Ensuring you can manage your workload while navigating a new city, battling jetlag and trying to find a decent Wi-Fi connection takes a lot of planning and organisation. What's more, business owners want their travels to be as cost-effective and rewarding as possible.
In this article, Angie Petkovic and Jason Ivey share their business travel tips. Petkovic is Managing Director at Beechurst Serviced Apartments, which offers self-catering accommodation to business travellers, and Ivey is an independent aviation consultant who travels worldwide at least twice a month.
1. Track expenses as you go
One of the fundamentals of business travel is to keep on top of your expenses. The best way to do this is to track them as you go, and this is where expense management systems can be helpful. These systems enable you and your employees to quickly scan receipts and invoices and automatically categorise expenses while you’re on the move. Not only does this save time, but it also improves accuracy and saves you from having to carry around lots of paper receipts.
2. Get rewarded as you spend abroad
Business travel will incur costs. The idea is that the reasons behind travelling, like meeting a prospective candidate to join your leadership team or meeting a client or supplier for the first time to foster better working relationships, will offset the cost of that travel.
However, when you use an Amex Business Card to pay for your travel costs, you'll accrue rewards that you can then use towards future travel costs. Each full and eligible £1 transaction earns 1 Membership Rewards® point, which can be spent across travel, retail or dining. Or, you can redeem points as a statement credit to reinvest in your business. And if you book flights, hotels, or car hire through amextravel.co.uk, you'll earn twice the rewards points1.
Moreover, with an American Express® Business Platinum Card, you'll gain access to a £200 annual travel credit which is yours to use toward any single travel booking of £200 or more charged to your Business Platinum Card through American Express Travel Online2.
3. Relax or work while you wait
Trying to find a quiet and comfortable place to answer emails and take phone calls in a busy airport can be challenging. That's why Amex Business Platinum Cardmembers enjoy complimentary access to over 1,200 airport lounges, at over 500 airports worldwide, regardless of the airline you're flying with or ticket class. This means you can enjoy free food and drink, a comfortable chair or sofa, early boarding and some space to get on with work or relax after a busy day.
4. Pick the right hotel
“When I’m travelling, the work is intense, so I want the problems taken away from me,” Ivey says. For Ivey, access to a knowledgeable concierge who can support travel bookings and restaurant recommendations can be important. For this reason, he tends to stay in hotel chains he trusts.
Amex has partnered with a trusted range of hotel chains including the Hilton, Marriot Bonvoy and Radisson Hotel Group. For Amex Platinum Business Cardmembers, booking accommodation through these partners unlocks a wide range of benefits such as including complimentary upgrades, early check-in and late check-out, and enhanced loyalty points3.
5. Coordinate flight times with check-in and check-out times
There’s nothing worse than arriving somewhere and not being able to access your room or leave your bags somewhere, particularly when you need a quick turnaround before heading to a meeting or conference. Before booking your flights, ask your accommodation provider what the options are for early and late check-in and the services they offer around this. Petkovic, for example, will sometimes do a small food shop for clients arriving late from overseas. That way, you can plan your schedule to ensure there's enough time between checking in and your first meeting.
6. Stick to a carry-on bag you can take to meetings
Where possible, it can make sense to stick with hand luggage only. Stick to hand luggage if you can. Ivey says this can save you a good hour or so at the airport. Not only will you avoid having to wait around at baggage reclaim - not to mention the risk of your suitcase being lost - but it also means you can head straight to business meetings if you need to. This is particularly handy if there are any flight delays or issues getting transport to the other end, that may leave you tight on time.
7. Earn air miles
Be sure to sign up for airline loyalty schemes that offer rewards to regular travellers. By using the same airline regularly, you can grow the number of air miles you have and then redeem these for perks such as free flights, upgrades and access to airport lounges.
Amex Business Platinum Cardmembers can also convert their Membership Rewards points into Avios, which can then be redeemed on flights with British Airways4.
8. Compare prices
Cross-check customer reviews and pricing across popular destination websites to ensure you're getting the best deal. If you're an American Express Cardmember, you can book your chosen flights and accommodation through amextravel.co.uk and earn additional bonus Membership Rewards Points, which you can then redeem against future bookings5.
9. Prepare business and travel documents
Keep all your important documents and devices, such as your boarding passes, passport, business bank or credit cards and mobile phone, close to you; as well as any important business documentation that you may need when you're away. For example, your business travel insurance documents, business cards and hotel reservation details. That way, they will be easy to find when you need them, which means you won't waste time trying to hunt them down.
10. Check Wi-Fi speeds and charge devices to stay connected
Connectivity is crucial for business travellers. After all, you still need to reply to emails, make phone calls and research where you’re going. And while it’s rare for accommodation not to have internet access, the speeds can vary a lot. Petkovic therefore recommends looking at the Wi-Fi speeds of your accommodation before confirming a booking. Moreover, charge your electronics before you get to the airport and if you need to work from the airport, try and plug them in so the batteries stay topped up.
1. Membership Rewards points are earned on every full £1 spent and charged, per transaction. Terms and conditions apply. Cardmembers will earn one additional Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate for every full £1 spent on eligible prepaid hotels, flights, car hire and experiences on the American Express Travel UK website americanexpress.co.uk/travel, excluding cruise bookings. Products that are booked on americanexpress.co.uk/travel which are not prepaid, but are paid directly to the supplier are not eligible to earn the additional Membership Rewards points. When paying with a combination of your American Express Card and Membership Rewards points, only the value applied to the Card is eligible to earn Membership Rewards points and Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions found here will apply. Please allow up to 10 weeks for Membership Rewards points to be credited to your Account.
2. The £200 Annual Travel Credit can only be redeemed at the time of booking through American Express Travel Online at americanexpress.co.uk/travel. Full terms can be found at americanexpress.com/uk/platinum-travel-credit-terms. If you'd prefer a Card with no annual fee, rewards or other features, an alternative option is available – the Business Basic Card.
3. The American Express Business Platinum Card rewards you every time you travel. Bringing multiple perks together in one platform you can accrue Membership Reward Points and redeem them against a number of airlines and hotel chains for free flights, upgrades and more. And regardless of how many points you have, every Cardmember will have complimentary access to airport lounges, so you can travel in comfort wherever you're going in the world.
4. American Express Cards enrolled in the Corporate Membership Rewards Tier are not eligible for point transfers to Avios. Membership Rewards points transfers must be made in increments of 100 points, with a minimum redemption requirement of 1,000 points for each transfer. 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 1,000 Avios. Other terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Click here for full Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions or call 0800 917 8053. Once you have transferred your Membership Rewards points, they become subject to the Terms and Conditions of the program in which they are held and cannot be transferred back to your Membership Rewards program account. For full program terms and conditions, please visit: www.britishairways.com/executive-club/terms-and-conditions. Some travel-related insurance benefits that may be included with your Card may not provide coverage for trips purchased with points from a third-party rewards program. Please refer to the terms and limitations outlined in your insurance certificates for more details.
5. Cardmembers enrolled in the American Express Membership Rewards® programme will earn one additional bonus Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate (for a total of 2 points) for every full £1 spent on flights, prepaid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through the American Express Travel website americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/. Specific Card products or limited time promotions may offer additional Membership Rewards points, please see individual Card or promotion Terms and Conditions for more information. Additional Membership Rewards points cannot be earned on products which are not prepaid but are paid directly to the supplier, including cruise bookings and select hotel bookings. These bookings will not earn two Membership Rewards points for every £1 spent but will be earned at the normal rate of one point for every £1 spent. Full Terms and Conditions apply, please visit americanexpress.com/uk/travel/terms-and-conditions/