How to book group flights for an employee incentive trip
Employee incentive trips can be a very powerful way to recognise and reward high performance and hard work. They can also be an excellent way to bring colleagues together outside the workplace, to strengthen their bonds and teamwork skills.
And there are so many incredible options that your team is sure to love, from a luxury weekend in Europe to an activity-filled excursion on the other side of the world.
However, the tricky bit isn’t just narrowing down the destination; it’s getting everyone there.
Booking group flights for a large number of employees is more complex than arranging individual business travel.
If you’re rewarding a team of 10 or more employees, you may need to coordinate different departure dates or locations; passenger information may change, or you might simply want to get everyone sitting together on one flight.
Whatever the case, getting everyone to the same destination on time is no small feat. But with the right preparation and support, group flight bookings can be more straightforward and cost-effective.
Here’s how to book group flights for your employee incentive trip.
1. Define the purpose of your trip
Before you can start requesting flight options, the best thing to do is to establish the main objectives of your incentive trip and straighten out some of the key details.
For example, is the experience designed to reward top performers with a weekend of relaxing, will you be throwing an event during the trip, or do you want to plan fun team-building activities?
This can help you to decide on where and when might be best for your team to go. You should also consider:
The estimated number of employees who will be travelling
Whether employees can bring guests
The overall travel budget
The location of your employees
Any planned meetings, activities or events
Having a better grasp of these details as early as possible will make it easier to obtain more accurate group flight quotes.
2. Consider where employees will be travelling from
Another important consideration is where your employees will be travelling from. Not every employee will necessarily be based near the same airport or coming from the same office. Your teams might even be overseas.
If your team is spread across the UK or internationally, you need to decide whether everyone should meet at one departure airport or travel from different locations. While a single departure airport can make the journey easier to manage, it might not always be possible.
Depending on the group, it may be more practical to arrange regional departures that connect at a central airport or allow employees to travel directly to the destination.
3. Consider working with a group flight consolidator
Incentive trips that involve a larger number of employees are tougher to organise. That’s why we recommend working with a group flight consolidator. They can simplify the booking process and give you access to specialist support that may not be available when booking flights independently.
At BTG Travel Management, we work directly with major airlines to arrange group flights for a variety of corporate incentive programmes, business events and MICE travel. We provide a dedicated group flight specialist to help you throughout the booking process.
Some of the key advantages of working with a group flight consolidator include:
Access to specialist group fares
Greater flexibility and ability to make changes
Expert itinerary planning
Dedicated support (24/7 support in the case of BTG Travel)
Reduced administrative burden for you and your team
So, before you put in the time and effort to book individual flights, consider how much easier the process can be with a group flight specialist like us.
4. Request a group flight quote
You may not have a final passenger list when you start this part of the planning process, and that’s OK. If you choose to work with a group flight specialist, most will be able to provide options based on estimated numbers before all traveller details are confirmed.
Once you have discussed your estimated passenger numbers, preferred destination and travel dates, you can request a group flight quote.
Booking group flights in this way has some key advantages that are not always available when purchasing individual tickets separately. Depending on the airline and itinerary, these may include:
Coordinated travel for the whole group
Flexible payment schedules
Reduced deposits
Additional time to provide passenger names
Greater flexibility for amendments
Support with seat allocations and baggage
The exact terms of your group flight booking will depend on the airline, route and number of employees travelling, so it’s always important to review what is included before confirming the booking.
5. Compare your flight options carefully
The cheapest flight is not always the best option for an employee incentive trip, especially if you want to provide a truly luxury experience to reward your team.
The lowest-cost itinerary may involve long connections, inconvenient departure times or separate flights. These factors can affect the experience.
With that in mind, when discussing your options and comparing quotes, consider:
Total journey time
Direct flights versus connecting services
Departure and arrival times
Baggage allowances
Seat availability
Cabin options
Change and cancellation terms
Airport transfer requirements
Taking all of this into account will enable you to choose the best possible group flight options for your team to ensure they have a great trip from start to finish.
6. Collect and share passenger information securely
Once the group flight booking is progressing, you will need to collect the required traveller information. This will include important personal details like full names, dates of birth, passport numbers and any relevant travel requirements.
Ensure that all names are provided exactly as they appear on passports. Incorrect information can cause delays or last-minute changes.
It is also useful to get details of any accessibility needs, special assistance requirements, dietary needs or additional baggage requirements as early as possible.
Just make sure to keep all this personal information secure and only share it through correct channels, typically with your group flight specialist, who will register this with the chosen airline.
7. Confirm the details and communicate clearly
Once the flight is confirmed and the departure date draws closer, provide your employees with a clear travel itinerary that includes their:
Flight numbers and timings
Departure airport and terminal
Check-in instructions
Baggage allowances
Seating information
Transfer arrangements
Emergency contact details
Sending this information well in advance can reduce last-minute questions and help employees feel prepared. It can also be beneficial to encourage them to download any travel apps or e-tickets they may need in advance to keep the trip flowing as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.
You can make booking group flights for incentive travel easier with expert support
Your employees have been working hard all year, and their incentive trip should feel rewarding from beginning to end.
By planning early, choosing the most practical flight options and working with a group flight specialist, you can reduce the administrative pressure and create a smoother and more enjoyable experience for everyone.
At BTG Travel Management, we provide group flight solutions for corporate incentive trips, reward programmes and MICE events.
So, if you’re planning an employee incentive trip in the near future, get in touch with our team of experts to discuss your group flight requirements and receive a tailored quote.