, meetings that have been delayed or overrun, and busy traffic. Consider using a specially designed tool like the myCWT app , which syncs your itinerary with work calendars, and allows travelers to share this with colleagues. This is handy from a communication and efficiency perspective, and as a safety measure if you’re travelling to an unfamiliar destination.

It may be that you’re traveling to a destination you are familiar with and feel comfortable in. Or, you may be entering unchartered territory. If that’s the case, research is essential to avoid unnecessary risk. For example, some cities are well known for pick pockets, so you’ll need to be extra careful when storing important and expensive items like phones in your pockets. Depending on where you’re going, reading up on the current political situation at your destination could also be prudent.

Perhaps you’re traveling to a city or country with a different culture and customs to your own. Avoid looking foolish or, worse, causing offence, by researching the differences in behavior and manners before you arrive. For example, if you’re taking potential clients for a meal, do you know the etiquette on tipping, or when to give people your business cards? Or, if you’re visiting a country where English isn’t the common language, you could even learn a few basic phrases, such as greetings and “thank you”, which could make all the difference when making a good first impression.

Prepare your travel documents

Hours of careful preparation and research will all be wasted if you forget vital travel documents. Traveling between countries requires a current, valid passport, travel tickets and sometimes a visa. It’s key to research whether or not you need a visa as soon as possible, even if you are just transiting through a country, without stepping foot outside the airport. Some embassies can take a number of days or even weeks to issue visas. Even if you’re not traveling to a different country, you may need photo ID to clarify that your name corresponds to the one on the ticket - your passport or driving license are the best options so keep them safe at all times.

Remember your electronic accessories

Stay as productive as possible on your trip by taking a laptop or tablet – it’ll make your travel time really count. Remember to pack the relevant chargers and adapters, too. You can usually pick these up at the airport when you’re passing through, but being prepared is key and will save you time and money in the long run.

Get ready for your meeting

So you’ve followed all the right steps for planning a business trip, but what about your business objectives and the meeting itself? Making a note of what you hope to achieve on the trip can help improve your focus - even if you simply want to reach out to new contacts or gain a general overview of potential new client. Arm yourself with as much information as possible about the people you’ll meet, as well as the places they’ll be. What’s the dress code? If you’re visiting an industrial site, for example, will you need sturdy shoes? If you’re going to be giving a presentation, what format will it take and will your host have the equipment you need? Simply emailing ahead to check if they have suitable screens and cables can ensure you avoid embarrassing delays or confusion that would get your meeting off to an awkward start. That first impression counts so give yourself the best chance of making a good one.

By setting aside the time to prepare, conducting some detailed research and following these business travel tips, you can optimize your chances of a productive and enjoyable trip.

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How to Plan Your Business Travel

Last Updated: March 18, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis . Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 83,532 times.

Planning a work-related trip can be a stressful endeavor. On top of your usual travel concerns, you also have to keep your mind focused on the business aspect of your trip. Business travel doesn't have to be stressful, though. With a little planning and preparation, you can help ensure your trip runs as smoothly as possible so you can stay focused on your work.

Making Travel Arrangements

• If you're traveling internationally, you may need to secure a visa before you leave. You may also need certain vaccinations, including anti-malarial medication.
• If traveling to a city at an elevation above 4,900 feet (1,500 meters), you may be susceptible to elevation sickness. Try to give yourself a few days to acclimate before doing anything strenuous and start drinking two to three liters of water each day to stay hydrated.
• If you're traveling outside the country, find out if you can safely drink the tap water where you'll be. If not, you'll need to stick to bottled, purified water to stay healthy.

• Start with the date and time you're checking into and out of your hotel, then work your way through everything that you'll be doing while you're away on business.
• Don't forget to keep track of your flight's boarding and departure times so you know when you need to arrive at the airport.
• Highlight any work-related events on your schedule. That way your most important priorities won't get lost in the shuffle.

• When booking your flight, make sure that you use your sky miles account so that you can get points and rewards. You might even have enough sky miles already to cover the cost of your flight!
• When booking your hotel, see if you can use sky miles or get points towards a rewards program. You should also make note of your hotel's policies on check-in, checkout, parking, and number of people per room.
• If you need a rental car, make sure that all the roads you'll be driving will be safe with your rental car. Research if you need two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Look around with different rental car companies to see which has the best rate.
• Some credit cards also have rewards plans and perks for traveling. See if your credit card comes with any of these benefits.

Preparing for Your Trip

• Make sure that all your identification is valid and up-to-date well in advance, as it can take several weeks for new documents to be prepared.

• Give yourself at least an extra 15 to 20 minutes if you'll need to print out your ticket upon arrival at the airport.
• If you have a paper ticket, keep it someplace where you won't lose it. You may want to store it with your ID or passport to ensure that you don't misplace any of those documents.
• If you're using a digital ticket, make sure you'll have reception wherever you're flying out of for the return trip. If you can't pull it up on your phone, you'll likely need to print out a paper copy at the airport.

• Try to pack as light as possible. Bring enough dress clothes for the trip and one or two pairs of casual clothes for exploring the town.
• Confirm that your bag will fit in the overhead compartment or under your seat by checking the carry-on bag size restrictions with your chosen airline.
• Check the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website for any updates on prohibited items and packing suggestions to ensure your security check is as quick as possible.

• Read up on the culture and customs of the people you'll be doing business with.
• Talk to other colleagues or friends who have traveled to the country you'll be doing business in. This can help you get a better sense of what's acceptable and what isn't.
• Be respectful at all times. Remember that you're representing your business and possibly your culture, so you'll need to be on your best behavior at all times.

• Keep a backup copy of all your important information on your laptop or a USB flash drive.
• If you really want to cover all your bases, you can also print out hard copies of any important paperwork and keep those papers in a file with your travel documents.

• If possible, give yourself a few days before you leave and start going to sleep and waking up at the times you will be waking/sleeping once you reach your destination.
• Being aware of the time difference has professional implications as well. You'll need to ensure that you don't miss any important meetings or deadlines on your trip.

Taking Precautions to Avoid Jet Lag

• Limit your caffeine and alcohol consumption, as both of these can leave you slightly dehydrated.
• Try to drink two to three liters of water each day, but remember that you'll need more water if you're very active or in a hot environment. [10] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source

• Aim to arrive around dinner time, then plan to stay up until about 10:00 pm in local time.
• When you get to your destination, avoid heavy meals. Instead, choose healthy snacks or a light meal that won't weigh you down. [12] X Research source
• You will most likely be tired after traveling, so by getting in around dinner time and eating a light meal, you'll start to get sleepy in time for a regular night's rest.

• Limit your exposure to bright screens, like laptops and cellphones, for at least a half hour before bed. Bright lights can reset your circadian rhythm, making it harder to sleep.
• Get as much sunlight as you can in the morning and early afternoon. This will help you remain wakeful and energetic during the day.
• Try to get some light to vigorous exercise each day, but be aware of when you work out. Some people find that exercising too close to bedtime affects their ability to sleep. [13] X Research source
• Bring earplugs and a sleep mask to help ensure that you get restful sleep each night, no matter what kinds of distractions present themselves at your hotel.

Expert Q&A

• Consider shipping large presentation materials and other business items that may difficult to carry while traveling. Just make sure that you ship them with enough time to arrive at your destination. If you decide to ship to your hotel, make sure that you contact the hotel and let them know about your shipment. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Opt for refundable tickets when you arrange your business travel, if at all possible. That way you have the ability to change your plans in case work or personal obligations get in the way of your scheduled flight. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/08/27/your-basic-guide-to-business-travel-abroad/#1168ef394f50
• ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenny-kline/how-smart-entrepreneurs-prepare-for-business-travel_b_8533712.html
• ↑ https://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/10-tips-for-efficient-business-travel
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236246
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/jet-lag-and-sleep
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/269947
• ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
• ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/travel-and-sleep/jet-lag
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/excessivesleepiness/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips

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How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide

Home » Blog » Travel Tips » How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide

Planning a trip overseas, whether long or short, can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! In this article, we’ll show you how to take the stress out of travel planning, by laying out a simple step-by-step guide on how to plan a trip that’ll ensure you don’t forget anything.

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the idea of planning a trip because it seems too, well…  overwhelming ?! 

There’s a lot to think about when planning travel: from getting a visa, to figuring out transportation, to booking accommodation and getting local currency, it can be downright stressful.

And it’s a bit contradictory, right? Stressing out over planning what is supposed to be a relaxing vacation. We’ve definitely been there. Many times , in fact. 

But we’ve learned our share of lessons along the way and now we’re here to help. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to plan a trip without the stress by laying out a simple step-by-step guide that’ll ensure you don’t forget anything.

Here’s exactly what you need to do to take a travel daydream and turn it into reality.

So whether you’re planning a 2-week getaway or a journey with no end date in sight, these steps will take you from the brainstorming phase to stepping foot in your destination. We think you might actually   have fun  planning your next trip.  That’s a dare .

Alright, take a deep breath, because we’re digging right in!

How to Plan a Trip

• Step 1: Figure out your travel budget
• Step 2: Decide on your travel style/partner(s)
• Step 3: Choose a destination
• Step 4: Book flights
• Step 5: Book accommodation
• Step 6: Research things to do
• Step 7: Get travel insurance
• Step 8: Minimize travel risks
• Step 9: Pack your bags
• Step 10: Last-minute prep

Step 1. Figure out your travel budget

Before you can even begin to plan a trip, you need to take a good look at your finances and figure out how much money you have to spend on your adventure. This will dictate a lot of the future steps including where you can travel to and for how long. 

This step might sound scary, but we’ve broken it down for you so you can create your very own customized travel budget. We’re even sharing  exactly how we afford to travel and stay on budget .

If you have the time before you go, follow these  simple steps to save money for your travels .

Step 2. Decide on your travel style / partner(s)

Is this a short vacation, a 3-week trip overseas or long term travel that you are planning for? 

…And who’s coming with you?

Take a moment to answer this question… Are you going to be traveling solo or with a partner? A group of friends, or with your family and children in tow?

The answer to this question can help shape your trip quite a bit. For instance, a solo trip to Tahiti may not be the best choice, as this popular honeymoon destination is going to be swarming with couples on romantic getaways. Likewise, party-centered Ibiza might not be the best place for a wholesome family vacay.

• Traveling Solo? Traveling solo is an incredibly freeing experience, and there are  many great cities around the world for solo travelers .
• Want a romantic getaway? Romance isn’t just limited to beaches and resorts. Check out our roundup of some of the  top romantic destinations for every type of traveling couple , some of which might be a little unexpected.
• Looking for a perfect family vacation spot? There are destinations all over the world that are  amazing spots to bring your kids !

If you are planning on traveling with a partner, don’t book your flights without  asking them these questions first…

Step 3. Choose a destination

This step may seem obvious for some, maybe you already know exactly where it is you want to travel and that’s why you’re planning this trip in the first place. For those of you that have a destination nailed down, there are still a few things we’d suggest you consider, you can skip right down to the research step.

For those of you that have the itch to travel, maybe even the vacation time set up, but still have no idea how to narrow down just one place, we suggest looking at a map. No really! Hear us out…

Literally look at a map, and start circling all the cities, towns or attractions you want to visit. Look on  Instagram  for inspiration. Don’t limit yourself. What do you want to do? What do you want to see and experience? When planning a route, we typically look at other trusted bloggers’ recommendations.

And no need for paper maps anymore, go digital! Here’s a great tutorial on  how to use Google My Maps . It’s game-changing. 

We figure out how many nights we can stay in each city and how we’re going to get from city to city. We have many itineraries on our  Itineraries page  where you can see examples of our travel routes and recommendations. We also suggest taking a look at  Lonely Planet travel guides . 

Once you think you’ve nailed down a place, or places…

Do your research

Don’t forget to do a little digging and make sure that the time of year you plan to travel is optimal. We have failed to do our research a few times and it ended up really affecting our trip.

Asking yourself the following questions can really save you the troubles or headaches down the road:

What will the weather be like?

• Will it be the wet season? Hurricane season? Super-duper-unbearably hot?

Example:  We traveled in India during the hottest months of the year and literally could not do much outside some of the days because it was 110 °F (43.3 °C). After that, we vowed never to make the mistake of traveling without really understanding the weather first.   

Is it peak tourism season? Low season?

• Will it be hard to get a hotel because it’s peak season? Will the lines and crowds at tourist attractions be ridiculous? 
• Likewise, if you are traveling during low season, should you expect a lot of the businesses to be shut down? Will closures hinder your chance to see and experience everything you were hoping to?

Example:  We visited Croatia in July – its busiest month of the year – and found ourselves super frustrated with the crowds and jacked up prices. We ended up shortening our time there because we were not enjoying it as much as we expected.

Hold up! Before you start a Googling storm, we’ve got some good news: there are some resources out there that make this process for researching so much faster!

• If you know WHERE you want to go,  Travelendar  (combination of travel + calendar) will tell you what time of year is best to visit.
• If you know WHEN you want to travel, check out this list that breaks down  which destinations are best to visit each month of the year .
• We’ve also done the research for you, nailing down the pros and cons of visiting during different times of the year for a number of popular destinations such as  Japan ,  Bali ,  New Zealand  and  Iceland .

But don’t worry if you don’t know where OR when you want to travel… check out this  calendar of events around the world  for inspiration!

How cool is that?!

These events span all destinations and interests: from European music festivals (like Sziget Festival in Budapest, pictured above!) to cultural celebrations to naturally occurring events like the migration patterns of wildlife in Africa. 

When you find an event that interests you, click on it to learn more.

Pace yourself

Thinking about your pace will determine how many of the places you circled above you’ll realistically be able to see.

Do you want to pack in as much as possible, or do you want to choose a couple places and really get to explore them? Do you want to travel slow and take in the culture to really understand how locals live?

Or do you want to tick places off your list and move from city to city, seeing as much as you can? Maybe a happy mixture of slow and fast? This all depends on the amount of time you have and your budget.

Find out visa requirements

Investigate if you need to obtain a visa for the country or countries you’re thinking of traveling to. You may not need one for the first country you arrive in, but will you need one for the other countries in your itinerary? Can you get a visa online, visa on arrival, or do you need to get it in your home country?

For instance, if you’re traveling to Vietnam, Americans need to apply for a visa ahead of time (and  here’s the best and cheapest way to get one ).

If you don’t know if you need a visa, check out your home country’s visa websites:

• USA citizens
• UK citizens
• Canadian citizens
• Australian citizens
• Singaporean citizens

Step 4. Book flights

You know where you want to go? Check. Have your visa? Check. 

Now here comes our favorite part: It’s time to book a flight!

First, you’ll need to answer these questions: What airport will you fly into? Are you going to make a round trip and fly out of the same airport? Or are you departing out of a new place? 

Tips for getting the best deals on flights:

• Know when to buy.  Depending on where you are flying to and from, there are different recommendations for how far in advance you should buy your flight.

• Play around with breaking the flight up.  For example, instead of searching for a flight from Minneapolis to Japan, we’ll search Seattle to Japan. Then we find a flight from Minneapolis to Seattle. This allows you to have a layover in a cool city, and can be a lot cheaper. 
• Another good gateway into Asia is flying through China. You can usually find one way tickets to China from major US cities for around $350! 
• Sign up for price alerts.  Many search engines allow you to sign up for alerts between destinations. You’ll get email notifications when the fare goes down, so you can jump on it!
• There are tons of credit cards that give you miles for purchases.  Find the  best travel credit card for you here . If you’re inclined to get an airline credit card, think about the major airlines at your home airport. You’ll most likely be booking flights with that airline so might as well rack up the points.

Don’t forget to sign up for the frequent flyer miles program  with flight you choose! Many airlines are part of a broad network and the miles are sometimes transferable.

Understanding WHY a flight is cheap is important. Make sure you think about the arrival time at your destination. The cheapest flight might get in at 2 in the morning and you’ll have to wait for hours for your guesthouse to open, or hotel check in time. 

On the flipside, if you depart super early in the morning, you may have a difficult time hailing down a taxi that early (and have to pay a premium for the ride). Sometimes the absolute cheapest fare will actually cost you more in the end.

If your trip doesn’t involve taking a flight,  check out these  tips for planning an epic USA road trip . 

When searching for a flight we like to use  Skyscanner  first because it allows you to search across the entire month to find the cheapest flight.

Want more tips for finding the best deal on airfare?  You’re in luck, because we have an entire article dedicated to  how to find cheap flights !

Are you a nervous flyer? Don’t let the anxiety of flying prevent you from traveling. Check out these  tips for fearful flyers  that will help put you at ease.

Step 5. Book accommodation

Depending on how long your vacation is you may choose to book all your accommodation ahead of time or none at all.

For instance, if you only have two weeks, it might be best to arrange your hotels or hostels online so you don’t waste precious time trying to figure out accommodation when you’d rather be exploring. Plus, you don’t want to run the risk of everything being booked up! 

If you’re traveling long term, however, you may just book a few days at a time. Or you may prefer to wing it and walk into hotels once you arrive in a town.

We put a lot of consideration into where to book our accommodation when planning a trip. 

First, we want to consider location. We may start to research things to do in a destination before this step so we have a better idea of where we will want to visit and what the most central location will be for us. 

If a city is known for its nightlife, we might consider staying in a quieter neighborhood. If accommodation costs skyrocket the closer to the city center you get, we may consider saving money to stay somewhere further out. 

Transportation

We also consider transportation in a new city. If the city is very walkable, we’ll want to stay right in the center. If Ubers or public transportation is easily accessible, we may consider saving money by staying further outside the center. We recommend doing plenty of research on transportation options and costs before nailing down your accommodation. 

Length of stay

If we are planning to stay in one location for a longer period of time (a couple weeks or more), we like to have a place that feels a bit more like “home” than a hotel. We love to cook, so a place with a kitchen allows us to enjoy our passion and save money on dining out at the same time! We usually use  Airbnb  or  Booking  to find apartment-style rentals in new cities. 

If we have a short layover in a city, or are staying just a few nights, we might splurge on a hotel, or even try to save money by booking a hostel.

Everything you need to know about Airbnb :  You’ll find loads of info on how to book Airbnbs, red flags to watch out for when booking, and our favorite Airbnbs.

Booking resources

Depending on where in the world we’re traveling, we switch up our booking sites. Here are our favorites:

• Asia:  Booking  or  Agoda  (we find Airbnb is only available in certain cities/countries and not in others in Asia)
• Europe:   Booking , Airbnb or  Hostelworld
• USA:   Airbnb  (we rarely stay in hotels in the US and Hostels aren’t nearly as prevalent in the US as elsewhere in the world)
• South & Central America:   Hostelworld ,  Airbnb or  Booking

Step 6. Research things to do

When talking about how to plan a trip, this is where the fun really starts … We LOVE doing research to find out what kinds of adventures we can have in a new destination. 

Here are a few of our favorite resources for researching travel destinations:

Pinterest :  Probably the first place we look when we get curious about a new place. We use Pinterest as a search engine (just like we would use Google!) and we have found in our experience that there is TONS more helpful content on travel there than if we were to try and sift through the first page of Google. We love that you can save articles in organized boards as well to return to later (you may have noticed the Pins we create at the bottom of all of our own articles). 

Bloggers:  We are constantly looking to other bloggers we trust for advice on new destinations. We have some we follow closely so we always know where to check if they have information on a place. We like to read a few different suggested itineraries for new cities to figure out what the can’t-miss attractions are and get ideas on how to plan our own itinerary. We leave comments on posts and reach out via social media if we are still left with questions after reading a blog post about a new place. 

Airbnb Experiences :  Sometimes just checking out what’s offered on Airbnb Experiences is a great way to get ideas of cool things to see and do in a new place. You might even find an experience or 2 you want to sign up for!

Trip Advisor:  We like to check reviews for things on trip advisor to see what other travelers have to say about certain experiences or attractions. There can be some seriously good advice on there! 

Step 7. Get travel insurance

Even though you might be safer abroad than in your home country, accidents happen everywhere and you should always be covered. We never leave home without travel insurance and neither should you.

One of the most popular travel insurance companies is  World Nomads . They cover anyone worldwide and are extremely easy to use. We were covered by them when we trekked to Everest Base Camp  and were very happy with our experience. Fill out the info below to get an instant quote:

For more information on how to pick a policy and what we look for in travel insurance,  check out our detailed travel insurance comparison article .

Be sure to read our  essential travel safety tips  for more detailed advice about how to stay safe and protect your belongings while traveling.

Step 8. Minimize travel risks

When breaking down the steps for how to plan a trip, this is an important one. There are plenty of steps you can take before you even set foot in a country to minimize your risk of something going wrong. 

Register on your country’s Smart Traveler program

For Americans, you should sign up for the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP). Through STEP you’ll get emergency updates that would affect your travels, such as bad weather or civil unrest or protests.

It will also give you easy access to your embassy in the country you’re visiting. Lastly, if anything bad were to happen to you on your travels, you’d be easier to track down. Check your country’s travel department for similar programs. 

Get all necessary Immunizations ahead of time

Before setting foot in a new country, you’ll want to be sure to protect yourself from foreign disease. Use the  CDC website  to research vaccinations and medications you might need in the destination(s) you are planning to visit. We’d also advise visiting your doctor before a longer trip to make sure all of your health concerns are taken care of. 

Scan your documents and email yourself a copy

Scan a copy of your passport and any credit cards you’re bringing, and email it to yourself. Do the same for your travel insurance documents and receipts of the valuables you’re carrying. If anything happens to these while you’re traveling, you’ll have an electronic version.

Know common scams

While you’re in research mode, do a quick search of common scams in your destination. Being aware of popular scams is often all you need to avoid falling victim. 

We have run into plenty of known scams on our travels, especially in bigger cities like  Bangkok , and have even fallen victim to some ourselves. Unfortunately, scams are a risk you run in traveling, and sometimes unavoidable, but the more informed you are, the better prepared you will be to avoid getting caught in a tourist trap. 

Bring backup credit cards

If you are traveling in a group or as a couple, you have a bit of a support system (assuming you each bring at least one credit card). 

This tip is particularly geared towards solo travelers. 

You will always want to bring a backup credit card (and perhaps a backup debit or ATM card as well) in case of emergencies. We’ve been in situations abroad where our cards have been stolen (sometimes it’s not always obvious as it happens with a swipe and we still have the card in our possession) and if you don’t have a backup, you will have a very hard time accessing your money. 

For this reason, we like to keep our back ups in a separate location in our luggage (one in our hand luggage, one in our suitcase) and then leave one behind at our accommodation in case we were to be mugged. It may sound a bit extreme, but it’s always good to be prepared!

Secure your belongings

It should go without saying that you’ll want to keep your belongings, and especially your valuables in secure places while traveling (you know, use a purse with a zipper for less-easy access and don’t hang it on the back of your chair on a crowded street corner cafe). There are some items you can purchase ahead of time to help keep your belongings safe while traveling. 

• Basic travel locks
• Bluetooth tracking luggage locks
• Hidden pocket scarf
• A camera bag disguised as a purse

Step 9. Pack your bags

It’s starting to feel real now isn’t it?! Your trip is coming up fast and it’s time to get packing!

Packing for a trip can be quite the puzzle. You want to be prepared and make sure you don’t forget anything, but at the same time, don’t want to feel weighed down by too much stuff.

If you’re a self-proclaimed over-packer, or someone who always ends up using only half the things in their suitcase on every trip… I’m right there with ya! We recommend planning out your packing ahead of time so you are not rushing at the last minute to get everything you need stuffed into your oversized suitcase. 

One tip is to lay everything you think you will need for a trip out on a flat surface (your bedspread works great for this) and then take away half — yes half! — of it. That is how much stuff you should realistically be trying to pack. 

Another rule of thumb we like to try and stick to is packing in a carry-on for any trip shorter than one month .

This may seem incredibly daunting to some, but trust us when we say, you’ll be much happier trying to navigate the cobblestone streets of Europe or lifting your luggage onto a train if it’s smaller than a 50 pound bag!

Below are some essentials you’ll want to make sure you pack for any trip:

• Passport/Identification
• Wallet/credit cards (and backups!)
• Chargers for  all  of your electronics
• Kindle  or e-reader
• Travel pillow
• Insulated water bottle

Think about your electronics

This is a big one not to forget! If you are traveling abroad, you’ll want to look into the outlet situation you can expect in your destination and how it compares to that of your home country. 

A quick Google search will show you what type of outlets you’ll find in the country you’re visiting. Here’s a great  website for electrical outlets . Look at the voltage too, and check the compatibility with any electronics you’re planning to bring along. A great purchase is the  travel converter with adapters . 

Packing resources

Use these packing resources for tips and ideas to help you pack for your next trip:

• How to Pack for 3 months in a Backpack
• Ultimate Packing Guide for Long Term Travel
• Eco Friendly Travel Gear Packing List

Step 10. Last-minute prep

You’ve made it to the final step! Your trip is just around the corner and all that’s left is doing a little research and making some last-minute arrangements.

Data/Internet access

Research the best way to gain access to data or Internet while you’re in your destination. If you’re traveling within your home country, this shouldn’t be a problem.

However, if you are traveling abroad, you might want to consider purchasing a prepaid local SIM card when you arrive. This will be the cheapest way to gain access to data abroad. 

Use our  ultimate guide to getting an international SIM card , including helpful tips for using your phone abroad.

Download some helpful apps

• Google Translate:  Type in something you want to say, and it’ll translate the phrase into any language you select. You can even take a picture of a menu written in an entirely different language (like Korean, for example), and it will translate what is written. It is amazing!
• Google Maps:  Before going to a new location, we typically download the offline map for our destination in our Google Maps app. If you have your GPS turned on, the app will show your current location with a blue dot even when you don’t have data or WiFi turned on. This is super helpful if you’re on a long bus ride and want to know exactly where you are, or when you’re lost wandering around in a big city. 
• GlobalConvert:  This app makes it easy to convert anything from currency to distance to temperature. (Super handy for Americans unfamiliar with the metric system.) And the best part is, it works offline!
• Time Buddy:  If you’re traveling on the other side of the world, this app makes it super easy to figure out time difference between where you are and your home country.
• Trail Wallet:  Yeah, yeah, I know, we’ve talked about this one a lot. But it has seriously changed how we travel. This app converts seamlessly through currencies and shows you exactly where you are in regard to your budget. Download this app and you’ll be able to travel longer. Seriously. 

Have a plan for currency

On long-term trips, we typically withdraw money from a local ATM as soon as we enter a new country. We NEVER use currency exchanges as these tend to take a big percentage (like 30%). Plus ATMs are much more efficient.

Our Charles Schwab card ( more info here ) reimburses all ATM fees, so we only take out small amounts at a time.

Tip: Just remember to decline the currency conversion rate offered by the ATM. When you do this you are referring to the conversion rate set by your bank instead. And in our experience, the banks always give a more fair conversion rate and than the pre-set ATM conversion rates.

Notify your bank of your travel plans

This is a step that can sometimes be overlooked, but can put a serious damper on your travel plans when you enter a new country only to find your bank has automatically shut off your debit card because it thinks you are attempting a fraudulent withdrawal. 

Learn the language (at least a few phrases)

We’re not insinuating that you must be able to have a conversation in the local language before visiting a foreign country. But learning a few key words or phrases shows locals that you are trying, and people usually respect this.

You’d be surprised how far learning “hello” and “thank you” can get you. Some other helpful words to learn no matter where you are traveling are: “bathroom”, “delicious” and “beautiful”.

And don’t forget about numbers. Write down the numbers 1 through 10 in a small notebook and translate them. Knowing a few numbers makes it a lot easier to order at restaurants. 

If you have any allergies or medical conditions, it’s a good idea to write it out and translate it to the language of your destination country. For instance, “I am a vegetarian,” or “I am diabetic”. Print it out in the local language (and the phonetic spelling) and carry it in your wallet. It will definitely come in handy. 

Refine your manners

A little research can go a long way. Certain gestures you might use everyday, like a thumbs up or okay sign, are offensive in some cultures. Avoid awkward situations by researching some basic manners in the country you’re visiting. 

Where to first?

You’re ready to take the leap! However, the first few hours in a new country can be a little overwhelming (and the most likely time to get scammed). That’s why you should have a plan of how to get from the airport to your hotel (or wherever you’re headed first).

We typically write down the address (in the local language and in English) of our first hostel/hotel in a small book or in the notes app on our phone so we can show taxi/bus drivers, that way we don’t fumble over mispronouncing street names.

It’s also helpful to save the locations of your accommodation, local embassy, hospital and attractions you want to visit in your maps (that you’ve downloaded offline of course!) before leaving.

Book transportation ahead of time or get specific instructions on how to find public transport. Read our  travel tips , other blogs, or guide books on what is the best means of transportation in the specific country you’re visiting. If you have a plan and know what you’re doing, you’ll start off your vacation on the right foot.

Confirm reservations

It’s easiest to call or write to confirm reservations for things like accommodation and transportation before you find yourself in a foreign country with a canceled Airbnb reservation and nowhere to go. Confirm all your important reservations and keep copies of your confirmation receipts in your email.  

And there you have it, 10 simple steps for how to plan a trip to anywhere in the world. 

Following these steps will take some of the stress out of trip planning, but it is important to remember that even the best laid plans often go awry. This is particularly true with travel as there are just too many factors outside of your control.

And that’s okay.  In fact, that is half the fun of it! It’s what makes travel such an incredible  learning experience  and why we keep going back for more.

Need help planning the perfect trip?

Be sure to check out our  Travel Planning page  for resources on everything you need to know about how to plan a trip, from packing to budgeting and more! Or you can read some of our favorite articles about planning your next trip below. 

• How We Afford to Travel & You Can Too!
• How to Find Cheap Flights: 17 Expert Tips
• How We Pick the Best Travel Insurance
• Cheap Travel Hacks to Save You Money

Save this article on Pinterest for later!

We want to hear from you!

If you still have more questions about how to plan a trip—both international or otherwise—leave your comment below and we’ll do our best to find you the answers you’re looking for!

Comments (15) on “ How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide ”

What considerations should you make regarding the timing of your trip, as recommended in the article?

It’s great that you talked about how we’d plan a trip and choose the things we want to do. We’re excited about traveling for our next vacation, and we’d like to start booking hotels and tours, so we’ll follow your tips to help us out. Thanks for the insight on finding all kinds of adventures for our vacation trip.

Bautiful blog and very informative ! Thanks for sharing

Hey guys! Honey is here. Two days back I returned from my vacation and enjoyed myself a lot there. I didn’t face any booking issues regarding stay and tickets reservation. This time I have got 10,000 off on my bookings through the usage of BOB cards and I gained that offer info from Saveplus. You guys must fly! Go on.

Thanks for reminding me to check out my finances first before planning a trip. I have allotted a part of my monthly budget last year so I could travel overseas but it might not be too safe because of the pandemic. I think it would be better to visit something local and just book a Kentucky bourbon tour.

This is a wonderfully structured article! Loved reading it!

Thank you very much for your very pragmatic info. May I have some names of reliable bloggers for my research please? Nic

Your blog is very informative. You have written every thing in deep.

Thank you for great information !

I like that you shared your thoughts with us. I am living in my camper van and I like to read more thoughtful articles like this one. Thanks for the amazing and beautiful post….

Thanks so much for the kind words!

What a wonderful post on how to plan a trip! You have some good points and tips! I also wrote a post on how I planned for my East Coast Trip, check it out on my blog http://innapishtoy.com/2018/05/19/planning-packing-trip/

Thanks for sharing Inna.

Good one content katie. I am impressed. It is very useful for my winter holidays.

So happy to hear it was helpful!

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How to Successfully Make Business Travel Arrangements for Executives

When making business travel arrangements for executives, travel managers will want to go above and beyond to deliver a great experience. here’s how..

Imagine for a moment that your CEO or another important Executive has an essential meeting with an existing client or to pitch a prospective client. And you’ve been asked to make the business travel arrangements.

The pressure is on.

You will want to create an itinerary that supports the objectives of the trip, while also ensuring that the Executive is comfortable throughout the journey.

Here’s a look at 5 strategies that today’s Travel Managers are using to support Executives by making business travel arrangements in a thorough and effective way.

1. Frontload the Heavy Lifting

As a Travel Manager, you always want to do a great job arranging travel for any team member. But, when arranging travel for an Executive, there’s a heightened level of awareness and attention.

That’s why you’ll want to do as much research as possible on the front end, before you start making the actual arrangements. This is especially true in the age of COVID-19 when moving about the country (and especially the world) is a little more difficult than it is during normal times.

Start by researching all of the regulations and guidelines related to traveling to a given destination. You’ll also want to take into account any geopolitical concerns related to traveling internationally. For example, you’ll want to be aware of Brexit-related constraints before sending an Executive to the United Kingdom and other destinations in Europe. You will also want to investigate passport requirements and any visas needed to travel to specific countries.

In short, research to such a degree that you have ready-made answers to any questions that come up before, during or after the Executive’s trip.

2. Prep Contacts for Your Executive

Things can go haywire during any business trip. As any business Traveler knows, itineraries can get disrupted by weather and other unforeseen circumstances. Make sure your Executive is prepped with accessible contacts before he or she leaves the office for work.

In many cases, that means connecting your Executive with your travel management company (TMC) and agents who are available around the clock to support your Executive if something goes wrong during travel.

Also, make sure that your Executive knows how to get in touch with any relevant parties in the destination city, as well as how to get in touch with you at the office or your colleagues as needed during the trip. If your Executive is traveling internationally, will he or she need an international cell phone plan? Make this part of your preparations as you make business travel arrangements for leaders at your company.

3. Consider Every Detail

Almost every disruption or delay in a business trip can be anticipated. As a Travel Manager, try to anticipate as many challenges as possible — and build into the itinerary potential solutions.

For example, encourage Executives to get to airports a little bit earlier than usual. The TSA is reporting longer wait times than usual at some airports due to inconsistent processes at different Traveler checkpoints. Electronic documentation (rather than paper) can help streamline processes.

You can also build in a little bit of extra time during layovers to mitigate the impact of delayed flights. Also, use airports that have multiple flights daily and multiple airline options so that your Executive can easily make a change if needed.

When you start mapping out an itinerary, go step-by-step and try to think through anything that could go wrong during that portion of the trip. Consider questions like:

• Does your Executive have enough time to make his or her connection?
• Does your Executive have enough time between his or her final flight and the first meeting of the day?
• Does your Executive have enough time to freshen up each day before moving from one meeting to another?

Answering questions like these can help you carefully consider each detail before you finalize any travel arrangements for your Executive.

4. Add Some Final Flourishes

Arranging business travel for an Executive is an opportunity for a Travel Manager to demonstrate his or her capabilities. It’s also an opportunity to demonstrate the level of care that’s given to any team member when they are traveling away from the office.

So, add some final flourishes to the itinerary that demonstrate that you’ve gone above and beyond in creating the Executive’s travel itinerary. You can reach out to the company your Executive is visiting to get restaurant recommendations. If your Executive likes artwork, consider choosing a hotel located near a museum — just in case your Executive has some down time. If your Executive enjoys baseball, check to see if the Major League team is in town during his or her stay. If your Executive places an emphasis on physical fitness, ensure that the hotel has a quality fitness center, or that there is a gym located nearby that she or he can use.

These are small things that any Travel Manager can do to create an outstanding experience for an Executive — and to empower her or him to maximize the potential of the trip.

5. Prime the Executive for Success

The final thing you can do as a Travel Manager is create a comprehensive travel brief for your Executive. This brief should include a full rundown of where the Executive needs to be and at what time. It should also include any key considerations and options available to the Executive at different points in the itinerary.

Make this brief available via laptop, tablet or mobile device — or print off this brief for any Executive who prefers a hard copy. (You can also combine both approaches, just to be safe.)

An Executive’s time is valuable to the company. By creating a comprehensive travel brief, you’re able to save the Executive time, as well as assist him or her with focusing fully on the business objectives of the trip.

World-Class Travel Support for Today’s Executives

No Travel Manager can facilitate great trips for Executives alone. Companies with robust travel programs rely on TMCs to help them create the best experiences for Travelers, no matter the title or role.

At JTB Business Travel, we serve as a comprehensive corporate travel agency that delivers outstanding service to all Travelers — Executives and anyone else working away from the office. Behind everything we do is a common-sense approach to business travel.

Are you looking to maximize your company’s travel program? Contact us today to learn more about our services.

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The Ultimate Travel Packet for Your Executive’s Business Travel

A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but a successful business trip begins with a kick ass travel list. This goldmine checklist, complete with useful tips organized by category, was created specifically for traveling executives after a Ninja asked what to include in a travel packet for the boss’s upcoming trip. So of course, we went straight to the experts: the OfficeNinjas Ambassadors.

This list is comprehensive, packed with Ninja-approved items and hacks for every possible situation we could imagine. But you should feel free to edit and make it your own go-to guide for business travel. Pare down, make tweaks, and add special exceptions tailored specifically to your company and team. Once you have the Ultimate Packing List customized to your boss’s specific needs, prepping for an upcoming trip will be the easiest part of your day.

• Include the confirmation/reservation numbers, phone numbers, and addresses for flights, trains, rental cars, cabs, and hotels.
• Include estimated travel time from the airport to the hotel or other destinations, as well as information on potential delays due to traffic, road construction, and inclement weather.

Ninja Tip: Send your boss a meeting request with airline details (terminals numbers, flight and seat numbers, departure and arrival times, etc.) in the subject line so that travel time is blocked out and the information is instantly accessible. For example-  Subject: Alaska 309 (SFO-SEA): lv 735pm arr 924pm, conf# AP35IRE Location: Seat 24A (window).

Ninja Tip: Once you’ve hammered out all the details, funnel them into PackPoint  so you and the traveler can both access the full spread on a convenient app.

LUGGAGE TAGS

Ninja Tip: Keep a pack of affordable luggage tags in the office as a backup.

MAPS & DETAILED DIRECTIONS

Ninja Tip: Install a map app, like Waze  or Google Maps , on your boss’s phone. You can even download an area for offline use in Google Maps, in case of a poor signal. Screenshots of entire routes can also be saved.

LOYALTY MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS

Track all frequent traveler membership numbers for airlines, hotels, dining, and rental car companies in one place using TripIt or Points .

PARKING INFO & COSTS

Use Spot Hero to reserve parking spaces in advance, and ParkMe  to locate spots.

LOCAL HOST CONTACT INFO

e.g. the client’s admin, office manager at satellite office, etc.

LOCAL SPOTS TO DECOMPRESS

Download one of these apps to your boss’s phone. They allow users to book hotel rooms by the hour so your exec can catch up on emails or even take a nap:

• Hotels by Day

TRAVEL DICTIONARIES & PHRASEBOOKS

Ninja Tip: Purchase travel dictionaries/phrasebooks or download a translation app to your exec’s phone (for international travel). Popular options include:

• Google Translate
• Lonely Planet Phrasebook & Dictionary ( Spanish , French , Mandarin , Japanese , German )

PROTOCOL FOR LAST-MINUTE ITINERARY CHANGES

Clarify who should take the lead on resolving conflicts and rescheduling travel.

PROVIDE TRAVEL ITINERARY TO EXEC’S FAMILY/PARTNER

Meeting Prep

BRIEF BIOS ON MEETING ATTENDEES

Download Charlie  on your exec’s phone. Charlie combs through a bunch of online sources and will send your exec a one-pager on who they’re going to meet before even seeing them.

Ninja Tip: Include suggested topics of conversation as well as personal details that may cause someone to be distracted or unengaged (like a recent birth or death in the family)

NOTES ON BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Appropriate behavior varies greatly from culture to culture, refer to this infographic to ensure your exec is properly informed.

EXTRA BUSINESS CARDS

An obvious item but one that’s commonly forgotten!

LOCATIONS FOR SMALL MEETINGS & ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS

These apps identify and reserve on-demand meeting space:

Ninja Tip: Walk Score will tell you if they need to travel by car to get there.

DRESS CODE FOR MEETINGS & SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS

From casual to white tie, this attire guide breaks it down for you.

HEALTHY SNACKS FOR HEAVY MEETING DAYS

Try these healthy options:

• Love With Food
• Quest Nutrition Protein Bars and Chips
• And don’t forget mints , pocketmist , gum , or breath spray

Financial Considerations

CORPORATE CREDIT CARDS

Remind your exec of these tips for traveling with plastic overseas.

CLEAR, ZIPPERED ENVELOPES

Pouches  for receipts and small miscellaneous items.

EXPENSES REPORTS OR APP

Blank expense reports or ensure that your office’s expense reporting app has been downloaded to your boss’s phone.

Ninja Tip: Download an app that lets your boss scan documents or receipts and save them as PDFs, such as Tiny Scanner , Smart Receipts , Expensify , Abacus , or Shoeboxed .

CURRENCY CONVERSION APP

Download a currency conversion app to your boss’s phone for international travel. Popular options include XE Currency , Currency Converter , and Convert Pad .

Local Points of Interest

HIGHLY REVIEWED BARS AND RESTAURANTS

Check Yelp , Opentable , TripAdvisor , and Zagat before providing your exec with recommendations.

STORES THAT SELL SOUVENIRS AND COLLECTORS’ ITEMS

Ninja Tip: Does your exec’s loved one have an affinity for snow globes or any other trinket? Let your boss know where he/she can purchase these personal items. Boom. You’re now a hero to your boss.

ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES WITHIN WALKING OR SHORT DRIVING DISTANCE

• Parks and historical monuments
• Museums and theaters
• Fun/quirky exhibits

Ninja Tip: Check out AroundMe for nearby amenities.

There you have it, Ninjas! The Ultimate Exec Travel Packet. Let’s recap:

The Ultimate Exec Travel Packet:

• Travel itinerary
• Luggage tags
• Maps and detailed directions
• Loyalty membership numbers
• Parking info and costs
• Local host contact info
• Local spots to decompress
• Travel dictionaries & phrasebooks
• Protocol for last-minute itinerary changes
• Provide travel itinerary to exec’s family/partner

MEETING PREP

• Brief bios on meeting attendees
• Notes on business etiquette (for international travel)
• Extra business cards
• Locations for small meetings and one-on-one conversations
• Dress code for meetings and social engagements
• Healthy snacks for heavy meeting days

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Corporate credit cards
• Clear, zippered envelopes
• Expense reports or app
• Currency conversion app

LOCAL POINTS OF INTEREST

• Highly reviewed bars and restaurants
• Stores that sell souvenirs and collectors’ items
• Attractions and activities within walking or short driving distance

Do you have any additional items or Ninja Tips to add to the Ultimate Exec Travel Packet? Leave your ideas in the comments section!

I provide full itineraries for any of my traveling staff via PDF to their email. This way, they can have it on their smart phone, iPad, etc., as well as providing copies to family as needed. I post a copy in my office so when someone asks “Where is _____?” I don’t have to go searching. The itineraries always have all flight details, any car rental info, hotel confirmation numbers, any necessary phone numbers, email addresses, addresses for the offices/conference centers, etc. When I have multiple staff traveling to the same place from different locations, everyone has the full itinerary of arriving/departing flights so they know they can meet up at the airport and share a cab or a car. I’ve spoiled everyone with the itineraries. I even do them for myself when I travel.

Spoken like a true Ninja! It definitely sounds like those spoil your team… who knows what they would do if you set them up with some apps too! Do you start each itinerary from scratch for each trip, or keep a template somehow?

I use a 8 1/2 by 11 clear envelope for our CEO and put a copy of his flight itinerary on one side and his hotel on the other. This way he never has to open the envelope but flips from airport side to hotel side until he arrives. When he gets there, he pulls out the hotel portion and behind it is all his papers for his conference/meeting. He slips all his receipts in the envelope throughout the trip and brings the envelope back to me when he returns to fill out his reimbursement. I recently filled out a more detailed one page itinerary for another one of our executives with all her information of where she needed to be – flight numbers, hotel details etc. She preferred this method and I sold her on the clear envelope to carry everything in.

Great tip. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

This is what I do, Lisa.

This is great! Thank you :)

You’re welcome, Carole! How often do you plan business travel?

Comments are closed.

How to organize travel arrangements and itineraries

Key takeaways

• Organizing travel arrangements efficiently involves identifying goals, planning and implementing a system, and maintaining it over time.
• Accurate recording of all travel details from flights, accommodation, to sightseeing plans is critical.
• Regular updates are key to keep your system relevant and useful.
• Common mistakes such as data duplication, not planning for emergencies, and lack of updates can be easily avoided.
• AI-powered tools present an effective and efficient way to manage your travel data.

About this guide

Organizing travel arrangements and itineraries refers to the systematic process of collating all travel details such as flights, accommodations, and excursions in a structured and readily accessible manner. In travel planning, keeping your various reservations and travel details organized is not a luxury, but a necessity. A poorly managed travel itinerary could result in missed flight connections, lost bookings, and unnecessary expenses. 

With this article, we aim to guide you to organize your travel arrangements effectively and efficiently.

1. Identify your goals

Our guide to organizing travel arrangements starts with the first step - identifying your goals. The goals of planning travel arrangements can be manifold - it could be having an organized itinerary for a family vacation, a business trip, or a solo adventure. It might include managing costs or ensuring all your booking details are seamlessly arranged. Travel itinerary planning can undergo variations based on several factors, be it the number of travelers, the complexity of the destinations, or the mode of travel. 

2. Planning your organization system

Are you looking to manage your accommodation bookings better? Or is your focus more on planning sightseeing activities? Seamlessly organizing all dimensions of travel, such as your flights, local transport, meals, attractions, etc., is a crucial aspect of an effective travel management system. A good plan should consider information such as booking reference numbers, addresses, and other booking details. One of the principal travel planning tips is to set up a robust system using the right data management practices. Avoiding pitfalls like data duplication and misplaced booking information can save significant time and hassle.

3. Implement your system

We live in a digital age, and online resources can be a godsend for you. A project and data management workspace can keep your travel arrangements neat and accessible. With a simple, AI-powered tool like Skippet, you can organize your travel arrangements in no time. Just feed in your travel details in the form of text descriptions, and Skippet molds it into a personalized, well-defined structure.

4. Maintain your organization system over time

Travel plans are hardly ever static. Changes occur, new bookings are made, and sometimes, plans get canceled. How do you ensure that your well-organized system remains relevant as time progresses? Regular updates are the key. Make sure to keep your system up-to-date with new bookings, completed activities, or any other changes to your itinerary.

Best practices and common mistakes in travel organizing

One of the basic tips for beginners would be to start planning early. The more time you have, the better you can arrange your travel bookings. Advanced techniques for seasoned travelers could include having another person double-check their data for any potential errors. Regarding common mistakes, neglecting regular updates is one to steer clear of. Another is not planning for emergencies or contingencies. Similarly, duplicating data without realizing can lead to confusion.

Example travel arrangement and itinerary organization system

Now that we have a grasp on organizing your travel itinerary, let's deep dive into an example to see how an organized travel arrangement system might work in a real-life scenario. Let's consider a family planning a two-week vacation across multiple destinations. 

The first step would be gathering all the critical information regarding flights, accommodation, local transport modes, and sights, and recording it in an organized manner using a data management tool. The flight data might include the booking reference number, departure and arrival times, window or aisle preferences, and meal needs for each family member. 

The accommodation details would cover booking reference numbers, check-in and check-out dates, addresses, special requests if any, and contact details. Similarly, the local transport record could include car rental dates, drop-off and pick-up points, and driver contact details.

Planning sightseeing activities in advance is a significant part of travel. You wouldn't want to miss out on a prime tourist spot just because you forgot to take note of it! The sightseeing module can include all the places you want to visit, their location, visiting hours, and estimated time to visit. You could even tag them with keywords like 'must-visit' or 'plan B' to prioritize them. 

Considering different users of the system, the parents might be more involved in tracking the flight and accommodation details, while the kids might take interest in the sightseeing modules or local transport, especially if you are planning on using fun transport modes like local trams, boats, or a bicycle ride.

The key to maintaining this system over time would be frequent updates. As departure dates approach, check the details, update any last-minute changes, and remove completed activities from the list. A well-maintained and updated system acts as a powerful tool for a seamless vacation.

Wrapping up

As we wrap up, let's reiterate the importance of well-organized travel arrangements. They are your best companion on any trip, reducing stress and ensuring a smooth travel experience. Do try out tools like Skippet, crafted to organize your travel details into an easy, custom, and user-friendly structure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the basic principle of an efficient travel organization system.

The basic principle is to gather all travel-related information in one place and systematically structure it, making it easily accessible.

What are the common mistakes to avoid when organizing travel?

Common mistakes include not updating the system regularly, duplicating data, not accounting for contingencies, and not having backup travel arrangements.

How can Skippet help in organizing travel arrangements?

Skippet is an AI-powered tool that transforms your text descriptions into a tailor-made, organized system. 

How often should I update my travel organization system?

Ideally, every time there's a change in your plans or you make a new booking, you should update your system.

Related articles

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How to organize facility management records

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Check out skippet in action., get started.

Try it yourself for free or book a demo to learn how you can run your business more efficiently with Skippet.

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11 Tips to Make Travel Arrangements for your Boss

Making travel arrangements for your boss is a responsible and stressful job. It is actually an art where your boss is made happy with the travel arrangements you make. It is a part of the job that executives and employees need to make arrangements for their boss frequently.

The key factor in arranging business trip for your boss is to pick the right agents whether it’s through airways, online travel packages or through best travel sites.

The executives should make sure they compare and get the best practices that are available.

Here are a few tips to make travel arrangement for your boss.

How to Make Business Travel Arrangements For Your Boss?

1. knowing bosses preferences:.

It is mandatory to know bosses preferences before getting started for a travel plan . Certain few aspects that need to be known for arrangements are the seating arrangement if your boss prefers an aisle or a window seat, preferences regarding meals, and seating arrangement at the front or back of the plane.

The other aspects are to find out if your boss wants to arrive early to the destination or at the last minute to achieve the chore, would they prefer utilizing credit card airline rewards or specific airlines, and their choice of hotels or ones with specific credit cards.

The amenities in the hotels need to be checked out if they possess mini-bar, Wi-Fi, gym, and good beds for the boss to relish.

2. Understand the travel agents:

Some important aspects to be concentrated before booking a travel through travel agents are the availability at dates of meetings or schedules.

It is also important to find out if the flight would arrive early so that the boss can relax and rejuvenate or would he be directed directly to the meeting.

The main aspects while booking a flight for your boss is to find out if the flight would arrive early so that the boss can have a night’s rest at the hotel. Also looking out for direct flights would make your boss happy.

In case there is a need to fly through connecting flight, look for flights with a short layover. Your boss would be pleasured if he is provided with open Wi-Fi so that he can work while travelling.

3. Research prior booking:

Check out if your boss has preferences for flying, hotels, travelling and more, if not then it is your duty to make proper research in order to arrange a travel with all amenities and comfort. Hotels, flight services, car rental bookings and more aspects should be researched well before booking.

Make a comparison with the top travel sites for hotels, flights and other services that are offered at discounted rates .This is the best way to cut business travel costs.

There are number of sites that are available for airlines and hotels which can be researched and compared for better options.

There are many sites that offer packages and deals along with hotels booking, rental cars and other services, though your boss arrives late. Hence researching is important to make your trip the best trip with comfort.

4. Sources for research:

There are a number of sites to research and compare when it’s especially for booking flights, care services, hotels and more. Few sites are Travelocity , Hipmunk , Kayak , Priceline , YahooFarechase, booking.com , expedia and more.

Comparison amongst flights can be achieved with Kayak which includes Priceline, expedia, bookit.com, Virgin America, Travelocity, with Kayak prices are compared so that the lowest offerings can be narrowed down.

When the trip has only day trips where hotel stay isn’t required the official page of the airline can be accessed directly where flights cost can be compared.

5. Develop a travel plan:

Your bosses travel can be simplified and made easy by preparing a travel plan. Since you have gathered all details regarding travel, preparing a travel plan is never a tough job.

There are few formats that need to be added to the travel guide so that the travel planner is made perfect and impresses the boss.

The date heading must be bold specifically when multiple flights are to be boarded. Many cities may have more than one airport; hence the name of the airport from and to fly must be included in the travel guide.

The driving direction from the airport to hotels and vice versa must be included in the travel guide for easy access when they lack online maps.

The hotel contact numbers should be provided to the boss in case the boss or their spouse needs it for many reasons.

Added information for your boss can be to mention a few best restaurants by the hotel so that your boss would enjoy.

The main events and meetings that need to be accomplished during the trip must be mentioned in the travel guide too.

When such a travel guide is formulated, your boss would be happy and satisfied with his travel.

6. Updating and informing your boss:

Though it may be difficult to keep your boss informed about the flight delays or any other updates, you really need to be on top of it.

Your boss can be updated to download and use apps like Flight track on their phone so that they can keep track of their baggage claim locations, flight delays, gate changes and seat availability.

Your boss should also be updated with the events, meetings to attend, future flight changes as they are on their trip.

In case there are any delays or cancellation of flights due to major weather conditions , your boss should be updated.

7. Opting for package trip:

It would be beneficial when package trips are opted than purchasing each service separately. When airline tickets, car and hotels are purchased as a package, executives are able to share an 5% to 25% of trip amenities rather than purchasing separately.

8. Avoiding travel clutter:

Triplt are excellent apps that makes travel easy without travel materials in hand such as restaurant reservoirs, flight confirmation numbers, hotel confirmation numbers and any other paper based materials.

Instead of carrying all travel confirmation numbers they can be forwarded to Triplt account. The boss smart phones or tablet can be loaded with date, times of flight, hotel, and more details which is an easy itinerary and is easy to carry around too.

9. Check Bosses requirements:

Make sure that the travel documents are up-to-date especially during international tours as they require visas for certain countries to enter. The date, time of reservation along with the time zones must be made clear for the boss.

In case the boss requires cash in advance make sure proper arrangements are made and cash is provided for your boss. Find out if your boss is travelling with a business contact and needs to sit beside him, if he requires a meeting room, if he is about to do a conference then make preparations accordingly.

10. Confirming the day before:

Make sure that you confirm every aspect the day before travel. Check for the confirmation email from airline, confirmation for baggage fee and flight reservation, confirmation for restaurant and reservation for the number of people and more.

Call up your boss and other business contacts that are about to travel and double check with all the details so that they have a happy journey without issues.

11. Vaccination and health check up:

If your boss is travelling across the sea to another continent make sure to provide him a health checkup and vaccinate and inoculations required by the country. The international certificate for vaccination can also be obtained from travel agents, passport offices or local health department if required by certain countries.

The arrangement made for your boss to meet clients out of town is a great responsibility as your boss needs to be satisfied and happy with the journey. It can be said that planning for a trip can be a great opportunity to present your skills, capabilities, confidence to your superiors and impress them.

Conclusion:

While planning a trip make sure not to assume things and communicate well with your boss so that you get to know his comfort level and make travel arrangements accordingly. Since business travel information or details are important, make sure you make preparations and list them down before proceeding with work.

Each and every step in preparation for a business trip should be taken by keeping your boss in mind. Your boss comfort and pleasure is something important in the trip. Apart from travel detailing the other aspects that is the purpose of travel should also be cared for.

All arrangements for meeting, conference etc. must be well prepared by the executives. Hence executives who are responsible for arranging travel trips for your boss make sure to follow these tips as your boss can have a hassle free travel to any country without chaos

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A Complete Guide for Travel, Book, & Movie Enthusiasts

A fusion of books, movies, and travel

Making Travel Arrangements

It was an easy decision to make.

What could be better than a “road trip” that does not require packing and unpacking along the way? 

Choosing from a wide variety of travel dates, itineraries, and comfort levels provides so many options!

We will traverse numerous passages. First, we will fly to our initial destination and spend a couple of days in a chosen area of that country before beginning our tour. Similarly, we will end our adventure with exploration of our last destination before flying home.

Determining the total cash outlay that is required will not be a matter of guesswork. We will pay for a package that includes the cost of travel between ports, accommodations along the way, endless food (yikes!), and nightly entertainment.

Making it work

While there was no doubt that cruising the Mediterranean would be ideal, would it be affordable? Finding a way for us to travel together but not share sleeping accommodations could be problematic. It quickly became apparent that it could not be done through exploration of cruise line websites.

Fortunately, looking for bargains is as easy as googling “Last Minute Cruise Deals.” There are a plethora of companies vying for our travel dollars. The most attractive cruise for our purposes was found on a few different websites, at varying prices. Choosing the one with the lowest daily cost just made sense, as it was being offered by a company that proved to provide good travel value in the past.

Let’s explore our itinerary together

As the map below illustrates, we will be visiting 6 countries plus the independent City State of Monaco. We will stop at 11 ports, and have access to 13 cities. Some of those cities are also ports.

We will first fly to England and spend a couple of days visiting Canterbury, in the District of Kent. I have never been there and have a friend who lives nearby. Traveling by train, we will then make our way to Southampton, UK. From there we will begin our sea journey, first crossing the English Channel.

Arriving in Le Havre, France we will take a day trip to Paris and back. For the following three days we will be at sea.

Passing from the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar we will enter the Mediterranean Sea. Soon thereafter we will arrive at the port of Barcelona, Spain. On day six we will dock at the port of Cannes on the French Riviera. Day seven takes us to Livorno, Italy which provides access to Florence and Pisa. Then we move on to Civitavecchia, Italy from where we will travel inland to Rome. On day nine we arrive in Naples, Italy where we can see the nearby ruins of Pompeii.

Another day at sea will take us to Santorini Island, Greece. Its picturesque white buildings and blue roofs make it easily recognizable. We go on from there the following day to the port of Piraeus, Greece. The port is situated 12 kilometers southwest of the center of Athens.

After being at sea for a 5th day, we arrive at Split, Croatia on day 14. The following day we disembark in Venice, Italy, which we will spend a couple of days exploring before flying home. Can’t wait!

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What makes this cruise so attractive ?

First, “Last Minute” is loosely defined. We are not required to make final payment until almost 19 weeks prior to the date of departure. This provides ample time to make all necessary preparations.

Secondly, the cruise line is among those that were rated on cruisecritic.com as being the best, not including luxury cruise lines which are too expensive for most solo travelers. These ratings are based on totally subjective reviews, but at least they shape expectations, which is key.

It is noteworthy that the cruise line is rated 4 out of 5, overall.  Moreover, the offshore excursions were highly rated.  As always, reviews vary from person to person, but many found the food disappointing. Of course, it’s a matter of taste. Literally. Friends tell me they truly enjoyed the food on that same cruise line. In any case, we may be somewhat relieved if we are not tempted to overindulge. After all, we will be in a constant battle to avoid the weight gain that is so often part of cruising.

Since we’ll be traveling at the end of the busy cruising season, we should be able to explore these 11 ports and the cities beyond while enjoying cooler temperatures. We will also encounter fewer crowds than would be expected in the peak season.

Taking care of almost all our travel costs before we leave home means we need not dread the receipt of credit card statements when we return.

Above all, the offer of a reduced rate takes the sting out of being identified as senior at age 55! Pride flies out the window when we’re looking for bargains.

Its a matter of perspective

A stateroom with a balcony is obviously desired, and something I have enjoyed in the past. But for most of us mere mortals it is neither affordable nor necessary when we’re not sharing the cost with someone. So, if booking an inner stateroom is what it takes to make the trip affordable, it’s not just the only choice, but the perfect choice!

An inner stateroom, in which to sleep, bathe, and dress is perfectly adequate, especially when only one of us is using the space. While awake we will have access to a huge ship that is full of activities while we’re at sea. When we’re in port there will be places to explore on land. So, if we ever feel cooped up in our staterooms it will be a problem of our own making.

Surprisingly, the cost of one person booking an inner stateroom as part of this last-minute deal is equal to or less than the per person cost of sharing any other type of stateroom that was featured! So, paying to share close quarters with anyone other than someone with whom you are intimate or from whom you can’t be apart, makes no sense.

There is every reason to expect we will have a bon voyage!

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by Valerie Riley | Nov 23, 2021 | Blog , Executive Assistant

Creating a travel itinerary for your boss is one of the most important duties you’ll perform as an executive assistant. A well-organized travel itinerary can make an executive’s business trip and save them a great deal of stress and time. It also showcases your attention to detail and time management skills as an EA . 

Creating a travel itinerary is a lot of responsibility, even for the most experienced executive assistant. But not to worry, we’ll run you through exactly how to put together a successful itinerary for your boss.

Creating a Travel Itinerary for Your Boss

There’s a lot to keep in mind when planning a business trip for your boss. You have to book their flights and make hotel reservations. There’s creating daily agendas and aligning schedules. You will be combing through the small details and little extras. And even after you’ve done all of this, you need to be ready for problems or last-minute changes. There’s a lot to consider.

Discuss Their Travel Preferences

One of the first and most essential steps in creating a travel itinerary for your boss is understanding their personal travel preferences, especially if it’s your first time booking a trip for them. You want to be on the same page from the start.

Flight considerations:

• Do they have a preferred airline? Or do they collect air miles for a particular airline?
• What are their seating preferences? Do they expect to fly business class? Window or aisle? Front or back of the plane?
• What’s their in-flight meal preference? Do they have any food allergies?
• Are layovers okay, or should you pay more for direct flights?

Transportation preferences:

• What is their preferred transportation style? Do they like a hire car, private driver, rideshare service, or public transport?
• Should you book transportation in advance, or would they rather do it when they arrive?

Accommodation preferences:

• Do they prefer staying in a hotel or a rented apartment or condo?
• Any particular amenities they like to have? Such as an on-site restaurant, gym, pool, conference rooms, etc.
• Do they want breakfast included at the hotel, or will they eat out?

Additional things to know:

• Do they like to explore the city in their free time or do they like going back to their hotel to rest?
• Will they want you to book any additional activities?
• What about meals? Should you book business or personal dinners?
• Do they prefer a digital travel itinerary or a printed paper itinerary?
• Do they want a bare-bones itinerary or a super detailed itinerary?
• Does the company have any corporate discounts you can use?

You can find out your boss’s preferences by asking them directly, asking other colleagues, or asking their previous assistant. Keep a document with these details, so you can refer to it when booking future travel.

Know The Purpose Of The Trip

Once you know your boss’s general travel preferences, it’s time to get down to the specifics of their upcoming trip. 

Understand the trip’s purpose:

• What is the goal of the trip? Are they conducting research, attending a conference or business meeting, or pitching business to a client?
• If a lot is going on during the trip, what are your boss’s priorities?

The objective of the trip will largely dictate the itinerary and travel plans. For example, if your boss is trying to impress a prospective client, you may want to book a nice hotel close to the client’s office with an on-site bar for post-meeting drinks.

Know The Details

Creating a travel itinerary for your boss requires knowing exactly where they need to be and when. Once you know the key meetings and events, you can plan the rest of the itinerary around them. Be sure to note the time, date, and location of every meeting, appointment, and business dinner or event.

Make Note of Non-Work Related Requests

Even if your boss is going away on a business trip, they may also have other things they want to do in the place they’re visiting. Ask if they have any personal requests and factor these into the itinerary too.

Non-work requests may include:

• Meeting up with friends or family who live in the city
• Keeping up with their exercise routine
• Sightseeing and attractions
• Eating at certain restaurants
• Shop recommendations to buy gifts or souvenirs for their children

Creating the Actual Itinerary

Now that you know your boss’s preferences and the specific details of the trip, it’s time to create the travel itinerary.

Book From Door-to-Door

When you start booking, think about your boss’s journey from door to door. You’re not only securing the flight. You also need to reserve transport to and from the airport at each end. Put yourself into their shoes and think clearly about what they need at each stage of the journey.

Timing is Key

The when is just as important as the where and how when travel planning for your boss. Think about the time needed to get from A to B and factor it into the itinerary. Is there enough time for meals, filling in paperwork, or buying tickets on public transport? Make sure your boss doesn’t rush around at the last minute or show up late to important meetings.

• How long ahead of their flight do they need to arrive at the airport? 
• How long will it take them to get to the airport, accounting for potential traffic?
• How long will it take to get from their hotel to the client’s office?

Be Mindful of Small Details

“The devil is in the details” is a saying which particularly rings true when travel planning. It’s the small details that catch you out and cause the most significant problems. And as an executive assistant, it’s your job to be mindful of these small details when travel planning for your boss.

• Have you taken time zone differences into account?
• If your boss arrives before the hotel check-in time, will they store the luggage?
• Does the hotel have good Wi-Fi in the rooms?
• Do local buses take credit cards or will your boss need local currency?
• Is there a ‘Plan B’ if something goes wrong like a hotel cancellation or flight delay?
• How can you help from the office if your boss experiences a delay?

Think of ‘Little Extras’

Aside from the key travel plans, there are plenty of ‘little extras’ that will improve your boss’s trip and make you stand out as a fantastic executive assistant.

Extras to consider include::

• Putting together a packing list based on the local weather forecast
• Ordering extra business cards for the trip
• Downloading city guide apps or local transport apps onto their phone
• Compiling a list of restaurant recommendations
• Researching things to do during downtime
• Packing healthy snacks for the plane journey

Make Sure Travel Documents Are Updated

Don’t let all of your travel planning go to waste by letting your boss get to the airport with an expired Passport. While you’d like to think they keep these things up-to-date themselves, don’t take this for granted.

Before the trip, double-check:

• Are your boss’s passport and driver’s license expired?
• Is their travel insurance up-to-date?
• Do they need a Visa for traveling out of the country?
• Do they need any vaccinations for the country they’re visiting?

Stay Organized and Keep Details in One Place

The final travel itinerary you give to your boss should include all relevant travel documents and information in one centralized location. You can create a digital travel pack or a physical wallet. Or both if you want to be extra prepared.

The travel pack should include:

• A daily schedule with all locations and times
• Booking details for flights, hotel, and transport
• Contact numbers for the airline, hotel, and transport companies
• A list of names and phone numbers of your boss’s overseas contacts and any colleagues they’re traveling with
• Boarding passes
• Any necessary visas
• Insurance policy documents
• A copy of their passport and driver’s license
• A packing list based on the weather forecast
• Any extras, such as a map of the city or local restaurant and attraction recommendations

You could consider using a travel planning tool such as TripIt to help keep all of these details organized in one place.

Hire An Executive Assistant to Plan Your Next Business Trip

A well-planned travel itinerary can make or break a trip. If you’re looking for an assistant to plan your next business trip, LifeSquire can help. We help you find, interview, and train the ideal executive assistant. Contact us for more information.

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Travel checklist for executive assistants

What to include in a travel checklist for executive assistants, 1. start by gathering intel for the upcoming trip.

• Destination
• Planned meetings
• Stakeholders
• Personal preferences
• Full name (as it appears on passport or driving license)
• Email and home address
• Cell phone number for contact information (notification of delays or cancellations to journeys)
• Credit card details
• Frequent flyer details and any loyalty schemes or rewards available

2. Put together a travel itinerary

3. prepare for changes in travel and safety information, how to cancel a trip and get a refund with flexiperk, brief your executive or staff member before the trip, your travel checklist for executive assistants, travel & logistics.

• Travel itinerary
• Travel documents: VISAs, passports, vaccine certificates & hotel reservations, etc
• Confirmation numbers
• Carry-on requests
• Google maps or some form of mobile map service
• Loyalty or reward membership numbers
• Car rental and parking information
• Accommodation and venue bookings
• Protocol for any last-minute changes
• Company credit cards
• Spending money in various forms (bank cards, prepaid cards, and cash/local currency)
• Expense information and spreadsheets—or an app

Meetings and events

• Bios on attendees
• Location for meetings/events
• Notes on dress code and business etiquette (for international travel)
• Business cards and other relevant stationary
• Hot spots and recommendations for sightseeing and extra travel time

Closing out with some extra travel tips for good measure

Turn on travel notifications and alerts, wrapping up this travel checklist.

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A Travel Manager’s Guide to Arranging Travel for Executives

In today’s global business landscape, the need for professionally-coordinated corporate travel is a crucial part of many organizations. More specifically, arranging travel for executives is a specialized field that cannot be underestimated. Since senior management is responsible for making high-stakes decisions that drive companies forward, executives require seamless arrangement and a flawless travel experience that optimizes their precious time, thus allowing them to focus on the crux of work. This is where an experienced travel manager and a reliable partner like Teplis Travel comes in.

Teplis Travel understands that an executive’s time is invaluable and travel plans should be nothing less than perfect. Therefore, we strive to offer VIP travel arrangements tailored to respect executive corporate policy and individual preferences.

But you might ask, what specifically does the role of a travel manager entail? And how does arranging for executive travel differ from regular employee travel?

In essence, a travel manager or an executive administrative assistant not only handles the logistics of travel arrangements but also, significantly, aligns it with corporate travel mandates. From coordinating with their corporate travel agency , managing complex calendars, and handling travel expenses to keeping tabs on the itinerary, they act as captains steering the ship of executive travel. 

While the objectives of employee travel and executive travel may be similar, the complexities and standards of execution differ widely. Much like how the roles within a company vary, the travel needs between different levels of the organizational hierarchy are massively distinct. An executive’s travel usually involves strategic planning around high-level meetings, and confidential information, and often caters to stringent preferences – the mission is much more than just booking a flight and hotel. 

With that said, the cornerstone of effective executive travel management lies in an understanding of tools and techniques to create an efficient travel strategy. The subsequent section will reveal the essential skills and tools that ensure seamless travel arrangements for executives.

Essential Skills and Tools For Effective Travel Arrangements

When it comes to arranging travel for executives, a strong set of skills and the right tools can make the process smooth and efficient. Let’s take a deeper dive into what these are.

A travel manager handling travel arrangements for an executive team must be armed with exceptional communication and organizational skills. These aren’t just buzzwords, but vital elements that ensure clear communication of travel plans, handling of administrative tasks, and management of unforeseen changes or last-minute requirements. 

Moreover, in our times, the executive assistant’s role is not confined to conventional duties. It has seeped into areas of project management and strategic planning of business trips. As such, skills in Microsoft Office can offer tremendous help in managing complex calendars and ensuring efficient time management. In particular, an aptitude for Excel can help keep all essential details in an organized format, fostering better tracking and management of travel plans.

In the fast-paced corporate world where last-minute changes are a norm, the ability to quickly adapt and re-strategize is paramount. This links back to the importance of having excellent project management skills which assist in foreseeing potential roadblocks and formulating Plan B’s—even C’s! 

Strategic Steps to Prepare for Executive Travel 

Armed with the right tools and equipped with essential skills, an executive assistant is well-positioned to tackle strategic planning for executive travel. However, the journey from planning to completing a successful business trip requires an established pattern of steps. So what are these steps?

An integral step in the preparation of executive travel is ensuring that you have all the relevant information on hand. Be thorough with the executive’s individual preferences, dietary restrictions, favorite hotels or airlines, and seating preferences on flights, among other details. These nuggets of information can make a world of difference in an executive’s travel experience. 

This brings us to the next crucial aspect – handling sensitive and confidential information. As an executive assistant catering to high-level executives, you are trusted with a great deal of sensitive information, including credit card details, passport copies, home addresses, and more. Maintaining utmost confidentiality and ensuring secure storage of this information is vital. 

Once armed with all relevant information, focus on creating a detailed travel plan. Use your knowledge of the executive’s time to your advantage. Consider flight times that do not hamper their work and recovery schedule. Minimize layovers, and if they’re unavoidable, ensure comfortable lounge access to make the waiting time productive. Plan detailed itineraries, including transport from and to the airport, meeting slots, downtime, and sleep time. Nothing should be left unplanned. 

A significant aspect to consider is that international travel, especially, can span multiple time zones. Scheduling meetings or flights without considering this factor can lead to mismanaged sleep schedules and jet lag, which can hamper the productivity of the executive team. Factor in the time zones when planning and allow enough time for the executive to acclimate to new timings.

And, of course, no plan is foolproof. So always have a backup! Whether it’s a backup flight in case of cancellations or delays, a different hotel, or alternative transportation, stay prepared for unpredicted changes. This will not only showcase your problem-solving skills but also tell your executives that they can rely on you, come rain or shine.

Having looked at the strategic steps to prepare for executive travel, we now delve into the specifics of arranging international travel for executives in the next section. Let’s continue our journey towards becoming a top-notch travel manager.

Arranging International Travel for Executives: What You Need to Know

International travel presents its own unique set of challenges and requirements, especially when arranging travel for executives. The most important aspect of organizing international travel is understanding the going to’s and coming from being involved in your executive’s complex business schedules at an international level.  Having a trusted corporate travel partner like Teplis Travel can make all the difference in the world when traveling internationally.  The expertise of Teplis Travel’s travel agents can help make booking the most complex international itinerary seem effortless and ensure your executive has a successful business trip. 

But, understanding travel expenses goes beyond just booking flights and hotels. It’s crucial to account for differing costs in a foreign country. Currency exchange rates, cost of local transport, meal expenses, and international mobile data are just a few of the myriad expenses that should be considered. An informed overview of these expenses ensures there are no unpleasant surprises and that the trip executed fits within your company’s budget.

Remember how we spoke about sensitive information in the previous section? This becomes all the more important when dealing with international travel. Ensure that your executive has a valid passport with at least six months’ validity before their planned return date. 

For high-level executives, acquiring a diplomatic passport can give them an added layer of convenience and security. These passports not only speed up the process in the foreign customs and immigration departments but also offer other perks like additional baggage allowances and access to diplomatic lounges.

Want an insider tip? When arranging travel outside of the United States, make use of trusted traveler programs like Global Entry and Registered Traveler. Enrolling your executive in these programs will expedite their passage through airport security and immigration, saving valuable time.

Health and safety considerations are particularly evident when traveling internationally. Always ensure that the executive has adequate travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, should it be necessary. Inform them about potential health risks in the destination country, and make sure they’re up-to-date on all required vaccinations. It might seem simple, but these small factors can significantly minimize any unexpected upheavals during the trip.

Having taken a close look at the specifics for arranging international executive travel, it’s time to conclude our guide and help consolidate your journey from an executive assistant to a strategic travel manager. Let’s move on to our final section.

Arranging travel for executives is an art form of its own. It involves digital proficiency, supreme organizational skills, a keen attention to detail, and the ability to anticipate and adapt to change. As a travel manager or executive assistant, your role significantly contributes to the success of your company’s operations. Done well, it not only ensures the smooth travel experience of your executives but can also potentially maximize the productive use of their time.

In this guide, we have delved into essential skills, strategic steps, considerations for international travel, and more. However, it is important to remember that each executive is unique and so are their travel requirements. Thus, always make room for flexibility and customization in your plans. 

As a final word, partnering with an expert travel management company like Teplis Travel can elevate your executive travel arrangements to a professional level. With an extensive repertoire of handling VIP travel arrangements and insider knowledge of corporate travel, we are well poised to assist in not just managing, but enhancing your executive’s travel experience.  While some travel agencies measure their agent knowledge in months, our agents have years and even decades of expertise booking complex and international travel.  

So, as you progress in this journey of arranging business travel for senior executives, remember that Teplis Travel is eager to help you sail smoothly. With the guidance from this post and our experience as your backing, you’re well on your way to becoming an indispensable part of your executive team.

This blog was reviewed for accuracy by

Ted Petty , CIO Teplis Travel

Ted is a seasoned expert in the corporate travel industry, currently serving as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Teplis Travel. With over two decades of experience, Ted has consistently demonstrated his prowess in optimizing travel solutions for businesses, leveraging innovative technologies to streamline operations and enhance the traveler experience. His dynamic leadership and commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends make him an invaluable asset in the world of corporate and executive travel.

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Elevating Business Travel: A Comprehensive Guide for Administrative Assistants in Planning Executive Trips

Arranging business travel is a critical task for any administrative assistant. Ensuring the smooth and efficient planning of flights, accommodations, and transportation for your boss is not only a responsibility, but also a reflection of your organizational skills and attention to detail. In a fast-paced and demanding corporate environment, the ability to successfully coordinate travel itineraries can make all the difference in ensuring a successful business trip.

Understand the importance of travel arrangements:

As an administrative assistant, the responsibility of arranging travel for your boss is about more than booking flights and hotels. It’s about creating an experience that meets the executive’s preferences and minimizes disruptions during the trip.

• Communication and Preferences: Establish clear communication channels with the executive to understand her or his preferences, whether it’s airline choice, hotel chains, seating preferences or any special needs he or she may have while traveling.
• Seamless logistics: Plan itineraries that ensure seamless transitions between flights, hotels and business meetings, minimizing downtime and reducing stress for the executive.
• Emergency Preparedness: Designate a single point of contact for last-minute changes or after-hours emergencies, providing a safety net for unexpected situations.

How to Make Business Travel Arrangements For Your Boss?

Helping your boss with travel plans can be pretty stressful, but it’s important to pay attention to all the little details. From booking flights and hotels to arranging for a rental car or transportation, there’s a lot to think about. Make sure you know your company’s travel rules so you can follow them when setting everything up. Being organized and efficient is key to making sure your boss has a hassle-free and successful trip.

Use a travel management provider:

• Choose a provider: Explore reputable travel management providers, such as BCD Travel, to streamline the booking process and centralize travel data. These providers often offer comprehensive solutions for both travel and accommodation.
• Integration with Technology: Choose a provider that integrates seamlessly with technology, making it easy for administrative assistants to efficiently organize and manage travel arrangements.

Optimize mobile apps for your executives:

• Travel Apps: Recommend and set up travel apps on the executive’s phone, such as TripSource, to consolidate all travel-related information into one easily accessible platform. Also consider key apps such as Google Maps , Currency Converter or Deepl Translator .
• Communication Apps: Make sure the executive has communication apps such as Skype or Zoom for virtual meetings and staying connected on the road.

Track executive preferences:

When overseeing top-tier executives, it is imperative to grasp their travel document options and time zone preferences. Maintaining a structured record of such information guarantees seamless and effective travel planning. Being mindful of their requirements and preferences demonstrates the respect and professionalism that high-ranking executives anticipate.

• Preference Database: Create and maintain a database of executive preferences, including preferred airlines, hotels, seating arrangements and even in-flight meal choices.
• Regular Updates: Keep the preference database current by regularly checking with the executive for any changes or updates. 

Create a detailed itinerary:

Consider reaching out to a business travel management company for assistance in organizing travel options and travel costs. 

• Detailed itineraries: Provide executives with a comprehensive itinerary that includes details on flights, accommodations, meeting schedules and transportation arrangements.
• Local Information: Include destination information such as local transportation, key contacts, and cultural considerations.

Simplify expense reporting:

Expense reporting can often be a tedious and time-consuming task. Keep things organized and in line with your travel policies, while staying within your travel budget for the company’s corporate travel.

• Receipt Management: Implement a straightforward system for easy receipt collection and submission to streamline expense reporting.
• Digital Tools: Utilize digital tools for efficient expense tracking and reporting.

Add a personal touch for a successful trip:

• Personalized amenities: Incorporate small, thoughtful gestures such as healthy, compact snacks, travel adapters or reading materials to enhance the overall travel experience.
• Surprise and delight: Consider surprising the executive with personalized amenities or services that match their preferences and make the trip memorable.

The Executive Travel Planning Checklist

• Confirm travel dates and times.
• Book transportation and accommodations.
• Set up a dedicated emergency contact person.
• Install travel apps on the executive’s phone.
• Regularly update the preference database.
• Create a detailed travel itinerary.
• Implement an efficient expense reporting system.
• Include personalized touches for a memorable trip.

By following these comprehensive steps and incorporating personalized touches, administrative assistants can ensure that executives have a stress-free and enjoyable business travel experience, contributing to the overall success of the trip and the executive’s well-being.

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Contact our sales team to explore how we can assist you with your corporate travel program.

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Growth Trends for Related Jobs

A secretary's duties of making travel arrangements.

A secretary's duties typically include making travel arrangements for her boss and/or other employees. Since secretaries are usually responsible for keeping the schedule for busy executives, they also take care of their travel plans and ensure the arrangements are taken care of, including hotel reservations and car rentals.

Planning to Make Travel Arrangements

Once a secretary discovers that her boss has to travel for business, she must learn the exact dates of the anticipated trip. If you are responsible for making travel arrangements for everyone in your department or office, you must determine if other staff members are traveling at the same time as well. Depending on the company you work for, you may have to determine the budget for the travel expenses or contact the accounting department to see if the money is in the budget for the trips. You must find out what hotels are in the area where your boss will be traveling, if she has any preferences, and get the costs and availability of rooms.

Making Travel Arrangements

Now that you have confirmed the days and number of people traveling, you must make the actual travel arrangements. A secretary's duties may include going online and making the reservations herself or contacting a travel agency with all of the details. Larger companies may have a travel department where the secretary only has to provide the proposed itinerary and the travel staff has the responsibility of actually making all of the arrangements. Your responsibility will also include reviewing the confirmation of the arrangements and ensuring they are correct. You must know if your boss has any seating preferences on the airplane, how many pieces of luggage will be taken and if any must be checked. The meeting or conference your boss is attending may require reserving her seat and you will probably be responsible for sending the RSVP on her behalf.

Completing the Arrangements

Another part of making travel arrangements includes taking care of the travel needs for your boss while she is away. You must know if your boss needs transportation to the airport or if she will be reimbursed for the cost of parking her car at the airport. You should provide a printed copy of the itinerary for your boss to use when she arrives at her destination so she will know her daily schedule and include the addresses of the hotel and the location of the meeting or conference. You can reserve a rental car in advance that will be available upon her arrival or arrange for the hotel shuttle to take her to the hotel. A secretary's duties when making travel arrangements includes ensuring that every aspect of the trip is covered.

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Janise Smith began freelance writing in 2009. She has published poetry, short fiction and various articles, with her works appearing in "Metropolitan Woman" and the "Detroit Free Press." She earned a Bachelor of Arts in written communications with an emphasis on journalism, creative and technical writing from Eastern Michigan University.

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