How do you find the best deals on flights and hotels for your executives?

use a travel management tool and ensure you are asking if there is any company specific rate. Avoiding certain days of the week as they tend to be more expensive. Utilising loyalty programs for the best deal financially as well as additional perks for the executive

It’s so important to know the travel preferences of the executives. Some prefer the cheapest airline ticket to save money for their budget. Some want business class for comfort at any expense. This saves time and avoids your research into the airline flights being rendered obsolete because it doesn’t fit their needs. It’s good to send the flight selections to them for final confirmation before booking in case their schedule has changed.

This is a great way to make the right travel decision, ask specific questions to know the executive's preferences, like airlines, hotel, cabin, fun activities etc. it makes your search easier

To find the best flight deals for executives, use price comparison tools, be flexible with dates and times, take advantage of loyalty programs, and book in advance. For hotels, explore online booking platforms, enroll in loyalty programs, negotiate corporate rates, consider reviews from other travelers, and use corporate travel apps. Monitoring rates, opting for refundable bookings, and negotiating directly with suppliers are additional strategies to optimize costs and ensure efficiency in corporate travel.

Understanding you external but also your inner customer is key for a successful story. Creating a profile with customer's preferences (early/late flights, target on price, preferred airlines...) will allow the agent to adjust the offer.

It is a very smart use of your time if you do use a tool or a travel agent to cater to your needs. I feel that the time has gone when we need to do things the long way round- time is money for everyone. I use Navan at work which gives a really good comparable overview and a calculation of the carbon footprint for travel. Present the options, highlight the savings and also suggest faster and more logical ways to travel if there is one. Having an agent who will personally get to know your organization and your travel preferences plus budgets is the ultimate luxury for an EA, as it is like having the assistant's assistant!

I make use of diverse travel sites and media platforms. Utilise travel agents and their contents for my work. Bonus: I start very early to arrange for travels especially if it is repetitive and/or on the calendar.

Our customers (small and medium size companies) are very clear about that. Using a SaaS tool, where all flights, hotel, rail and so on can be found. A unified solution allowing you to find everything you need in one place at a competitive price. That is key during the booking flow.

There are several travel management software, blogs and influencers that talk about and show good travel deals, hotels, fun places, flight, rentals etc, I usually prefer booking directly on company website, however, i use these tools to search for good deals first.

I always make sure my executive's partner is in the loop on their travel plans. Last thing I want is for my executive to miss a big day for one of their kids.

I normally send a calendar invite with all booking details and make sure booking confirmation goes to their email so if there are any flight changes they are the 1st to hear

Putting the flight info into their calendar is imperative, along with an itinerary. Add buffer time for delays for travel to/from the airport.