Last Updated on: November 6, 2024 at 4:56 am

When you’re travelling for work, you have important company objectives to meet. Forgetting to pack any item from this business travel essentials list means delays and increased costs. It can even cause you to miss opportunities.

As a business traveller, you want to focus on your important tasks. And being held back by the nitty gritty, such as forgetting your toothpaste or downloading the wrong ride-hailing app is not one of them! That’s why we’ve compiled this business travel checklist containing everything you need to check before boarding that flight.

Whether you do corporate travel frequently, or it’s your first time, this handy checklist will help you mentally structure all your tasks so you don’t miss a thing. Keep in mind that every travel situation is different. You’ll have to shortlist the tasks under each category. With repeated trips, your basic business travel essentials list will become second nature.

Your luggage 

Regarding luggage, some items, such as your outfits, will vary with every trip, while others will remain the same.

You can save time by assembling your constant items in a travel bag so you can pick them up and be ready to go. Ensure you don’t use these items when you’re not travelling. Otherwise, you’ll leave them out and forget to put them back! 

• Toiletries: Keep a mini-size version of every item you use in a separate toiletry bag. Pack them in TSA-approved sizes so you can take them in your hand luggage. The containers must have a maximum capacity of 3.4 ounces (100 millilitres) for carry-on luggage. This capacity increases to 3.4 ounces or 100 millilitres per item for checked luggage. Remember to pack a hand sanitiser too! 

In the interest of sustainability, refill the bottles when you get home instead of discarding them and buying mini packs. This will also help you reduce travel costs.

• Chargers and universal adapters: The same rule applies to technology- keep a separate charger for your mobile, laptop and/or tablet in your travel bag. Go a step further and buy a power bank, data cable and a ‘universal travel adapter.’ This handy item will save your life in settings which have different sockets.

• Travel bag: Invest in a high-quality and high-safety travel bag, especially if you travel a lot. You can go for a tech-forward backpack with mobile apps or fingerprint ID to lock/unlock, internal scales, GPS and built-in chargers. This will come in handy if you’re travelling in remote or rough terrains.

• TSA-approved first-aid kit: You can buy a pre-assembled TSA-approved safety kit online or assemble your own. A safety kit should include, at the minimum; plasters, rubbing alcohol, safety pins, scissors, sterile gauze and tape, a thermometer, tweezers, painkillers, anti-nausea medicines, anti-allergics, antiseptic creams and fever medications.
  
• Your business items, including your briefcase, files, flash drives, notebook, pens, business cards, etc.

• Miscellaneous travel items: These include those items that are easy to forget because they don’t fall under any category. We suggest you keep them permanently stored in your travel bag. These include; a water bottle, umbrella, travel pillowcase, noise-cancelling earplugs, lint-remover, cloth-stain removers, a face mask, etc.

When it comes to your clothes, pack wrinkle-resistant items and easy to layer. Solid colours and neutrals can easily be reused for various outfits, so you’ll have to pack fewer clothes. Don’t forget your workout clothes and your shoes!

Handy tips: 

• Global business travellers favour carry-on luggage because it saves you time before and after your flight and can’t get lost. Invest in a smart carry-on suitcase that is light and allows you to pack more items.

Your travel documents

Here is a list of all the travel documents you’ll need:

• Passport and Visa if there are any, credit cards, bank cards, and a personal ID
• Covid certificate and vaccination record (if needed)
• Enough local currency to eat something when you arrive and to travel to your hotel. If your international payment method stops working, having cash on hand will be a lifesaver.
• Travel insurance (if needed)
• Driver’s license (if needed)

Handy tips:

• Keep high-resolution photos of all your travel documents on your phone, just in case you lose any of them. 
• Keep physical photocopies of your travel documents in a separate location from the originals.
• Keep an eye on expiration dates. Some countries don’t accept a passport that is within 6 months or 3 months of expiry. Renewing can take up to 2 months, so it isn’t something you can leave till the last minute.
• Buy a travel wallet: With a separate international travel wallet, you can leave behind all your local cards, which will be redundant in the new location. Buying a large travel wallet can also double as a folder, in which you can place the rest of your travel documents. A high-security travel wallet with a cut-resistant exterior and an interior RFID-deflecting lining (which protects cards from illicit scanning) will provide safety.

Your research

• Read up on important facts about the area you’re travelling to, such as cultural differences, business norms, political situations, etc.

• Look up a few local attractions close to your accommodation for you to visit after your trip. Your travel experience doesn’t have to be business only!

• If you’re going abroad, talk to colleagues or friends that have travelled there before and ask them for tips.

• Look up important apps that you may need (for example, local ride-hailing or food-delivery apps). Download Google Maps for the particular location and save the pin locations and directions on your phone.

Handy Tip:

• Look up the helplines of the particular country and any emergency apps that are used there. Download them on your phone in advance.

Your business travel itinerary

• Communicate with the people you’re meeting to confirm dates, locations and timings. Ask if you’ll need to bring anything out of the ordinary that you may not have access to over there. 

• Know your schedule so you can pack outfits accordingly.

• After confirming dates, consider whether you’ll need to reach a day in advance or the same day, to book your travel accordingly.

• Prepare for your meetings in advance: Look up the names and titles of the people you will meet. Review your meeting goals and objectives. To be super-efficient, send the pitch decks/documents to all meeting members before you leave so they can go through them before the meeting.

Your travel arrangements and bookings

• Book your trip: Are you booking your travel yourself, or is your company registered with a business travel management company such as TruTrip?
  If you’re booking yourself, find out about any budget or itinerary requirements. If you’re not responsible, simply submit your proposed itinerary to the right person.

• If you’re booking yourself, remember to book your accommodations and transport to-and-from the airport. When choosing accommodations, pick one close to where your business meetings will take place.

• Consider signing up for airline or hotel loyalty programs if you haven’t already. The points will help you save costs. When booking accommodations, check if you have any accumulated points or vouchers on booking apps such as Agoda.

Handy Tip:

• If you’re interested in travelling sustainably, go for direct flights over connecting ones because the short journey means consuming less fuel. Also, economy class seats are better for the environment because they take up less space than business class. This means more people can travel on the same plane, thus reducing fuel consumption.
  

There you have it! This comprehensive business travel essentials list covers everything you need to do before a business trip. We know it’s a lot to take in! 

As a business traveller, the work’s stress is enough without worrying about delays and cancellations. That’s why we created TruTrip – an all-in-one business travel management platform to give you the peace of mind you deserve. 

Travel safely and seamlessly with TruTrip

TruTrip allows you to book flights and accommodation with multiple options due to our partnership with Sabre, TravelFusion, SkyScanner, Agoda and more. With travel restrictions and live travel information built into our platform, you can stay safe and prepared whilst travelling. 

Above all, you get flexibility. You can cancel and reschedule all your bookings from the platform with a minimal fee and get an instant cash refund. Want to learn more about how we can make your travel experience better?  Book a demo with TruTrip or set up a free trial to try our services.