Business Travel Planning: A 10-Step Framework

Business travel that works isn't luck — it's a checklist. Here's the 10-step framework our concierge team uses when planning trips for founders and executive teams.

1. Objective. What does the trip need to produce? Signed contract, hire, launch event? Write it in one sentence.

2. Constraints. Budget, dates, must-be-at events, travellers' passport strength.

3. Visa check. Do it first — some visas take 4+ weeks in 2026.

4. Route optimisation. Cheapest flights aren't always the ones that arrive rested. Consider morning-arrival long-hauls.

5. Hotel positioning. Book within 15 minutes of meeting locations, not the cheapest neighbourhood across town.

6. Transfers. Pre-book airport pickup for arrival; use rideshare after.

7. Insurance. Business travel cover with high medical limits and gadget cover.

8. Local logistics. eSIM, currency, expense policy briefing, dress code.

9. Buffer time. Add 90 minutes buffer before every critical meeting for the first day.

10. Debrief. 30-minute post-trip review: what worked, what to fix.

Travel Network members get this framework applied for them — one dashboard, one concierge, one invoice.