Secrets to Upgraded Business Travels

Roadwarriors dish on the how to of flying upfront and staying in posh hotels.
By Robert McGarvey ,

You don’t have to fly in crowded, cramped coach on business trips, and you definitely don’t have to stay in cheap roadside motels. Not if you know the secrets road warriors use to win upgrades to business class (occasionally first class) and four-star hotels.

Your company has a travel policy, and it is immutable. You are of course right. Sort of. There is a policy. But only chumps believe it is immutable, because just about every policy has exceptions, instances where employees win approval for superior travel conditions, just because they knew how to win this game.

Understand too that just about every company of any size has a complicated travel policy that - in theory - allocates travel expenses in accordance with employee rank. Vice presidents fly richer and stay in swankier hotels than do new entry-level hires. On paper. That’s an important building block, because it proves that some employees are winning the very upgrades you covet.

If they can, so can you. How?

Read on for quick and easy guidelines to flying better and bunking in better hotels.

Suzanne Wolko, who blogs at PhilaTravelGirl, established the building blocks for better travels: “In my experience as a global business travel manager responsible for writing the T&E policy and enforcement, there are always exceptions to the rule, but it came down to showing a savings, ensuring employee safety and not violating any policies or triggering IRS issues.”

As for the IRS, mainly it is hands off when it comes to business travel - as long as the travel is in fact for business reasons. What’s that mean? San Diego tax attorney Chris Bushong said: “Luxury travel and accommodation -- with some exceptions at the far extremes -- is just as tax deductible as flying coach and staying at Motel 6.”

The bigger point: the surest way to win upgraded travel is with an argument hinged on the business case. What’s in it for the company - which is footing the bill - to open the wallet wider? And, said Wolko, cost-savings are good places to start.

"Anytime I wanted to get into business class, or international first class, as well as the 4 or 5 star hotel, I needed to show a savings," Bushong continued. "Apples to apples comparison -- same dates, cities, etc. Oftentimes, this meant booking in advance, having a connection/layover along the way -- i.e. - London via Amsterdam getting me a weekend at my own cost -- or calling the hotel directly to match an online fare.”

Do some legwork, put it into an Excel spreadsheet and you are just about approved.

In a like vein, Stormie Lantis told how she persuaded her boss to let her travel in a better style while working as a creative director.

"When I first started this position I was always flown economy, but I finally found a reasonable excuse to be flown in business class," she said. "My work focuses strongly on photography and videography which requires a fair amount of equipment. I have done the math on the additional cost of having to check all of my luggage and equipment vs. the cost of flying business class, which allows a passenger to check a few bags for free. I have noticed that when flying business class I never get charged for extra checked baggage, even when I do go over the allotted ‘free’ quantity." 

That was the secret to scoring carte blanche upgrade approval.

“I presented my boss with this information, and it was simply more cost effective for him to upgrade all of my flights," she said. "Now I never have to fly economy again.”

Note that - again - it’s math that triumphs. Is that the only way? Not necessarily.

Debby Carreau, an HR specialist in Canada, offered another approach.

“The best time to negotiate travel perks is when you are just hired or promoted,” she said. That is fact and, yes, it is negotiable in most companies. Ask and you get may get written into your job offer letter that benefits include flying business class where available and staying at four-star hotels. Worst case, HR says no. But they very well may say, yes - particularly if they think it’s a deal breaker for you.

It’s too late for you to play that card? Bushong offered a possible back door.

“If all else fails, it may be tempting to play up your physical frailty," Bushong said. "I once worked at a firm where a low-level associate flew around the world first class because of a dubious back issue that only popped up when budget air travel was on the table. Employers would rather pay first class travel costs than risk getting an ADA demand letter from an employment lawyer.”

Maybe that’s not entirely ethical - especially if the frailty is imagined - but ask yourself this: is it ethical to force an employee to fly coast to coast in the middleseat in coach?

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held TK positions in the stocks mentioned.

Loading ...