Are you heading away on a business trip soon? If so, you might be wondering how to go about booking your flight in order to get the best deal available. You’ll have to be extra careful in how you spend your company’s money, as your employer will surely want you to be as cost-effective as possible when away from the office.
But it’s not all about money when it comes to booking flights for a business trip. You’ll also want to travel comfortably so you can focus on the important meetings and tasks that you’ll attend to once you land. This means flying with a reputable airline and avoiding red-eye flights if you’ve got early morning meetings.
Below, we list out some top tips for booking flights for a business trip so your next experience can be a comfortable and cost-effective one…
- Book on the Right Day
If you wait until the right day of the week to book your flight, you’ll be sure to save quite bit on the cost of your ticket.
According to insider studies, the best day of the week to book your flight is on Tuesday. If you wait until 3pm on Tuesdays, you are sure to get the absolute best deal of the week. This is when airlines will make their discounted fares available to the public so it’s worth waiting for that sweet spot if you’re on a budget.
- Book in Advance
When you book your flights at the last minute, you are minimising your chances of paying reasonable fares for seats. More often than not, last minute bookings means you will pay steep prices for the last few remaining seats on flights.
Ideally, you should leave your bookings between 121 to 21 days before your travel dates, so that you are ensuring to lock-in good seats at reasonable prices. As soon as you are notified of an upcoming business trip, start looking for rates on flights and don’t wait too long before you officially book.
- Off-Peak Hours are Best
Red-eye flights, or flights that leave early in the morning or very late in the day, are usually best for business travel. Firstly, you’re likely to pay less for these flights so you will save a considerable amount of money for your company.
Secondly, you can usually avoid long lines and busy airports during these times. When you are busy travelling for work, you want to avoid the stress caused by the hustle and bustle of airport traffic and focus on getting to your destination instead with as little hassle as possible. If you’re concerned about traffic, then perhaps use rail transport or a chauffeur who knows the city well so you can get to your business meeting on time.
- Consider Connecting Flights
If your company is striving to spend as effectively as possible on flights, then it’s reasonable to consider using connecting flights while you travel. Yes, you might be spending more time travelling in this case, but you are sure to save significantly on the cost of your travels.
As a rule, trips with connecting flights usually cost less than direct flights but it’s not always the case so be sure to fully explore your options before booking.
- Choose a Reputable Airline
When it comes to business travel, it’s important to choose a reputable airline that offers comfortable seating, ample legroom, high quality in-flight meals and entertainment options (only applicable on long-haul flights). Characteristics such as a low incident rating, timeliness and excellent customer service are also essential as it’s these that will give you the peace of mind that you’ll arrive safely and on time.
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