How to Save Time, Stay Safe, And Organize Every Last Detail (We Promise!) of Your Trip

Traveling holds many challenges for women, with safety and security obviously being of primary concern.  Since most executive women will travel frequently during their careers, good preparation and informed decisions can make the difference between a smooth and memorable business trip, and a harried, disorganized disaster! Following therefore are some savvy pointers about choosing flights, lodging and public transportation to make your travel more tranquil.

If you have a corporate travel department, you may have already listed your preferences with them. If not, or you are in freelancer/entrepreneur mode, here are some helpful ideas that save time, energy and money:

1. PREPARATION AND PLANNING

SMART FLIGHT INFO:

• • • Book non-stop or one-stop (“without equipment change”) flights.
    • Reserve aisle seats, or check-in early for open-seating fights.
    • Buy refundable tickets; check fees carefully for extra charges for additional or overweight bags or carry-ons.
    • Remember that bad weather is considered an “act of God,” so there is no compensation for canceled flights.
    • Follow airlines on Twitter; have their number in your phone; and load FlightAware app for checking flight status and weather.  And always have a “backup” plan.
    • Travel insurance from a reputable company, especially with evacuation coverage, is a smart idea.  

SMART ADVICE:

• • • Fly the day BEFORE you need to be at your destination.  This gives you time to decompress and get yourself organized.
    • Check each airline’s website for individual policies on baggage weight and carry-ons.
    • Never book the “last flight” in either direction – that way, if problems occur, you have time for leeway.
    • Know concourse locations and gate numbers for connections and allow adequate transfer time, especially between international and domestic flights.

SMART KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOVERNMENT RESOURCES:

• • • U.S. Department of Transportation passenger right’s regulations (baggage, delays, pet policies, time on tarmac, overbooked flights, etc.) can be found at:  www.flyfriendlyskies.com.
    • Contact your airline with special requests, and enroll in TSA’s Registered Traveler Program, since “random” assignments to registered traveler lines no longer exist.
    • If you are traveling overseas, have the U.S. Embassy or Consulate info; then upon landing, depending upon the political situation, let them know that you’re in the country.  Go to travel.state.gov for more info on their STEP program to help keep you in contact with the embassy there.

SMART INFO ON HOTELS AND REWARDS:

• • • Join airlines’ Rewards Programs to earn points/miles, which gives you more power in the event flights are canceled.
    • Join affiliate programs between different services and always pay by credit card, earning more points.
    • For hotels, join a Rewards Program and know the range of brands/properties owned by the same company to maximize your points. Members often get preferred rooms and have their “we-can’t-find-your reservation” type of problems resolved more easily.

SMART GROUND TRANSPORT TIPS:

• • • Reserve rental cars, parking or airport shuttle twenty-four hours in advance — and allow even more time during holidays, when passenger levels can double and there is more competition for these amenities.
    • Look into “off-site” parking:  you may find better facilities, and it can be more cost-effective, with excellent security including cameras, pick up/drop off at car, etc.

2. GETTING READY

SMART PACKING TIPS:

• • • Here is my one absolute rule – If you ever want to see your possessions again, CARRY THEM ON.  Do not let your bag be gate-checked. And keep in mind that not all airlines deliver “lost luggage.”
    • However, if you positively have to check your bag, use a brightly-colored one to stand out, and make sure the luggage tag is not easily visible to others.
    • If you need to take sports equipment, ship ahead, as FedEx rarely loses large items such as skis.
    • Carry-on Bag Checklist: A change of clothes, shoes, personal items, travel itinerary, paper copy of passport and back-up thumb-drive.
    • Attaché Case Checklist:  Purse, headphones, laptop/iPad, chargers, plugs, and adapters. (On some airlines, it’s carry-on plus one other bag only; hence the purse being placed in the attaché case.)
    • Purse Checklist: Phone, license, passport, credit cards, boarding pass, meds, prescriptions/first aid items, glasses/contacts, doctor’s note re: TSA inspections,  jewelry and pocket flashlight.
    • Traveling overseas?  Take a cell phone with an international SIM card, or buy a disposable phone on arrival; then email your number to a U.S. contact and your airline.

SMART LEAVING-YOUR-HOUSE CHECKLIST

• • • Call your hotel in the morning to confirm your reservation and room type. And with multiple properties often in the same city, verify you’re heading to the correct address.
    • Going to a conference? Email your presentation to yourself and to the conference office, or store with one of the many “cloud” services.
    • Secure your house – locks, alarm system, etc. — and set the temperature and light timer.
    • If it’s cold weather, crack faucets to a slight drip to prevent pipes from freezing at night.
    • Leave your itinerary/key with neighbors/family.
    • Beyond them, resist temptation to tell the world you’re away — in text or photos – which makes your house ripe for break-ins. And remember that your tweets can be quickly re-tweeted with devastating results.
    • Likewise, automatic e-mail responses should be vague, with “out of the office” sufficient.
    • The one exception to this: let your alarm company know you’re not at home.  In the event there is an emergency in your absence, precious time won’t be wasted looking for you.

3. AT THE AIRPORT

SMART PARKING TIPS:

• • • Back up into space (easier engine access).
    • Note your parking location in your phone’s memo pad.
    • Lift wipers off windshields so they don’t freeze.
    • Leave the parking ticket/coupons on the console.

SMART WAY TO HANDLE CHECK-IN AND SECURITY :

• • • Have your boarding pass ready (phone/printed), along you’re your unexpired ID.
    • Wear minimal jewelry, no metal, and slip-on shoes.
    • Have your laptop open, and your scarf and coat off.
    • After clearing the TSA area, buy some water and healthy snacks to prevent dehydration on the plane.
    • Early or delayed? Head to your Airline’s Lounge.  One-day passes can be purchased, or check the Lounge Buddy app. It tells you which lounges are available – or you can always browse the upscale shopping and art in the area.
    • Be prepared for a new secondary screening, including your carry-on. Let the airline know you’d be bumped if the flight is oversold, but never ask outright for an upgrade.  Dress “first class” to improve your chances of an upgrade.
    • In the unlikely event of a serious issue/emergency at an airport, if you see something, say something; stay away from glass windows; get food as take-out rather than eat in a crowded restaurant; and don’t stand near the police.
    • And in general, to avoid any (false) security scares, when in the restroom, take your bags into the stall; leaving one outside could trigger a worried call to airport employees.

SMART RULES FOR IN-FLIGHT + DISEMBARKING

• • • Be cautious; listen to the safety briefing, and count the rows to exits.
    • Have a flashlight handy for when they dim the lights.
    • Keep your seatbelt on throughout the flight.
    • In the very unlikely event you have to evacuate aircraft, take only your purse.  ID/Passport, glasses and credit cards are the most important — and the most bothersome items — to replace.
    • Upon landing, check for all items, and that nothing rolled under your seat.
    • Have reservations for ground services in hand, and find airport maps in your smartphone.
    • When you get to the car rental agency at the other end, confirm the pre-agreed rates.
    • Then check the car’s condition and photograph any damage ASAP, with a time stamp.

4. AT YOUR DESTINATION

SMART + SAFE CHECK-IN AT THE HOTEL :

• • • At the front desk, confirm your room location (not near elevators or soda machines!), and in a two-story hotel property, request a second floor room – quieter and safer.
    • Verify any amenities, including free Wi-Fi, that you were promised.
    • Ask a bellman to accompany you to the room; if that’s not possible, turn your smartphone to “Voice Memo,” which records all sounds. If you’re not comfortable with your room, ask for another.
    • Note location of fire exits.
    • Once settled in, put valuables in the safe and double-lock your room.

SMART + SAFE RULES FOR YOUR STAY:

• • • If someone unexpected comes to the door, call the front desk, and confirm their purpose.
    • Whether or not you’re in the room, put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, and never leave an extra key card in sight.
    • When using the hotel’s Business Center, remember to log off, since it is a public computer.
    • If your room phone rings, saying it’s the Front Desk, asking for information, call back and confirm the validity of the inquiry.
    • If alone, room service or hotel dining is great the first night.
    • If you do decide to head out in the evening for a meal, always have a “buddy,” and agree to stay together. Meeting a friend?  Take a cab, let the valet know where you’re going, and order a cab in advance for return pick-up.
    • Workouts: Use gyms requiring keys. Never jog in darkness, and carry a business card — not driver’s license — as ID.  Be alert; never run with iPod/headsets, since you can’t hear danger. (Note: Install the Find my Phone app. It’s not worth dying for a phone, and if it’s grabbed, just contact the police and provider – no heroics, please!)

5. HEADING HOME

• • • Do your check-in for flight 24 hours before, and have your boarding pass sent to your phone. Confirm ground transport at both ends of your trip.
    • Check your room, including the hook on the back of the bathroom door, as well as the safe.
    • Cut up/throw away keys/cards, as they can be encrypted with personal info.
    • Review your hotel bill carefully.
    • At the Airport: Follow all previous tips listed, and then check departure status. If your flight is overbooked, and you can actually take a later flight with no problem, hold out for more than the airline first offers you. Remember, they need your seat!
    • Back home! You’ve returned safely from your trip.  Take your shuttle to your parked car and have the shuttle driver stay until it starts. Remember to get your “frequent parking points.”

A smart traveler thinks ahead.  These hints, plus your own ideas, should make for a safe trip.  It’s obvious that situational awareness, rather than zoning out, makes all the difference, so stay alert, and never hesitate to ask for help. Hotels, transports, airlines and airports want satisfied customers, so if all goes well, say “thank you” with good reviews and cheerful return visits!

Artwork at Chicago O’Hare Int’l Airport – Artist: Guy Kemper; Image Credit to Photographer: James Steinkamp