Let’s face it — business trips don’t always align with slow travel seasons. While every business traveler can dream of having easy travel for work with no lines and empty seats, sometimes heading off to a conference when everyone else is traveling for a major holiday or at a peak travel period is necessary. The good thing is that there are things you can do to be proactive to handle the crowds and make your business travel experience during the busy travel season no big deal.
TSA Precheck. If you have not yet taken the plunge into getting access to this perk, you need to do this as soon as possible. Security is important, but at peak travel times, it can be the bane of your existence. Nothing is worse than watching minutes click away as your arm grows tired from holding your laptop while inexperienced travelers bumble through the security lines with belts still on, full water bottles, prohibited items in their carry-on bags and change in their pockets. No matter how many signs the airport may have, people still seem to miss the rules, which can lead to delays in security lines. If you have been trudging through the lines among all the holiday travelers in the past, you may not realize realize just how much having TSA Precheck can improve things. However, when you can zip through security and have time to indulge in a coffee or snack before your flight boards, you will be happy you did it.
Pack light. If you’re like me, you like to prepare, and often, that leads to over-packing, especially for business trips. But if there’s any time that it’s imperative that you travel light — it’s during the busiest travel seasons. If you have the option to just pack what can fit in your carry-on, do it. Bring versatile clothing pieces that can be hung up and reworn or take advantage of the hotel cleaning services (or – find a local cleaner if you’re going on an extended trip to avoid high fees). Forget the unnecessary items, pack like a minimalist, and ship any extras, like conference materials. This will help you avoid the dreadful threat of lost luggage, long wait times, and other hassles that can seriously sour a business trip.
Make business travel easier with a TMC. Whether it’s a three-day weekend kind of holiday like Memorial Day or Labor Day, or you’re traveling during the Thanksgiving and other extended winter season holidays, traveling for business during peak travel times can be a challenge. With full flights and limited availability, getting a decent time and cost can be a hassle. Take the guesswork out of trying to find a decent flight at a reasonable price by having an experienced travel advisor at a travel management company handle it for you. It’s the legwork no one wants to do at the office that requires extra time no one has, but it’s also the sort of thing that corporate travel agents excel at doing. Get your flights booked hassle-free in advance for an easy time traveling for work during the busiest travel seasons. When looking for a corporate travel agent, be sure to find one that offers live, round-the-clock customer service, an easy-to-navigate portal, and the ability to handle your requests with ease.
While traveling during peak travel seasons can be a hassle, hopefully these tips will help you skate through with ease! Have other tips? We’d love to hear them. Reach out and let us know!