41+ Business Travel Tips For Professionals: Travel For Success

Business travel is a common aspect of our professional life, whether you're a corporate employee or a digital nomad. It can facilitate growth and foster communication between enterprises. With practical business travel tips, whether your business trip is domestic or international, you can easily and confidently travel.

Depending on the nature of each business trip, there are certain things to consider. For client meetings and deal negotiations, having a business attire plan for both meetings and networking events is essential. For industry conferences and workshops, note-taking items such as a notebook, a laptop, and a comfortable pair of footwear are necessary for long hours of educational seminars.

As the landscape of business travel is continuously evolving, business travellers should practise travel tips that promote productivity as well as personal well-being. Here is our list of expert-approved travel tips for business travellers.

Pre-travel: Business Travel Packing Tips

Travelling with a cabin-friendly and practical backpack is convenient.

CabinZero Classic Backpack. IG: @umbelentini

Depending on the specific requirements of your business trip, you can tailor your business trip packing list accordingly. Remember to always have a list of all the essentials and take local weather into consideration when choosing the appropriate clothing.

1. Bring Essential Travel Documents

What does every business traveller need? Travel documents such as a valid passport, a visa if required, and a travel itinerary to keep track of meeting schedules, flight details, and reservations.

If you plan to drive, having an International Driving Permit (also known as "IDP") is a must. Furthermore, You should also have digital copies of important travel documents for unexpected cases.

2. Stay Powered With a Battery Charger And Power Bank

In today's digital age, having electronic devices on every business trip is the norm. From your smartphone to your laptop or tablet, these devices play an essential part in work-related tasks and in your personal life. Having battery chargers and portable power banks in your packing list will ensure your devices stay powered. When picking a power bank, it is important to consider factors such as capacity, compatibility and weight.

3. Bring An Extra Set Of Clothes (And Undies) In Your Carry-on

In case your flight is delayed or the checked suitcase disappears somewhere, you will have a fresh set to change into. It’s one of the best business travel hacks everyone should know about. Plus, extra underwear is never a bad thing.

On a side note, do bring casual clothes for a night out. Or at least some comfort clothes that you can wear both in and out of the room. It’s a pain to put your only set of formal clothes on just to go outside to grab some ice bin or food down the hall.

4. Use Carry-on Luggage

For a stress-free travel experience, choosing the right carry-on luggage is crucial. Having a practical and cabin-friendly backpack not only saves you time at long check-in queues but can also significantly reduce your risk of lost luggage. Start travelling efficiently and travel in style with CabinZero's diverse range of uniquely designed backpacks now.

5. Have Multiple Supplies/Copies Of One Thing

Laptop and phone chargers, socks, important documents, etc. should be available at least in two, one in your carry-on and one in your suitcase. That way, you lower the chances of forgetting your essentials.

6. Bring Noise-cancelling Headphones

Ambient noise, including flight engines, chatter from other passengers, and noise in public spaces, can be distracting for a long period. Using noise-cancelling headphones is not only great for cancelling out these unwanted noises, but it also allows you to relieve stress by having uninterrupted entertainment on the go. 

7. Stay Refreshed With A Travel-sized Toiletry Bag

Having a versatile toiletry bag for every trip is a game changer for many travellers, especially business travellers. It is no secret that dressing smartly and having good personal hygiene can leave great impressions in professional settings. Choose travel-sized toiletry and opt for a waterproof bag with organisational compartments to carry all your toiletry needs. 

8. Travel Light

Travelling light increases your mobility in crowded airports and ensures your efficiency in transit while taking public transportation. On top of all that, travelling light can lower your stress levels associated with unpacking and safeguarding your belongings. Remember to choose versatile clothing, consider layer clothing and evaluate your necessities. 

On The Road: Tips for a Smooth-Sailing Business Trip

Flying in first class gives you more cabin space and privacy. Photo by Angelov on stock.adobe.com

Now that we have got the packing in order, it’s time to get started on your trip preparation. These few extra steps ensure you will hit the ground running once you land.

9. Digitalise Your Travel Documents And Working Files

It is a good practice to make digital copies of your travel documents such as passports, visas, flight tickets and reservations for unexpected cases of missing your original copies. There should be at least two backup copies, one on your phone, and another in your cloud storage.

For business trips, there are necessary files and documents required for meetings, workshops, etc. It is logistically better to have your working files in digital forms.

10. Make Use Of Expedited Security Programs

If you are a frequent traveller, one of your top priorities is probably to get through security screening faster. Using expedited security programs such as TSA Precheck or Global Entry can certainly expedite the screening process as verified passengers use dedicated lanes and are subjected to a more simplified process at security checkpoints.

11. Opt For Credit Cards With Free Lounge Memberships

Travelling for long hours can be tiresome. Instead of waiting at crowded terminals, treat yourself and stay in comfortable airport lounges to recharge during your business trips.

Airport lounges also have amenities such as stable Wi-Fi, power outlets, bathrooms, and working places to catch up on your pending work tasks. Most airport lounges come with an entry price. However, you can use a credit card that offers free lounge memberships to make the best out of credit cards' perks.

12. Get Sufficient Sleep To Avoid Jet Lag

One of the best travelling for work tips is to get enough sleep. This not only helps you mitigate the effects of jet lag, but it also gives you enough energy to get work done during your business trips. Depending on the length of your trip and the time difference in your new time zone, you can gradually adjust your sleep schedule and take naps strategically.

13. Be Mindful Of The Cultural Differences

For a successful work trip, navigating through the cultural differences mindfully is the key. Researching the cultural norms of your destination countries before travelling to understand the basic local customs and etiquette. This is an effective way to navigate interactions and initiate communication. Always be flexible with different working styles and embrace the diversity in your business trips. 

14. Get Upgraded To First Class

There are various reasons that flying first class is appealing to business travellers: comfort, priority boarding, extra cabin space and premium amenities. One of the most appealing yet underrated perks of flying first class is networking opportunities with other business travellers and industry professionals. The good news is there are many ways to get upgraded to first class while travelling, including joining loyalty programs and using credit cards' perks.

Good Night's rest: Tips For Great Business Hotel Stays

Having Wi-Fi allows you to catch up on pending work tasks. Photo by Mint Images on stock.adobe.com

A comfortable and productive hotel stay is crucial for a successful business trip. Whether you're seeking a quiet haven or a convenient workspace, these tips will help you navigate your hotel stay like a seasoned traveller.

15. Bring Your Own Cleaning Kit

Whether you plan to stay just a night in a hotel or stay long-term for work, having a cleaning kit with you can help keep your space safer and more germ-free. Some useful items you should include in your travel cleaning kit are all-purpose cleaners and disinfectant wipes or wet wipes.

16. Check For Bed Bugs

Bed bugs might be small, but they are troublesome for all travellers. Handling bed bug infestations is not easy. Therefore, it is better to avoid bed bugs in the first place. You can inspect your bed to check for bloodstains, eggs or faeces. Using your flashlight or black light to check the frame joints and cushions for bed bugs is also useful.

17. Optimise Travel Loyalty Program

Frequent business travellers are often offered special benefits in travel loyalty programs by hotels. These benefits usually include special bonuses, points to use in hotel services and privileges for room upgrades. If your work requires taking frequent business trips, you can save costs substantially by optimising travel loyalty programs at hotels.

18. Pick An Airline or Hotel Chain To Be Your Favourite

Sticking to one airline or hotel chain makes it easier to accumulate points and rewards. It’s simple, just pick one to be your favourite, and try to book them as much as possible. Plus, it helps when you wake up to a familiar hotel room, which can be a big different when you have to travel for business a lot.

19. Location, Location, Location

A business traveller generally has different priorities than a leisure traveller when it comes to booking a hotel. to your meetings or work location to save time on commuting.

Using a map to anticipate the proximity of the potential hotels to the areas that your business trip is based around. If you plan on using public transportation frequently, you should consider the proximity of your hotel to nearby buses or train stations. Safety should be your top priority, therefore, choosing a secure area to stay at is highly recommended.

20. Pick Your Accommodations Wisely

Places that cater to tourists will provide different services to those that are business-oriented. Aside from having a convenient location, good amenities, efficient transportation and staying within budget, the ideal hotel for business trips should have business amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi and a business centre. 

21. Have A Universal Power Adapter

Keep your working devices powered and stay connected during any work trips by having a universal power adapter. As countries have different electricity standards and voltage, using a universal adapter is a simple, lightweight and safe option for your power needs.

Thriving on Business Trips: Tips to Stay Healthy and Positive

Socialising at business events can lower your anxiety and build mutually beneficial relationships. Photo by bnenin on stock.adobe.com

‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ (healthy mind, healthy body); you can’t do much with an exhausted body and mind. Business travel can take its toll, especially on a frequent basis. Here is what every business traveller needs to know to stay in tip-top shape, both mentally and physically.

22. Use The Gym

Maintaining a consistent fitness routine is important for your health, especially if you travel often for work. Most hotels have a gym, a pool or a fitness centre that you can use to keep a regular workout schedule on the go. A good practice is to schedule your workout time in advance and consider it like a work task so that you can keep up the routine.

23. Take A Walk

Simply taking a walk is among small business travel tips that generate big impacts in the long run for business travellers, whose work often requires sitting for long hours at meetings or on flights. Walking has numerous health benefits, including improving cardiovascular health, retaining bone strength and promoting brain function. 

24. Mind What You Eat

Eating healthy on a business trip can be easier than you think. The rule of thumb is to avoid packaged and processed snacks. There are better options at the airports, hotels, and local vendors. If possible, try to pack healthy snacks in your carry-on. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, string cheese, granola bars, veggies, Greek yoghurt, and whole-grain crackers are a few good examples.

25. Bring A Tea Sachet Or Two To Feel Calm

When you are in a new place, something that reminds you of home is a lifesaver. The simple act of preparing and enjoying a familiar tea can do wonders for your mental health. Likewise, waking up to a familiar room layout of a hotel chain that you stick to can calm you down and let you have a good start to the day.

26. Stay Hydrated With A Reusable Water Bottle

Needless to say, staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy when you travel for work, especially when some countries lack drinkable tap water. According to LinkedIn, you should aim for 8 ounces of water per hour of flying as the cabin air can be dry. Water with electrolytes is also a good choice (alcoholic and/or caffeinated beverage is a no-no, though).

27. Build Relationships And Socialise At Events

Having healthy relationships is believed to reduce stress and anxiety. Work-related relationships and socialising at business events can make your work more enjoyable. Thus lowering your stress levels and negative emotions that might arise during long work trips. Establishing good work relationships can further advance your career in the process.

28. Explore Local Area In Your Own Time

To keep a good balance between life and work; it is a good idea to have time to unwind during your business trips. And exploring the local area is a perfect idea. You can use travel apps to find hidden gems and interesting things to do. A quick research gives you an overview of nearby attractions and tasty local dishes to try.

Slash Your Expenses: Saving Money On A Business Trip Tips

Staying organised with your travel expenses can lower the overall costs of business travel. Photo by Mediteraneo on stock.adobe.com

29. Save All Receipts For Reimbursement

Each company has a different reimbursement process; however, saving receipts is required for most cases. Work travel expenses need proper documentation, such as receipts, to process. This helps ensure accountability and transparency. From transportation to meals, you should keep track of all receipts. 

30. Use Free Lounge Memberships

Some credit cards offer travellers free lounge memberships in airports around the world. This is among the top business travel hacks that every business traveller should know for a comfortable flying experience. You can skip the highly-priced airport food and drinks by enjoying the complimentary food at airport lounges.

31. Stay Organised By Tracking Your Expenses

Regarding work trip expenses, there are accommodation costs, food and drink costs, transportation costs and more. To stay on top of your expenses, you can use tracking tools to record all transactions and expenses that occurred during your business trips. Keeping all receipts should be a consistent practice for travel expense audits and reimbursement.

32. Plan Ahead And Book Early

Booking in advance is a common travel practice for many reasons. It allows travellers to have more time to plan whilst saving more. If you have time to compare your options, you can select the best ones that fit your needs and your budget. On top of that, many airlines and hotels offer corporate rates for business travellers. Booking early means you can have time to negotiate better deals.

33. Be Aware Of Common Business Travel Mistakes

For inexperienced travellers, knowing the common travel mistakes that can happen during work trips is useful to actively avoid them beforehand.

For example, one of the most costly mistakes is overpacking or underpacking. This can lead to excess baggage fees, lost time checking bags, and missing essential items. Another example is careless spending and missing out on trivial expenses such as exchange fees and taxes when auditing. Other common ones include but are not limited to:

• Booking travel arrangements at the last minute
• Forget important documents and essential electronics
• Underestimate travel times between avenues
• Neglect your health and don’t sleep enough
• leave behind important documents like your passport, visa, travel insurance, or itinerary
• Ignore your company’s travel policy
• Forget to schedule some downtime
• Put all your money into one place.

34. Review Your Corporate Travel Policy

An effective corporate travel policy allows both employees and employers to find time-efficient and correct solutions to common matters in business travel. By reviewing your company's travel policy, you can know what expenses are eligible for reimbursement, the criterias used in selecting travel arrangements and so on.

Travel Smart: Business Travel Tips To Stay Safe

It is advisable to keep your important travel documents and other essentials in a safe place when travelling. Photo by hafakot on stock.adobe.com

Just like any travel trip, especially if you are going alone, travelling on a business can come with its fair share of risks. Here are some common business travel hacks to help you stay on the safe side.

35. Be Alert And Aware

Do your homework. Research beforehand to know your hotel and the landmarks. At least learn to know what areas are dangerous and should be avoided. Avoid walking alone in unfamiliar areas, especially at night.

Share your travel itinerary, contact information, and accommodation details with a trusted person back home. And last but not least, If something feels off, avoid the situation and trust your instincts.

36. Be Prepared With A Medical Kit

Travelling with a medical kit is one of the basics of business travel tips safety. To prepare for cases of minor injuries and health issues during your business trips, you can include first aid basics such as bandages, antiseptic solution and a small pair of scissors.

For medications, common over-the-counter medicines  like pain relievers, motion sickness medications, flu remedies and anti-diarrheal medications are recommended. If you take prescription medications regularly, be sure to bring them along with your prescriptions. 

37. Leave Your Essentials Packed In A Safe Place

Securing your valuables should be the top priority. This includes vital documents, local currency, credit cards, electronic devices, work-related documents and more. You can use a safe to keep your essentials safe or have them on you in a secured bag.

38. Use Travel Apps Wisely

There is a great number of travel apps available for travellers. Each app has certain functions that can help you ensure your safety on your work trips. Smart Traveler is an app created by the U.S. Department of State to provide safety guidelines on foreign destinations and is available on both Android and iOS. VPN apps are a virtual private network that allows you to browse freely and keep your data safe from hackers when travelling.

39. Have An Accessible List Of Emergency Contact

In cases of emergency and stressful situations, having a list of important contacts accessible can save you both time and energy. In an emergency, the first responders should be able to call your trusted contact or insurance company for you. Therefore, having a list of easy to find and accountable emergency contact with you on your work trips is highly recommended.

40. Dress Appropriately And Be Mindful Of Local Cultures

If you are heading to a completely new country, it is always a good idea to research online about local customs and cultures. By understanding more about cultural norms, you can be more aware of local people's religious beliefs and traditional practices, which influence your choice of clothings and interactions.

41. Use Social Media Mindfully

Social media can be useful platforms to share your experiences with family, friends and co-workers. However, it is essential to keep in mind that ill-intentioned individuals, such as hackers, can use the information you share to create serious problems.

You should use your social media mindfully and avoid sharing details that are too specific about your travel plans. For example, posting your passports, flight tickets, and hotel room numbers is not a safe practice.

42. Get A Business Travel Insurance

Travel delays, trip cancellations and loss of personal belongings are among the top common issues that are linked to business travel. A well-rounded business travel insurance should cover trip cancellation, medical expenses, travel delays, and loss of personal items and baggage. Having business insurance can help you better cover unexpected cases and lower your stress levels in urgent situations.

43. Invest In Travel Safety Products

Travel safety gadgets help ensure your personal safety while on business trips in foreign countries. Simply investing in a few useful travel safety products such as secondary door locks, anti-theft backpacks, and luggage trackers, can give you peace of mind. 

ADV 42L and ADV Pro 42L - A Must-Have For Frequent Business Travellers

Minimal design with multi-functional compartments, Adventure Backpack and Adventure Backpack Pro from CabinZero is perfect for your next work trip. With a padded laptop sleeve and a sizable 42L capacity, you can easily carry your electronics and valuable belongings on the go. Adventure Backpacks are also made with water-resistant coatings and built-in sleeves for trolley handles, making them ideal backpacks for international travel.

• Carry-on friendly for the majority of airlines
• Durable Nylon 500D Rip-Stop fabric with water-resistant coating
• Great organisation
• Laptop sleeve in the spacious main compartment*
• Padded laptop sleeve on the front compartment**
• Can fit up to 17’’ laptop
• Two inner zipped pockets with a pen loop and key clip
• Top quick access pocket on the front to store you ID, passport, etc.
• Straps that can be tucked away
• Passthrough trolley sleeve
• Lockable sliders on the front** and main compartment for peace of mind
• Okoban tracing tag.

*Only available on the ADV lineups.

**Only available on the ADV Pro lineups.

Travel For Success: Business Travel Tips For Professionals

One of the best business travel tips is careful planning. With this business travel tips guide, you can streamline your travel plans and ensure productivity in your future business trips. Remember, do not forget to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal time to avoid burnout in the long run. 

Save this article for the next time you are preparing for a work trip. Share this article with your fellow business travellers to make the most out of every trip.

Chau Dao