How to arrange last-minute business travel like a pro
Business moves fast, and it can be unpredictable. No matter how well you plan, there may be times when you need to make last-minute corporate travel arrangements. That could be an unexpected client meeting, a problem in a different office, a last minute event or conference that requires you urgent attention.
The trouble is, these travel arrangements can take time and careful planning, which is why trying to book flights, accommodation and transport on short notice can feel chaotic. And this can be even more stressful if you’ve got to organise travel for a larger group of employees.
But with the right strategies, tools and a positive mindset, you can turn a panicked scramble into a seamless and stress-free operation. Here’s how to tackle last-minute business travel like a pro.
Stay calm and get organised
The first and most important thing you can do is stay calm. If you become flustered, you could make poor decisions, like overpaying for your travel arrangements or getting the details wrong. Start by making a list of what you need to book and for whom. This list might include:
Flights
Accommodation
Transportation
Catering
Meeting logistics
Travel documents
Having this kind of checklist gives you a roadmap. It ensures you don’t overlook small but vital details and helps keep you calm and on track.
Leverage technology to help you move faster
When time is tight, technology is your best friend. Corporate travel management platforms can help you to make bookings, track important details, manage budgets, integrate policies and more.
Other tools like spreadsheets can help you to stay on top of key travel plans and employee information, while dedicated travel apps for transport and booking make it possible to find last minute deals and access important information. For example, using apps like Booking, TravelPerks and TripIt can be beneficial.
What’s more, communication tools like Slack, WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams help you to synchronize everyone’s movements and ensure you have all the information you need. It also makes it easier to quickly share itineraries with everyone in the group.
Work with a group flight specialist
As we’ve said, arranging group travel for a team of employees can be even more stressful, especially when they are travelling abroad. The good news is, working with a group flight consolidator that specialises in corporate travel can save the day.
Flight specialists like BTG Travel work directly with airlines to secure the best seats for the best price, and this includes last minute flights when required. They can also help you to manage flight schedules and any changes or cancellations that may come along.
A skilled flight coordinator has insider access and airline relationships that individuals may not. Which means they can often find creative solutions that keep your team on track and make last-minute travel feel much smoother.
Have the essentials ready to go
If last-minute travel is a bit of an occupational hazard, it’s a good idea to build a digital ‘travel kit’. This means having the basics available to you, such as a list of travel providers you frequently use, employee details, such as passport information, and frequent flyer or loyalty numbers at the ready.
This preparation can help to keep you calm, focused, and shave hours off your departure timeline.
Use corporate travel policies to your advantage
Most companies will have business travel policies and procedures in place, and these can be hugely beneficial for streamlining approvals and payments.
If you’re in charge of arranging travel for the team, make sure you know who signs off on arrangements and how to reach them, or make use of the company’s travel management tools to make this process as seamless as possible.
By understanding the chain of command and utilising existing travel policies, you’ll make booking the trip quicker and easier, whilst also ensuring compliance at every stage.
Expect the unexpected
Even when you remain calm and put all your skills to good use, things can go wrong. You could run into bad weather delays, overbooked flights or last-minute meeting changes. So it’s important to have a backup plan for each leg of the trip.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, reach out to your flight coordinator immediately instead of waiting in line at the airport. They can often help you to rebook or rearrange your flights, making these disruptions less stressful.
If there’s changes to accommodation, use last-minute booking sites to fix this and make sure you can communicate these details quickly with all attendees - day or night.
Reflect and improve
The final step is to take five minutes to reflect on how you handled these last-minute travel arrangements:
What went well?
What could be improved?
What tools or partners do you need next time?
What policies could be put in place?
Turning last-minute chaos into an organised system is all about learning and refining your strategy. The more you travel, the smoother your future trips will become, so always take some time to reflect and decide how you can improve the process moving forward.
Final thoughts
Arranging last-minute business travel doesn’t have to be a stress-filled scramble. With the perfect mix of preparation, technology and expertise, you can handle corporate trips on short notice, with efficiency and confidence.
In business, opportunities can appear with little notice, and when they do, being travel-ready can be the difference between missing out and showing up like a pro.
And if you need additional support when booking group flights in a hurry, we can help. Partner with the team at BTG Travel, and we can make arranging corporate travel simpler. Get in touch today to find out more.