Tips and Tricks to Make Your Next Business Trip Go Smoothly
Most executives are required to travel several times a year and when the trip you’re taking is for business rather than pleasure, you may find yourself stressed out more than usual. Since you know you’re going to be going through the hassle of airport security, fighting for a taxi, and searching for your bags only to go straight to work will stress you out before you ever even leave the house.
Take the stress out of your executive travel by using these tips and tricks to make your next business trip go smoothly.
Dress for Success
Airport security is often the biggest time waster during your air travels. Everyone has to go through it, so you can plan ahead to make sure you’re sent through quickly just by dressing appropriately.
If you’re lucky enough to have some downtime once you land instead of needing to head straight to a business meeting, your travel dressing options are pretty simple. Wear slip-on shoes that don’t require much effort when taking them off and on to put through the X-ray machine. Forgo the belt and any bulky jewelry if at all possible, as TSA will require you to remove them before sending you through their AIT (advanced imaging technology) machine.
In the event that you are required to go straight to a meeting without the luxury of stopping off at your hotel, you’ll want to wear as much of your suit as possible when flying. You can save time, though by leaving your belt and suit jacket in your carry-on bag so you can put it on once you land. This will save you the hassle and inconvenience of changing in an airport bathroom.
Be Prepared
If you travel a lot, you know that there are certain things you need to have quick and easy access to. These would include your boarding pass and proper identification. You can use things like your U.S. passport, U.S. military ID, driver’s license, as well as other forms of ID. The TSA is well aware that there will be times that you leave home without your identification, and they do have other methods of verifying your identity to make sure you do make it to your flight. However, these methods are incredibly time consuming and have the potential to miss your flight if you don’t allow enough time for this process.
Pack Smart
Don’t take more than you know you’re going to need. If you are able to make it through your business trip with just your carry-on bag, you’ll be able to bypass the hassle of checking luggage and waiting for it on the baggage carousel once your flight lands. If there is no way around packing additional suitcases, make sure to label it as fragile. These bags are put on top of the other passengers’ luggage and will be the first to come off the plane making it a breeze to grab your bag and go.
Use a Car Service
One of the most frustrating things to do after you’ve arrived at your destination is fight for a taxi. There will be hundreds of other people leaving the airport at the same time as you, so it could take several minutes, even up to an hour, to hail a cab. By reserving a car service, they’ll be there to pick you up the moment you land. They’ll be more than happy to carry your bags to the car, load them up, and then get you to your hotel or meeting with little to no stress.
These business trips you’re required to take don’t always have to be a headache. By planning ahead, and remembering some of these tips and tricks, you may actually have extra time to enjoy yourself.
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/olegshpyrko/8231561628/">Oleg.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
