Pro tips from business travel experts

Travelling a lot for work means these frequent flyers have it all down to a fine art so we pick their brains for tips on how to travel smarter and better.

Soren Trampedach, CEO of Work Club Global

“I usually eat well before flying – this means that after take-off, I can work or sleep whenever it suits me. When I reach my destination, I go to the gym straight away. Also, always booking into the same hotel in a place you visit regularly is a great idea – I enjoy getting to know the staff (and you’re more likely to get an upgrade).”

“Because I travel a lot, there’s not much time to recover between trips. An ocean swim does wonders to help me recalibrate.”

Yvette Adams, Founder of The Creative Collective

“Google Trips collates my travel reservations automatically from my email and organises them into individual trips so I’ve got everything in one handy place. There’s also a suite of products that can be accessed offline – Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs – which allow me to keep working anywhere. I highly recommend paying a bit extra to book flexible flights; it really helps when meetings get moved or travel plans change unexpectedly. I usually prefer to stay in Airbnb apartments with a kitchen and stock up on healthy snacks and easy-to-make meals. It’s cheaper and healthier than eating in hotel restaurants 24/7.”

“Carry clear plastic sandwich bags – they are not only good for stashing receipts, you can also hang one on the back of the plane seat with your phone inside and watch movies.”

Cam Northway, Founder and Managing Director of Sweet & Chilli Australia

“I always make an effort to be nice to the cabin crew – good manners cost nothing and this way, you are well looked after. If flying further afield, I like to refresh and reset by having a shower during a stopover and try to have a sauna on arrival – it’s like a new day. I also always make friends with the hotel concierge – they know how to get things done.”

“Have a driver booked to pick you up from the airport. The little extra cost is worth it for the time it s¬aves and you can arrive at your meeting feeling fresh and stress-free.”

Adam Schwab, Co-founder and CEO of Luxury Escapes

“To maximise the time I spend on the ground at the destination, I plan in-flight sleep patterns carefully, always putting myself in the time zone of the destination – irrespective of what cabin crew do with lights or food. Flying overnight is ideal and optimising connections is critical. On long-haul flights, I avoid alcohol and try to drink lots of water instead.”

“Most hotels are accommodating with early check-in and late check-out, which is very handy when you need to get work done. Just be super polite and you can get an extension about 95 per cent of the time.”