7 Tips for Smooth Business Travel

Do you travel on business frequently? Here are seven tips for smooth business travel.

1. Join a rewards program. Take advantage of your corporate travel to gain points or miles on your airline, hotel or travel credit card of choice. Be sure to choose a card without foreign transaction fees.

2. Charge electronics before you fly. Your phone, laptop and tablet should all have plenty of battery to help you pass time productively in the airport and on your flight. Added plus? You won’t need to find an outlet at your gate, either.

3. Use programs that speed up your travel. Check in to your flight online, and print your boarding pass before heading to the airport. Apply for TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry to gain access to faster-moving security and customs around the world.

4. Book non-stop flights. Layovers lengthen trips. A two- or three-hour stop mid-trip can mean spending an extra day on the road, waking up earlier than necessary or having a suitcase that didn’t make the same transfer you did.

5. Get an airport lounge membership. If you’re logging a lot of hours traveling, pay for a membership. Most airlines provide lounges with plenty of food, outlets and quiet space for a reasonable price. Spend your time waiting for your flight without the hustle and bustle of everyone waiting for the same flight.

6. Print important confirmation numbers.  While no one likes to think about losing their phone, it does happen. And it’s also possible to run out of battery just as you need your boarding pass or confirmation number. Print your itinerary and keep a copy with you for backup.

7. Find (or pack) healthy food. Travel is hard on your body. To continue to do your job well on the road, pack or buy some healthy snacks that will help you stay well while traveling.

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Ways to Minimize Jet Lag

Traveling for work or pleasure can be interesting and fun, but traveling to a new time zone results in jet lag. According to the National Sleep Foundation, this condition occurs when your circadian rhythms are slow to adjust to a new time zone and remain on their biological schedule for several days. The result? Your body is telling you it’s time to sleep when it’s the middle of the afternoon. Or, you want to stay awake in the middle of the night.

Here are a few key tips to minimize the occurrence of jet lag, so you can make the most of your trip.

• Select a flight that allows early evening arrival, and stay up until 10 p.m. If you must sleep during the day, take a short nap in the early afternoon and don’t snooze for longer than two hours. Set an alarm so you don’t oversleep.

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine at least three to four hours before bedtime. Both act as stimulants and prevent a good night’s sleep.

• Get outside and enjoy the sunlight when possible. Daylight is a powerful stimulant for regulating the biological clock. (Staying indoors makes jet lag worse.)

For more information, visit sleepfoundation.org.

Up in the Air

A staggering number of people hit the roads and fly the friendly skies for business each year. The Global Business Travel Association reports that 488 million business trips are taken annually in the United States. For older, more experienced travelers, that means an average of 12 trips a year with four nights away from home each trip. For younger business travelers, that means an average of 14 trips per year with six nights away from home each trip. On average, the typical business traveler is 45.9 years old, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As for top destinations, some cities tend to attract more business travelers than others. According to a survey by American Express, the top domestic location is Chicago, widely known as the Windy City, while London takes the crown for global business trips.