Administrative Assistant Tips For Planning Business Travel

Business Travel Planning Checklist

Your boss walks up to your desk and hands his/her business credit card to you and says, “Book me a flight to our Georgia office next month”. Planning trips for management can be a daunting task when you’ve never attempted it before. There are numerous things to consider before you ever get started. Some of the questions an assistant might have when booking trips for the first time might be:

1. When does he/she need to leave?
2. How long will he/she be there for?
3. Will he/she need a rental car?
4. Is there a travel budget, if so how much is it?

When planning a trip for management, think about it as if you were planning the trip for yourself. This way they get the best experience possible. Do they prefer an aisle seat or a window seat? What is an acceptable layover time for them? It all comes down to their preferences. Schedule a short meeting prior to making the traveling arrangements to discuss the trip’s itinerary with them. You can use the checklist below to ask the questions needed to make his/her trip as smooth as possible.

Here’s What A Business Travel Itinerary Should Include:

1. Always include a weather report for the city he/she will be visiting, for each day of the trip up until departure.
2. Include any major issues like huge events in the city that could delay his/her travel while visiting.
3. Don’t forget to include the main contact’s office and or cell phone number in case there is a travel delay when arriving to the city. Also include any other emergency numbers as well. These should be listed at the top of page one, so they are easily and readily accessible.
4. Be sure to list whether or not there will be food served during the flight. Will it be a snack or a full meal?

When booking flights, always think about:

1. What is the layover time? Always try to book flights with the shortest layover time.
2. What time does he/she need to leave in order to arrive prior to meeting or event? 
3. Is upgraded seating available?
4. How many hours before his flight will he be notified—24 hours? 

Other business travel preparation tips to consider:

1. When working with a travel agency, find the most efficient ways to structure his/her travel given all factors of each trip, i.e., time frames, travel dates, meetings with customers, dinners, time to and from airports, etc. 
2. Are there any options that better suit his/her requests?
3. Do some of your own research about the flight(s) and then speak to the travel agent.
4. Always confirm that this is the best, most efficient, and most convenient route for his/her travel.
5. Make sure the trip makes sense. Think through the schedule the travel agency gave you as if you were the traveler—does it make sense? 

Team Dinner

1. Who needs to be invited?
2. Restaurant, club, or other facility?
3. Any special communications from you to the team?
4. Reservation time preferred?

Other Special Meetings:

1. Town Hall Meetings
2. Customer Meetings
3. Business Colleagues

Be sure to include agendas, notes, folders, files, handouts, and any other documents that he/she may need for meetings each day.

TIP: You can put everything on a USB and organize it for each day of the meeting.

Cash While Traveling:

Make sure leader has cash a few days before he departs. This will depend on the length of his trip and where he is traveling to. Find out his/her preferences. He/she may prefer Traveler’s Checks. If so, how much, and what dollar amounts?

Packing List:

1. Cell phone
2. Cell phone charger (or Universal charger) 
3. Laptop (and carrying case)
4. iPad (and carrying case)
5. Spare batteries 
6. Lighter (for emergency/power outages at hotel due to storms) 
7. Plug adapters and voltage converters
8. Overcoat 
9. Trench coat 
10. Umbrella
11. Sunglasses
12. Casual attire
13. Business attire
14. Workout attire (including tennis shoes)
15. Swimsuit
16. Business suit or sports jacket
17. Tie(s) 
18. Toiletries (place in appropriate baggies if taking a carry-on suitcase) 
19. Personal items 
20. ID 
21. Passport
22. Boarding Pass
23. Business cards
24. Pens and/or special notepads or portfolio for writing
25. Medical items: prescription medications, Advil, Tylenol, sinus medicine, and or throat lozenges.

NOTE: Carry-On Baggage – Although there is no regulation for common items such as clothing, reading materials, cameras and laptop computers, the TSA has asked that all electronics have a card with your name and contact number taped to all electronic devices. TSA also regulates the number of liquid items, such as toothpaste, shampoo, and bottled water, permitted in carry-on luggage. Travelers must pack their liquid items in a single, clear, zip top quart-size bag. Each item in the bag must be in a 3.4-oz. or smaller container.

Travel Day 1: Departing His/her Home or Office

1. Will there be a town car service to the airport? If so, be sure to schedule the pickup for him/her when they return home.
2. Be sure to allow for sufficient time get to the airport. Remember that certain days can be busier at the departing airport than others.
3. What times of the day are busiest for driving to the airport?

Arrival City:

1. Does the town car driver need to be there when he/she arrives?
   If yes, where is driver meeting leader?
   – Curbside (Will the name card be placed in the car window for the leader to see curbside?)
   – At baggage claim (Will the driver be holding a sign with his name on it near baggage or at the baggage carousel?)
   – Bottom of escalators
2. Does he/she need to call the driver upon his arrival?
3. Will someone from the office be picking up the leader from the airport? If so, provide the details.
4. Will he/she be renting a car? If yes, provide the details.
5. What is the travel time to the destination?
6. What restaurants within walking distance to the hotel? Are they full-service, fine dining, or casual?
7. Where is the nearest pharmacy? List the name location, phone number, and hours of operation.
8. List the preferred transportation to and from hotel by him/her to meetings for each day.

Remember not to just plan travel, but try to imagine that you are the one taking the trip. Make sure that every detail is covered, including safety! I hope this list of to-do’s gets you started on planning travel for management or executives. This list and itinerary can also be used as a starting point for booking personal trips for you and your family.

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