How To Guides

The How to guides help travel program managers and business travelers navigate the ins and outs of traveling for work. From packing and preparing for trips to booking, budgeting and managing expenses, our guides cover a range of topics to help make business travel as seamless and successful as possible.

Latest guides

How to manage cultural nuance on business trips

Business travelers who demonstrate a high level of cultural awareness may inspire greater confidence and rapport with the people they encounter on business trips.

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How to safely evacuate from a plane

Knowing how to evacuate an aircraft safely can make all the difference in a risk situation. Based on insights from real incidents that happened this year, BCD’s Global Crisis Management team created this guide on how business travelers can safely evacuate from a plane during a disruption or emergency event.

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How to incorporate sustainability into your hotel sourcing strategy

The days when hotel sourcing focused solely on rates, cancellation policies, and amenities are behind us. Today, the Request for Proposal (RFP) process is not just about finding the best deals. It's an opportunity to align with suppliers who can help drive value for your preferred travel program and support global initiatives, like sustainability.

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How to handle Clear Air Turbulence

If you’ve traveled by plane, you’ve heard the warning: Keep your seatbelt fastened while seated. It may feel like an inconvenience, but it’s one way you can stay safer during Clear Air Turbulence (CAT).

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How to make sure your hotel sourcing strategy works for you and your travelers

If your hotel program runs from January to December, the time to start preparing for 2025 is right now. Here are four key tactics you should include in your 2025 hotel sourcing plan to improve the overall traveler experience and add value to your organization.

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How to pack a business travel capsule wardrobe

To pack for business trips without sacrificing style, try building a capsule wardrobe. It's a selection of clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits.

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How to pick the right online booking tool (OBT) for your managed travel program

Picking the right OBT for your corporate travel program can seem a big task. But the key is understanding your program needs and requirements and working with a Travel Management Company (TMC) who understands you. The TMC should guide you in the process, helping drill down to what is needed for your travel program now and as it evolves.

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Wigs, water bottles and waiting: How to move through airport security faster

Long lines. Stern-looking security agents. That 3-oz. liquid rule. Getting through security can feel like an obstacle course. This how-to guide is for seasoned and new travelers – because we can all use a few tips to help lessen the stress of passing through security.

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How to make sure your travel program is better than it was last year

If your corporate travel program isn’t already bustling with flight, hotel, car and rail bookings, it’s likely to happen soon. Are you prepared?

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How to pick a travel management company (TMC)

The Travel Management Company (TMC) partner you choose can significantly affect the success of your organization’s managed travel program, traveler satisfaction, and the company’s bottom line. Finding the best TMC match requires strategic planning, a methodical process and involvement from the right travel stakeholders. Here’s a guide to help pick the right TMC to manage your company’s travel needs.

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How to take business trips with coworkers

Traveling with colleagues can be tricky. Should you sit together on the plane? How much should you talk about work? What about sharing cars? Who pays for team meals? Team travel can present some interesting challenges, but common sense and good manners can go a long way in making it work. Here are some ideas.

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How to keep points, miles and rewards safe from scammers

Imagine getting ready to use the hotel points or airline miles you collected for years only to find they are gone. We’ve seen it happen.

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How to build a robust hotel program

Start managing your company’s hotel bookings easier and better. It will help you save hotel costs and keep your travelers productive, safe and comfortable while on the road.

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How to reduce burdens on patient travelers and caregivers

For someone living with acute or chronic illness, travel can seem daunting, especially if the person is taking a trip to address their health. The BCD Life Sciences Center of Excellence (LSCOE) partners with organizations to offer solutions that reduce burdens on patient travelers and their caregivers.

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How to make business trips better for neurodivergent travelers

Under the best circumstances, traveling for work can be stressful. For neurodivergent business travelers, the added sights, sounds, crowds, delays, or routine changes can make trips even harder. Understanding and finding ways to support neurodivergent travelers helps build and strengthen inclusive environments. Below are some considerations for introducing awareness, education and accommodations into a managed travel program.

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How to pack a carry on for business trips

Traveling with a single piece of luggage can save time and stress – and can even be good for the environment. Getting everything you need for business trips into a carry-on may take some practice, but will make your life easier.

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How to manage bad weather and business trips

Business travelers need to keep working even when the weather isn’t great. These tips might help.

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A well-dressed woman wearing tinted glasses checks a phone as she walks down the street.

5 tips for better digital accessibility in your traveler communications

Use alternative text, color contrast, captioning, and multiple content formats to meet travelers’ various needs.

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8 ways to play it safer with social media on business and personal trips

We’ve all seen the reels and pictures from travelers posting their passports, airline tickets, and hotel rooms. Sure, the artistic snaps are great for followers, but hackers, bad actors and other ill-intentioned individuals can wreak havoc using information from seemingly harmless posts.

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5 ways buyers and travel managers can deal with airfares and inflation

Soaring airfares are an unexpected effect of pandemic recovery. Prices are now above pre-pandemic levels. Advito research shows fares from Europe, North America and Asia are currently up about 15% on intercontinental flights in the business cabin compared to the second quarter of 2022. Economy cabin fares are also increasing, especially from Asia and the Southwest Pacific (more than 30% compared to 2022 for domestic, regional and intercontinental markets).

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Risk management and safety tips for travel to high-risk destinations

8 ways to prepare for travel to high risk areas

Travelers face threats each time they travel but trips to high-risk destinations increase the chances that an incident may occur. Proper preparation can make the difference between a successful trip and a stressful one. BCD’s Global Crisis Management team suggests these eight ways to prepare for travel to a high-risk destination.

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6 tips to fight inflation in your hotel program

The hotel industry looks different after a few tough years. New hotels open as fast as others close. Demand is on the rise and finding staff is difficult. Everything is more expensive, including the goods, services and operations needed to keep hotels running. Inflation is climbing – and your hotel program won’t remain unscathed. Here are six tips to help you beat rising costs.

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How to get ready for international business travel

Planning to travel internationally for business? Read these tips for managing visas and passports, vaccines, testing requirements, currency exchange and more.

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4 ways to tackle business travel program data

How to transform data into actionable insights that help you make good business decisions for your managed travel program.

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See all our resources.

Visit our business travel management resources page. Here, you'll find a variety of tools and information to help you plan and manage your company's business travel.