For those of you that travel for your job, and want to optimize your travel experience by spending less time in security lines, getting travel (airline and hotel) perks/upgrades, and packing efficiently, read the following tips below and take advantage of the information offered here.
1. Sign up for frequent flyer miles and hotel reward accounts
If you’re a frequent traveler, you will rack up thousands of miles and many nights in hotels. Get rewarded for it! These rewards will get you free flights and free nights. To obtain these rewards, you’ll have to earn status. Each higher level of status gets you more bonus points and perks and upgrades (i.e., bump to 1st class).
- Examples include Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), Hilton Honors, Marriott Rewards, Delta, American Airlines, etc.
- Resource for more info: Flyer Talk is a HUGE forum where you can search for the best reward programs and how to maximize your rewards
- Personal example: I’ve achieved gold status with American Airlines. This gets me free checked baggage, early boarding, free preferred seats, bonus miles every time I fly, and eventually upgrade to 1st class if there’s availability and that no one else has higher status than I do.
2. Don’t waste your time waiting to get through security lines (if you’re a frequent traveler) by applying for the Global Entry program and then qualifying for the TSA Precheck program.
The global entry program requires an application ($100 fee) that requires you to provide the CBP (Customs Border Patrol) seven years of history about your life. Once they approve your application, you will need to goto a CBP center and go through a 15 min interview to get fingerprinted. For going through all of this trouble, you will get a Global Entry ID and access for the next 5 years. This means you get to skip the Customs line when you come back to the States from international lands.
Furthermore, this Global Entry ID qualifies you for the TSA Pre Check program. This means you get to go in the TSA Pre Check security lines at the airport (if they have them) and breeze through security in 2 min. How? You don’t have to take off your shoes, jacket, hat, or belts. You don’t even have to take out your laptop. You also don’t even have to do a body scan in that ridiculous machine.
All you have to do is enter that Global Entry ID number into your frequent flyer account profile that we discussed in #1. This will save you so much time and grief that it can completely change how you travel. It’s changed my life. Resources for more info: Global Entry and TSA
3. Pack lightly and efficiently.
Better yet, especially if you’re traveling for business, get a bag that forces you to pack less. Your shoulders, back, knees, and legs will thank you. So will your laundry load and dry cleaning bills. Most people tend to use heavy and bulky rolling bags that encourage packing as much clothing as you can. If you travel and have to wear suits for work during the week, learn how to fold a suit minimizing wrinkles, or buy this garment bag (featured in 007 Skyfall). Wrinkle Free Travel with the Red Eye
This is a bag that I bought for my weekly traveling job after reading reviews of it on Flyer Talk. Made by a Scottish company called LAT56, it is super light weight, indestructible, comes with a suit folding system that minimizes wrinkles, and makes you look like 007 when carrying this while dressed in a sharp suit. The video above shows how to fold the suit and what can go inside the bag. I’ve used this bag for 4 day/3 night business trips which is a bit ambitious but again, forced me to be uber efficient.
Here’s what I pack for each trip:
- 1 suit (I’d wear the other on the plane with a tie and pocket square)
- 2 ties and 3 pocket squares
- 3 pairs of dress socks
- 2 pairs of casual socks
- work out clothes
- 3 pairs of boxers
- 1 undershirt (2 for the trip, alternate each day)
- 2 dress shirts (I’d wear a white oxford on Monday and on Thursday)
- Toiletries
- Gym shoes
I hope these 3 tips help you to make your business travel as pain free and rewarding as possible!
