As the year comes to a close, budgets become tighter, and in fact, many companies may have even frozen travel budgets until the following year in order to avoid going in the red. For those of you who find themselves traveling for business at this time of year, there’s a lot to keep in mind to avoid the holiday travel rush and to keep your business goals in sight. It’s easy to lose track of what you need to accomplish when so many other people are slowing down and taking time to rest and unwind with their loved ones.
Even more so when traveling for business during the holidays it’s important to have clear objectives and know exactly what you are trying to achieve with the business trip. Whether it’s visiting a newly finished factory, meeting a client to define next year’s goals, or having strategic budget meetings, there certainly are a lot of reasons to travel towards the end of the year.
We’ll lay out some corporate travel tips to keep you traveling effectively and productively even if for most the year has slowed down. So, keep reading to get the low-down.
1. Set strategic goals
Strategic goals are important no matter what time of year you travel. There’s no reason to travel if you don’t have a clear reason to do so. This is where it’s important to weigh out your strategic goals so you can fully decide together with your team if travel at this time of year is a must and decide whether you can replace the meeting with a Zoom call or not. Make sure you have clear goals and a clear agenda so that you don’t waste any time and can get down to business right away.
2. Arrive to the airport at least 2 hours in advance for domestic flights, and 3 hours for international flights
Yes, it’s a hassle, we know. Getting to the airport so far in advance feels unnecessary but especially during holiday time, ensure that you are more punctual than ever. Being overly prepared may make the difference between getting through security on time and missing your flight.
We recommend getting to the airport at least 2 hours in advance for domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights whether you are checking bags or not. With the increase in travel demand and frequency at this time of year it’s important to be overly cautious on your timing. It’s better to prepare for your meeting in an airport café than explain to your boss why you didn’t make it to the meeting.
3. Fly in the middle of the week
Fridays tend to be the busiest travel days, so, when possible, schedule meetings in the middle of the week. Tuesday and Wednesdays are the best days, not only do they tend to be cheaper in terms of flights and hotel prices, but there is usually less of a rush of people on these days. In fact, many hotels might have mid-week deals to encourage more people to come during the less busy time. This means you might be able to also get a nicer room for a more affordable price if you decide to travel during the middle of the week.
4. Travel by car or train when possible
For whatever reason neither the roads nor the rails experience the same congestion as air travel during the holidays. Train travel is not only more sustainable, but it also tends to be more relaxing and crowded during the holidays than the airport. Plus, you can even take advantage to prepare for meetings or get work done while you travel (something you can’t do when you travel by car). If the train is not an option, grab a rental car or your company car and get on the road. It will be faster and more convenient to get to the location. Plus, no need to wait at the airport for long hours or lose a lot of hours in transit.
5. If you can, avoid business travel the week of Christmas
While many different holidays take place during December like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, among others, Christmas seems to be the holiday that mobilizes the masses to get going. That’s why (if you can), we recommend avoiding the Christmas week for corporate trips. Instead of traveling for business the week of December 25 – January 1, spend time relaxing and unwinding. Only travel during that week for work if it’s totally necessary for the sake of your business.
6. Avoid meeting in major cities if you have a choice
Major cities tend to be hotspots for holiday travel, which is why we recommend you stay away from meetings in big cities. Suburbs and small towns will be less crowded and can provide some respite from the hustle and bustle of the city during the holidays. If the corporate offices are in the downtown area, why not propose a meeting at a co-working outside the city center or meeting in a less crowded area in a coffee shop or a hotel lobby. You will avoid the traffic going into the city center and save yourself some sanity.
7. Factor in some bleisure time
Factoring in bleisure time may seem like a weird recommendation to avoid the holiday rush, but it certainly is a way to avoid the stress of traveling during the holiday rush. Plus, if you find one of the travel days that you would usually go home is very busy, you can tack on an extra day for sightseeing, to visit a holiday market, going shopping to buy some local gifts for your friends and family, or go ice skating.
Doing some alternative activities to just going to meetings, will make the whole ordeal of having to travel at the holiday time manageable, and you can without a doubt make something positive out of something that might otherwise not be so positive. After all, no one will prioritize your work-life balance like yourself, and the whole purpose of bleisure travel is to combine leisure travel with business, which is healthier for your own peace of mind. Plus, when you’re happy and sane, you will be a better employee because you will have the energy and desire to work well.
8. Stay organized with a corporate travel management platform
If you must travel during the holiday rush, be sure to stay organized with a corporate travel management platform like GetGoing. With an all-in-one platform you can book all aspects of your trip whether it be the car, the flight, accommodations, or train travel, and better keep track of your travel plans. Plus, your manager can approve trips easily in the backend from the app no matter if they’re off on holidays or not. This way you don’t have to pursue your manager to approve your trip, they can do it on their own time in the backend.
As it’s such a busy time of year for travel, if something goes wrong, you have expert 24/7 travel assistance to the rescue to get you out of a tough situation. It’s more reassuring to travel when you know you’re covered should something go wrong.
Want to find out more about how GetGoing can help you with your business travel needs?