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10 Tips For International Business Travel
For our purposes here, we assume a) you do not have a huge corporate travel department taking care of the details for you, b) you care how much elements of the trip cost and c) can accept a seat in coach.
- Booking airfare- Book air far in advance for the best seat selection. Keep on top of fares by registering flights with AirFareWatchdog (before buying) and Yapta (after). If the price goes down later, a refund or credit for future travel may be possible. Also, reduce travel stress by insisting on a minimum of 2 hours between connections, especially on the return flight to the U.S. If the arrival airport is not your final destination, you'll need time to recheck luggage and go through security screening again.
- Periodically check reservations- Once flights are booked and seats assigned, return to the airline website to get a feel for how flights are filling up. You may wish to pay more closer to travel day for an aisle seat. SeatGuru can help with this. Also, be sure reservations have frequent flyer numbers on them to get credit for long flights. Be extra safe by saving boarding passes as proof later that you were on the flight.
- Know what documentation is required- In addition to a valid U.S passport that expires a minimum of 6 months after your international travel, you may need to satisfy other entry requirements. The U.S Department of State's Smart Traveler Program offers all the information needed to enter and experience any given country in the world. Registering travel plans with Smart Traveler brings travel alerts and background information in advance of travel too.
- Explore communication options in advance- Molding options on a cellphone plan to fit where your destination can make using your cellphone abroad a viable option. On extended trips a new sim card to match your destination might work best, but simply customizing options can work well too. Adding an international data plan, for example, will let you use smartphone apps that can be invaluable navigating foreign soil. Another option is to "Cheat On Your Cellphone Service With Tep Wireless."
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Fly in a day in advance of important meetings- Have some plans in place but have
the flexibility to spend the first day overseas adjusting to the time difference and getting used to new surroundings. If everything goes well, you may be able to hit the ground running. If a few parts of your travel plan don't come off as anticipated, all is not lost, just a bit behind schedule. - Start focusing on getting plenty of rest and eating right several days before the flight- Unless you're headed to Canada from New York, most international travel translates to some long flights. Sure, maybe we can't "bank" sleep but starting a long flight with a full tank of rest is always a good idea. Also see: "How To Deal With Jetlag."
- Consider the allowed personal carry-on item your "flight bag"- and have everything that might be needed during the flight in it. Having at hand, under the seat in front of you, is huge and a must-do for all international flights. Also, finish packing (at least preliminarily) a week in advance. That offers the opportunity to be sure critical items are packed and allows time to source those items not packed first time around.
- Enjoy the experience that international flights can offer in and of itself- Flight attendants or other passengers have wonderful stories to tell that can add a richness to our travels. Engage the world with smartphone apps like HipGeo and FourSquare to share your experience and record your journey step by step. Bringing along the new app TagWhat is almost like having a personal travel guide along for the ride.
- Know a little of the language- While you're apt to kick yourself for not knowing more once on the ground, basic words and phrasing is a must. Questions like "How much?" and "Can you help me?" go a long way, along with: "Please," "Excuse me" and "Thank You." A smartphone app for translating languages is a good idea.
- Money matters- Like language, have a good idea of how the local currency converts to dollars, not that you can do anything about that but just so you will have an idea of value and maybe not pay the equivalent of $10 for a Coke. Onanda's Currency app for iPhone is a good one to have handy. Use a credit card that will work internationally (not all will) and does not charge an extra fee for doing so. Be sure to notify card companies when you will out of the country too, otherwise they may shut you down, thinking your card has been stolen.
One more: do not forget a power converter. I spent the good part of a day in Venice on my first international business trip, looking for a device that would allow me to stick my U.S. plug into the odd-sized electrical outlets in our hotel. Since the only Italian words I knew were from working at the Olive Garden decades ago, I walked around the city with a hand written note from the hotel desk clerk to help. I assume that note said, "This man wants a power converter," but it might have said, "Laugh at this silly American," because most people I presented it to did.
[Flickr image via || UggBoy♥UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL ||]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
joy henson Sep 16th 2012 8:24PM
COPY all your documents (passport, I.D. cards, etc) before you leave and put them in a different place than your originals. Give someone at "home" your complete itinerary, and numbers where you maybe found. Take foreign money with you, and be ready upon landing to get where you need to be. Do not assume anything, so be prepared. Maps help too. (show and tell cab drivers).
Take all medicines with you, in your possession, and not in luggage.
Glenn Posner Sep 16th 2012 9:26PM
International travelers should consider selling their house and buying lots of life insurance before going to Samalia.
Rosie Oct 8th 2012 8:14PM
Take foreign currencies with you. In France, you cannot go to a bank to change dollars, you need to go to the Post Office (????), but they will NOT exchange $100 bills unless they have been verified as genuine by the French Banque de France. And this could take a minimum of 3 weeks. Apparently, a lot of fake $100 bills "manufactured" in Russia have been floating about.
Ellen Shafer Sep 16th 2012 9:39PM
An "isle" seat. Come on. I'd rather be on an aisle unless that isle is Hawaii
annie Sep 17th 2012 9:02AM
I recommend notifyng your credit card company(s) of your itinerary. Also if on a cruise notify them of the name of the line & where they bill from. My card co. did recognize the name of the billing co. & it was really annoying as the card co. doesn't have 24/7 call service. Also check your medical insurance! Medicare participants especially need to check their supplemental as most only cover $10,000 out of the country (except emergencies in Canada).
annie Sep 17th 2012 10:55AM
oops meant to say did NOT recognize
brinniewales Sep 17th 2012 10:17AM
In addition to carrying copies of your documents and cards and leaving a set with family, scan copies to your email account. This helps considerably in case everything you are carrying is lost or stolen and/or no one is available at home to respond to your immediate needs. Internet cafes are available around the world, so those copies of documents and cards are just a few clicks away.
If your passport is lost or stolen, and if possible, check the government website to determine the requirements for a replacement passport before going to your embassy or consulate. You may be able to complete the form on line and print a completed copy to submit. Photos are necessary so, if necessary (if not taken at the embassy), take the appropriate number (and size) of photos.
Lou Sep 17th 2012 4:57PM
Leave a complete list of the contents of your wallet and valuables home with someone who can immediately report these items to credit card companies, law enforcement, US Customs or insurance companies.
Business travel may require a VISA where tourist does not. Business travel laws and rules vary in most foreign countries. Also items you travel with may be considered for tariff. It's smart to have a letter of invitation from you client stating you business.
Never return automatic hotel keys. They normally have all your information and CC number loaded on the scan strip.
If you’re traveling to a country where food may be in question bring some sort of health or nutritional bars with you.
Get your immune system updated.
Travel discrete, nothing fancy that will draw attention from the wrong people. Don't flash money around and bargain for things when you surrounded by people.
Read the travel warnings for that area on the US Governments website.
Happy Trails!!
dickn2000b Sep 17th 2012 4:53PM
This was listed under "Caught Out Attention" It's Caught OUR Attention, you Fluffpost hacks.
gordon235 Sep 18th 2012 10:57PM
Here’s a good idea for protecting your valuables and keeping track of your iPhone, your iPad, your laptop and even your camera, keys, luggage and passport. Two years ago, I found MYSTUFFLOSTANDFOUND and obtained tracker tags for a free global lost and found service. I put them on all of my valuables.
It paid off in Rome. I left my passport at a restaurant at lunch. That afternoon, I received a text message from Okoban saying that my passport had been found. I did not even know it was missing.
I called the number in the text message and sure enough the café where we had stopped had the passport waiting for me. I was so grateful that I had an Okoban tag from MYSTUFFLOSTANDFOUND on my passport and that the café was kind enough to take the time to report the found passport tracker number online.
I can’t imagine what would have happened if I didn’t have the Okoban tracker tag. The passport could have been mailed back to the US Department of State or to my home, and then where would I be? Traveling through Europe with no passport or going through the hassle of getting a new one.
ALAN Sep 19th 2012 7:00AM
TAKE 1 DAYS CLOTHING ON THE PLANE BECAUSE WHEN YOUR LUGGAGE GETS DEPLAYED, YOU WON'T LOOK LIKE CRAP THE 1ST DAY YOU ARRIVE WHEREVER YOU'RE GOING.
Toronto limo service Sep 19th 2012 8:34AM
Always remember to take important documents like passport, CNIC, Driving license, Marriage certificate etc with you when you go abroad. It's important to check your luggage and documents once again when you are leaving your home so that you have not to be worried in future and may face problems.
Hanky Sep 19th 2012 12:21PM
Just returned from Europe a few weeks ago, so my experience is fresh.
1. Be sure you have a credit card that can be used internationally, i.e.Citibank cards in the US are not used in Europe, call for the upgrade at least one month early and they will send a new card that can be used in all locations.
2. Be sure you call all your banks and credit./debit cards to tell them your travel dates, so the don’t reject a bill
3. Be sure you take the appropriate electric converters, we stayed at the Ritz and even they did not
Greg Sep 20th 2012 11:49AM
Best advice I received about money: Plan to withdraw local currency directly from your account at an ATM. Be sure your PIN is only 4 digits.