 Whether you’re a newbie or a veteran when it comes to business trips, here are some tips -- big and small -- that can help you lessen and sometimes avoid the aggravations of traveling in these days of heightened security, inconveniently placed parking lots, delayed flights, and full plane cabins.
1. Park smart
Road warriors know one of the biggest time drains for business is airport parking. Parking in the same lot, if possible, whenever you travel will help you orientate yourself to your car’s location when you return, and always write down your car location. Another way to avoid a homecoming parking headache: park your car with the nose facing out. No, it’s not because you’ll be so glad to be back you can zip out of that lot a few seconds faster. It’s because countless travelers have returned to a dead battery or other can’t-start-my-car problems. It’s a whole lot easier to get help via a tow truck or battery charger if your car is already facing outward.
2. Raise the odds for better seats
According to the Business Travel News 2010 Annual Business Travel Survey, the economic climate has resulted in companies restricting their use of premium class air travel. So the days of stretching out in first class or even business class on your work-related trips may be over, at least for now. However, here’s a strategy that may help you get the best seat assignment and avoid the dreaded middle seat. If you are making reservations and the seating chart reveals only middle seats available, go unassigned. The reason? Airlines usually hold back some window and aisle seats until departure day, so if you head to the airport a little early and get a seat assignment when you check in, you may end up with one of those.
 3. Two for the road seating strategy
According to The Wall Street Journal Guide to Power Travel (HarperCollins) by Scott McCartney, researchers have found that the biggest comfort differentiator for passengers on a flight is whether the seat right next to you is occupied or vacant. Here’s a tactic to up the odds of an empty seat beside you: if you're traveling with a colleague and seating is wide open, opt for a window and an aisle seat in the same row. Then, if no one picks the middle seat, the two of you will have more room to spread out.
4. Confirm online BUT...
Checking in online, which can typically be done up to 24 hours before your flight, can help you get an aisle or window seat, too. However, don’t forget to print copies of tickets and itineraries. Sure, you have email confirmations in electronic form, but you may not always have immediate access to them.
5. Keep a small notebook and pen
No, we aren’t kidding. In this high-tech world, it’s easy to forget that a plain old notepad comes in handy for jotting down notes, without having to drag out your laptop. Plus you don’t ever have to worry about a dead battery.
6. Be proactive about staying healthy
According ot the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than one-third of all international travel is related to work. In Away on Travel: the Human Side of Corporate Travel (iUniverse), travel expert Gunna Dickson points out that many business travelers are not adequately informed about the health risks they may encounter in specific locations – nor do they receive the medical guidance needed for preventing illness. Especially if you are traveling out of the country, check with your company’s doctor or contact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta for information on health risks and how to protect yourself with any needed vaccines or other preventive measures. "A shot in the arm might be painful, but it can save years of misery or even your life," says Dickson.
 7. Wise up! Safeguard your personal information
A survey conducted by the security software company Symantec with Harris Interactive polling service found that 35 percent of consumers with wirelessly enabled laptops use them at airports. So what’s the problem with that? Internet security experts say hackers can easily set up dummy wireless connection points in terminals that appear on your computer like legitimate ones -- so when you log on any personal information on your computer can be viewed. Safe and legit wi-fi areas at airports feature connections made through a protected network. Look for official signs posted nearby listing secure addresses.
8.Save your boarding pass
Do you usually throw away your boarding pass as soon as you step off the plane? Not so fast! Keep your boarding pass in case you need proof of travel if your airline fails to give you the proper credit for frequent flier miles. Your boarding pass can also be used as a receipt for tax purposes, especially if you're self-employed.
9. Pack a carry-on
The quickest, easiest, and most practical way to travel is to learn to pack efficiently and lightly – with one carry-on bag. Seasoned travelers advise dressing in layers, and packing some extra shirts and tops for business meetings but don’t haul around multiple suits and shoes (other than the ones on your feet). Keep your liquids (soap, shampoo, etc.) in a Ziploc bag with other toiletries at the top of your carry-on. You’ll save yourself the hassle of digging through your bag at security – you’ll also have easy to what you need to freshen up before arriving at your destination.
10. Makr your carry-on stand out
Another time saver: it’s not usual for several carry-on bags to look just like yours, maybe the same color and even the same design and brand. Instead of having to move and check tags when you need to retrieve your bag from the overhead compartment, make sure yours is marked on both sides for quick identification with bright stickers or patches.
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