How to Decide if Business Travel Is Worth it Right Now

business trip decision

CWT Logo 150 years in travel - homepage

Select your preferred language

  • Deutsch English English (Australia) English (China) English (India)
  • English (United Kingdom) Español (Latinoamérica) Español (España) Français Italiano
  • Português (Brasil) Suomi Svenska 中文

Top tips on how to plan a business trip

business trip decision

Follow these 6 steps for an effective business trip:

  • Make your travel arrangements well in advance
  • Select your accommodation based on both price and convenience
  • Create an itinerary

Research your destination

  • Remember your electronics, accessories and travel documents
  • Prepare for your meeting

In today’s digital world, we can communicate across different time zones at a moment’s notice. However, when it comes to brokering a big deal or fostering a solid and long-lasting business relationship, nothing beats face-to-face interaction.  

Corporate travel is still so important, and it’s equally important for anyone making a business trip to prepare thoroughly. When you arrive at your destination relaxed and well-prepared, you’re better equipped to make a good impression and focus on the purpose of your meeting. Preparation lets your mind focus on the here and now, making sure you stay on the ball in that all-important meeting. If you’d like to fine-tune how you get ready for your next excursion, follow these essential tips to become an effective business trip planner.

Make travel arrangements

Whether it’s your name on the travel documents or you’re a travel manager, planning business travel thoroughly is important. Your first step should always be to familiarize yourself with your company’s corporate travel policy . You’re making travel arrangements for a business trip, not planning a personal or a short break, so being compliant with your company policy is essential.

Next, it’s time to book your travel. This may involve traveling by air, rail, car hire or even boat. Think about the journey door-to-door, balancing travel times against cost and convenience. Visualize the various steps of the trip from A to B. Consider details like how long it will take to move between airport and railway station, the time it takes to fill out paperwork at the vehicle hire company, and whether luggage storage might be useful. Use multiple sources and different comparison sites, researching which companies are offering the best deals. Again, be aware of any budget restraints in your company’s travel policy.

Don’t forget the small details. Does the airplane have Wi-Fi so you can work on the move? Would leaving a day earlier allow you to arrive at your first meeting better rested and prepared? At this stage, the more carefully you prepare, the more confident and relaxed you’ll be when you depart.

Select your accommodation

Preparing business travel is, of course, only half the job. Choosing the best accommodation for your requirements is also essential. If you’ve only got one meeting place to reach, make sure you book a hotel that’s nearby – rather than be swayed by a more luxurious option that might be a stressful 45 minute trip away. Use maps on your smartphone to measure distances from the station or airport to your hotel – and remember the roads and transport networks will be busier at certain times of day.

Check your company’s hotel policies to see if there are any preferred hotels - you might be able to get a good deal too. When considering the cost, make sure you compare rates for similar types of accommodation and make sure you select something that’s fairly priced – some companies even stipulate a cost per day that would limit the choice of hotels.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the amenities at the hotel. Some tourist-focused hotels may serve breakfast too late for your early starts, and as a business traveler you’re likely to want free Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, plenty of power points for charging your devices. CWT Hotel Intel gives travelers access to trusted peer hotel reviews and can be a handy tool for business trip planners.

Create a detailed itinerary

Your itinerary is your blueprint for a successful business trip. Use it to stay in control of every detail – from transport times and the names of those you’re meeting, to your travel reservations and hotel address. Be sure to allow yourself extra time on your itinerary for relaxing, meetings that have been delayed or overrun, and busy traffic. Consider using a specially designed tool like the myCWT app , which syncs your itinerary with work calendars, and allows travelers to share this with colleagues. This is handy from a communication and efficiency perspective, and as a safety measure if you’re travelling to an unfamiliar destination.

It may be that you’re traveling to a destination you are familiar with and feel comfortable in. Or, you may be entering unchartered territory. If that’s the case, research is essential to avoid unnecessary risk. For example, some cities are well known for pick pockets, so you’ll need to be extra careful when storing important and expensive items like phones in your pockets. Depending on where you’re going, reading up on the current political situation at your destination could also be prudent.

Perhaps you’re traveling to a city or country with a different culture and customs to your own. Avoid looking foolish or, worse, causing offence, by researching the differences in behavior and manners before you arrive. For example, if you’re taking potential clients for a meal, do you know the etiquette on tipping, or when to give people your business cards? Or, if you’re visiting a country where English isn’t the common language, you could even learn a few basic phrases, such as greetings and “thank you”, which could make all the difference when making a good first impression.

Prepare your travel documents

Hours of careful preparation and research will all be wasted if you forget vital travel documents. Traveling between countries requires a current, valid passport, travel tickets and sometimes a visa. It’s key to research whether or not you need a visa as soon as possible, even if you are just transiting through a country, without stepping foot outside the airport. Some embassies can take a number of days or even weeks to issue visas. Even if you’re not traveling to a different country, you may need photo ID to clarify that your name corresponds to the one on the ticket - your passport or driving license are the best options so keep them safe at all times.

Remember your electronic accessories

Stay as productive as possible on your trip by taking a laptop or tablet – it’ll make your travel time really count. Remember to pack the relevant chargers and adapters, too. You can usually pick these up at the airport when you’re passing through, but being prepared is key and will save you time and money in the long run.

Get ready for your meeting

So you’ve followed all the right steps for planning a business trip, but what about your business objectives and the meeting itself? Making a note of what you hope to achieve on the trip can help improve your focus - even if you simply want to reach out to new contacts or gain a general overview of potential new client. Arm yourself with as much information as possible about the people you’ll meet, as well as the places they’ll be. What’s the dress code? If you’re visiting an industrial site, for example, will you need sturdy shoes? If you’re going to be giving a presentation, what format will it take and will your host have the equipment you need? Simply emailing ahead to check if they have suitable screens and cables can ensure you avoid embarrassing delays or confusion that would get your meeting off to an awkward start. That first impression counts so give yourself the best chance of making a good one.

By setting aside the time to prepare, conducting some detailed research and following these business travel tips, you can optimize your chances of a productive and enjoyable trip.

More publications

Contact us today to see just what we could do for your business.

business trip decision

Traveler help

Help me manage my travel

business trip decision

Careers at CWT

Explore career opportunities

Careers @ CWT

business trip decision

Learn more about travel management

Contact CWT

Learn more about our travel management offering

Travelers: manage your travel here . The below form is for inquiries about our corporate travel management offering.

To reach out to CWT to learn more and also receive communications (email or phone) on our products and services, please complete the form below. You can unsubscribe at any point in the future from our mailing list using the ‘unsubscribe’ link on any of our emails.

Thank you for your interest in CWT, we will contact you soon.

Thank you for your interest in CWT. Unfortunately, CWT cannot offer services in your home country at this time. Your contact request has not been submitted.

With kind regards,

  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • TRY NOW — It’s Free!
  • Sign Up for Free

Business Trip Approval Template

Business Trip Approval Template

Streamline your business trip approval flow with Jotform’s free online Business Trip Approval Template! When an employee fills out your employee travel authorization form, their submission will be sent to the employee’s manager to approve or deny the request. The request will then move on to the finance department, who will make the final decision — which will automatically send the employee an email informing them of whether their request was successful or not.

Feel free to add new people and levels to your Business Trip Approval Template, customize autoresponder emails, and set up conditional logic using our drag-and-drop builder. In Jotform Tables or your inbox, you can quickly review the progress of requests and approve or deny them if needed. No matter what industry you work in, use this Business Trip Approval Template to speed up your business trip expense review process — and enjoy more time to spend where it counts!

More templates like this

Budget Approval Process Template

Budget Approval Process Template

Create a budget approval flow for your company. Add approvers, automatically send emails, set up conditional logic, and more. Manage approvals on any device.

Purchase Order Approval Template

Purchase Order Approval Template

Streamline purchase orders. Free automated approval template. Approve or deny purchase order requests fast. Assign approvers, add emails, and more. No coding.

Invoice Approval Template

Invoice Approval Template

Collect, review, and approve or deny invoices seamlessly from any device. Easy-to-customize automated online approval flow. Send notifications and autoresponders.

  • Approval Templates /

Approval Templates for Finance

Budget Approval Process Template

Speed up your travel expense approval process. Approve, deny, and forward requests instantly on any device. Send emails automatically. Save time with automation.

CapEx Approval Process Template

CapEx Approval Process Template

Streamline capital expenditure requests at your company. Free automated approval flow template for finance teams. Add approvers, emails, conditions, and more.

Fund Request Approval Process Template

Fund Request Approval Process Template

Process fund requests for your company online. Accept submissions and respond on any device. Easy to customize. Send notifications and autoresponder emails.

Purchase Requisition Approval Template

Purchase Requisition Approval Template

Quickly process purchase requests from employees. Free automated online approval flow. Respond on any device. Customize with no coding. Send autoresponder emails.

Mileage Reimbursement Approval Template

Mileage Reimbursement Approval Template

Reimburse employees for business-related gas costs. Easy to customize. Collect and respond to requests on any device. Set up autoresponders, notifications, and more.

Petty Cash Approval Process Template

Petty Cash Approval Process Template

Simplify petty cash requests by accepting them online. Easy-to-customize automated online approval flow. Send notifications, emails and more. Respond on any device.

Grant Approval Process Template

Grant Approval Process Template

Approve or deny grant requests online. Easy-to-customize approval flow template. Automatically forward requests to coworkers and send approval emails to applicants.

Credit Approval Process Template

Credit Approval Process Template

Receive and review credit applications online. Easy-to-customize automated approval flow. Great for banks and financial institutions. Send autoresponder emails.

Wire Transfer Approval Process Template

Wire Transfer Approval Process Template

Process wire transfer requests with ease. Customizable online approval flow for any business. Set up notifications, autoresponder emails, time limits, and more.

Discount Approval Process Template

Discount Approval Process Template

Approve or reject discount requests through your website. Free automated approval flow template for businesses. Add new approvers, steps, and more. No coding.

KYC Approval Process Template

KYC Approval Process Template

Process Know Your Customer (KYC) applications online. Great for banks and other financial institutions. Easy to customize. Respond on any device. No coding required.

Financial Accounting Approval Process Template

Financial Accounting Approval Process Template

Seamlessly manage account payments with an automated online approval flow. Free and easy to customize. Add notifications, conditions, approvers, and more.

Account Approval Process Template

Account Approval Process Template

Improve your account approvals process with an automated online workflow. Great for banks and finance companies. Easy to customize. Send notifications and emails.

Account Closing Approval Process Template

Account Closing Approval Process Template

Streamline the way you accept, review, and respond to account closing requests. Great for banks. Easy-to-customize online approval flow. Send autoresponder emails.

Financial Aid Approval Template

Financial Aid Approval Template

Receive and process student loan and financial aid requests on any device. Easy-to-customize automated approval flow. Set up notifications, autoresponders, and more.

About Finance

Make your finance department as efficient as possible with Jotform’s automated Approval Templates for Finance. When you receive a submission through your online form, the submission will be forwarded to the first person in your workflow, who will choose to approve, deny, or forward the request. When the approval flow reaches its final decision, the person who filled out your form will receive an autoresponder email letting them know the outcome. To get started, choose a template below and customize it to meet your needs by adding more approvers, personalizing emails, setting up notifications, merging branches, and more in a few easy clicks! Approve budgets, invoices, reimbursements, and more with free online Approval Templates for Finance.

Your account is currently limited to {formLimit} forms.

Go to My Forms and delete an existing form or upgrade your account to increase your form limit.

GetGoing

Planning a business trip 101: Tips for regular business travelers

There’s a lot to consider when planning a business trip. This guide is designed to make sure you’re prepared to get going. Travel for business is easier when you’re prepared.

By Jessica Freedman

February 9, 2024

business travel tips

Planning a business trip is not always fun and games ; there’s a lot to think about. Whether you’re a small business owner, a regular business traveler or a travel manager, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. You have to deal with searching for the best travel deals, planning the ideal itinerary, and if you’re the one traveling, make a packing list.

Dealing with all that goes into planning business trips for yourself, your boss and your company is no easy task, which is why we’ve created this Business Trip 101 to help you get going. Travel easier and be sure how to plan a business trip after reading this guide. 

Get going, travel easier

The more efficient your planning is, the more productive you can be on your business trips as a regular business traveler because you will have a clear agenda and know where your priorities lie. When it comes to corporate travel there is a lot to keep in mind such as flight and hotel bookings, scheduling, ground transportation, checked baggage vs. hand luggage and everyone’s agendas. The more organized you are, the better yours and your team’s results will be.

How to plan a business trip

Planning a business trip can take a lot of work, and part of that is making sure you can balance the business traveler’s mental health (or if you’re the one planning, you have your own wellbeing in mind) as well as the physical needs with the objectives of the company. This is why it’s so important to start with a goal. This way you can see if your agenda is feasible and whether it helps work towards achieving a goal while also following a rhythm that is feasible for the person doing the traveling. If you can, try to have a master planning list that allows you to optimize the time that goes into planning, and then you can more easily replicate for future trips.

1. Start with a goal

If you are looking for how to plan a business trip and stay efficient, we suggest you start with a goal for your business trip . Figure out what you want to accomplish and why you must take a trip to do so. With a goal in place it will be easier to figure out your objectives and then track KPIs related to the trip. KPIs could be the number of new clients onboarded, number of new prospects, number of sales contacts, or goals like designing the Marketing Plan for the following year or simply teambuilding, depending of course on the goal of your business trip.

If you are a regular business traveler traveling for a sales meeting, why not set up several meetings with different potential clients and current clients in the same area to avoid having to travel so frequently? This way you can focus on quality business trips over quantity, which makes them more productive and you will experience less travel fatigue, especially for regular business travelers. 

2. Plan travel once and repeat

Sometimes the biggest part of getting anything done is devising a plan. So start your business trip planning by coming up with a travel plan that is easily replicable for future trips. Start by making a list of everything that you need to do to plan and turn it into a checklist. Business travel like any project needs a roadmap to get anything accomplished.

Need a helping hand to get started? Download our checklist!

3. create a master business trip itinerary.

Creating standard itinerary for a business trip oftentimes will fall in the hands of an administrative or HR professional, but if one isn’t provided for you, there are some important details you must consider jotting down such as transportation times and details, travel reservation and confirmation numbers, addresses, emergency contact information, check in and check out times for the hotel, day-to-day schedule details (such as what time do meetings start, where and how long do they go), as well as contact information for the people you will be meeting with. 

It may seem overwhelming at first but once you have a master business trip itinerary outline it will be easily replicable for your next trip. If you work with a travel management company like GetGoing , you can store all your itineraries and travel documents in one place making managing your business trips as easy as the snap of a finger. 

4. Store all business trip-related documents in one place

As we’ve mentioned, when you work with a travel management company, all of your business and trip-related documents will be stored in one place on the web app, including important contact information for travelers, hotel information, emergency contacts, and a support phone number to call in case of issues. 

If you are booking all your regular business trips on your own without the support of a TMC, then be sure to have a spreadsheet and shared drive dedicated to your travel plans and itineraries. It will be easier to keep track of everything and ensure nothing gets missed.

Packing and trip lists: lists are your friend

When it comes time to pack for your business trip there is nothing more important than having a list ready with everything you need to start your business travel plans, especially if you’re a regular business traveler. That means having a running list of those elements that you can’t travel without like your passport or ID, your computer, a mouse, a pen and notebook, or your business cards.

Consult our ultimate packing list for more ideas about the travel essentials.

Make a list of all the travel extras

Extras can be things like checking a bag, traveling business class on a flight, purchasing an in-flight meal, having a driver pick you up, and more. The kinds of extras permitted might depend on your company’s travel policy. For example, taking a taxi instead of the bus to the airport may or not be allowed based on the budget per trip your company has in mind, so make sure to check with your travel manager, HR or office manager about what is and is not allowed. 

Search for business travel deals

Finding business travel deals is perhaps the most important and time-consuming task when it comes to making your business travel arrangements. If your company doesn’t already work with a TMC, you may consider urging them to sign up for a corporate travel management solutions company who can help you find the best (and most convenient) travel deals . 

Some other cheap travel hacks for regular business travelers are:

  • Be flexible with dates
  • Travel in the middle of the week instead of Monday or Friday.
  • Consider traveling via a historically cheap destination to get to your final destination
  • Go with budget flight options like RyanAir, EasyJet or Vueling

Business travel by flight

Business travel by flight is one of the hardest parts of booking a business trip. How can you find the most convenient and shortest route without having to pay an arm and a leg? There is also a fine balance between the amount of time you dedicate to searching for cheap flights and the amount you pay because after all time is money, so you don’t want to whittle away your time to spend a little less. 

It’s also hard to know, whether hand luggage is enough for you when traveling by air, whether it’s worth-it to book business or first class (and if your company even allows it). One of the most important things is to familiarize yourself with your company’s travel policy so you don’t find surprises when it comes time to having your travel approved. 

Man with mask on carrying a backpack looking at plane from inside an airport

Checked or hand luggage only: Is hand luggage enough for you when traveling by air?

So should you go with checked or hand luggage only? Is hand luggage enough for you when traveling by air? Our rule of thumb when is to ask yourself the following questions, which can help you decide whether hand luggage is enough or if you should consider fronting the extra bucks to check a bag:

  • Is your meeting formal or informal? If it’s formal you may want to consider checking a bag so you can keep your suit or blouse from wrinkling.
  • How many days are you traveling for? 1-4 days of informal business travel can easily be packed into hand luggage only. Beyond 5 days, it’s definitely worth checking a bag or if you have to deal with cold weather or different climates on the different stops in your trip.
  • Will you be adding time on for bleisure or blended travel? If you decide to add in extra days either before or after your trip you may consider throwing in a bathing suit to hit the beach or the spa or some extra clothes that don’t necessarily scream “I’m on a business trip.”
  • What kind of traveler are you? If you’re the kind of traveler that wants to throw in your rain boots and parka in case it rains when you’re traveling to Spain that has an average of 50 days of rain a year, then you might consider checking a bag. If you’re a “worst case scenario” type of traveler then just a carry-on will most likely never suffice. 

Hotels for business travelers

Choosing the right hotels for regular business travelers is no easy decision. Breakfast or no breakfast? What kind of amenities are non-negotiable? Is it better to be close to the office or downtown? Should you choose a hotel just because they include airport pick-up? There are so many questions to ponder that we’re going to dedicate an exclusive post just to choosing hotels for business travelers. Stay tuned.

Use the right tools for booking hotels for your business trip

Kayak, Skyscanner, Google flights or Hopper are all great tools for your every day trip, but when it comes to business travel, you want a company like GetGoing travel management for businesses that will help optimize and streamline your booking process. The easier trip planning is, the less time you will have to spend planning and the more productive you can be in your daily job. 

And that’s how you plan a business trip

Review and refine the process for planning a business trip . To do so, create a short survey that you can share with your team so you can evaluate how the trip went and assess whether the goals of the meeting were accomplished. This is an important step, especially when deciding whether to travel or not to travel for future trips.  The more often you reach your goals and the more your goals are reliant on a trip to meet them, the more it makes sense to travel. 

Hands holding grass-covered globe

related article

Business sustainability management

Go share the news:, sign up now to receive exciting news & updates.

business trip decision

Manage Business Trip Approval Process Like A Pro!

Home » Corporate Travel » Manage Business Trip Approval Process Like A Pro!

Since the businesses have started to expand exponentially, corporate trips have become a common sight. Every year millions of employees travel worldwide to achieve growth and expansion. They travel to foreign lands and participate in client meetings, trade events, seminars, training programs, and acquisition deals, etc. With such a humongous number of trips, it becomes essential to keep track of each trip and manage costs. Efficiently managing the business trip approval process is fundamental to effective corporate travel management. Business trip approval provides the necessary gatekeeping that helps in determining the necessity of a trip. The process helps in rifting a barrier if the trip is not as per the travel policy and flagging the itinerary for reconsideration.

What is business trip approval?

Business trip approval is a set of formal steps that are required to authorize an employee to carry out business travel. It involves outlining the purpose of the trip, duration of the trip, estimated booking and trip expenses, KPIs to decide the outcome, and any other information necessary for the trip approval. The process can vary as per the requirement of the organization and the same should be communicated to multiple stakeholders. The purpose of the process is to safeguard over budgeting and reduction This process can vary from one organization to another, often involving multiple stakeholders and distinct steps. Its purpose is to act as the final approval, ensuring that travel is well-planned and justifiable.

Suggested Read: Corporate Travel Guide To Manage Trips Like A Pro!

Why is business trip approval important?

The importance of business trips can’t be stressed more. However, it is also crucial to maintain a robust business trip approval process to filter any out-of-policy or approved requests. It empowers organizations to prioritize trips based on necessity, strategic importance, or client demands. It facilitates effective tracking along with budget management while business trips are frequent within an organization. Therefore, business trip approval is essential for cost control, risk mitigation, and aligning travel with the company’s strategic objectives.

1. Defining the Process

business-trip-process

While planning for the business trip approval is the first step, defining the process entails clear guidelines and protocols. It is necessary to define transparent procedures to remove any kind of discrepancies and ambiguities. The process should clearly state the flow of the process. The flow should outline the steps for request submission and how permission will be granted to the employees from the travel managers and higher authorities. A well-structured approval process reduces ambiguity, accelerates decision-making, and ensures that travel aligns with the company’s objectives.

2. Checking with the Travel Policy

An essential facet of the approval process is ensuring that the proposed trip is in line with the organization’s travel policy. Travel policy is necessary to set the perimeter of the trip along with maintaining several parameters such as budget, safety, and strategic direction of the company. Travel managers and authorities should ensure that the trip is in total compliance with the travel policy as per the different bands of the employees. A thorough review of the travel policy provides a framework for making informed decisions about travel approvals.

3. Communicate the Process

It is essential that effective communication is maintained and the process is being communicated to the stakeholders with total transparency. Travel admins should be able to solve any and every query of the employee and the authorities granting the trip. Crucial instructions should be provided to the employees with comprehensive training that will further smoothen the overall process. When employees understand the process and its requirements, it increases efficiency and reduces potential errors, resulting in a more streamlined approval process.

4. Providing Business Trip Approval Email Sample

Furnishing the employees with a correct template for requesting approval is vital for the execution and reporting of the trip. The template will set the outline for the necessary information such as the purpose of the trip, dates of the travel, estimated expenses, and ways to expedite the trip. It simplifies the process for both employees and approvers, enhancing the overall efficiency of business trip approvals. These emails will help track the compliance of the trip and determining the ROI post-trip. Additionally, by analyzing such reports and documents, team managers can determine the effectiveness of the travel and ways to improve the outcome.

5. Automating Business Travel Approval

Automating the trip for approvals and objective analysis can reduce the error percentage. It will give a significant boost to the team by removing several manual processes. Implementing specialized software empowers organizations to monitor requests, direct them to the appropriate stakeholders, and provide real-time updates. Automation accelerates decision-making capabilities and frees the employees to focus on the trip more than the expenses and documentation. Furthermore, it establishes a digital audit trail that enhances accountability and oversight, providing transparency and traceability throughout the approval workflow.

Suggested Read: Automation In Travel Management For Human Resources Team

How to create the ideal travel request approval workflow?

  • Identify the needs of your orgnaziation and accordingly build the travel policy
  • While creating travel policy clearly define the rules and regulation along with the exceptions
  • Create a standard travel request form
  • Use an online travel request system to automate and track requests
  • Automate the cost review system of the request
  • Include a sound approval flow from supervisor to higher level management
  • Train your employees to use the system effectively

Simplify the travel request approval workflow with Paxes

Paxes is an online travel management platform for corporates all around the world. Beside booking and managing expense, Paxes provides advanced tools for streamlining travel approval process. Paxes is capable of handling multiple travel request with numerous approval hierarchy. The request can only be generated if the booking is made as per the travel policy. Managers can easily approve or decline the request with just one click. They can also add a valid reason to decline any request.

Managing business trip approval is important for cost control, compliance, and alignment with company objectives. By clearly defining the process, ensuring adherence to the travel policy, effectively communicating the requirements to employees, providing approval request templates, and automating the workflow, organizations can optimize their business travel approval process. This optimization results in superior resource management, enhanced cost control, and more efficient business travel operations, ultimately contributing to the organization’s overall performance.

Business Trip Approval FAQs

What is a business trip approval process.

The business trip approval process is a set of formal steps required to authorize an employee to undertake a business trip.

Business trip approval is important to prioritize trips based on necessity, strategic importance, and client demands.

How should the business trip approval process be communicated to stakeholders?

Travel administrators should be able to address employee and authority queries with transparency. They should communicate the process through emails and putting the approval process in company’

Are there specific criteria for business trip approval?

Yes, the travel admins can define the criteria as per the requirement of the organization such as budget, country restrictions, etc. and include them in the travel policy.

How far in advance should I submit a business trip request?

Employees are suggested to submit the request well in advance generally a few weeks or months before the travel date.

Who approves business trip requests?

Business trips requests should go through a multiple approval points such as managers, travel admins, and CEO (if required). Additionally, finance and accounts department can also be cued in for better expense management.

Can I make changes to my approved business trip itinerary?

Yes, changes to an approved itinerary are possible but usually require notification and re-approval.

How will I be notified if my business trip request is approved or denied?

Most of the approval softwares send email and in-platform notifications. You can also be notified on official phone number via text message.

What expenses are covered during a business trip?

Expenses covered during a business trip vary but commonly include transportation (flights, rental cars), accommodation (hotel stays), meals (some or all), and miscellaneous business-related expenses.

' src=

Pratyush is a traveling enthusiast who always looks for innovations in business travel management. He has 5 years of experience writing content on corporate travel management and working closely with expert business travel facilitators.

Related Posts

Corporate Travel Accommodation Management

Guide For Corporate Travel Accommodation Management

Corporate travel is a multifaceted process involving diligent scouting of the arrangements, making the bookings, and analyzing the expenses and success. Choosing the right accommodation sums up 1/3rd of the corporate trip as an activity. Read more…

Executive Travel Packages

What Are The Features Of Executive Travel Packages?

Like any other travel package, executive travel packages are curated travel offerings designed to meet the specific needs and preferences of business professionals. These packages often include a range of services and amenities customized to Read more…

Corporate Discounts On Flights

Step By Step Guide To Get Corporate Discounts On Flights

Corporates pay a huge amount of the travel budget on transport. Though the investment in air travel is necessary, it is important to optimize the expenses and curtail on the expenditure whenever possible. Airliners understand Read more…

Let's get started!

Corporate Travel Requirements

Thanks for submitting your details.

We'll get back to you shortly.

10 business travel questions asked the most

10 business travel questions asked the most 

If you’re an office manager, executive assistant, or you’ve somehow become responsible for organising business trips for your team, it's probably not the only thing on your plate. Business travel planning isn't easy, and you're likely to get asked plenty of repetitive (and perhaps even frustrating) questions.   

Here's a list of frequently asked traveller questions (and a cheat sheet with quick and easy answers so you can get hours back in your day!) 

1. How do I book a flight/hotel/car rental for my upcoming trip, or can you do it for me?

Booking travel is easier/faster/more cost-efficient if you use Melon. You can find everything you’re looking for in one place, and book your flights, hotel, and car rental in minutes. Plus, it’s super user-friendly and already has your profile loaded! 

Or, if your itinerary is really complicated, you can contact our dedicated travel consultant at Corporate Traveller. 

2. What are the best travel options for my budget and preferences?  

If you haven’t read it, our travel policy is loaded into Melon. It outlines what you can and can’t book. It should answer a lot of your business travel questions. You can choose to book yourself online with Melon, and it’ll flag if you are out of policy. Check it out and see what options are available! 

Also, our dedicated travel consultant at Corporate Traveller knows what is allowed, so if you run into any trouble or your trip is more complicated, they’ll let you know if you’re out of policy. 

3. Are there any travel restrictions or visa requirements for the destination I'm planning to visit?  

Great question! This information is really easy to find in Melon. If your trip is more complex and you’re visiting several countries, our team at Corporate Traveller will advise you. 

4. Sorry to call you at midnight but I’m in Europe and my flight just got cancelled. What do I do?  

That’s a bummer! Luckily, we have a 24/7 line for Corporate Traveller. The emergency contact number is on your itinerary and their after-hours team are travel experts who will sort you out ASAP. They might even have been alerted about your trip already. Ok, I’m going back to bed.  

5. Are there any corporate discounts or negotiated rates available?  

Yep, because we book everything through Corporate Traveller, we get access to discounted airfares with certain airlines, and we’ve also been able to negotiate special rates at certain hotel chains. We have access to Melon Exclusive deals, which gives us certain perks at some hotels like free breakfast, Wi-Fi, or even a late check-out if you need. Pro tip…when breakfast is included, your subsistence allowance goes further for lunch and dinner. 😉    

6. Can you help arrange a group meeting? And we also have to start planning the next quarterly conference. Can you help with that?   

Yep, the team at CT can manage this one for us too. If you send me the list of everyone who needs to be there and the dates of the meetings, I’ll get them to take care of it. Or actually, just send that info directly to Corporate Traveller and copy me in. Even better!  

7. How can I ensure traveller safety and security during the trip?  

Regardless of how you book your trip, we’ll be able to monitor you if something drastic happens in the world. If we need it, we’ll be alerted to where everyone is easily through the risk management tool in Melon. It shows us a dashboard of where everyone is and how we can easily get in touch. 

8. What about my frequent flyer programme? I want to make sure I get my points.   

Yep, you’ll still get points when you book through Corporate Traveller. In fact, if you set up your travel profile properly, they’ll have all your details on hand already. They’ll also know your preferences too – like whether you prefer the aisle or window seat.  

9. Can you recommend any travel apps or tools for better travel management?  

You bet! The Melon mobile app makes it super easy to book travel on the go. You can also easily access your travel itinerary, chat with an expert, and a lot more. Make sure to download it before you go! 

10. What about my---  

Don’t worry! There isn’t an answer we can’t find. Most information is easily accessible in Melon, on our travel policy, and if you’re still stuck, reach out to our dedicated travel consultant! No need to stress. They’ve managed all sorts of travel hiccups including missed and delayed flights, weather disruptions, lost luggage, global pandemics, and a whole lot more.  

For 30 years, Corporate Traveller has been lightening the load of travel management for executive assistants, travel bookers, administrative staff, and more. 

You may also be interested in... 

4 ways to motivate your travellers and get their mojo back

4 ways to motivate your travellers and get their mojo back

The 3 Rs of business travel management

The 3 Rs of effortless business travel management

Your corporate travel agent team that make business travel effortless

Your corporate travel agent team that make business travel effortless

Upgrade to effortless business travel with corporate traveller..

Hello, can I help you find what youʼre looking for?

Letters.org

The Number 1 Letter Writing Website in the world

A Business Trip Approval Letter

Last Updated On January 13, 2020 By Letter Writing Leave a Comment

A Business trip approval letter is written to permit an employee officially for a business trip for which he has submitted a written request. Business trips are considered as a professional way to build up a strong relationship with your existing clients and also a chance to acquire new clients. They are generally regarded as a profitable way of expanding the business. Therefore the staff of the marketing department keeps on touring new places to acquire more and more business.

Trips like these are essential for the growth of a company, so companies do encourage their employees to take such trips. Once an employee has made a request for a business trip, the higher authorities check the details of the trip. If it’s relevant and suitable for the progress of the company, the higher authorities approve the business trip. 

While writing the letter of approval, it is mandatory to include further details of the trip and what is being expected from the employee. You can specify the budget for the trip and mention the people who will be accompanying the person. Letters like this should focus more on specific details rather than anything else.

A Business Trip Approval Letter Writing Tips

  • Firstly it is vital to be professional enough to write an approval letter on the employee’s request.
  • You must specify the budget to your employee so that he should not overspend and exceed the budget laid down by the company.
  • The tone of the letter should be formal.
  • The letter should be brief and concise.
  • Once you are through writing the letter, please recheck the same for corrections, if needed.

A Business Trip Approval Letter Template

Use our free A Business Trip Approval Letter to help you get started.

From, _____________

_____________

Date _________ (Date on which letter is written)

To, _____________

Sub: ___________________________________________

Dear ________________ (Name of the person),

I, hereby, would like to inform you that after discussing with the ______ (Department name), management has approved your business trip to __________ (place) scheduled from __________ (date) to ________________ (Date). We all wish that you will bring some good amount of business to the company. Mr. __________ (name) would also be accompanying you in this trip as he is a Chief legal advisor and will support you if you need any legal help during the trip and with the clients.

Please submit all the relevant documents to the concerned departments once you return.

Yours truly, (_______________)

Sample Letter

From, Alexander Gomes Marketing Head ABC Inc.

Date: 2nd February 2009

To, Mr. Joseph Nicolas Marketing Manager ABC Inc. Atlanta

Sub: Approval for Business Trip

Dear Mr. Nicolas,

I am writing this letter to officially inform you that the management has approved the request submitted by you for a business trip to Germany. The decision has been taken in conjunction with the Sales department. It is scheduled from 10th December to 20th December, and we wish that in this period you will work as per the strategies and norms laid down by the company and will get business for us.

I would also like to inform you that Ms. Catherine from the Sales department will also accompany you on this trip and we wish that after returning, you should prepare a sale report as well as your expense report and submit to the concerned department.

Wishing you all the best,

Yours truly, Alexander Gomes

Email Format

The following is the Email Format that should be followed while writing a Business trip approval letter.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Business Trip Approval Letter

I, hereby, would like to inform you that after discussing with the ______ (Department name), management has approved your business trip to __________ (place) scheduled from __________ (date) to ________________ (Date). We all hope that you will bring a good amount of business to the company. Mr. __________ (name) would also be accompanying you in this trip as he is a Chief legal advisor and will support you if you need any legal help during the trip and with the clients.

Related Letters:

  • Sample Approval Letter
  • Approval Of Overtime Letter
  • Sample Approval Letter for Expenses Occurred
  • Grant A Scholarship Letter

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

How to write a business trip proposal.

A man sitting at a table with a window view of a cityscape writes a business trip proposal on his laptop.

Learn how to write a business trip proposal that will get approved quickly so you can organize and confirm company-related travel.

There are many reasons to take business trips. You can attend conferences, visit other company locations, or just go on a team-building retreat. Of course, you won’t be going anywhere without your company’s approval. That’s where learning how to write a business trip proposal comes in.

What’s a business trip proposal?

A business trip proposal is a document designed to convince management to let employees leave the office for work-related travel and to cover all (or at least most) of the travel expenses.

This proposal is essential because it opens the door for an opportunity to network with new and old clients and potentially reach new markets. The business travel proposal sets clear expectations for management and all who are traveling to set the trip off on the right foot and ensure everyone is on the same page.

What to include in a business travel proposal.

If a business is going to pay for an employee’s trip, there needs to be a good reason. That’s why it’s important to include all the trip details (plus a little persuasion) so the company can determine if it’s worth the investment.

Be sure to include at least the following information in your business trip proposal:

  • Reasons for attending
  • Destination and dates
  • Names of company attendees
  • Detailed itinerary
  • Expenses, including hotel, airfare, rental cars, meals, and more

If you make a strong enough case, management will sign off on the business trip proposal so that you can finalize travel plans for yourself and your colleagues.

3 steps to writing a business trip proposal.

To create a business trip proposal, you need to take the following steps — choose potential business travel accommodations, create a business trip itinerary, and finally write your proposal.

1. Choose potential business travel accommodations.

When choosing accommodations, you should consider the price and convenience of the location. You should prioritize accommodations that are close to where your travel destination is rather than a deluxe resort stay. Keep in mind local events, holidays, and other occurrences that may increase traffic during your stay.

2. Create a business trip itinerary.

Include as much detail as possible to help plans run smoothly and ensure that you are in control of your schedule. Any dates, times, transportation details, addresses of the accommodations, and reservations should be included. Leave time for potential traffic delays, traveling, and general breaks in between events.

3. Keep your business travel proposal short.

When creating your business travel proposal, you should include plenty of details while keeping information concise. Business leaders are booked with meetings and tasks all day, so use a simple format with a font that is easy to read. Support your proposal about why this trip is essential to business success with examples and stats, if possible.

Make your business trip proposal approval ready.

To make sure there aren’t any miscommunications down the road, you should aim to get a signature on any business trip proposal. Once signed, it means you have the approval needed to not just propose the trip but also confirm the details.

To make it easy to approve business trip proposals, use e-signature software like Adobe Acrobat. Your manager can add their legal signature with the click of a button right from their computer or nearly any mobile device.

Explore what more you can do with Acrobat to make creating and approving business trip proposals fast and easy.

Inserting image...

Published In: Word Layouts

Business Trip Approval Request Letter (Free Templates)

Business enterprises and organizations consider business trips as a professional way of building strong relationships with existing customers and a chance to acquire new customers. Business trips are essential for the growth of companies. Therefore, most employers usually approve employee requests to travel for business, provided it is relevant and suitable for the company’s growth. This article will be very informative on business trip approval request letters and provides you with free samples and professional templates for your reference.

What is a Business Trip Approval Request Letter?

A business trip approval request letter is written to an employee to permit them officially, to partake a business trip for which he/she had submitted a written request.

Once an employee has submitted an official business trip request letter, the relevant company managers review the letter to check for details of the trip such as the proposed destination, target market, estimated trip budget, people who will accompany the employee, and how the trip is relevant and mandatory for company growth. If the trip request letter is approved, the higher authorities will write the employee a business trip approval letter.

In the letter, the employer includes further details of the trip, including what is expected of the employee, and specifies the whole trip’s budget. You can also mention the person accompanying the employee for the trip. As a manager, while writing these letters to your employee, it is vital that you focus more on providing specific details to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that you are both on the same page.

Why is a Request for Approval Letter Important?

A request for approval letter is addressed to a supervisor, manager or any other relevant authority to ask for their approval before continuing with a business trip. The letter’s primary purpose is to ensure your manager is fully informed of the trip and that they are willing to allocate you the necessary resources you need to make it a success.

Writing a good request for the approval letter to your boss before embarking on any significant company project is very important due to the following reasons :

First , whenever you address a request for approval to your line managers, you are affording them an opportunity to understand what you want to do (in this case travel for business) and your reasons for wanting to do it. A deeper understanding of the business trip is made when the higher authorities approve your request. This way, it makes all the involved parties play their part smoothly

Secondly , with proper communication comes the smooth accomplishment of tasks. When you collaborate well with your manager you will be able to complete tasks on time.  You will have all the time to concentrate on other important projects while you wait for the review and approval of your request to travel rather than just waiting for the next company meeting to air your requests. Writing request letters for approval ensures no time wastage and leads to reduced wastage of company funds altogether.

The letter also serves as a show of respect.  Embarking on a business trip before the approval of the relevant authority is a sign of disrespect. Sending a request for approval shows respect and professionalism. You are showing the concerned higher authority that you are confident in your decision and are also respectful of the fact that the final decision is ultimately up to them. The business trip approval letter contains further details of the trip, including the budget, scope, and viability of the project. It also outlines what is expected from the employee; thus, it works to dispel any doubt that either party might have concerning the trip’s significance. This boosts the confidence of the employee even as they continue with the business trip.

Lastly , the business trip approval letter once approved, creates a verifiable proof.  Whenever a line manager approves your request, you have clear proof that allows you to continue with your authorized trip confidently. This letter serves as official documentation of any changes or updates to previously agreed-upon terms. It also ensures that each of the concerned parties is well informed.

How to Convince Your Boss to Approve Your Business Trip

Getting approval from your boss to go on a business trip is not as easy as it sounds, especially in this technological era.  Some bosses may feel like it is a needless luxury that needs to be eliminated from the company’s budget. However, in some cases, business trips are essential for career growth and company growth. So, how can you convince your boss to allow you to travel? The answer is simple. You must prove to them why the trip is necessary and how partaking it will enable you to achieve something you cannot achieve while remotely working from the office. Here are some of our well- researched tips to enable you to get approval to travel from your boss.

When writing the letter explain to your manger how the trip will make you establish and build meaningful business relationships with clients: -When you are trying to establish a new relationship with a client, face time is necessary. Thus, you need to go on a trip to meet face-face with a potential client and establish a foundation of business trust. Once you have established this relationship, it is easier to maintain the client from a remote location, virtually.

Show your manager that the trip is an opportunity to network with leaders in your industry, and gather more knowledge, acquire new business leads and market your company. Demonstrate to them how the trip will help you to stay updated on current marketing trends and help you stay on top of the economic trends

To convince them further to approve your request, provide a good explanation in your request letter, how the trip will help you close more deals, thus more money for the company- create a plan to establish how the Return on Investment will be greater than the expenses of your trip. Do your research well and provide your boss with quantitative data to back up your claims that the trip will be a valuable investment for the company.

NOTE: Keep your budget to a minimum to quickly gain approval

Format of a Business Trip Approval Request Letter

Follow these steps to write a professional business trip approval request letter

Choose your contact method

Based on your company culture, choose the right contact method- whether via email or a printed copy with a written signature.Write the date of submission of the approval request letter

Inside Address

Write the address of the recipient of your letter. Mention the full names of the receiver, their position in the office, department and office address. Ensure that the information you provide in this section is correct and accurate to avoid distracting the recipient.

Use a professional greeting and salutation

This a formal letter. Therefore, use a welcoming yet professional greeting and salutation. For example, use “Dear Ms.” followed by their last name.

Start your letter by telling the receiver why you are writing the letter. Be considerate of their time and go to the point directly.

Example : Dear Ms Jane, I am thrilled to inform you that after discussing with the marketing department, management has approved your business trip to Tanzania scheduled from 20 th Jan 2021 to 26 th Jan 2021.

Include details

In a few sentences, provide a detailed explanation of the trip, in terms of what is expected of the employee, the person (s) accompanying the employee, and specify the approved budget for the trip to ensure that he/she does not go overboard with the budget laid down by the company.

For example: The marketing department and everyone at large hopes that you will bring a considerable amount of business to the company from your trip. Mr Brian will also be accompanying you on this trip as he is your immediate supervisor. The laid down company budget for the whole trip is $25000.

Complimentary close

Before signing off the letter, include one more piece of information depending on the situation. You can add more information about what is expected of the employee once they return from the trip.

For example : Upon your return, make sure you submit all the receipts and any relevant documents to the concerned departments.

Write your signature, followed by your name and designation.

What to Include in Trip Approval Request letter?

Writing a tip approval request letter is not hard. Especially if you know what to include and how to format your letter. The process is very simple simply start by including your full name, designation, and contact information to make it easier for the receiver to reach you anytime.

Then add the details about the trip. You should include the reason for the trip and any benefits for the job if it is for career development training. Provide the itinerary location, estimated budget, and the name of the event.

Don’t forget to mention the date you will leave for the trip and when you will be back to resume work.

End the letter by thanking the manager in advance for their corporation and sign off professionally.

Business Trip Approval Writing Tips

Our well-curated business trip approval letter writing tips will help you come up with a great and professional letter.

Be professional

As a manager, it is necessary that you promptly and professionally write an approval letter upon the employee’s request.

Specify the company laid down budget

It is very crucial that you specify the budget for the trip to your employee to ensure that they don’t go on a spending spree and exceed the budget laid down by the company.Use a formal and polite tone throughout the letter

Make your business trip approval letter short and concise

Your letter does not have to be too wordy. Keep it short, simple and straightforward.

Proofread your letter

Before sending off your letter, make sure to reread it to check for common typing mistakes and grammatical errors. You want it to bring out your message well.

Download Free Business Trip Approval Request Letter Templates

Make use of our free, premium, customizable Business Trip Approval Request Letter Templates to help guide you and serve as a reference. Before downloading them, don’t forget to personalize them to meet your unique needs.

Business-Trip-Approval-Request-Letter-01_

For managers, some requests are easier to approve than others. If you are writing a request for approval, you should consider the following best practices to ensure your requests are approved on time: • Be clear and concise. Very often, including too many details and overstating the purpose diminishes the overall impact of the letter. • Write your subject line well. Use 3-4 words that are boded to communicate the intent of the letter for easy understanding • Have your target audience in mind while writing the letter • Break up long requests into smaller and simpler sections using bullets and headers • Explain the importance of your request to the company once approved. • Show your enthusiasm for the request that is pending approval. • Gather quantitative data to back up your claim and put your best argument forward

Yes! If the thought of sending a follow-up email for a request letter after no response scares you, you should probably know that very few people, especially managers, say yes to the first ask. It is always a great idea to follow up with an email message if you don’t hear back from them.

Business trips are an important part of a business. They are also an important part of the growth of the employee and the organization. For this reason it is important that the employees be afforded the chance to go for business trips. As an employee, you need to understand how to write a persuasive business trip request letter to your employer that will convince him/her to allow you to travel. As a manager, you also need to know how to write a professional business trip approval letter and understand its importance.

Related Documents

business-trip-approval-request-letter

How to Write the Perfect Donation Letter (Sample Letters)

Trying to boost corporate travel sales? Five questions for airline executives

For airlines, the corporate travel segment is a critical engine of value. Business travelers tend to fly in premium cabins, book more flexible tickets, and buy closer to departure—which all translate to higher yields. Despite making up only about 12 percent of air traffic before the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate trips  accounted for about half of the airline sector’s profitability in the United States.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Riccardo Boin , Jaap Bouwer, Danielle Bozarth, Vik Krishnan , Prashanth Kuchibhotla, Arthur Loubeau, and Caroline Tufft, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

However, the pandemic wiped out the majority of business trips in 2020 and 2021. While opinions vary on the speed of recovery, the consensus is that business travel will rebound more slowly  than trips taken for leisure or to visit friends and relatives. Many expect that a portion of corporate travel may never return, making competition in this highly profitable segment even more intense.

Naturally, airline executives are eager to accelerate the recovery of the business travel segment. But before slashing prices or offering steep corporate discounts, decision makers should be aware of five pitfalls in business travel sales models, lest they lose even more value for their airlines. In fact, it may be time to put away the old playbook, since many carriers’ corporate sales operations were suboptimal even before the pandemic.

This article poses five questions airline executives can ask themselves to avoid missteps. If an executive answers “yes” or “I don’t know” to one or more of them, they may want to reconsider their approach to corporate travel sales. It’s not too late for course correction; there are steps decision makers can take to optimize airlines’ sales strategies.

Do your corporate deals dilute value for your airline?

Despite its importance to profitability, corporate sales at many airlines is a “black box,” managed more as an art than a science. Commercial executives often don’t have the data and insights to know if, say, a particular corporate arrangement with a customer truly adds to the bottom line or is priced too high or too low. We’ve observed commercial executives offer extensive corporate deals with discounts on fares that are already competitively priced, eroding the airline’s margins.

A better way: Create a data-driven cockpit that provides visibility

What’s needed, and what top-performing B2B sales organizations have, is a data-driven cockpit, drawing from internal and external data sources to provide the necessary visibility for commercial staff to make the right decisions and to track the impact of chosen actions.

It starts with developing a comprehensive data repository that consists of the components of different deals and corporate arrangements, as well as the airline’s market share vis-à-vis its competitors. It includes data on volume and revenue by account, by travel pattern, by point of sale, by commercial structure offered, by origin and destination, and by time. The data could be analyzed to measure the airline’s performance against other competitors as well as the general market.

There are a number of data sources available commercially that enable users to track performance. The commercial team could use that data to ensure that the structure of the corporate agreements they sign generates incremental value, where revenues generated from the deal would be greater than the discounts given. Data analysis could also help executives identify potential growth areas and opportunities to increase the airline’s market share.

Just as important, having a data-driven cockpit makes it easier to assess the overall effectiveness of corporate deals and agreements. Did a tweak made to the discount structure truly expand an airline’s market share, or was growth due to other factors? Where can an airline reduce discounts, preserve most of its share, and sell the freed-up seats to higher-value customers?

A data-driven cockpit will likely have the answers.

Are you overrelying on discounts?

We’re all familiar with the basic economic principle that underlies all discounts: when price falls, demand rises. Most airlines have a discount structure that their sales staff can reference to incentivize ticket purchases.

But there are dangers in relying mostly on discounts to drive up sales. First, some carriers apply the same discount uniformly to all customers with only minimal variations based on factors such as the size of the corporate account. But in a segment as competitive as corporate travel, the indiscriminate application of discounts can shave already thin margins. Second, discounts are no guarantee of brand loyalty. Customer commitments to discounted plans are often vague. Even when a concrete agreement is made, enforcement is often lacking. Thus, airlines assume material risk when they offer discounts—if the customer fails to buy the requisite volume of tickets, the eventual revenue flow would be diluted.

A better way: Tailor discounts and benefits according to each corporate account’s travel patterns

While discounts can be a powerful way to sell flights, other elements in the travel journey—such as lounge access, priority boarding, and elite status—may also factor into a corporate customer’s purchase decision. Airlines may protect their margins by tailoring the right mix of both discounts and other perks for each corporate client according to their specific travel needs and patterns.

Airlines may protect their margins by tailoring the right mix of both discounts and other perks for each corporate client according to their specific travel needs and patterns.

Consider two common client profiles: the first is a small corporate client with a tight travel budget and whose employees tend to travel in high volumes on a small number of flight routes. Such companies generally value discounts more than other soft benefits and priority services. An airline could potentially benefit more, then, by offering steeper discounts to this type of company, rather than to a larger corporate customer, especially if the former is able to steer more business travel traffic to a less popular route. When offering discounts, the carrier could require these corporate clients to buy from the carrier a stipulated percentage of their total air travel budget or share of wallet. That way, the carrier could continually track clients’ buying patterns and encourage them to honor their purchase commitments if they fall behind.

Next, consider a large company that prioritizes factors such as premium offerings over ticket price. In such cases, the airlines may rely less on discounts and cheap fares, choosing instead to offer other perks such as seat upgrades, lounge access, and priority service. Service-sector companies whose employees travel frequently to meet clients often prize priority service when rebookings have to be made because of delays or cancellations.

Delivering on the right mix of discounts and other benefits will require multiple departments to invest in the infrastructure needed to support these value-added services in a coordinated way, as we explain when addressing the fifth pitfall.

Do your sales representatives spend most of their time creating their own market and customer insight reports?

Even the best corporate packages fall short if customers are unaware of them. In our experience, direct customer engagement is woefully low at many airlines, with sales staff frequently spending more than half their working hours away from their customers. Instead, many sales executives spend much of their time stuck in a quagmire of user-unfriendly data, trying to extract useful insights instead of interacting directly with customers. This imbalance often stems from inadequate investment in the airline’s technology stack and a lack of centralized support for customer-facing sales staff.

A better way: Equip sales staff with what they need to drive effective customer interactions

Most carriers know that the art of cultivating client relationships is best rooted in data-driven analyses, yet very few of them empower their sales team with the tools they need to drive truly data-driven conversations. These leading airlines have a dedicated central team responsible for the analysis and insights, which are then communicated to the sales teams.

This process starts with the central team categorizing accounts based on the value each account brings to the airline—ideally with help from the aforementioned data repository—and then providing the segmentation to the sales staff through a “single source of truth.” Accounts could be prioritized based on the Quality of Service Index gap (the difference between the actual market share achieved and the “fair” or expected share based on the network quality) and expected volume. The team also equips customer-facing sales staff with standard performance analyses for their regular customer check-ins and prepares them with data on the most promising opportunities.

In our experience, this system frees up commercial executives to spend between 60 and 75 percent of their time doing what they do best—customer interaction.

Are star employees looking elsewhere for better growth and career opportunities?

Sales staff are core to corporate sales success, yet we’ve noticed that many airlines follow a generic approach to their staff. Generalists are hired, their accounts span segments (leisure, online travel agencies [OTAs], travel management companies [TMCs], corporates), compensation is not performance-based, and incentives are poorly designed or nonexistent. Training programs are not tailored to cultivate the specific skills that corporate sales staff need, and regular feedback and strengths-based evaluation sessions are often not set up in a structured way.

The risks of neglecting talent retention are higher now than before the pandemic. Nearly a quarter of the employers in a recent McKinsey survey  reported that they have more low-performing employees now than a year ago. Voluntary attrition is rising, and about 40 percent of employees are planning to leave their current jobs within the next three to six months. Employers that don’t give their top-performing sales staff compelling reasons to stay will likely see them leave.

A better way: Treat your sales staff as customers too

Wise employers understand that employees who feel a sense of belonging and feel valued are not only less likely to leave but also more invested in growing within the company. Compassionate employers are keenly aware that the pandemic has placed undue strain on their employees and proactively address these challenges and provide support where they can.

High-performing companies understand  what type of skills correlate with superior sales performance and use this insight to build their sales force. They know the importance of a separate group of corporate specialists who understand the training needs of their sales team and cultivate the needed capabilities further through specific training programs. The relationship between senior, more experienced leaders and relatively junior staff is mentor-like, with ample on-the-job coaching and frequent feedback. Compensation is tied to performance assessments based on clear metrics that track incremental share without dilution. Staff get regular updates on how they’re tracking and are clear (and ideally, excited) about their career paths within the airline.

Do you treat corporate travel as a pure sales play?

While simplistic, it’s not wrong to say that many airlines view corporate sales as an activity best pursued exclusively by experienced sales professionals scattered across key markets. Such carriers’ organizational structures tend to be siloed, with different functions across the corporate value chain—such as network, customer experience, revenue management, marketing, distribution, and sales—operating independently with minimal consultation and coordination from across the company.

The corporate sales function is very often further siloed, exacerbating the situation for many carriers. Corporate sales usually happen through three channels: TMCs, direct channels (on the airline’s main booking path or a corporate small and medium-size enterprise portal), and indirect channels like OTAs and offline agents. Airlines often have separate teams dealing with each channel: one team manages direct corporate accounts booked via TMCs, one deals with TMCs and noncontracted corporates, while another sales team works with OTAs and other agents. The direct channel is managed by an e-commerce team that usually resides in a different department.

Without alignment from all the departments, trade-offs are bound to arise when any single unit chooses to implement a new initiative. This includes optimization efforts— such as revenue management, network management, or customer experience—undertaken by nonsales units. Sales, while an important function, is the last link in the end-to-end corporate value chain and is often adversely affected by decisions made by other units.

One example of a lack of alignment between departments is when an airline’s distribution team implemented surcharges on bookings made through global distribution services (GDS), which are typically used by OTAs and corporate clients. The distribution team made the move in an effort to send leisure travelers to the airline’s platform. But it put the airline at risk of lost revenue from cost-sensitive corporate customers.

Another example is when one airline’s customer experience unit decided to strictly enforce its one-cabin-bag allowance and charge €60 for each additional piece of baggage. While this was in line with the department’s goal of maximizing ancillary fees, it probably dampened total revenues.

A better way: Break down the silos and coordinate the airline’s value proposition across all departments

To be effective, someone (or a group) within the airline has to own the corporate value proposition across silos. This effort starts with developing a clear understanding of each department’s goals and making any trade-offs clear. Many high-performing airlines create an independent group that coordinates across silos, ensuring that team initiatives and goals don’t conflict (exhibit).

Feedback loops among these departments could ensure that corporate agreements are optimized and are beneficial for nonsales teams too. Frequently the sales team has detailed insights into the travel needs of their corporate clients, as well as honest feedback from them on the airline’s service and product quality. Yet these insights are not often used to develop the airline’s network, product, pricing, and loyalty program. Deeper integration across all departments that tend to operate in silos will facilitate the information flow necessary to improve the airline’s holistic performance.

Corporate sales have been, and will continue to be, critical to airline profitability. However, the function is far from optimized at many carriers. By avoiding the pitfalls mentioned here and by making changes now, airlines can set themselves up to capture more of this critical segment.

Riccardo Boin is a partner in McKinsey’s Milan office; Jaap Bouwer is a senior knowledge expert in the Amsterdam office; Danielle Bozarth is a senior partner in the New York office; Vik Krishnan is a partner in the Bay Area office; Prashanth Kuchibhotla is a knowledge expert in the London office, where Caroline Tufft is a senior partner; and Arthur Loubeau is a consultant in the Dallas office.

This article was edited by Jason Li, a senior editor in the Shanghai office.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

The comeback of corporate travel: How should companies be planning?

The comeback of corporate travel: How should companies be planning?

Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies

Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies

Corporate travel webinar

Corporate travel: The long road to recovery

Businessperson's hand marking check box with red marker on screen

  • Safe Business Trips: Decision Criteria
  • SafeBusinessTrips
  • Hygiene & Safety
  • New & Best Practices
  • Premium Partner: Tourismus NRW e.V.

Deciding for or against a business trip is influenced by numerous factors - even in "normal" times. But during a pandemic, employers and employees alike face exceptional challenges. The following information is intended to provide guidance on the most important questions and thus support the decision on business trips. The contents were compiled in cooperation with the renowned law firm ebl factum in Frankfurt/Main (Germany).

Graphic on "Business trips in times of Covid-19".

Answering the following questions can serve as a basis for deciding for or against a business trip in individual cases, taking into account both the employer's and the employee's perspective.

  • Who is traveling?
  • Does the employee belong to one of the known Covid 19 risk groups?

Vaccination/Testing

  • Has the employee been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 or recovered from it?
  • Does the employee have a valid negative Corona test result?

Hygiene and Safety

  • Has the employee been provided with the necessary hygiene products by his/her employer (e.g. disinfectant, mouth-nose protection, etc.)?
  • What safety and hygiene measures are in place throughout the entire delegate journey?
  • What is the destination of the business trip (domestic/foreign)?
  • Does the city or region in question currently count as a Corona risk area according to official assessment?
  • Is there a current travel warning from official bodies/government authorities?
  • Which means of transport can the employee use for the business trip?
  • If there are alternative means of transport for the same route, which appears to be the most suitable for the specific case from a safety and hygiene point of view?

Accommodation/Location

  • Who is being visited: Which company or event location? Are there appropriate hygiene and safety concepts in place?
  • Where will an overnight stay take place, if applicable? Are there appropriate hygiene and safety concepts in place?
  • Are there any (current) Corona infections known in the company/venue/hotel visited?
  • Is there a testing center nearby where antigen or PCR testing can be performed if needed?

English-language graphic on safe business trips with six factors to consider | © GCB

Path to page

  • AMS - Advanced Mobility Solutions
  • Deutsche Bahn
  • Lufthansa Group Airlines
  • Hotel Bayerischer Hof
  • Hotel Berlin Central District
  • BWH Hotel Group
  • Deutsche Hospitality
  • DHI Dorint Hospitality & Innovation
  • Flemings Hotels
  • Lindner Hotels & Resorts
  • Maritim Hotels
  • Marriott Frankfurt Airport Hotels: Marriott & Sheraton
  • Hotel Maximilian's
  • Radisson Hotel Group
  • Landgut Stober
  • Vienna House Andel’s Berlin
  • Eurogress Aachen
  • Messe Bremen und Congress Bremen
  • Düsseldorf Congress
  • Messe Erfurt
  • Estrel Berlin
  • Messe Frankfurt
  • Fraport Conference Center
  • Leipziger Messe Locations
  • Musik- und Kongresshalle Lübeck
  • Locations of Messe München
  • Messe und Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland
  • Messe Stuttgart
  • VILA VITA Marburg
  • Encore - KFP Five Star Conference Services
  • visitBerlin - Berlin Convention Office
  • Tourismusmarketing Brandenburg
  • Bremen Convention Bureau
  • Frankfurt Convention Bureau
  • Hamburg Convention Bureau
  • Hessen MICE Net
  • Convention Bureau Karlsruhe & Region
  • NürnbergConvention
  • Stuttgart Convention Bureau
  • Cornerstone Meetings
  • CPO HANSER SERVICE
  • Back to Presence: Large Medical Congress at the CCL
  • IAA Mobility 2021
  • Best Practices from Stuttgart

GCB in English

Unfortunately, this page is only available in German at the moment. You can find information about GCB in English at the english gcb site .

Market Business News

What is a business trip? Definition and examples

If you visit somewhere for work purposes, i.e., on behalf of your company, that is a business trip. The term applies to both the journey to your destination and your trip back. In most cases, the trip is not a short one.

a Business trip image 1 999

Collins Dictionary has the following definition of the term :

“A journey made somewhere and back again for business purposes in one’s working capacity.”

Business trip vs. business travel

The two terms refer to the same action or activity. However, their uses are not the same.

Business travel

Business travel refers to traveling on behalf of your employer generally. Although it is a singular term, i.e., business travel and not business travels , it refers to all trips for work purposes. It is a general term .

I might say, for example: “Business travel is becoming a significant part of our airline’s income.” In this case, we are talking in general.

I cannot use business travel for just one journey. For example, I cannot say: “I’m sorry, Jane is away. She is on a business travel.” I would have to say: “I’m sorry … She’s on a business trip.”

Business trip

This term refers to just one journey. We need to use the plural if we are talking in general.

For example, if I wanted to talk about my airline’s revenue, I would say: “Business trip s are becoming a significant part of our airline’s income.” I would not be able to use the singular form.

Reasons for business travel

Business trip image for article 493992993

In all the examples below, your employer is paying for travel, accommodation, etc.

  • Meeting with customers or clients.
  • Visiting suppliers.
  • Attending a conference.
  • Attending a course.
  • Identify new markets, trends, and consumer traits elsewhere.
  • Visiting somewhere to check the progress of a project.
  • Visiting a prospect. A prospect is a company or person that you think could turn into a paying customer.
  • Apologizing to a customer.
  • Your purpose is PR or public relations , such as taking part in a press conference.
  • The ROI from the trip is more than its cost. ROI stands for return on investment .
  • Your employer sends you somewhere to fix, for example, equipment.
  • Networking. There are many people you can meet away from work with whom you or your company could do business.
  • Face-to-face meetings are usually more effective than using email, VoIP, texting, etc. Sometimes they are necessary.

Business travelers typically claim their expenses by filling a report , in which they list how much they spent on local public transport, meals, taxis, phone calls, etc.

Negatives and positives of business travel

Business trips may be extremely rewarding experiences. However, for some people, especially if they have families, there is a price to pay.

Regular business travelers frequently feel loney. Some of them may show signs of deteriorating mental health and even depression. According to Adam Perotta in a Business travel News article in December 2019, over 20% of business travelers said they experienced negative mental health effects.

Regarding the survey, Perotta wrote :

“22 percent of respondents reported that business travel had a “very” or “somewhat” negative impact on their mental health. Twenty-one percent indicated that even thinking about an upcoming work trip caused stress. Factors causing that angst include the toll travel takes on physical health, sleep schedules, personal relationships, personal finances and productivity.”

Traveling regularly on behalf of your company may mean missing major family events, which can contribute significantly to relationship problems.

Jet lag can play havoc with our body clock, productivity, and mental and physical health. Eating small meals before and during your flight, refraining from consuming alcoholic drinks, drinking plenty of water, and getting plenty of rest beforehand can help reduce the negative effects of jet lag.

In a Small Business Trends article, Samson Haileysus wrote that the vast majority of small company owners enjoyed their work-related trips. Approximately fifty-five percent of small business owners travel for work purposes at least once each month. Sixty percent of them spend three nights away from home during each trip.

Haileysus added:

“Surprisingly enough almost all (88%) small business owners who travel for business do enjoy traveling. In fact, just under three in four (72%) say they wish they traveled for business more often.”

Corporate travel is a huge market

Business travel is worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year globally. The biggest spenders on business trips are the United States and China.

In the United States, there are over 405 million business trips annually (long distance). For every working day, approximately 1.1 million Americans are traveling for work purposes.

The world’s most popular destination is New York City, while Shanghai is the fastest growing. Trondent Development Corp. made the following comment regarding the importance of business travel for airlines:

“Business passengers represent 75 percent of an airline’s profits despite only being 12% of their total passengers. But the money is well spent: every $1.00 spent on business travel creates $15 of profit for increased sales.”

Share this:

  • Renewable Energy
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • 3D Printing
  • Financial Glossary

New Report: Exploring the Rise of Purposeful Business Travel

Accor Group + Skift

Accor Group + Skift

September 25th, 2023 at 10:00 AM EDT

As travel demand returns, a new report from Accor uncovers some of the challenges and opportunities facing corporate travel decision makers as they reexamine the value of business travel in a post-pandemic world — and points to what they need to prioritize in 2024.

Accor Group

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Amidst financial and geopolitical uncertainty, business travel demand is increasing due to a robust return to in-person corporate and industry events — even though a full recovery to 2019 levels may not be possible until 2024, according to Skift Research .

As the market continues to level out post-pandemic, business leaders are seeking a new status quo that balances business needs with social and environmental pressures.

“Demand for business travel is back, with forecasts indicating continued increases in business travel spend,” said Karelle Lamouche, chief commercial officer, premium, midscale, and economy brands at Accor. “Business needs travel, and its value is undeniable, but the how and why of business travel has never been such an important question to explore. Understanding and evaluating the purpose of a trip has become more important than ever.”

This idea that purposeful travel is now key to the business travel value equation was recently explored by a panel of global business leaders and senior Accor executives at the company’s annual Masters of Travel advisory board meeting.

“Our Masters of Travel advisory board brought industry leaders from technology, law, energy, engineering, and pharmaceuticals together with Accor executives to create a future vision for business travel and corporate meetings, digging deep into the real value of travel, evaluating the demands it makes in environmental, social and governance (ESG), and understanding what businesses need to prioritize in 2024 and beyond,” said Sophie Hulgard, chief sales officer at Accor.

Key insights from the Masters of Travel event appear in Accor’s Business of Travel 2023 report , which provides a snapshot of the current state of business travel via new research and data analysis.

Understanding the Why of Business Travel

Business travel demand is coming back. A recent survey of Accor’s corporate clients revealed that their business travel expenses had declined by 24 percent compared to 2019, a 10 percent improvement over 2022. Meanwhile, a Deloitte survey projected that business travel spending will fully rebound to pre-pandemic levels by 2024. Accor data reinforces this forecast. The group’s recent client business travel study revealed 57 percent of respondents expect a travel budget increase in 2024 over 2023.

But while the financial value of in-person meetings is clear — Accor research shows that business professionals estimate 25 percent more revenue when meeting face to face rather than virtually — the question of return on investment must be accompanied by a question of purpose that goes beyond the financial bottom line.

“Understanding why you’re traveling, how it will benefit your client relationships, how it will affect the overall health of you and your company, and how it will impact the environment, are key factors for your corporate travel manager to decide whether you should be traveling,” Hulgard said. “Beyond return on investment (ROI), trips are being evaluated in terms of return on expectation (ROE) — so hospitality companies need to deliver against the expectations of the experience, which can vary greatly from company to company, industry to industry, and even trip to trip.”

Delivering Positive ROE (Return on Expectation)

The panelists at the Masters of Travel event represented a wide array of industries — including technology, energy, engineering, pharmaceuticals, and professional services — each with different expectations about the experience and the importance of employee satisfaction, cultural development, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

“Our goal as a hospitality company is to meet and exceed all of those different expectations and ensure a return, whether we’re building brand loyalty with one employee at a small company or hosting a large conference for a major corporation,” Hulgard said. “Each company has its own definition of purposeful travel, but one shared expectation on the experience is traveler well-being and the need for hotel brands to delight the traveler.”

With travel stress at an all-time high due to external factors like flight disruptions, inflation, labor shortages, and longer queues, one way hotel brands can deliver a return on expectation is by training hotel teams to approach guests with empathy and communicate with emotional intelligence (EQ).

“We’re very focused on making sure every guest always feels welcome,” Hulgard said. “Fulfilling that promise means accommodating all types of requests and elevating the importance of neurodiversity within our training.”

Accor research shows corporate decision makers place “traveler experience” as the second most crucial consideration in 2024, after cost savings.

“More than ever, the well-being of business travelers should be the priority,” Hulgard said. “This is also where blended travel comes into play. Stay longer, do more, go down a gear. In short, think about what you want to achieve from your time and carbon output. If you stay longer, you can pack in more meetings and enjoy some purposeful leisure time, which is beneficial to your mental health and well-being. And why not add on a pleasure trip if it means one less flight?”

The advisory board concurs. One delegate commented on how cost- and time-effective blended travel is to an employer: “Work is paying for the trip anyway and the employee feels like they’re getting extra value. Morale is boosted at no extra cost — so it’s a win, win.”

Recognizing Social and Environmental Pressures

The client survey found that 54 percent of respondents put carbon emissions as their number one CSR priority, with “supplier sustainability performance for 2024 hotel sourcing and selection” ranked as highly important in their booking decisions.

“A growing number of companies are implementing company-wide carbon budgets,” Hulgard said. “Accor is an ideal partner because more than 70 percent of our hotels already have carbon measurement tools in place. In addition to the detailed carbon offsetting data travel managers are looking for, we can deliver reports on water consumption and other environmental and societal impacts.”

Earlier this year, Accor committed to supporting its 5,400 hotels in obtaining external sustainability certifications by partnering with Green Key and Green Globe. These third-party environmental certification bodies will help Accor reassure corporate travel managers who want all hotel brands in a group to follow the same standards.

“It’s all tied together,” Lamouche said. “With businesses trying to strike a balance between carbon and cost, productivity and purpose, it’s a time of great change and revaluation for the industry — change that we can lead. Today’s corporate decision makers are mindful of value, sustainability, and striking a balance between the time and well-being of employees. Purposeful hotel brands and travel managers can respond to this need and give business travel a new lease of life. Businesses can uplift revenue and reinvigorate teams, culture, and employee well-being through face-to-face meetings and purposeful travel.”

This content was created collaboratively by Accor and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX .

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: accor , business travel , corporate travel , hospitality , SkiftX Showcase: Hospitality

  • Sustainability
  • Small Business

Reimagining business travel, without all the baggage

business trip decision

Since travel came to a screeching halt in March 2020, many have predicted that business travel might never recover, given the advances of video conferencing and the embrace of work from home policies.

business trip decision

But global business travel spending is expected to surpass 2019 levels this year, according to the Global Business Travel Association’s Business Travel Index released in August — that's two years sooner than GBTA was forecasting the previous year. A Mastercard survey of travel decision-makers , also released in August, found that nine out of 10 believe business travel is still critical for driving growth, and more than half expect to spend more than $1 billion on travel in 2025, up from 11% pre-pandemic.

That’s music to the ears of airlines and convention hotels, but technological advances, changing expectations and new pressures have also altered the business travel landscape in ways that may ease the journey for road warriors and frequent flyers – and the corporate teams who manage their travel. Here are five trends shaping business travel in 2024.

01 'Bleisure' is here to stay

Remote work is here to stay, and some companies have even instituted “work from anywhere” benefits, giving employees the opportunity to stretch out vacations abroad or visits to family. It also means corporate travelers can extend business trips by a few days, giving them a chance to explore more than just the convention hall or hotel amenities. The days of two-day international business trips may soon be in the rear-view mirror, as employees enjoy the perks of flexible office policies. But a distributed workforce can create new challenges when it comes to monitoring spending — a person working from home might have different expenses than a traditional office worker, like buying subscriptions, office furniture and computer equipment, which can make it more difficult for companies to predict and account for spending.

02 Business travel, consumer experience

For companies, combining business and travel is not always smooth sailing — managing expenses and reimbursements can get complicated. And for employees, the ease of paying with a tap or a click in their daily lives is missing from travel and entertainment payments, as anyone who labored over an expense report can attest. That’s why many companies are moving to virtual cards for travel expenses. These cards are created instantly for specific purposes — a business trip, a client dinner at a conference, travel arrangements for a promising recruit — with customized spend controls, such as the amount, time period and type of purchase where the cards can be used, producing detailed data for tracking, reporting and automated reconciliation. They can even be issued directly to mobile wallets, creating contactless travel experiences.

These heightened consumer expectations could also make companies expand the benefits on their commercial and corporate T&E cards — better travel insurance, concierge support, telemedicine offerings and access to airport lounges, for example.

03 AI at your service

Another extension of the “consumerization” of business travel? The AI tools taking hold in the leisure travel sector, including virtual travel agents that can customize itineraries and lock in low fares, are likely to make waves in corporate travel as well. These bots can tailor travel based on T&E policy, budget and employee preferences. And with the cost of business travel rising – CWT’s Global Business Travel Forecast for 2024 shows a 3% rise in average cost per attendee per day for meetings and events, and a 3.6% increase in hotel rates — corporate travel teams can use AI for better price predictions, more proactively managing their budgets. It can also help these teams build more dynamic policies and even adjust spending limits by analyzing past spend on a much more granular level. AI tools can simplify the arduous expense report process for both employees and finance teams by automating the capture and review of repetitive and predictable expenses. Nine in 10 travel decision-makers plan on investing in AI and machine learning to improve processes and personalize travel for their employees, according to the Mastercard survey.

04 Tracking the impact of travel

Many corporations are making concerted efforts to lower their carbon footprint. Nine in 10 travel decision-makers in Mastercard’s survey said they are more focused on tracking environmental, social and governance efforts — greenhouse gas emissions from company travel, for example. Carbon emissions tracking tools that show carbon footprint of business trips and seat selections can drive more environmentally conscious travel decisions. With sustainability at the top of corporate agendas, we can expect companies to seek out ways to help them achieve their sustainability goals. Mastercard’s T&E Consulting Services, for example, helps corporations re-evaluate their T&E policies and procedures, assess supplier performance and improve for the future.  

05 The rise of the chief travel officer

At many organizations, the responsibility for corporate travel is split between human resources, finance, procurement, technology and even security teams. Even if they’re using the same tools and platforms, there’s often a disconnect when it comes to long-term strategy and decision-making. As business travel becomes more automated, larger companies may benefit from a chief travel officer — someone who can work across the organization to streamline processes, discover efficiencies and make the most of these emerging tools, enterprise solutions and corporate card benefits, including travel risk management services, concierge support and telemedicine offerings.

The resurgence of business travel illustrates the enduring value of in-person interactions — the building of relationships, the sparking of innovation, the deepening of trust that comes from sitting across the table or sharing a meal. Technology may have enabled the rise of virtual work, but technology is also making business travel smarter and more seamless than ever before.

This month, the Mastercard Newsroom is exploring how rapidly evolving technology, heightened consumer expectations and economic and societal pressures are changing how we live, work, shop and innovate.  

business trip decision

In-car payments

Development finance

Data for good

Business travel

Authentication

Personalization

Photo of Chad Wallace

  • Perspectives
  • The future of business travel
  • Investor Relations

Mastercard Sites

  • Mastercard.com
  • Mastercard Brand Center
  • Mastercard Data & Services
  • Priceless.com
  • Privacy Policy

Compare the Best Small Business Loan Solutions

Choosing a Means of Transportation for a Business Trip

When organizing a business trip, the chosen means of transportation can drastically affect your success. Whether it be to save time or money, there are advantages and disadvantages of multiple modes of transport that should factor into your decision-making process. In this article, we will examine various methods for arriving at a business destination so you can decide on the one most suitable for you and your business’ needs.

For business trips, airplanes are the go-to option as they get you to your destination in a jiffy. Not only do flights take less time than other modes of transportation, but there’s also no need for any stops along the way if you can find direct flights. The one downside? Price! With so many travel companions it can become quite costly; however, according to Scott’s Cheap Flights , costs may be significantly reduced with careful research and group discounts at certain airlines!

When you reach your destination, finding a reliable way to get around is vital. Do you want to own or rent a car for business purposes? Deciding which option best suits your needs will be the next step in ensuring smooth transportation throughout the trip. By leasing or renting a car, you avoid many of the depreciation costs associated with buying one outright, according to Lease End . Investing in a car is no small commitment. Despite the additional fuel and maintenance costs, it will still get you from point A to point B much quicker than walking or biking can.

Exploring train transportation for your business trips should be seriously considered due to its cost-saving benefits . Group discounts and lower rates are available, as well as the ability to find direct routes from city-to-city that sometimes can’t be matched by other modes of travel. While time may not always be on your side when taking a train journey, with proper planning you can make connections quickly in order to reach your destination efficiently. Plus, it’s a great way to appreciate the sights along the way!

Business travel can be hectic, so you must select the most fitting transportation to get you to your destination. With an abundance of options available, it may seem difficult to decide which is best for you and your journey. When picking how to move around on your next business voyage, remember these valuable techniques.

Check out this article on how to reinvest your business profit !

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Capital For Business logo

Nuvei Cross-Border Sales and the Challenge of Failed Payments February 2024 Banner

Businesses Reconsider Travel Amid Cost-Cutting and Environmental Concerns

business trip decision

Business travel has changed for thousands of workers, thanks to COVID, cost-cutting and environmental worries.

That’s according to a Sunday (Feb. 25) Financial Times (FT) report, which says some big companies in the U.S. and Europe have stopped allowing nonessential trips , while many business travelers are taking longer trips to reduce the need for repeat visits.

“You have to have a real story behind the trip to have it approved now,” one London-based banker told the FT. Another said that senior staff are traveling nearly as regularly as before the pandemic, while junior employees have seen trips cut back.

Elsewhere, companies are changing the way they travel, often with an environmentally conscious goal in mind, the report said.

For example, the American pharmaceutical company  Parexel  has a travel policy that encourages staff to go by train instead of by air when possible. In Germany, where the firm has more than 750 employees, 96% of domestic trips are now taken by train.

Still, the report notes that business travel isn’t dead, with global bookings coming to 70% of 2019 levels in October 2023, compared to 63% in April, according to survey data by the Global Business Travel Association.

Lawyers and bankers still hit the road to close deals, sales reps still value face-to-face meetings, and many industries cannot function without moving large numbers of workers.

Last month, United Airlines said that it was looking to the return of business travel to provide an  industry-wide tailwind .

“Domestic demand remains strong with increases in business traffic volumes year over year,” said United Airlines Chief Commercial Officer  Andrew Nocella , adding that the airline is “particularly bullish about what Asia looks like going forward.”

“We’ve all sat on calls and predicted the recovery of business traffic more times than I can count over the last few years,” he said. “And I will say Q4 was OK. It wasn’t spectacular in any way. But as we started January in the new budget season, for all of our big corporate clients, we did notice a significant step up.”

Delta  CEO  Ed Bastian noted a similar corporate travel recovery during that airline’s earnings call in January.

“We are seeing continued improvement in the  corporate sector ,” Bastian said. “We had a number of laggards, tech being the largest, and we’re finally starting to see tech companies traveling again as a result of return to office, the consultancies as well. We are seeing it across the board. The auto and entertainment sectors have rebounded nicely following the strikes in the fourth quarter.”

Recommended

Trending news, the big story.

Nuvei Fraud Management, False Declines and Improved Profitability Report November 2023 Ad

Featured News

Partner with pymnts.

We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.

  • Entertainment
  • KSAT Insider
  • Newsletters

BREAKING NEWS

What happened in the March 5 Texas Primary election in the San Antonio area

All election results for texas primary on march 5, 2024, a dense fog advisory and a special weather statement in effect for 5 regions in the area, montenegro appeals court overturns a decision to extradite terraform labs founder to the us.

Predrag Milic

Associated Press

PODGORICA – An appeals court in Montenegro has overturned a recent ruling that a cryptocurrency mogul, Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon, should be extradited to the United States to face fraud charges rather than to his native South Korea, the court said Tuesday.

Kwon, 32, was arrested nearly a year ago in Montenegro on an international arrest warrant in connection with a $40 billion crash of Terraform Labs’ cryptocurrency, which devastated retail investors around the world. Both South Korea and the U.S. have requested Kwon’s extradition from Montenegro.

Recommended Videos

Last month, the High Court in Montenegro decided to hand over Kwon to the U.S. But the Court of Appeals annulled the decision and ordered the lower court to repeat the process. The Appeals Court in a statement cited procedural issues over who was the first to file a request, the U.S. or South Korea.

It wasn't immediately clear when the final decision could be made.

Kwon, known as “the cryptocurrency king,” is wanted by the U.S., where he was charged with fraud by federal prosecutors in New York. South Korean prosecutors have also sought his extradition.

Kwon and another South Korean were arrested at Montenegro’s Podgorica Airport on March 23, while trying to depart for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, using fake Costa Rican passports. Kwon and five others connected to Terraform were wanted because of allegations of fraud and financial crimes in relation to the implosion of its digital currencies in May 2022.

TerraUSD was designed as a “stablecoin,” a currency which is pegged to stable assets like the dollar to prevent drastic fluctuations in prices. However, around $40 billion in market value was erased for the holders of TerraUSD and its floating sister currency, Luna, after the stablecoin plunged far below its $1 peg.

Kwon is serving a four-month prison sentence in Montenegro for using the fake passport.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

More From Forbes

The nemawashi way: the key to employee engagement and decision making.

  • Share to Facebook
  • Share to Twitter
  • Share to Linkedin

A group of three young women and two men of different ethnicities are in a business meeting in a ... [+] modern day office. A bald man is talking to the group while there are laptops and documents on the table.

One of the most critical aspects of scaling a business is ensuring your team is on the same page. You will only make significant changes to your business with your team coming with you on your journey.

To ensure that your team is on the same page with you and values the path they will travel, you must establish the roots of communication and trust.

In Japanese business management, there is a term for collaboration and gaining influence with your employees called Nemawashi.

According to the Asian Media Centre, the word Nemawashi translates to 'working around the roots'; this concept relates to when a tree is transplanted to take great care with each root to ensure maximum survivability when the tree is transplanted.

In the West, when making decisions, we often use consensus building to describe getting everyone on the same page to produce a maximally effective result.

The Essence of Nemawashi In Business

As a business owner, one fact remains constant: change is inevitable. Business market changes, consumer behavior changes, geopolitical policy changes, and other external influences can force a business to adjust, the most recent being the COVID-19 pandemic.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Although it can be challenging to adapt to the changing environment, you can succeed with high-level communication with your employees, getting their feedback and then turning their feedback into a functional roadmap for them to progress towards their specific goals.

The statistics on the breakdown in communication and collaboration are clear: 86% of corporate Executives, educators, and employees cite ineffective communication and poor collaboration as reasons for failures in the workplace.

The principles of nemawashi help build trust, increase communication, help employees feel collaborative, and reduce stress and confusion.

3 Steps To Implement Nemawashi In Your Business

1.) Build trust and open communication: the first implementation in your business is letting your employees know that their opinions and ideas are valuable to the company. You must create a method for creating employee feedback loops and gathering information through one-on-one meetings and open small-group discussions

2.) Involve everyone in decision-making: You can garner their feedback in real time by creating brainstorming sessions and utilizing project management tools that allow employees to generate feedback.

3.) Creating a culture of respect: you must let all employees know that all feedback is welcome, no matter their position in the company. Showing respect for ideas and feedback, no matter where it comes from, is crucial to your company's long-term success.

Case Study Of A Company That Implements Nemawashi

Toyota uses nemawashi in its production planning with its employees. They spend more than double the time eliciting employee feedback than their American counterparts. As a result, they dramatically reduce implementation mistakes, often associated with a short collaboration cycle during production.

Alex Warren, former Senior Vice President of manufacturing, stated, "American companies will spend about three months on planning, then they'll begin to implement; however, over the same period, Toyota would spend nine or ten months planning, then implement in a small way. By the time they are fully implemented there are virtually no problems".

Reflect On Your Level Of Communication

Take inventory of how you manage your collaborative process in your business. The most excellent resource in your business is your employees. By including them in your business's decision-making process, you will build a rich, collaborative environment where they can thrive and feel like they are a part of the company's future.

It's essential to get buy-in from your employees because that creates loyalty. The best time to start this process is now. Take your time getting your employees involved and watch the roots of the tree you plant with your employees blossom into positive revenue growth for your business.

Micah Logan

  • Editorial Standards
  • Reprints & Permissions

Money blog: Revolut customers warned after £200,000 stolen from two accounts - and they didn't get it back

Read the Money blog for all the latest consumer news - with insight into what today's budget means for your pocket. To that end, we'll have a live Q&A with a panel of experts at 3.30pm - and you can submit a question below.

Wednesday 6 March 2024 08:37, UK

  • Follow this blog for consumer news and insight into what budget means for you - with live Q&A at 3.30pm
  • For full coverage of budget, watch live on Sky News or follow our Politics Hub online
  • Chancellor to cut national insurance by 2p - what it means for your pay packet
  • Money blog readers reveal the measures they'd announce
  • Revolut customers warned after £200,000 stolen from two accounts - and they didn't get it back
  • In other news : Hotel offers free stay if it rains too much | Ban on 'overly sexualised' ad overturned | Tesco awards 9.1% pay rise

Ask a question or make a comment

At 3.30pm we'll have a panel of experts answering questions on what the budget means for you.

For the first half an hour it'll be live on Sky News (you'll be able to watch above and we'll have updates right here) - then we'll continue for another hour here in the Money blog.

So if you have a question about what any of today's announcements mean for your wallet/purse, submit them in the box above.

By  James Sillars , business reporter

It's a flat opening for the FTSE 100 this morning ahead of the budget.

Jeremy Hunt's speech, due just after 12.30pm, has the potential to get things moving - but in what direction?

A budget of pre-election giveaways is unlikely to be favourably received by investors.

The chancellor will be wary of the backlash seen in the wake of the Truss government's mini-budget of September 2022 that pushed up government borrowing and mortgage costs.

He is expected to keep to his rulebook by tempering his sweeteners with targeted tax measures and spending cuts.

As far as shares are concerned, the biggest faller on the FTSE 100 was life insurer Legal & General.

Its stock was 4% lower as annual profits for 2023 came in flat despite record new business volumes - dashing hopes of a special dividend.

A broker upgrade (basically a recommendation that shares are undervalued) saw the owner of British Airways, IAG, soar by 4%.

The FTSE was 13 points up at 7,659

Not much to report elsewhere with Brent crude oil treading water at $82 a barrel, though the pound was trading higher against both the dollar and euro at $1.27 and $1.17 respectively.

We've asked a selection of economists and experts what they'd do if they were chancellor. Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King's College London,  writes...

Councils are going bankrupt, with devastating consequences for social care, vulnerable children, not to mention more mundane but essential services like road maintenance. 

Cuts to the courts means it takes far longer to try to convict criminals, and we are letting those who are sentenced out of jail early because prisons are full.  

Street homelessness, an entirely preventable problem, is spiralling again. 

And current spending plans imply yet more cuts.  

So we need a short-term infusion of cash into key services, in  particular local councils and social care, the criminal justice system, and to address homelessness. 

Over the longer term, we need a strategy to improve the productivity of our public services, especially by modernising the NHS, but in the short term that will require more investment, the opposite of the government's current plans.

Given all this, significant tax cuts would simply be bribing us with our own money.  

That doesn't mean the tax system is fine. 

On the contrary, it is far too complex, and riddled with perverse incentives. 

It needs radical reform and simplification. 

Rebalancing taxation from income to wealth and property, and addressing some of the truly damaging aspects of the current system - child benefit withdrawal, the 60% rate, stamp duty and council tax, the VAT threshold - could make it both fairer and more growth-friendly.  

We'll be teaming up with the Politics Hub team to bring you live coverage of the budget before, during and after Jeremy Hunt stands up. The budget itself starts at 12.30pm - and we'll have a live Q&A on what it means for you from 3.30pm.

A warning has been issued to Revolut customers after takeover scammers stole more than £200,000 from two accounts.

Both victims saw their accounts targeted by fraudsters who passed the digital bank's selfie security checks just days apart, according to Which?. 

The consumer watchdog said one of the victims was on the brink of bankruptcy after £165,000 was taken from their account, while the other had lost more than £40,000 in 10 minutes. 

The criminals pretended to be part of the Revolut fraud team, calling about suspicious activity and passing a series of security checks to hack into the customers' accounts. 

Which? said Revolut investigated both cases and would not refund any of the losses because its multi-factor authentication checks were completed. 

This included the use of a selfie to gain access to the account, a security code being entered after it was sent by text and a login from a new device after an email was sent to a registered address. 

Revolut told Sky News it was aware of a "recent increase" in advanced account takeover scam attempts, and it was "deeply concerned" by the number of crimes being committed using fake phone calls.

"We are sorry to hear of any instance where our customers have been targeted by ruthless and sophisticated criminals. Each potential fraud case concerning a Revolut customer is carefully investigated and assessed independently of other cases," it said.

It also said it was "continuously strengthening" its fraud controls to stay one step ahead of new trends. 

A luxury hotel is offering a free night's stay to guests if their trip is ruined by too much rain.

The five-star InterContinental in Singapore said its "rain resist bliss" package would act as a form of insurance for holidaymakers thinking of staying in the city state.

For the offer to be claimed, it must also rain for a total of 120 cumulative minutes within any four-hour period during daylight hours - and the weather must also disrupt at least one of the guest's planned activities.

You can read more on this story here ... 

The advertising watchdog has reversed its ruling that a Calvin Klein poster presented musician FKA twigs as a "stereotypical sexual object".

The advert was banned in January after the Advertising Standards Authority received two complaints that the image used was "overly sexualised" and objectified women.

But this week, it said the decision had been reviewed due to "our concern that our rationale for banning the ad was substantially flawed".

The British musician, 36, had featured on the poster wearing a denim shirt that was drawn halfway around her body, leaving the side of her buttocks and half of one breast exposed, with text reading: "Calvins or nothing."

Tesco has announced it will increase store workers' hourly pay by 9.1% from April. 

The significant pay rise takes the hourly rate from £11.02 to £12.02 and comes after a deal was reached with trade union USDAW.

Staff working at shops within the M25 will be paid £13.15 per hour, up from £11.75 in outer London and £11.95 in inner London. 

Tesco's announcement follows similar hikes at many of its rivals.

One of the measures we know Jeremy Hunt will announce later today is a 2 percentage point (or 2p in every pound) cut to national insurance. 

This means the starter rate will drop from 10% to 8%. You can see what that will mean for your pay packet in our 06.23 post. 

But what do your national insurance contributions pay for? 

Here's the full list: 

  • Basic state pension
  • Additional state pension
  • New state pension
  • New style jobseeker's allowance
  • Contribution-based employment and support allowance
  • Maternity allowance
  • Bereavement support payment 

Over the last few days we've invited economists and experts to outline what they'd do in the budget - but we also asked you.

Our comment form was flooded with the measures you'd like to see. We've picked a representative selection below...

Why can't pensioners earn extra without paying tax? If the state pension was not counted as income then more pensioners would actually work. But by not allowing pensioners a base tax-free level, e.g. £20k, a lot of skills are lost to the economy. Robert
If the chancellor wants to put money back in the general public's pocket, why doesn't he start with announcing the abolishment of the TV licence for 2025? CS21
If I was chancellor I wouldn't touch NI or income tax rates. I'd increase the untaxed personal allowance to £15,000, that way the people on the lowest incomes benefit the most. brizza48
If I was chancellor I would (1) help young people by reducing the interest rates on student loans; (2) Abolish NI payments for everyone over 60 as an incentive to keep experienced staff in work; and (3) reduce tax on health insurance to ease the burden on the NHS. Robert10

Separately to your suggestions, which we'll continue below, we asked followers of the Sky News LinkedIn page about reports the chancellor was preparing to make spending cuts to fund tax giveaways.

1,000 people took part in a simple poll of whether they'd support this. 

Here's the results...

Back to your suggestions...

1) Raise the tax thresholds by a minimum of £3k 2) Cut the VAT rate for hospitality on food & accommodation to save jobs & boost high street growth; 3) Create a minimum price for supermarkets selling alcohol to give on-licence businesses a level playing field. RSmith0645
Second homes are destroying seaside populations and the relentless rise of buy to let landlords makes it impossible for young families to buy a home. So why not levy huge taxes on owners of multiple properties, stop all concessions in the property market and let prices fall? Sigmund Fraud
Failing to increase our defence budget could prove apocalyptic and failing to increase public spending will push our country deeper into the abyss. DMcKib
Increase child benefit monthly payment - but also increase the threshold for not paying tax on it to £60k so that children don't suffer for single parent earners. Nurse Laura
If I was chancellor I'd increase personal allowance and get employers to offer a range of part-time and flexible working patterns so older workers with other income and health issues can return to work with ease. Margficam
If I were chancellor, I would have all nurses pay only 15% tax and make parking at hospitals free for staff. Visitor parking free for 2hrs with stamped visitor tickets. Noslop17
Immediate reversal of child benefit of £50k per parent to £50k per household. This would save money but more importantly be fairer to all. Middle Squeezed
Why is it that pensioners living abroad in some countries do not get the yearly rise in the state pension? They are not a strain on the NHS or benefit system yet they are stigmatised for just wanting to live abroad with their wives or partners. Dibble
A decrease in VAT from 20% to 5% on green products, ie double glazing and domestic sewage treatment plants. There is no help from the government. Tina Watson
From 2025 scrap non-dom tax status, charge annual windfall tax on all energy companies operating here, make Amazon, Google etc pay full tax on UK income.  Jay

A 2p cut to national insurance is likely to be announced by the chancellor at the budget this afternoon.

That means you'll pay 2p less for every £1 of national insurance you currently pay.

Analysis by AJ Bell shows cutting the national insurance rate from 10% to 8% would be worth almost £250 to someone earning £25,000 a year and almost £750 for those earning £50,000...

Sky News also understands that the  5p fuel duty cut will continue  - it was due to expire at the end of March.

A duty of vapes  could also be introduced.

And Mr Hunt will extend a key government lending programme - the recovery loan scheme - for another two years following pleas from Britain's army of small businesses.

By Victoria Seabrook , climate reporter

Economists and businesses calling for a lift in public spending or a green industrial strategy are set to be disappointed by the spring budget.

While the UK's GBP growth was stuck at around 0.1% last year, its net-zero economy grew by 9% and supported 765,700 jobs.

Economist Lord Stern's recent Grantham Institute analysis argued upping annual green public investment by about 1% (£26bn) of GDP would unlock additional private investment of around 2%.

CBI Economics last week warned the UK would miss out on economic growth without a green industrial strategy to attract private investment.

But the chancellor is expected to use the budget on Wednesday to cut public spending to fund tax giveaways.

Jeremy Hunt is under pressure from Conservative MPs to alleviate the cost of living and woo back the hordes of voters expected to ditch his party in the upcoming general election – according to the polls at least.

However, one boon for those backing the green economy is reports the chancellor is considering slightly increasing tax on polluting activities such as air passenger duty for business class airfares, or extending the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits.

And of course there are those who argue we should simply let the market decide, no need for sticks or carrots.

But the EU and US are ramping up their net-zero plans and funding.

The UK cannot compete in scale. But it could at least try to outsmart to still bring in that desired private investment – so say these green and business groups.

For most of us, council tax bills are going up - with nearly every local authority in the country increasing it by the maximum amount.

Birmingham and Nottingham City Councils have both approved huge cuts recently.

On this edition of the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined from Birmingham by Midlands correspondent Becky Cotterill and local campaigner Shuranjeet Singh to look at what's gone wrong in the city and how it's affecting residents.

Plus, Jessica Studdert from the thinktank New Local discusses why so many councils are struggling with their finances.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

business trip decision

I went on an 8-month solo road trip after a breakup. I'm engaged now, but I still travel alone.

  • A few years ago, I lost myself in a relationship. After we broke up, I went on a solo road trip.
  • As I traveled across the country, I learned a lot about myself. 
  • Now, it's three years later, and I still love traveling alone even though I'm engaged.

Insider Today

In my late 20s, I left my beloved Philadelphia apartment near friends and favorite restaurants and moved to the suburbs closer to my boyfriend and work. Then my boyfriend moved to Texas for a job. After five months of long distance, the pandemic hit, and I started working remotely from his home in Houston.

These choices seemed inevitable. Following cues from media and society for most of my life, I thought being in love meant adapting to my partner's needs. Though our relationship had been unsteady , I hoped bending to the demands of his life would help repair our bond. The opposite happened: I felt like I was losing myself.

Three months into lockdown, we broke up . I returned to the apartment I had left behind in the Pennsylvania suburbs and immediately felt lost. I passed my ex's old house on morning commutes to work, and our date-night restaurant was the only Thai place in the neighborhood.

I needed time away to heal, and the time I used to spend browsing for engagement rings online was now spent scanning travel blogs on top US destinations . Over the next few weeks, I loaded necessities into my orange Toyota Corolla hatchback.

With a plan that included a few national parks and states I'd never visited, I started driving west.

A solo road trip helped me focus on my own wants and needs

During my eight-month trip, I never quite knew where I would end up and spent most nights at campgrounds or self-check-in rentals reserved only a few days in advance. A month into the trip, I also booked the only remaining spot on a guided, three-night backpacking trip to summit Grand Teton three weeks in advance.

Though incoming storms made a summit attempt unviable, we made it to base camp. I spent three days admiring the peaks above and the valley below covered in stunning white snow.

I realized that traveling without an itinerary and only a few vague ideas of where I wanted to go allowed me to focus every moment on myself.

I found myself in the small decisions as much as the large

While I still felt heartbroken and lonely at times, I discovered small ways to return to myself. During a stay at Lake Huron, I made white lemon ginger tea with water from my camping stove after an early morning bout of insomnia — a small, nurturing act of self-care. Later that day, I bought five more flavors and continued a daily tea ritual throughout the trip.

Because I was only responsible for myself on the road, I was more attuned to what I needed, and I felt myself beginning to heal. I realized it wasn't selfish to pay attention to my own needs, it was self-care. Committing to my needs and wants was critical to building confidence and independence .

I'm now engaged, but solo trips are still integral to my life

It's been nearly three years since my solo trip , and when I got home, I felt ready to date authentically. Rather than mold myself to be more desirable, I listened to my wants and needs and looked for compatibility. Within a few months, I met someone special, and a year into our relationship, I felt he was the one.

Still, I craved the feeling the road inspired. So, one weekend, I kissed my partner goodbye and went car camping alone. On the way to Upstate New York, I stopped at a pizza parlor for a personal pie with mushrooms, a topping my fiancé dislikes. Later, I spent hours climbing a rocky trail toward panoramic views of fall colors painting the Catskills.

For me, traveling alone isn't only justified when our lives feel unmanageable. Such trips are how I remember who I am. On a weekend trip to DC last month, I took myself out to a fancy Sichuan restaurant after thrifting at a trendy shop. I watched the bartender make me a custom cocktail from a secret menu, ultimately finishing my dinner and novel at the end of the bar with a sense of contentment.

While I often prefer traveling with my fiancé, we both understand these experiences allow me to show up better for myself and our relationship, and I can't wait to see where these solo journeys take us both.

business trip decision

Watch: Here’s how people in happy relationships can wind up cheating

business trip decision

  • Main content
  • As Seen on TV
  • Immigration
  • Imperial County
  • National-World
  • Special Reports
  • Yuma County
  • Election Results
  • Local Forecast
  • Weather Authority Weather Alert Day
  • Weather Authority Insider Blog
  • College Sports
  • High School Sports
  • Local Sports
  • Noticias CNN
  • Noticias de México
  • Noticias de Yuma
  • Noticias del Valle Imperial
  • Programacion
  • Telemundo en Vivo
  • News 11 Newscast Livestream
  • 13 On Your Side Newscast Livestream
  • Livestream Special Coverage
  • Must See Photo Galleries
  • Weekly Tips
  • Local Health
  • The Good Stuff
  • Cancer Resources
  • Health Connections
  • KYMA Careers
  • Arizona Careers
  • Meet the Team
  • TV Listings
  • Jobs/Internships
  • Advertise With Us
  • Closed Captioning
  • Download Our Apps
  • FCC Public Files

California Representative Adam Schiff to hold small business walking tour

business trip decision

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KYMA, KECY/NBC) - California Representative Adam Schiff is holding a small business walking tour Monday.

According to NBC News, the tour will start at the San Jose City Hall and will travel to multiple small businesses across the city.

To watch a livestream of the tour, see attached video.

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

Dillon Fuhrman

If you have any story ideas, reach out to him at [email protected].

Author Profile Photo

Faith Rodriquez

Faith Rodriquez is a digital content director who joined in 2022.

If you any story ideas then you can contact her at: [email protected]

' src=

KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here .

Sun Sentinel

Business | JetBlue and Spirit are ending their $3.8…

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

Daily e-Edition

Evening e-Edition

  • Real Estate
  • Consumer Reviews

Breaking News

Business | super tuesday 2024 democrat and republican presidential primary election results, business | jetblue and spirit are ending their $3.8 billion merger plan after a federal judge blocked the deal.

business trip decision

By DAVID KOENIG and MICHELLE CHAPMAN (AP Business Writers)

JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines are ending their proposed $3.8 billion merger weeks after a federal judge blocked the deal, saying it would hurt consumers who depend on Spirit’s lower fares.

JetBlue said Monday that even though both companies still believe in the deal, they were unlikely to meet the closing conditions required in the agreement before a July 24 deadline.

JetBlue’s new CEO, Joanna Geraghty, called the merger “a bold and courageous plan intended to shake up the industry status quo” and speed JetBlue’s growth.

“However, with the ruling from the federal court and the Department of Justice’s continued opposition, the probability of getting the green light to move forward with the merger anytime soon is extremely low,” Geraghty said in a memo to employees of New York airline. She said uncertainty over the merger’s fate was distracting the airline from its effort to return to profitability.

Spirit CEO Ted Christie said he was disappointed that the airlines could not combine and create a new challenger to the nation’s four biggest airlines but said he is confident that Spirit — which has been losing money since the pandemic started — can succeed on its own.

The Justice Department sued to block the merger last year, saying it would reduce competition and drive up fares, especially for travelers who depend on low-fare Spirit.

In January, a federal district judge in Boston sided with the government and blocked the deal, saying it violated antitrust law.

On Monday, the Justice Department took a victory lap.

“Today’s decision by JetBlue is yet another victory for the Justice Department’s work on behalf of American consumers,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The Justice Department proved in court that a merger between JetBlue and Spirit would have caused tens of millions of travelers to face higher fares and fewer choices. We will continue to vigorously enforce the nation’s antitrust laws.”

The airlines had appealed the ruling, and a hearing had been set for June in the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

The Biden administration’s Justice Department, which has fought against consolidation in several industries, previously killed a partnership between JetBlue and American Airlines on flights in New York and Boston.

The collapse of the sale to JetBlue could leave Spirit in a precarious position, facing looming debt payments while a portion of its planes are grounded by engine problems.

Unlike bigger airlines that attract more upscale passengers — and now offer their own bare-bones fares to compete with budget carriers — Spirit has not recovered from the pandemic. It lost $447 million last year and $1.9 billion since the start of 2020.

A JPMorgan Chase analyst said in January that he couldn’t see a viable path for Spirit on its own to return to profitability any time soon.

JetBlue has also been losing money — $2.2 billion since 2020. But JetBlue’s revenue is about 80% higher than Spirit’s, giving it more of a cushion against a losing streak. Activist investor Carl Icahn bought nearly 10% of JetBlue stock last month and won two seats on the airline’s board.

Spirit announced a $2.2 billion merger with Frontier Airlines in early 2022. That deal would have combined two similar carriers that charge lower fares than the big airlines but add on fees that generate a large chunk of their revenue.

JetBlue, which more closely resembles the giant airlines in its business model, jumped into the fray against the wishes of Spirit’s management, which warned that it would be difficult to win regulatory approval for a deal that eliminated the nation’s biggest low-fare carrier. JetBlue went over the heads of Spirit’s board, directly to Spirit’s shareholders, and won a bidding war against Frontier a few months later.

By the time the JetBlue purchase wound up in court, there were continuing losses and other problems at Spirit, which is based in Miramar, Florida. Some analysts questioned whether the deal still made financial sense for JetBlue.

In late January, after the court ruling in favor of the Justice Department, JetBlue warned Spirit that it might terminate the agreement. JetBlue will pay Spirit a $69 million breakup fee.

Some consumer advocates hailed the death of the deal. They had opposed JetBlue’s plan to eliminate Spirit’s low-cost model.

“Even if consumers don’t fly on low-cost carriers like Spirit, they help to keep fares lower by putting pressure on the legacy carriers,” said Katy Nastro of the travel site Going. “Cheap flight lovers across the board can breathe a bit easier.”

The end of the deal raises questions about whether Alaska Airlines can pull off its proposed purchase of Hawaiian Airlines for $1 billion plus the assumption of about $900 million in debt. The Justice Department has not indicated whether it will sue to block that agreement. Neither of those airlines is a discount carrier like Spirit and Frontier.

“Winning a complex, uncertain case like this has to leave (the Justice Department) feeling energized, and it definitely sent a message to the industry,” said John Newman, a University of Miami law professor and former trial lawyer for the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Each case is different, he said, “but they will definitely take a hard look” at the Alaska-Hawaiian deal.

Shares of Spirit Airlines Inc. closed down 11% and have fallen more than 60% since U.S. District Judge William Young’s ruling against the merger on Jan. 16. Shares of JetBlue Airways Corp. rose 4%.

More in Business

Veteran rhythm and blues band Earth Wind & Fire won its lawsuit against promoters of an "alumni" band it accused of using the trademarked name and images to convince consumers they were buying tickets to see the real thing.

Business | Earth Wind & Fire wins lawsuit to stop alumni band from using name and trademark

People walk through an airport terminal.

Travel | The 5 most exciting innovations coming to an airport near you

Utility regulators Tuesday signed off again on a 2021 settlement that increased base electric rates for Florida Power & Light after the state Supreme Court required a more-detailed justification of the agreement.

Business | FPL rates get beefed-up approval after court had ordered justification for increase

A senior official with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency told reporters Tuesday that the agency was “not aware of any specific election nexus nor any specific malicious cyberactivity nexus to the outage.”

Business | Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads logins restored after widespread outage

IMAGES

  1. How to organise the perfect business trip

    business trip decision

  2. Business trip checklist

    business trip decision

  3. Business Itinerary template

    business trip decision

  4. Sales Business Trip Report

    business trip decision

  5. 7 Tips for Making Travel Arrangements For a Business Trip

    business trip decision

  6. Business Trip Report Template (1)

    business trip decision

COMMENTS

  1. How to Decide if Business Travel Is Worth it Right Now

    I'm hardly alone in my consternation over the invisible surge. Over on Forbes, contributor Talia Milgrom-Elcott approached everyone from mathematicians to game theorists, futurists to ...

  2. Top tips on how to plan a business trip

    Follow these 6 steps for an effective business trip: Make your travel arrangements well in advance. Select your accommodation based on both price and convenience. Create an itinerary. Research your destination. Remember your electronics, accessories and travel documents. Prepare for your meeting. In today's digital world, we can communicate ...

  3. What Are The Key Features Of Business Travel Justification?

    For large-scale projects or those with remote teams, business travel allows for on-site project oversight and efficient communication. Justifying travel for project monitoring demonstrates the organization's commitment to ensuring the smooth execution of critical initiatives. 15. Building trust and credibility.

  4. Trip approvals in business travel: All you need to know

    February 9, 2024. Trip approvals are an important but complex part of business travel. Having a comprehensive travel policy that allows your company to live up to its duty of care is fundamental to keep the control in your hands. Making the trip approval process as smooth as possible starts with creating a clear travel policy in which ...

  5. Business Trip Approval Template

    Streamline your business trip approval flow with Jotform's free online Business Trip Approval Template! ... When the approval flow reaches its final decision, the person who filled out your form will receive an autoresponder email letting them know the outcome. To get started, choose a template below and customize it to meet your needs by ...

  6. 12 Key Steps When Planning A Business Trip

    4. Plan For Unexpected Delays. Planning for travel (essentials plus backup headphones, hefty power sources for recharging, etc.) is key for a smooth trip. Unexpected delays are often the greater ...

  7. Planning business trip 101: Tips for business travelers

    2. Plan travel once and repeat. Sometimes the biggest part of getting anything done is devising a plan. So start your business trip planning by coming up with a travel plan that is easily replicable for future trips. Start by making a list of everything that you need to do to plan and turn it into a checklist.

  8. Manage Business Trip Approval Process Like A Pro!

    Business trip approval set ups a comprehensive and logical process to authorize any business trip for the betterment of the organization. Toggle Navigation. Corporate Travel; ... accelerates decision-making, and ensures that travel aligns with the company's objectives. 2. Checking with the Travel Policy

  9. The comeback of corporate travel

    It seems that, finally, the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel is in sight—at least in some parts of the world. In 2020, total global business travel expenses contracted by 52 percent, while managed corporate-travel spending in the United States plummeted 71 percent, or $94 billion. Last year, when we reported on the impact of COVID-19 ...

  10. 10 business travel questions asked the most

    2. What are the best travel options for my budget and preferences? If you haven't read it, our travel policy is loaded into Melon. It outlines what you can and can't book. It should answer a lot of your business travel questions. You can choose to book yourself online with Melon, and it'll flag if you are out of policy.

  11. Business Trip Approval Letter

    The following is a Sample of a Business Trip Approval letter. I am writing this letter to officially inform you that the management has approved the request submitted by you for a business trip to Germany. The decision has been taken in conjunction with the Sales department.

  12. Future of business travel post ̶ COVID-19

    Assuming a stable global health situation by the end of 2022, US corporate travel's new normal will begin to take shape. Companies' and workers' approaches to post-COVID-19 travel will be clearer. Borders will likely be more open, though onerous border policies may remain in parts of the world.

  13. How to write a business trip proposal

    To create a business trip proposal, you need to take the following steps — choose potential business travel accommodations, create a business trip itinerary, and finally write your proposal. 1. Choose potential business travel accommodations. When choosing accommodations, you should consider the price and convenience of the location.

  14. Who's Optimistic About Business Travel? Leaders

    28% of business travel decision-makers and 32% of those in charge of company travel budgets said their workplace will increase business travel in the coming year, compared with 15% of all employed adults. Business travel decision-makers are optimistic about growth in a number of areas, but allowance for food, beverage and entertainment is where ...

  15. Business Trip Approval Request Letter (Free Templates)

    A business trip approval request letter is written to an employee to permit them officially, to partake a business trip for which he/she had submitted a written request. Once an employee has submitted an official business trip request letter, the relevant company managers review the letter to check for details of the trip such as the proposed ...

  16. 2024 Travel Trends: Expect More Business Travel and AI

    The travel industry enjoyed steady success in 2023, and 2024 looks poised to continue that momentum. Business travel will pick up: Business travel decision-makers are 13 percentage points more likely to say that business travel will increase next year than they are to say it will decrease. That sentiment is even stronger looking further into ...

  17. Business travel trends 2022

    Another 15% say variants triggered a significant rethink of their travel policies. Corporate travel will experience a steady, but not meteoric, rise this year. Spend is projected to reach 36% of 2019 levels in Q2 2022, and 55% by the end of the year. Business travel is at least two years from reaching prepandemic spend, as some travel use cases ...

  18. Boosting business travel: A guide for airline execs

    However, the pandemic wiped out the majority of business trips in 2020 and 2021. While opinions vary on the speed of recovery, the consensus is that business travel will rebound more slowly than trips taken for leisure or to visit friends and relatives. Many expect that a portion of corporate travel may never return, making competition in this highly profitable segment even more intense.

  19. Safe Business Trips: Decision Criteria

    Safe Business Trips: Decision Criteria. Deciding for or against a business trip is influenced by numerous factors - even in "normal" times. But during a pandemic, employers and employees alike face exceptional challenges. The following information is intended to provide guidance on the most important questions and thus support the decision on ...

  20. What is a business trip? Definition and examples

    Business travel. Business travel refers to traveling on behalf of your employer generally. Although it is a singular term, i.e., business travel and not business travels, it refers to all trips for work purposes. It is a general term. I might say, for example: "Business travel is becoming a significant part of our airline's income.".

  21. New Report: Exploring the Rise of Purposeful Business Travel

    A recent survey of Accor's corporate clients revealed that their business travel expenses had declined by 24 percent compared to 2019, a 10 percent improvement over 2022. Meanwhile, a Deloitte ...

  22. The future of business travel: Travel trends for 2024

    These bots can tailor travel based on T&E policy, budget and employee preferences. And with the cost of business travel rising - CWT's Global Business Travel Forecast for 2024 shows a 3% rise in average cost per attendee per day for meetings and events, and a 3.6% increase in hotel rates — corporate travel teams can use AI for better ...

  23. Choosing a Means of Transportation for a Business Trip

    When organizing a business trip, the chosen means of transportation can drastically affect your success. Whether it be to save time or money, there are advantages and disadvantages of multiple modes of transport that should factor into your decision-making process. In this article, we will examine various methods for arriving at a business ...

  24. Businesses Reconsider Travel Amid Cost, Environmental Concerns

    Still, the report notes that business travel isn't dead, with global bookings coming to 70% of 2019 levels in October 2023, compared to 63% in April, according to survey data by the Global ...

  25. Montenegro appeals court overturns a decision to extradite Terraform

    An appeals court in Montenegro has overturned a ruling that Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon should be extradited to the United States to face fraud charges rather than to his native South Korea.

  26. The Nemawashi Way: The Key To Employee Engagement And Decision ...

    Business market changes, consumer behavior changes, geopolitical policy changes, and other external influences can force a business to adjust, the most recent being the COVID-19 pandemic.

  27. Ask a question or make a comment

    The UK state pension could be worth more than £13,200 per year by 2030. Read this, the latest consumer news and build-up to Wednesday's budget below - and use the form to tell us what you'd do if ...

  28. A Solo Road Trip Healed Me After a Breakup. I Still Travel Alone

    A month into the trip, I also booked the only remaining spot on a guided, three-night backpacking trip to summit Grand Teton three weeks in advance. Though incoming storms made a summit attempt ...

  29. California Representative Adam Schiff to hold small business ...

    According to NBC News, the tour will start at the San Jose City Hall and will travel to multiple small businesses across the city. To watch a livestream of the tour, see attached video. Article ...

  30. JetBlue and Spirit are ending their $3.8 billion merger plan after a

    By DAVID KOENIG and MICHELLE CHAPMAN (AP Business Writers) JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines are ending their proposed $3.8 billion merger weeks after a federal judge blocked the deal, saying it ...