Greig's Business Travel Blog

I'll be happy when Boingo takes over the world and I won't have to sign up for another $9.99 day pass for wireless service I access for 30 minutes. I'm sure my office accounting department will be, as well. Until then, I'm keeping a copy of this airport wireless guide in my briefcase, so I'll know how to connect on my travels. From ATL to IAD - and everything in between - find Wi-Fi hot spots at the busiest U.S. airports.

Would you rather stay at the Waldorf Astoria or the Hilton Garden Inn? It’s a tough choice, I know, which is why it took me about two seconds to book a weekend at the Waldorf for the exact amount of points it would have cost to stay at the HGI. While it’s easy to book reward stays at the hotels you are most familiar with, do some research beforehand – you may be (pleasantly) surprised to learn which hotels fall under the major chains’ umbrellas.

Check out all the places you can redeem your hotel points (and sign up for any rewards programs you’re missing), so you won’t miss out on any great reward steals. Safe travels!

Chicken Caesar sandwich… $7
Snack-box… $5
Bottle of water… $2
Can of Coke… $2
Sitting on a six-hour flight listening to U.S. Airways flight attendants apologize for their company’s new, charge-for-everything policy… PAINFUL!

U.S. Airways is certainly not the only culprit when it comes to making us pay for what we have for so long taken for granted – small comforts such as checking a bag, pillows and blankets, and a mediocre meal. I understand the financial strain that high oil prices have put on airlines (and I certainly don’t begrudge them making a profit), but I am not sure that making life inconvenient and uncomfortable for the very people that pay their bills is the smartest way to cut corners.

OK, I am ranting, but surely there must be a better way for the airlines to implement these new policies. I rarely have enough time between flights to get something to eat or drink, so I often rely on the airline grub. Now, if I’m out of cash as well as time, I’m also out of luck when it comes to eating, as the airlines won’t take credit cards to pay for these meals. Add to this the fact that I can’t get a receipt for what I do purchase, so now I have to explain to the bean counters at my company why I’m turning in expense reports with missing receipts. They love that.

I get the extra charges – but with business travel such a sizeable chunk of the airline industry’s revenue, I’d like to see options such as pre-paid meals and services. What do you think? How can the airlines cut corners without such inconveniences to the business traveler? Sound off by posting a comment below.

At last, an airline has introduced technology with the potential of making life more convenient for the business traveler. Delta Airlines recently launched a test of paperless mobile check-in at New York’s LaGuardia airport. Travelers who download their boarding passes to a handheld mobile device at Delta.com can proceed directly to security, with no need to print a paper copy.

I am all for the convenience of being able to check-in for my flight from anywhere (and at the last minute), as well as reducing my carbon footprint, so I’m excited for the potential of this program. My only fear is of hearing the dreaded beeping sound of my PDA running out of juice as I stand in the security line!

Have you flown through LGA lately? Let us know if you’ve tried Delta’s paperless check-in by posting a comment below.

Monday mornings are torture; only a sadist enjoys the sound of a 4 a.m. alarm, sounding the bell for yet another early morning flight to somewhere. The older I get, hitting the snooze button so that I can grab an extra seven minutes of shut-eye becomes harder to resist. With this in mind, I have developed a Sunday evening ritual of time saving steps that help me make those tough early morning flights, snooze button and all.

If, like me, you can’t bear the thought of facing the Monday morning travel slog without a cup of coffee, add programming the timer on your coffee pot to the list. Safe travels!

As China prepares for next week’s Opening Ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Beijing, security measures have been increased dramatically at all major airports in China. While the airports are always crowded, I generally find that the security lines are relatively short and efficient. Expect that to be very different if you are traveling to China over the next several weeks.

Chinese officials are warning travelers to arrive at the airport three to four hours in advance to allow for additional security check points and longer waits at passport control. Before you get too frustrated, keep in mind that the athletes have it worse – at least we can avoid the doping and gender checks. Let the games begin!

Need more help with your business trip to China? Check out my decathalon of tips for China business travel.

Ah, the rewards of international business travel: jet lag, communication difficulties, and those astronomical cell phone charges to home that neither I - nor my company's accounting department - want to pay for. Enter Skype to the rescue, my favorite mode of staying in touch with home when I’m on the road. After easily downloading the free software, Skype lets you talk to anyone else with a Skype connection without long distance charges, making family members – and that bean counter in accounting – happy.

Gone are the days of looking at maps (that may or may not have been right side up) while I careen down the highway, trying to get to a meeting on time. GPS has made the navigation part of my days much easier - not to mention safer - and I can’t imagine doing my job without my trusty Garmin. Our biggest problem as business travelers today is figuring out which GPS is best for our travel needs. To help you decide, I have compiled a list of GPS features to look for, based on your most frequent mode of business travel.

Not so long ago, we had to check the hotel front desk for faxes and call our office voicemail every hour to keep up with messages. Those days are over. While I miss the benefits of my boss or client not being able to track me down (I hope they are not reading this), today’s electronic gadgets definitely make business travel more efficient.

I can’t remember how I managed before the Blackberry - my faithful travel companion - but it’s not the only gizmo I couldn’t live without. From a multi-device charger to a GPS navigation system, check out my list of must-have gadgets for productive business travel.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Pricegrabber.com)

Traveling for work seemed easier than usual this week, which may have something to do with the fact I am about to embark on an amazing vacation to Italy - paid for, in large part, with rewards points.

From flights courtesy of American Airlines to lodging in Rome (thank you, Hilton family), I am cashing in on a long, hard year of schlepping around the planet for my company. And while it may sound like I’m rubbing in the fact that I’m about to be stuffing my face with great food and wine, I really do have a more important point: rewards are one of the few perks of business travel, so use them to your advantage.

While I am signed up for every possible rewards offering, the American Express loyalty program is one of my favorites for its flexibility and simplicity. Check out my review (not at all influenced by the fact that Amex just paid for my new GPS system), and start earning your own points today.

Who says nothing in life is free?