At times, we need to travel for business. No matter how enjoyable it might seem when saying yes, travel has its own set of inconveniences and dilemmas. Before agreeing to a trip, at least one of these questions must be answered with a yes: Do I really need to go? Do I want to go?
If you can't answer yes to at least one of those questions, pass on the trip! We're too busy to travel unnecessarily. However, once you've made the decision to travel, your first step is making reservations. A little online research, with the help of a few handy apps, can make the difference between a good and bad experience.
The first question is when. If there is flexibility, consider traveling when there is something fun happening at the same time. A great app for concerts is
Bandsintown. You can set the search area to any city and radius of your choosing. The app will automatically search according to artists you like (based on your music library) and additional acts that match your taste.
Another timing aspect is tacking on an extra night or two. If minimizing hotel nights means an 18-hour plus day, don't do it! Even if airfares don't justify the cost of an extra night, your health does. Travel tools such as
Travelocity or
Kayak can work well for cost comparisons and scheduling as well as using specific airline apps (for those who smartly concentrate flights within one or two preferred airlines) like apps for
American,
Southwest or
Delta.
If you must take a flight with a plane change, consider potential weather impacts and the connecting airport. Would you rather fly through Atlanta or Dallas, where crowds and delays are routine, or through Las Vegas, where you can amuse yourself on slot machines if the plane's late or Austin, where there are cool shops and often live entertainment?
Once you've booked your flights and hotel, simply forward your confirmations to
TripIt.
TripIt will keep all of the details of each of your trips in one easy app. And, the Pro version will remind you to check in (very useful when flying Southwest), provide you with gate numbers and keep you informed of delays in real time.
Once you're on the road,
Concur is a great app for tracking and documenting expenses. For getting around, check on availability of
Uber or
Lyft in your destination city. Don't fret if they don't operate there. Often cities will have their own ridesharing services. For example, in Austin, you might want to try
RideAustin. Finally, don't forget
TripAdvisor and
Yelp for locating good restaurants nearby.
Happy holidays and happy travels!
Sheryl Rowling is head of rebalancing solutions at Morningstar Inc. and principal at Rowling & Associates. She considers herself a non-techie user of technology.
