Have you ever gone on a business trip with your boss? Chances are their first-class upgrades, fancy meals and premium hotel suites put your personal travel game to shame. But you don’t have to be a boss to travel like one. No matter how junior your position, here are five tips that will help you make the leap to business class and travel like a boss.
Travel In Style
Dress to impress when you travel—you never know who you'll meet en route!
You wouldn’t see your boss wearing track pants to the airport or hauling a broken-down duffel over their shoulder as they stroll into their hotel. Keep the old “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” motto in mind when packing for a business trip. Just because you’re traveling for six hours before eight hours of meetings doesn’t mean you can dress like a scrub. There’s plenty of comfortable, professional clothing out there, so leave the sweatpants at home and look the part from takeoff to your last agenda item of the day.
And when you get to your destination, don’t settle for a cab. Sure, your boss may have a car service, but you’ve got the next best thing: Uber. (Pro tip: Choice Privileges gives you discounts on Uber rides during midweek stays.)
Eat Well Without Spending Big
Great food doesn't have to be fancy and expensive. Ask around your office or hotel and get local recommendations.
Your boss may have an expense account the size of a Dreamliner and think nothing of dropping major bucks wining and dining. You’re not in the corner office, though, so it makes sense to take a more measured approach.
Instead of a fancy steak dinner, eat beef on a budget at a local gourmet burger joint. Entertaining clients? Try something outside the box, like a food truck at a street festival. Saving money will get you in your boss’s good graces, and getting clients out of typical business situations can take the pressure off and make for a fun bonding experience.
Work Hard, Play A Little
There’s a perception that business travelers spend their days playing golf and eating steak dinners on the expense account. If that’s your company culture, then by all means, golf away! But in most cases, bosses and executives are the only ones with enough clout to spend all day on the links. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun at the end of a long, productive day.
As a reward for your hard work, try spending an evening checking out some local sights. For example, go for a walk along Navy Pier in Chicago, listen to live bands in Nashville or take in the view from the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Choosing less expensive (or free) options shows that you care about the company’s bottom line and won’t undermine your productivity.
Stay Loyal
When your team checks into a hotel, chances are your boss will take the elevator to a top-floor suite while you settle into a ground floor room with a view of the parking lot. It doesn’t have to be this way! To get the inside track on your next trip, take a minute to join the loyalty programs offered by your preferred hotel, airline and rental car companies. You’ll get perks like a free bottle of water at check-in or room or seat upgrades every time you book with them. You may even get the occasional free pass to that sweet airline or executive lounge.
It also doesn’t hurt to ask—nicely—about any available upgrades during check-in. Hotels and rental car companies will often give better options at a discounted price at the last minute. The best part? Virtually all of these programs (including our very own Choice Privileges) are free to join and many cater specifically to business travelers, offering additional bonuses for midweek hotel stays, weekday car rentals, and flights at peak travel times.
Download a Personal Assistant
Ah, the joys of convenience. Streamline travel tasks with apps.
Your boss has an assistant to tell them where they need to be and when. You have a smartphone full of awesome apps that can do the same thing. Use a reservation manager like Trip It or download your airline, hotel and car rental apps to have all of your reservation details at your fingertips.