While there are plenty of home business owners who do not have to travel for work (in fact, I think that being able to stay close to home can be a big motivator for many when it comes to starting a home based business), there are those of us who do have to travel. Whether it is a short distance, a quick flight or international travel—since we are running our businesses solo, the coordination of our business travel usually falls on us.
If booking your own business travel is just too overwhelming and time consuming, you can still hire a travel agent to help. I have a friend who has been traveling for work for years and insists upon booking all of her travel through her trusted agent. If you are feeling brave and ambitious, however, it is fairly easy to learn how to handle your travel arrangements without too much stress. I think it is easier now than it has ever been to take your travel into your own hands.
First, if you have not done much travel booking, allow yourself a learning curve. When I first started booking flights and hotels and other transportation on a grand scale for international conferences, I would end up in tears and with pounding migraine headaches! It seemed so daunting. Over time, however, as I have learned more and my confidence has grown, I feel much better about the process—but there was a tough learning curve.
Get familiar with online travel sites like Orbitz and Travelocity. While you may not actually book from these sites, they do provide a wealth of information and can help you track prices and explore possibilities. They are a great way to compare prices on flights and even find out what hotels and other transportation is available. Sometimes, you can get a discount if you book a flight and hotel together, but spend some time first getting familiar with what is available.
I almost always book flights directly on the airline site—there are not any booking fees and I can see what the itinerary possibilities are. You can get good deals on the discount sites, however, so keep your eyes open. If you have some flexibility and can fly in earlier or later or go to a nearby airport, you may be able to save even more money.