8 Price-Slashing Tips for Cheaper Business Travel

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8 PRICE-SLASHING TIPS FOR CHEAPER BUSINESS TRAVEL

With the interconnectivity of the modern economy and globalization, travel and business are inextricably linked. Business people may spend most of their week at the airport, flying from one destination to another in order to oversee operations and attend business meetings. The endless flights, hotel stays, and race to and from airport/meetings can become stressful and expensive quickly, especially with many airlines cutting down services and squeezing more people into planes while raising prices for premium class travel.

Follow these tips, however, and you can make your business travel trips more efficient and make the most of every dollar.

2 8 Price-Slashing Tips for Cheaper Business Travel

The internet is full of sites offering travel and flight promotions, it’s just a matter of looking.

A popular way to get upgrades and discounts on flights is, of course, the coveted elite flyer status. Even if you aren’t flying tens of thousands of miles every year for business, you can still gain elite flyer status through the use of airline associated credit cards. Using these cards can help accrue miles that can later be used for upgrades in travel as well. Most airlines have their own unique frequent-flyer elite perks and making a comparison between the elite programs can help you find the best deal.

Granted, it may be difficult to find a promo in the confines of a tight business schedule, but the more frequently you fly the greater chances are that some discount will be available. Taking advantage of the best deals may mean planning ahead, but it’s worth the savings.

1 UTILIZE TRAVEL PROMO CODES

2 ELITE FLYER STATUS

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If you’re flying domestically, one of the ways to save on travel is by using the airlines’ co-terminals. All of the major airlines have what they call “co-terminals” which they have different fares for while booking flights, but not while you’re at the airport. If, for instance, you are heading to San Francisco, you can book a flight to Oakland, a co-terminal, for much cheaper, and then change the destination to San Francisco using a “same-day confirmed” at the airport within three hours before take-off without being charged extra.

Flying business class can also be done at discounted rates by waiting till the last minute. Generally speaking, unsold business class tickets are released six hours before the flight time meaning that if you call ahead or pay close attention at check-in time there might be a deal available to snag. Several airlines offer these type of deals with slight differences, but all of the upgrades come at a fraction of the normal cost.

LAST MINUTE AIRPORT UPGRADES

4 CHEAPER FLIGHTS FROM CO-TERMINALS

4 8 Price-Slashing Tips for Cheaper Business Travel

“LUCKILY, THERE ARE DOZENS OF WAYS TO SAVE ON HOTELS.”

Phone and internet access are essential to the business travel experience, but if you are traveling to international locations where Wi-Fi and calling aren’t part of your regular services you should set them up before hand or you may find yourself paying $30 extra for a Wi-Fi connection. Buying individual mobile Wi-Fi devices and a solid rate plan or prepaid data will have you using the internet more cheaply no matter where you go. Try using applications like Skype that allow you to check into many Wi-Fi hot spots without paying the steep fees and call cheaply. Google also offers free calls to the U.S. via gmail and cheap international rates no matter where you are in the world.

Airline fares aren’t the only thing that make business trips expensive, staying in hotels also comes at a price. Luckily, there are dozens of ways to save on hotels. Most flight search engines also offer various promos on hotels stays, even adding discounts if you book both of them together. Many hotels choose not to be listed on major search engine sites because they don’t want to pay the search engine fees. However, it is still possible to

get a great deal on one of these smaller boutique hotels by calling them or local travel agencies to see if there are any current promotions. Doing last minute bookings on hotels may also work in your favor as hotels are eager to fill up any empty rooms for the evening. In addition, if your travel reward points are piling up from jet-setting, you can convert them into cheap stays at premium hotels.

5 FIND DISCOUNT HOTELS

6 ARRANGE PHONE & INTERNET SERVICE

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The long security lines and small overhead compartments are a pain, but knowing that they exist and packing accordingly can make your life in the air a lot more streamlined. Pack your bag efficiently, planning your clothing options so you minimize the number of accessories you need to bring along. Have items that constantly need to be taken out for security checks in one place and ready to go; it will make your travel quicker and easier.

Much of the hassle of the airport can be removed by taking advantage of technology and airline apps. From your smartphone, you can make changes to itineraries, check-in, and find your way around the airport without having to stand in line. If you’re in an unfamiliar destination, your phone and the internet can be great aids in navigating the area and getting where you need to go quickly.

7 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY

8 ORGANIZE & EFFICIENT PACKING

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