Help me become a zen commuter!
June 10, 2015 8:13 AM
Thanks to my big mouth, I will probably be picking up more responsibilities and therefore traveling more to the DC area from Charleston, SC.
I would like to streamline my packing/baggage/transport/health maintenance/flying retinue. Typical stay so far has been 2 days either in Richmond, Arlington, Fairfax, Fair Lakes, etc, with various prime and subcontractor sites and offsite hotel meeting areas.
FYI I hate hate hate our expense report system.
Y'all have a definitive guide to becoming a seasoned and refreshed corporate traveler?
I would like to streamline my packing/baggage/transport/health maintenance/flying retinue. Typical stay so far has been 2 days either in Richmond, Arlington, Fairfax, Fair Lakes, etc, with various prime and subcontractor sites and offsite hotel meeting areas.
FYI I hate hate hate our expense report system.
Y'all have a definitive guide to becoming a seasoned and refreshed corporate traveler?
Get a small bag for travel-sized versions of your normal toiletries to throw into your suitcase, and never unpack it.
posted by something something at 9:12 AM on June 10, 2015
posted by something something at 9:12 AM on June 10, 2015
There have been a few other good posts about similar topics lately that are worth checking out.
posted by primethyme at 9:24 AM on June 10, 2015
posted by primethyme at 9:24 AM on June 10, 2015
On the toiletries front- they now sell toothpaste in tubes that is JUST below the TSA maximum size( so like 3.3 oz), which is so much less annoying than the stupid .75 oz trial sizes that always run out. If you have to shave your face and use a razor, switch to shaving oil - a tiny bottle lasts forever, a better shave, and (again) less annoying than tiny spray cans of shaving cream/gel.
posted by rockindata at 9:34 AM on June 10, 2015
posted by rockindata at 9:34 AM on June 10, 2015
1. Establish a routine for settling in (and out) of your hotel room and try to stick to it. For me this means that Certain Things go in Certain Places, invariably. It considerably reduces the risk of me leaving anything behind, which is going to be hard anyway because I try to
2. Pack as lightly as possible. My trips are usually 24-36 hours, so it's one change of clothes and the bare minimum of gadgets and geegaws in my carry on.
3. In addition to the recommendation of the loyalty programs listed above, find and stick to a single car rental company. I like National, go with whoever and try to stay with them.
4. It looks like the main airline out of Charleston is USAirways/AA. If you can find a way to score Admiral's Club membership (either by purchasing outright or as a perk of a credit card), the lounges are generally nice, quiet places to catch up. There doesn't seem to be one in Charleston, but you might check to see which destinations to which you might be flying regularly have them, then make the call on whether or not it's worth the annual fee for "free" drinks, wifi, snacks, etc.
posted by jquinby at 9:40 AM on June 10, 2015
2. Pack as lightly as possible. My trips are usually 24-36 hours, so it's one change of clothes and the bare minimum of gadgets and geegaws in my carry on.
3. In addition to the recommendation of the loyalty programs listed above, find and stick to a single car rental company. I like National, go with whoever and try to stay with them.
4. It looks like the main airline out of Charleston is USAirways/AA. If you can find a way to score Admiral's Club membership (either by purchasing outright or as a perk of a credit card), the lounges are generally nice, quiet places to catch up. There doesn't seem to be one in Charleston, but you might check to see which destinations to which you might be flying regularly have them, then make the call on whether or not it's worth the annual fee for "free" drinks, wifi, snacks, etc.
posted by jquinby at 9:40 AM on June 10, 2015
A few years ago, I developed a "waking up" routine that allows my experience waking up at home to be as similar as possible to my experience waking up in a hotel (also while traveling for work). For me, this means:
-using my cell phone for my alarm clock
-having two identical small trays like this, one for home, one for travel, and putting the same things in them at the end of the day no matter what
-having two everyday make up kits that are identical, in identical pouches.
You get the idea. When I go to bed in a hotel, I put my things in the tray and set my alarm on my phone, and when it goes off in the morning, I can turn off my alarm while I'm still fighting through that confused haze of being in an unfamiliar setting. I don't have to figure out how to use a strange alarm clock. I don't have to worry about where my phone is or where my favorite pen is, or where my earrings are, because they are in the same tray they are always in. I don't have to think through which make-up to wear, because it's all the same.
Because I travel light, I don't carry full size toiletries or a hair dryer or other heavy things. But these three small consistencies between home and the road make a HUGE difference to me. The specific things you might want to have be consistent might be different, but the point is that having a consistent wake up routine between home and travel helps me a lot.
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:45 AM on June 10, 2015
-using my cell phone for my alarm clock
-having two identical small trays like this, one for home, one for travel, and putting the same things in them at the end of the day no matter what
-having two everyday make up kits that are identical, in identical pouches.
You get the idea. When I go to bed in a hotel, I put my things in the tray and set my alarm on my phone, and when it goes off in the morning, I can turn off my alarm while I'm still fighting through that confused haze of being in an unfamiliar setting. I don't have to figure out how to use a strange alarm clock. I don't have to worry about where my phone is or where my favorite pen is, or where my earrings are, because they are in the same tray they are always in. I don't have to think through which make-up to wear, because it's all the same.
Because I travel light, I don't carry full size toiletries or a hair dryer or other heavy things. But these three small consistencies between home and the road make a HUGE difference to me. The specific things you might want to have be consistent might be different, but the point is that having a consistent wake up routine between home and travel helps me a lot.
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:45 AM on June 10, 2015
Some research on luggage led me to this website that you might find helpful: onebag.com
posted by VTX at 10:20 AM on June 10, 2015
posted by VTX at 10:20 AM on June 10, 2015
There's one thing I'd like to say about packing, and checking luggage.
There are a lot of benefits to packing super light and carrying everything on the plane. That's what I do on almost all of my business trips. I can fit everything I need into a bag that easily fits in the overhead, and I don't have to worry about waiting for baggage, lost bags, etc. (checked baggage fees should be a non-issue as a business traveler - you should have airline status, an airline credit card, or both, which will eliminate the fees among other things).
However, even if you pack light, the bags can get heavy and unweildy, especially lifting them into the overhead bins. I have a few people in my life who have physical difficulty hauling bags around the airport and lifting them above their head (back problems, etc.). Checking their bags makes their travel much more comfortable, and it's the right thing for them to do.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's no shame in checking a bag if you need to. There seems to be a lot of pride and machismo around being able to travel for a month without checking a bag, and I think that can also translate into a stigma for people who do need to check bags. Traveling with only a carryon isn't what makes you an expert traveler. You're an expert traveler when you know your own personal needs, priorities, and limits, and you tailor your travel to fit them.
posted by primethyme at 10:32 AM on June 10, 2015
There are a lot of benefits to packing super light and carrying everything on the plane. That's what I do on almost all of my business trips. I can fit everything I need into a bag that easily fits in the overhead, and I don't have to worry about waiting for baggage, lost bags, etc. (checked baggage fees should be a non-issue as a business traveler - you should have airline status, an airline credit card, or both, which will eliminate the fees among other things).
However, even if you pack light, the bags can get heavy and unweildy, especially lifting them into the overhead bins. I have a few people in my life who have physical difficulty hauling bags around the airport and lifting them above their head (back problems, etc.). Checking their bags makes their travel much more comfortable, and it's the right thing for them to do.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's no shame in checking a bag if you need to. There seems to be a lot of pride and machismo around being able to travel for a month without checking a bag, and I think that can also translate into a stigma for people who do need to check bags. Traveling with only a carryon isn't what makes you an expert traveler. You're an expert traveler when you know your own personal needs, priorities, and limits, and you tailor your travel to fit them.
posted by primethyme at 10:32 AM on June 10, 2015
I fly USAir/American out of Charleston all the time. With the airport under construction (at least for the next year, if I'm understanding correctly) there's only one security checkpoint open for both terminals and PreCheck is almost never open when I'm traveling. Maybe it's open at different times of day.
There's definitely no Admiral's Club in Charleston although with the construction and upgrades maybe we'll finally get one. If you're flying to and from Reagan, I seem to remember there being one but I don't remember much about it. Either way I'd suggest getting a membership because both PHL and CLT (the main hubs for USAir/AA out of CHS) both have clubs that make traveling so much nicer.
Charleston's baggage system was sloooooooooooooow (for such a small airport) before the construction began and hasn't improved since. Maybe it will improve after they're done. I've waited over an hour for bags, although the average is probably closer to 20-30 minutes so YMMV. Once you get status, checking bags will be free so you can decide if the wait is worth not having to lug a carry on bag.
posted by This Guy at 11:32 AM on June 10, 2015
There's definitely no Admiral's Club in Charleston although with the construction and upgrades maybe we'll finally get one. If you're flying to and from Reagan, I seem to remember there being one but I don't remember much about it. Either way I'd suggest getting a membership because both PHL and CLT (the main hubs for USAir/AA out of CHS) both have clubs that make traveling so much nicer.
Charleston's baggage system was sloooooooooooooow (for such a small airport) before the construction began and hasn't improved since. Maybe it will improve after they're done. I've waited over an hour for bags, although the average is probably closer to 20-30 minutes so YMMV. Once you get status, checking bags will be free so you can decide if the wait is worth not having to lug a carry on bag.
posted by This Guy at 11:32 AM on June 10, 2015
With a dramatic change in your travel schedule like this, when you decide which airline best matches your needs and enroll in their miles program, be sure to look into whether they have a "challenge" program or something of that ilk - you can achieve a high status much faster that way if you're traveling enough.
If you have to shave your face and use a razor, switch to shaving oil
Lotion will also do in a pinch, and often the hotel will already have that on hand.
posted by solotoro at 5:26 PM on June 10, 2015
If you have to shave your face and use a razor, switch to shaving oil
Lotion will also do in a pinch, and often the hotel will already have that on hand.
posted by solotoro at 5:26 PM on June 10, 2015
Having been a frequent traveler out of a small airport, I think that avoiding checking luggage is vital. This means that even a "standard" rollaboard is a bad idea, because you'll likely be flying the tiny Embraer jets frequently. I use a "garment bag" and managed to fit enough for 5 days of travel in it...
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:00 PM on June 10, 2015
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:00 PM on June 10, 2015
I am a very frequent business traveler. Here's some of the stuff I do:
posted by bile and syntax at 6:01 PM on June 10, 2015
- Get TSA precheck. This is most useful for cutting the lines at large airports, but it speeds things up at the smaller ones too - at a minimum I don't take my shoes off.
- If you can handle the lifting, don't check bags if you don't have to.
- Always sign up for the rewards program.
- Keep a toiletry bag packed, and if you run out of things replace them immediately.
- If you take medication, some similar system is good here - a small bag with things like antihistamines and tylenol can save you a lot of trouble sometimes, and that I have a designated bag means I don't forget my other meds.
- Shampoo bars and massage bars help cut down on the amount of liquid you're carrying.
- Prepare for delays. It's good to carry stuff you need to work on, but also snacks and something to read.
- I habitually carry an empty Nalgene bottle and fill it with water once I'm through security.
- Get an extra charger for your phone that stays in your bag and any other necessary cables. If you are renting cars you probably want to carry a car charger and an auxiliary cable as well.
posted by bile and syntax at 6:01 PM on June 10, 2015
Get an extra charger for your phone that stays in your bag and any other necessary cables. If you are renting cars you probably want to carry a car charger and an auxiliary cable as well.
Oh yeah, this is a good one. I carry three Lightning cables (I have an iPhone and an iPad - one spare cable), two Apple wall chargers, and one USB car charger. Plus a Mophie battery pack, which has been a real lifesaver on long travel days when I haven't had time to stop and charge my phone somewhere.
I also got one of those little things that clips onto the car's air conditioner vent and holds my phone, for better use as a GPS (generally far better than the GPS systems the rental car companies provide).
I label all of this stuff with my name using a label printer, so people are less inclined to abscond with it, which tends to happen to me from time to time...
BTW, I know the annual fee is high, but if you get an Amex Platinum, they will reimburse your Global Entry fee, reimburse you for $200 in airline fees (this includes food and drink on the plane, upgrades, luggage, etc.), and you get useful stuff like Starwood Gold, Priority Pass lounge access (not that great in most airports, but better than nothing), Centurion Lounge access, etc. Especially if you can get the 100k point sign-up bonus, you can pretty easily come out ahead the first year at least.
posted by primethyme at 10:44 PM on June 10, 2015
Oh yeah, this is a good one. I carry three Lightning cables (I have an iPhone and an iPad - one spare cable), two Apple wall chargers, and one USB car charger. Plus a Mophie battery pack, which has been a real lifesaver on long travel days when I haven't had time to stop and charge my phone somewhere.
I also got one of those little things that clips onto the car's air conditioner vent and holds my phone, for better use as a GPS (generally far better than the GPS systems the rental car companies provide).
I label all of this stuff with my name using a label printer, so people are less inclined to abscond with it, which tends to happen to me from time to time...
BTW, I know the annual fee is high, but if you get an Amex Platinum, they will reimburse your Global Entry fee, reimburse you for $200 in airline fees (this includes food and drink on the plane, upgrades, luggage, etc.), and you get useful stuff like Starwood Gold, Priority Pass lounge access (not that great in most airports, but better than nothing), Centurion Lounge access, etc. Especially if you can get the 100k point sign-up bonus, you can pretty easily come out ahead the first year at least.
posted by primethyme at 10:44 PM on June 10, 2015
Also - if you really want to dig into the whole world of miles and points for the various and sundry loyalty programs, lurk around the FlyerTalk forums.
For a lot of those folks, the hotel/airline/rental/credit card programs are Serious Business and they're always discussing the latest promotions and whatnot. Lots of links in and out of there, too, for deciphering what, exactly, the T&Cs are around some of the programs, who's got the best deal running right now, which is the best credit card for $FOO airline, and so on.
posted by jquinby at 6:45 AM on June 11, 2015
For a lot of those folks, the hotel/airline/rental/credit card programs are Serious Business and they're always discussing the latest promotions and whatnot. Lots of links in and out of there, too, for deciphering what, exactly, the T&Cs are around some of the programs, who's got the best deal running right now, which is the best credit card for $FOO airline, and so on.
posted by jquinby at 6:45 AM on June 11, 2015
Oh, I didn't specify completely why a small bag is important: you want to avoid gate checking. Standard rollaboards that fit on large planes are often gate-checked on smaller regional planes which you'll tend to use frequently to/from smaller airports. Gate checking is better than fully checking your luggage, but it still introduces a sometimes-significant delay after getting off the plane, which is a serious problem when you have twenty minutes between connections.
posted by sonic meat machine at 9:09 AM on June 11, 2015
posted by sonic meat machine at 9:09 AM on June 11, 2015
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- Precheck is a necessity. Get your work to pay for it if you can. (Protip: if you fly internationally, just go ahead and get GlobalEntry which includes Precheck).
- Checked bags means an additional 45 minutes of your life spent waiting around to get out of the airport. Trips under 3-4 days can easily be taken care of with a good sized carry on bag.
Milk the loyalty programs.
Figure out your main airline that you'll regularly be flying and get the mileage card if you're booking things yourself. Similarly, figure out the main hotel chain you'll regularly be staying at and stick with their program to get loyalty points.
posted by Karaage at 8:20 AM on June 10, 2015