10 Summer Travel Tips for Business Travelers

Business travel is something that we do all year long. Many people forget that it’s done during the summer. That’s because this time of year is focused on the travel needs of families. However, business goes on during this time as well. The change in general travel patterns during this season can affect business travelers. Here are 10 summer travel tips that will assist business travelers in making sure that they get to where they need to be on time.

1.     Book in advance. It is more important during the summer to book your business travel in advance if at all possible. Many airlines and hotels fill up a lot more quickly during the summer months. This is particularly true if you are self-employed and have to pay the cost of your own business travel since summer business travel rates tend to be higher if you wait until the last minute.

2.     Consider going first class. If money is no object this year then you might want to consider flying first class when you travel for business. This will allow you to get some work done on the plane without interruptions and interferences from families and their young children. Traveling first class is more expensive but if it means that you are able to make money by working during the flight then the costs can offset each other. This is particularly true for long flights.

3.     Travel early in the morning or late at night. Your best bet for smooth travel is to travel early in the morning. Flights generally don’t get delayed in the morning. Traveling either in the morning or late at night will mean that you avoid the hassles of traveling with families most of the time. Families tend to travel during the daytime hours so avoid the peak part of the day when booking your flights.

4.     Dress for the weather of the place you’re going not the place that you’re in. If you’re going to be going directly from a flight to a meeting or conference then you need to dress the part. However, be aware of what the weather is going to be like in the place where you land. If it’s going to be hot and humid then you’ll want to wear the clothing that is least likely to get rumpled and sweaty. Business clothing differs in formality from place to place so of course you have to take that into consideration but definitely also think about the weather during summertime business travel.

5.     Pad your travel with some days for fun. The long warm days of summer are going to make you long to be traveling for pleasure instead of business. Try to pad the days around your business travel so that you can spend an extra day or two in each place that you visit. This will allow you a chance to actually see the sights. You can get a summer vacation of your own while you do your work.

6.     Take the kids along. Instead of trying to work out a separate family vacation this summer, consider having your family come with you to one of your work destinations. Of course, you’ll still have to do your work and you’ll still have to pay for the family’s trip but you can save both time and money by doing it this way. Plus there’s a good chance that it will mean that the kids get to see a place that you’ve never bothered to take them to before which is always great for a summer vacation.

7.     Prepare to spend more time on the road. Remember that summer traffic tends to be busier in many cities than traffic is during the rest of the year. More local traffic is happening as parents run their kids around for summer activities. More tourist traffic is coming in. The roads are busier and so they are slower. If you’re going to be renting a car or taking your own car out on the road for a business trip then plan for the trip to take longer than it usually does. You don’t want to show up late for a business meeting because you were anticipating the drive to be as short as it was when you visited the same place last winter.

8.     In fact, prepare to spend more time everywhere. A lot of the things that you’re used to doing quickly during normal business travel are just going to take longer when there are many other travelers around. Checking in to your hotel, getting food at the complimentary breakfast, getting through airline security … these things are going to take longer in the summer so just get used to the idea now. Bring some work. Bring your BlackBerry. Bring a book. Relax so that you aren’t stressed out when you arrive to do your job.

9.     Aim to travel to destinations that interest you. You often can’t help where your business travel ends up taking you. However, if you’ve got some options then try to schedule your summer travel to see the clients or attend the events that are in locations you’d like to visit at this time of year. Getting excited about the place that you’re going for work is important during a season when the other aspects of travel can be more difficult.

10. Use your perks. Now is the time to cash in on all of those perks that business travelers get. Take advantage of the concierge at your hotel. Accept the free shuttle ride from the airport. Cash in those miles that have added up all throughout the year. Just because the industry tends to forget about business travelers during the summer doesn’t mean that you should make it easy for them to do so!