Business travel is back. In a poll conducted by the Global Business Travel Association in January 2024, 83% of travel buyers said their global business travel bookings had increased significantly (31%), moderately (37%) or slightly (15%) between 2022 and 2023. Businesses are prioritising face time with clients and colleagues around the country, and towards the end of 2023, Virgin Australia reported that small and medium enterprise business travellers had returned to the airline at pre-covid levels.
Vikash Raniga, a group finance executive with the workforce solutions provider Adcorp, is one of many business leaders back in the skies. Adcorp has offices in all Australia’s major cities, and Raniga is a frequent traveller between the organisation’s finance teams in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Here, he shares his tips for productive business travel without burnout.
1. Keep an eye on your flight
Stay up to date with whether your flight is on time.
“If it’s an early morning flight I’ll check the night before,” Raniga says. “And even while I’m on the way to the airport, I’ll check, because if the flight’s not on time, I don’t have to rush.”
Raniga is a Virgin Australia Beyond member and uses time in the lounge to unwind or catch up with work, especially if he’s missing out on office time.
“I like to get to the airport with adequate time – you never know how long the queues are going to be, even in the priority lane, or at security, and if I end up with more time in the lounge, so be it.”
If they arrive early, Beyond members (and Virgin Frequent Flyer members with Gold status or above) may be eligible to take advantage of Virgin Australia’s Fly Ahead service and jump on an earlier flight to get a head start on their day.
2. Stay active
Walk when you can. “I walk whenever possible, even in the airport terminal in Brisbane,” Raniga says.
“If I get to the airport early and I don’t have anything pressing work-wise, once I’ve settled in the lounge, I just go for a walk in the terminal – probably only a thousand steps, but every bit helps.
“And then once I get to the other end, rather than jumping on transport, I like to walk, especially after lunch and dinner.”
Setting up meetings outside the office can give you time to get up and move between commitments, and can be a good way to see your destination.
And adding a few days on either end of a business trip to relax or better explore a location can be a savvy way to unwind. Adcorp’s preferred travel management company, Corporate Traveller, found that from mid to late 2023 its customers were extending trips of one to three days into trips of up to six days, adding personal stays to their business trips in a trend known as “bleisure”.
3. Pack smart
Packing versatile smart-casual items will meet the demands of a dual-purpose trip. For ease, pack essentials in your hand luggage.
Raniga opts for low-maintenance, smart clothing that requires minimal ironing.
“In my cabin bag, I pack a spare set of socks and jocks and a shirt, at least,” he says. “I tend to wear my corporate pants when I’m travelling, and then I’ll fold up a pair of jeans to wear during the trip, because jeans won’t crease.”
Don’t overlook your footwear. Packing a comfortable pair of shoes that can take you anywhere is a must for busy trips – and also key to walking and exploring.
4. Prioritise sleep
Routines become more difficult to maintain when you’re travelling – especially for work, when the objective might be to catch up with as many colleagues and clients as possible face to face. This can mean a busy schedule of breakfasts, meetings outside typical office hours and work dinners.
“You hear of prime ministers or CEOs who can get by with three or four hours’ sleep,” Raniga says. “I can’t. I need my seven to eight hours daily. I can get by on less for one, maybe two nights, but that will be about my max. So I try to maintain my sleep.”
Consider your diary carefully and schedule breaks as mini events of their own. Opting for meetings of 25 minutes rather than half an hour, or 50 minutes instead of an hour, can buy you back some precious time.
It’s also a good idea to review your week as a whole.
“I organise my diary accordingly,” Raniga says. “If I’ve had a full day I try not to do too much in the evening, or I’ll try and start a little bit later the next morning just to give myself that balance, if possible.”
5. Hack your points
Consider rewards points whenever you make purchases, both at home and away. Raniga uses an American Express card as well as collecting Flybuys Points, which can be transferred to his Velocity Frequent Flyer account. He also recommends pooling your family’s points if that works for you.
“If you have a family and one person travels the most then Velocity Family Pooling comes in quite handy,” he says. “When anyone in the family travels, their Velocity Points can be pooled into the main member’s account and that helps to get the person to a higher Status level quickly.”
To be rewarded more for business travel, join Virgin Australia Business Flyer today.
