Within the past decade, business travel has fluctuated with changes in the economy. While business trips are stereotypically depicted as lengthy cross-country flights, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration reports that the majority of business trips in the US are taken within 250 miles of home.
On a shorter business trip, an employee is likely to travel by car. But once a business trip extends over the 500 mile marker, an employee will travel by airplane to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
If you’re planning a major corporate business trip for multiple employees, complete with air travel, keep these helpful tips in mind to save both time and money on unnecessary travel delays:
- Book with a travel planning website. If your company doesn’t currently work with a travel agent, you can kill multiple birds with one stone with the use of a travel planning website. There, you can book airfare, hotel, and car rental directly, often receiving an additional discount for booking a package deal.
- Book airport transportation in advance. Instead of paying for employee mileage as individual vehicles are driven to the airport and parked for several days, book an airport shuttle to take a group directly to the airport. When you factor in the cost of gas, mileage, and parking fees that will have to be reimbursed, the single cost of a shuttle is much more economical.
- Brief employees on airport security. A holdup at security could mean that a flight is missed altogether, costing a business hundreds of dollars if a ticket is nonrefundable. Before a major corporate trip, employees should be briefed on the best practices to move through airport security as quickly as possible. All employees should wear slip-on shoes and easily removable metal items, like belts. According to TSA regulations, toiletries should be placed in small Ziploc bags and packed at the top of a suitcase for easier access.
- Provide employees with separate laptop bags. Employees will appreciate this company bonus in a laptop bag that can be used for convenience and to protect a company-issued computer. On top of that, a security approved laptop bag will pass through an airport security checkpoint even faster without having to remove a laptop to place it in a separate security bin.
- Carry on whenever possible. Today, many airlines charge an additional fee to check a bag, which can add on to total travel expenses. For a short business trip, employees should be encouraged to travel with a carry-on only and pack lightweight, wrinkle-free clothing that can be used for professional meetings throughout a business trip.