executive assistant travel itinerary

Creating a Travel Itinerary for Your Boss

Last updated: July 26th, 2022

A well-organized travel itinerary, for some executives, is the most important aspect of an Executive Assistant’s job.  When done correctly, a travel itinerary can become the most essential part of an executive’s trip.  Details and consistency in any itinerary are key.  The most important part of creating an itinerary is ensuring it is complete and easy to follow.  Of course, there are other ways of creating itineraries, this is just one way that works.  Be sure to leave additional comments or tips in our comments section below!

Here are a few tips on what to include in a travel itinerary for an executive and the best way to setup an itinerary:

Start with the numerical date of the event, and include the day of the week.  Always label times with AM or PM, respectively, and note any time zone changes.  If your boss is traveling to California, but your offices are in California, include both times on the itinerary, e.g., 2:00PM PST (5:00PM EST) so they don’t have to calculate time zones on their own.  We will elaborate more on arranging international travel for executives in a future post.  Use the same font type and size throughout, although the style (bold, italic, underline) may be used to denote special information

Transportation Aside from providing complete, detailed information, it is important to note the chronology of events.  If your boss is flying, be sure to include the departure and arrival airport with the flight and seat numbers, airline, and corresponding times.  For example:

If your boss is flying, be sure to include the departure and arrival airport with the flight and seat numbers, airline, and corresponding times.

Including the arrival gate number serves two purposes: first, you may notify the driver who is picking the executive up of the gate, and ensure that you keep the driver updated of any gate changes.  Second, if the gate does suddenly change—while your boss is on the flight, for example, or a last minute gate change upon arrival—your boss can quickly shoot you a text message to let you know the gate has changed.  This keeps everyone informed at all times.

If traveling by train, include the departure and arrival stations with the train’s complete name and number.  Amtrak, for example, hosts a number of departures to/from the same city, some are local, and some run express.  Hopping on the wrong train could cost your boss time and/or money.

For example, two trains depart from Boston, South Station to Philadelphia, PA within five minutes of one another:

Hopping on the wrong train could cost your boss time and/or money.

The destination is the same, but the arrival times are almost an hour apart.  The Northeast Regional is a local train arriving at almost 12PM, whereas the Acela Express arrives nearly an hour earlier.  Additionally, holding a ticket for the Northeast Regional but accidentally getting on the Acela Express could cost your boss an additional surcharge once on board.

If your boss does not use a private car service, include the name and phone numbers of local taxi services in each of the areas he/she is visiting.  If your boss is good with their smartphone, install Uber, a car service application which allows users to request a private car.  Read more about Uber (and other apps every executive assistant and their c-suite team needs ), or find a list of Uber’s service areas .

Lodging Hotel information is a vital part of any travel itinerary, and the details of an individual’s stay are just as important as flight/train information.  First, denote the full, exact name and address of the hotel where you’ve made reservations.  Many hotels may have similar names in the same areas, or there may be multiple hotels under the same franchise in the same vicinity.  Include the phone number for the front desk in case your boss needs to get in contact with anyone at the hotel for any reason.  Include the reservation confirmation number as well as check-in and check-out times.

Include the phone number for the front desk in case your boss needs to get in contact with anyone at the hotel for any reason.  Include the reservation confirmation number as well as check-in and check-out times.

Be sure to note the executive’s final day at the hotel on the itinerary, and include the time they are due to check out.  This will also serve as a reminder to them to actually check out of the hotel so they avoid any potential surcharges.

Meetings, Appointments, and Free Time When noting meetings on an executive’s itinerary, always include the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as whom the executive will be meeting with, and the topic of discussion, or reason behind the meeting.  Whenever possible, include the location’s phone number (if they are a restaurant or business for example), and the contact information for the individuals involved in the meeting, in case your boss needs to contact them for any reason.

Whenever possible, include the location’s phone number (if they are a restaurant or business for example), and the contact information for the individuals involved in the meeting, in case your boss needs to contact them for any reason.

As a C-Suite Executive Assistant, it is your duty to be thorough; include pertinent information about any individuals involved in the meeting with your boss, such as their online bio, LinkedIn information, or CV as an appendix to the itinerary.  This will prepare the executive you support with snapshot information before their meeting, so they never have to struggle trying to recall who is who.  Whenever possible, include a photo (such as a LinkedIn profile picture).

Note any free time during the duration of the trip the same way you would a meeting.  Use a different color or font style so that this time stands out to him/her and they can readily identify when they have a break (or what time they have available to reschedule).

Use a different color or font style so that this time stands out to him/her and they can readily identify when they have a break (or what time they have available to reschedule).

Appointments and reservations should always be confirmed the day or two before they are scheduled to occur. 24 hours before a flight or train departure, check with the airline or train station to inquire about potential delays (particularly during cold weather months due to ice/snow). Remember to call credit card companies and banks and notify them of your boss’s plans, locations and dates of travel. Banks and credit card companies will sometimes freeze accounts if they believe there is possible fraudulent activity (activity that is inconsistent with so-called typical activity; example, charges in Wyoming, but your boss’s account is based in New Jersey).

Finally, email an electronic copy to your boss, and to anyone else they request a copy to be sent to (their spouse, business partner, etc.) Print off several copies for him/her to keep in his/her carry-on, briefcase, and/or purse, and print a hard copy for yourself for easy access.

Did we miss anything? Do you have some exceptional assistant tips of your own?

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Essential Business Travel Itinerary Templates for Successful Trips

Planning travel itineraries is one important aspect of an Executive Assistant’s work. Executives usually travel to meet key business partners, pursue game-changing deals, and attend high-profile conferences and meetings. The success of these mission-critical travel plans rests in the hands of smart, capable Executive Assistants (EAs).

To help EAs ace every trip, we’ve created business travel itinerary templates that steamline the travel planning process and establish a consistent standard itinerary that executives will love receiving again and again.

Many of these templates came straight from our Facebook groups for Executive Assistants ! See what nuggets of wisdom our community has to offer and jump into the conversation.   

Conference Travel Itinerary

To have the most successful conference experience possible, executives must follow a military-precise schedule. Conferences demand careful planning over spontaneity; if an attendee wants to network with certain people and attend certain sessions, then they have to follow a carefully engineered itinerary that heavily focuses on logistics.

Must-have details for a conference travel itinerary:

• The trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details. When does the executive need to leave home to make it to the airport? Will she provide her own transportation or has that been pre-arranged? Consider all the little questions you subconsciously ask as you plan your own trips, and include the answers as itinerary details.
• Travel confirmation/reservation numbers, (These are good to have on hand to make trip details easy for customer service representatives at different transportation hubs to look up if there are questions or issues with the executive’s plans.
• Parking details, including restrictions, costs, and physical addresses for parking lots and garages, at all destinations. (A tricky parking situation could equal missed meetings or conference sessions.)
• Seat numbers. (It’s always helpful for a traveler to memorize these.)
• Addresses of the relevant transportation hubs, such as the airport, car rental office, and train station.
• Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails and tickets.
• Terminal details. (This is especially important for large airports or train stations where terminals or gates can be miles apart and require travelers to take shuttles to and from.)
• Printed maps (downloaded from online tools) to use as a backup for cell-phone GPS in areas without reliable internet.
• Check-in and check-out times and dates and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
• Lodging amenities. Is there an on-site gym, a spa, or maybe laundry facilities? Knowing these key details lets executives better plan trips. For example, a traveler might decide to wake up two hours early every day to hit the on-site gym before the conference starts.
• Transportation tips. Make it easy for the executive to navigate to and from the hotel. Make notes about restaurants or places of interest within walking distance to the executive’s home away from home. You could also flag hotels that offer shuttle services and hotels near reliable public transportation hubs.
• Screenshots or printed copies of relevant lodging confirmation emails.
• Meeting and conference session times and locations.
• Meal times and snack times. (No one wants to network while hangry on an empty stomach)
• Work windows. Highlight relatively open time frames when executives can plan to do follow-ups immediately after important meetings and conference sessions. Executives can also use these windows to check in on regular work and associates at the home office.
• What to wear. You might provide dressing tips based on the executive’s schedule for the day. For example, you might advise the executive to dress casually for a morning breakfast meeting, but tell them to pack a blazer to dress up the outfit if they won’t have time to change before an afternoon meeting.
• Break times and lengths. Highlight when the executive will have down time to do some work, go to the gym, or just grab coffee. Earn extra brownie points by incorporating elements, such as meditation or family phone calls, important to the executive’s daily routine.
• Recommended wake up and bed times.
• Weather forecast and packing suggestions.
• Places to eat. (Do your Yelp research to avoid leading your executive astray!)
• Travel pro tips. Outline crowded or touristy areas, high-traffic roads, and other factors influential to the travel experience.
• Contact information for people attending the executive’s scheduled meetings

Conference travel itinerary template

Media tour itinerary.

Unlike conference itineraries, media tour itineraries rely on flexibility and leeway. Plan an itinerary with plenty of breathing room in between media meetings to accommodate and even encourage the possibility that meetings will run over time. In the world of the media tour, a long-running meeting might simply mean an executive is building solid relationships with media professionals.

Must-have details for a media tour itinerary:

• Include the trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details, plus arrival times, departure times, and addresses for each meeting of each day. During a media tour, an executive will bounce from location to location, so it’s essential to have all the travel logistics outlined.
• Last-minute transportation options. (Help executives avoid missed meetings by making sure they have backup options in case the planned transportation choice falls through.)
• Lodging amenities.
• Transportation tips.
• Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails.
• Meeting times and locations.
• Dockets on the media professionals and their publications. This will help executives prepare for successful meetings.
• Work windows. Highlight relatively open time frames when executives can plan to do follow ups immediately after important meetings.
• Places of interest/recommended stops around each meeting location. The busy media tour schedule doesn’t allow executives to do much exploring. Help them get a little taste of the city by calling out easy-access pit stops.  

Media tour itinerary template

International travel itinerary.

The success of an international travel itinerary hinges on preparation designed to give travelers the tools they need to understand the basics of communicating and navigating through different countries.

Must-have details for an international travel itinerary:

• Include the trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details. Plan for the executive to arrive early enough to the airport to avoid any travel snafus, and be sure to include arrival and departure details for any connecting flights.
• Included relevant details on the primary mode of transportation the executive will use to navigate the other country. For example, if an American businessman is taking a trip to London, he’d likely want to have all the London Underground basics down, including what kind of pass the system requires, how to plan routes, and how to understand schedules.
• Call out relevant international travel applications that could help the executive easily get around.
• Parking details.
• Seat numbers and international in-flight meal and drink details.
• Addresses of the relevant transportation hubs.
• Details for all terminals. (This is especially important for large international airports or train stations where terminals or gates can be miles apart.)
• Lodging amenities. Does the hotel have necessary appliance adaptors? Do they offer complimentary Wi-Fi?
• Transportation tips. Recommend the best ways to navigate the unfamiliar city to make executives feel as comfortable as possible during the trip.
• Meal times and snack times.
• Work windows.
• Pull out some frequently used words in the destination’s native language, especially if most people from the destination speak a language the executive doesn’t know.
• Include key points from travel guides. Offer some takeaways about local culture, especially cultural norms that impact business interactions. These norms might include things like standard greetings, tipping practices, meeting and eating etiquette, and communication styles.
• What to wear to avoid looking like an outsider.
• Recommended wake up and bedtimes to mitigate the effects of jet lag.
• Weather forecast and packing suggestions, especially if the destination will be in the middle of a season different from the season at home.
• Places to eat. (You might also include some popular dishes and food “vocabulary” words to help executives navigate menus.)
• Travel pro tips.

International travel itinerary template

Sales roadshow travel itinerary.

Don’t ever hit the road without a well-planned sales roadshow itinerary.

Must-have details for a sales roadshow itinerary:

• Include the trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details for all roadshow stops.
• Include relevant details on the primary mode of transportation the executive or executive team will use to get from event to event. Is this an international roadshow, a cross-country roadshow, or simply an intrastate roadshow?
• Include check in and check out times, dates, and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
• Roadshow times and locations.
• Weather forecast and packing suggestions for each roadshow location.
• Places to eat along the road. (Do your Yelp research!)
• Places to stop along the road. A few quick stops at fun landmarks will help keep executives and salespeople refreshed and ready for the rest of the roadshow.  

Sales roadshow itinerary template

Personal vacation travel itinerary.

Even relaxed personal vacations can benefit from structured itineraries.

Must-have details for a personal vacation itinerary:

• Include the trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details.
• Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails and tickets
• Include check in and check out times, dates, and addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
• Lodging amenities. Does the hotel or rental house have a kitchen, home theater, swanky basement bar, pool, or ping-pong table? Travelers can better plan their trips when they know what they’ll have access to at their home away from home.
• Places to eat near the hotel or rental.
• Travel pro tips.  Customize the tips you include according to who the executive is traveling with. Include romantic spots for couples trips, kid-friendly attractions for family trips, and more.
• Outline times and details for each day’s main entertainment/event.
• Leave plenty of time for relaxing meals.
• Plan extras.  The executive will likely provide the day’s main events, but you can look up quick stops on the way to those events and the traveler can pick and choose some spontaneous stops.

Personal vacation itinerary template

Which itinerary would help you? Let us know in the comment section below!

P.S. Many of these templates came straight from our  Facebook groups for Executive Assistants ! See what nuggets of wisdom our community has to offer and jump into the conversation. 

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What a great idea.

This is a great resource, thank you!

Great concepts here. Great from those who do a lot of corporate traveling!

My husband travels often for his work here in Cardiff, and he asked me to find him tips on how to help with his executive travel. We love how you talked about having all the times and details on hand and making sure that you are easily able to skim and find crucial information. We will keep these tips in mind in addition to getting a professional who can help my husband as he travels.

Thanks Vivian! These tips should definitely help him while he travels.

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The ultimate business travel checklist for executive assistants

Planning your boss’s business travel can be overwhelming, especially when you're the one behind the scenes making it all happen. As an executive assistant, the success of each trip falls partly on your shoulders.   

But don’t worry, we've got your back. Here’s everything that should be on your checklist when planning travel for your boss (or other travelers on your team):  

1. Know what your boss prefers   

Before you get to booking, get a feel for your executive's travel style. Are they a window seat lover? Do they collect hotel loyalty points? Are they comfortable in economy class or do they usually sit right up front? Knowing their preferences from the start streamlines the booking process and ensures a happy traveler.  

If you're keeping track of this information manually, working with a travel management company can help you create profiles to save this information once and automatically apply any time you’re booking travel for your team members. You can easily keep track of preferences, loyalty program numbers, and travel details, which will save you time and headaches.  

2. Create an easy-to-read itinerary  

Nobody likes a messy itinerary. Use a template that covers flights, hotel reservations, meeting schedules, and any after-hours escapades. A clean, organized itinerary is the ticket to a stress-free journey, and ensures the traveler can find the information they need quickly.  

There are loads of apps out there that help you pull all of the trip components into one place. And if you’ve already got a TMC you work with, you’ll be able to access a detailed itinerary that covers all of the travel elements you book with them. On top of that, some even offer a mobile app so your boss can easily access their itinerary, and other features like Live Chat.   

3. Know who to call in an emergency  

When your boss is traveling, they may run into a situation where they need assistance with cancelations, delays, or other bumps in the road. It can help to give them a card with the phone numbers and contact info of your dedicated travel consultant, emergency after-hours support, or instructions on how to access Live Chat. This will save them from worrying about time-zones or waking you up in the middle of the night.   

4. Don't forget travel insurance  

Unexpected hiccups happen. Whether it's a missed flight or a sudden illness, travel insurance is your safety net. Make sure you know the details of your company travel insurance policy and have the info readily available for your boss to find. It might seem like an extra step, but when the unexpected occurs, you'll be glad you took it.  

5. The document dance: Visa, passport, repeat  

Gather those crucial travel document details like a seasoned pro. Make sure traveler passports are up-to-date, visas are squared away and have digital and physical copies on file. A pro travel booker is always prepared.  

And if there are rules or travel advisories that you’re unsure of, your dedicated travel consultant can help you identify the destinations that require additional documentation to simplify your life.   

6. Nail down the perfect car rental  

If wheels are needed in destination, sort out the car rental puzzle in advance. Confirm their preferences and make sure that they're signed up for any programs that allow them to glide smoothly from the airport to the driver’s seat.  

Did you know that with a digital travel platform like Melon, you can book everything you need in one place? Book a demo to see how it works !  

7. Know your ground transportation options  

There are times a car rental will be out of the question. Coordinating local ground transportation might feel like it requires military precision. Whether you’re booking airport pickups or black car in-city travel, you’ll want to make sure your executive's journey is smooth and stress-free.   

Not sure where to start? Consider looking into Uber for Business, or reach out to your dedicated travel consultant for help booking other private cars and charters.  

8. Don't forget business cards  

Business cards may seem old-fashioned, but they're still an important tool when networking or attending events. Ensure your executive has a stack packed with them for their trip.   

9. Roll with the changes  

Even the best-laid plans can go awry if there are disruptions once a traveler hits the road. And while those late-night calls can be a pain, keeping all the information you need easily accessible makes all the difference. Make sure your boss has important contact information on hand and that you also have it should they need to reach you when you’re away from your desk.   

BONUS: Here’s a simple checklist to make sure you’ve got everything ready: 

Travel details: .

• Flights booked 
• Accommodation/hotel booked  
• Car rental or local transportation booked 
• Travel itinerary  
• Travel documentation up to date: VISAs, passports, additional documents 
• Google maps printed or app on phone 
• Travel management app (Melon Mobile App) 
• Loyalty or reward memberships added to bookings 
• Contacts communicated for any last-minute changes or emergencies 

Event or meeting details: 

• Locations outlined for planned meetings or events 
• Packing list with notes on dress code for events or destination specific requirements 
• Business cards 
• Recommendations for any great restaurants in the area 

Feeling the need for even smoother business travel planning? Book a demo with our travel experts here. 

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Complete Executive Assistant Travel Checklist for Business Travel

The executive assistant complete corporate travel checklist.

As an executive assistant, you know when it comes to making travel arrangements, it’s important to get it right. Missing an important detail can result in a loss of corporate funds or dissatisfied employees. And there are many details involved.

The planning process of complex travel itineraries includes organizing visas, reviewing travel insurance, and prioritizing everything from hotel preferences to seating preferences. Not to mention having to be on call to remedy any type of travel cancellation.

Download the “The executive assistant complete corporate travel checklist” to review if your current travel solution provides what you need to thrive. You’ll learn about the following:

• How to update the travel planning process to save time and money
• How to manage the travel needs of different types of travelers
• How a corporate travel platform can help save on increasing costs of hotel accommodation, car rentals, and airfares.
• How to approach change management when adopting a corporate travel platform

It’s likely you wear many hats in your organization, and your time is valuable. Managing the travel details of business trips takes away precious time from your other responsibilities. So, you need a travel booking process that works smarter.

The corporate travel landscape also keeps changing. So, organizing travel as an executive assistant might be a little different from how you previously managed it for C-suite-level staff members. Staying aware of emerging needs by taking the time to bring your travel program up to speed will serve your travelers and your company well. Check out this guide and learn why office administrators of organizations big and small are switching up how they book travel.

Download the checklist

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The complete guide to corporate travel planning

8 steps for making travel arrangements for your boss, how to make travel arrangements as a secretary in eight steps, 1. communicate to create a successful travel experience.

• Clarity : maintain up-to-date details of all travel plans
• Support : ability to reach out for help at any point, particularly for changes
• Time management : quickly taking care of administrative tasks while on their business trip
• Personalization : getting the travel experience that suits their needs
• Bleisure: a sprinkle of leisure activies outside of business hours for the traveler to unwind and make the most of their trip

2. Find a travel management tool to arrange travel and accommodation

How to book transport for your boss, get exclusive rates on hotels with travelperk, how to book accommodation for your boss, 3. have a point person for itinerary changes in the eleventh hour, 4. help prepare your executive's cell phone, 5. keep track of your traveler’s preferences.

• Frequent flyer programs in use
• Transportation and seating preferences (window, aisle, forward-facing)
• In-flight meal preferences (especially any allergies!)
• Contact details of important people they would like to have a copy of their itinerary

6. Simplify travel expenses reporting

7. prepare an in-depth travel itinerary for your boss.

• Break down each day and walk through activities
• Note booking confirmation numbers and contact numbers for car rentals
• For flights, include airline phone numbers, the terminal's address, confirmation numbers, flight numbers, seat reservations, and any membership numbers for loyalty programs
• Specify platforms for train journeys where possible
• If you have any pre-booked car services, include these details and the contact numbers for the driver and the company
• Include the address of their specific hotel and the contact details for the front desk in case there are multiple hotels with the same name
• Note check-in and check-out times for hotel stays: very important!
• Add your boss' meetings to this itinerary, noting the attendees and objectives of each
• To go the extra mile: include LinkedIn photos of meeting attendees to ensure a warm greeting
• Highlight any periods where your boss has free time
• After you have completed the itinerary, save it as a PDF and email it to your boss

8. Go the extra mile

• Luggage tags
• Business cards
• Talking topics and contact details of the local host (client or office manager)
• Healthy, travel-friendly snacks
• Restaurant recommendations based on their preferences s - you can even use a concierge service like TravelPerk to secure reservations
• Tips for how to spend any downtime. Be sure to highlight options that require tickets and book these in advance
• Travel adapters and surge protectors

The ultimate executive travel arrangements checklist

Establish the key markers for success.

• Ask your boss what needs to happen to make this business trip a success
• Make arrangements in line with their priorities
• Ask for feedback on their return to improve future plans

Find a travel management tool

• Select a travel management solution that has a mobile app so execs can keep track of their itineraries and receive updates on the road
• Use automation features to help choose accommodation and transportation within corporate travel policies
• Cross-check options against your boss's personal preferences
• Use Hotel Wi-Fi Test to check connection speeds
• Check reviews (even better if you can hear from colleagues)

Suggest your boss downloads the following apps (or similar)

• TravelPerk: to access itineraries and receive updates on the go
• A currency converter app, such as XE currency converter
• A translation app, such as Google Translator
• Any hotel apps relevant to their stay
• Recommend your exec takes advantage of apps’ offline features when needed.

Keep track of your executive's preferences and necessities

• Any frequent traveler programs in use
• Transport seating preferences
• In-flight meal preferences
• Any hotel preferences or loyalty programs
• Allergies, intolerances, and food preferences
• Late checkout needs
• Extra legroom preferences
• Transportation preferences (trains, car rentals, flights, etc)
• Contact details to send itinerary to designated loved ones

Prepare all documentation

• Check passport is in date
• Double-check any travel visas
• Print car/travel insurance information
• Print any COVID-19 travel documents (vaccination certificates, test documentation, etc) TravelPerk’s travel advice board is a good resource to use for this.
• Prepare and print an in-depth itinerary: including meetings and other planned activities

Prepare the "little" extras to go the extra mile

• Backup luggage tags
• Extra business cards
• Talking topics and contact details of local hosts
• Preferred snacks for the road
• Restaurant recommendations they’ll love
• Travel tips for any free time
• Downtime activities: massages, gym passes, spas, etc.

Keep all travel details in one place offline

• Create a PDF document for each trip
• Ensure your boss has printed copies of their in-depth itinerary
• Consider a travel app to keep this all in one place for you

Prepare for expense reporting

• Speed up reimbursements by downloading a receipt management app such as Yokoy or Spendesk
• Keep a digital copy of your travel expense policy handy— or use a travel management app to do it for you!
• Keep any paper-based receipts as a backup. Providing a physical receipt wallet is a good reminder for your exec to do this

Making travel arrangements for executives as simple as possible

Happy booking.

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The Ultimate Travel Packet for Your Executive’s Business Travel

A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but a successful business trip begins with a kick ass travel list. This goldmine checklist, complete with useful tips organized by category, was created specifically for traveling executives after a Ninja asked what to include in a travel packet for the boss’s upcoming trip. So of course, we went straight to the experts: the OfficeNinjas Ambassadors.

This list is comprehensive, packed with Ninja-approved items and hacks for every possible situation we could imagine. But you should feel free to edit and make it your own go-to guide for business travel. Pare down, make tweaks, and add special exceptions tailored specifically to your company and team. Once you have the Ultimate Packing List customized to your boss’s specific needs, prepping for an upcoming trip will be the easiest part of your day.

• Include the confirmation/reservation numbers, phone numbers, and addresses for flights, trains, rental cars, cabs, and hotels.
• Include estimated travel time from the airport to the hotel or other destinations, as well as information on potential delays due to traffic, road construction, and inclement weather.

Ninja Tip: Send your boss a meeting request with airline details (terminals numbers, flight and seat numbers, departure and arrival times, etc.) in the subject line so that travel time is blocked out and the information is instantly accessible. For example-  Subject: Alaska 309 (SFO-SEA): lv 735pm arr 924pm, conf# AP35IRE Location: Seat 24A (window).

Ninja Tip: Once you’ve hammered out all the details, funnel them into PackPoint  so you and the traveler can both access the full spread on a convenient app.

LUGGAGE TAGS

Ninja Tip: Keep a pack of affordable luggage tags in the office as a backup.

MAPS & DETAILED DIRECTIONS

Ninja Tip: Install a map app, like Waze  or Google Maps , on your boss’s phone. You can even download an area for offline use in Google Maps, in case of a poor signal. Screenshots of entire routes can also be saved.

LOYALTY MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS

Track all frequent traveler membership numbers for airlines, hotels, dining, and rental car companies in one place using TripIt or Points .

PARKING INFO & COSTS

Use Spot Hero to reserve parking spaces in advance, and ParkMe  to locate spots.

LOCAL HOST CONTACT INFO

e.g. the client’s admin, office manager at satellite office, etc.

LOCAL SPOTS TO DECOMPRESS

Download one of these apps to your boss’s phone. They allow users to book hotel rooms by the hour so your exec can catch up on emails or even take a nap:

• Hotels by Day

TRAVEL DICTIONARIES & PHRASEBOOKS

Ninja Tip: Purchase travel dictionaries/phrasebooks or download a translation app to your exec’s phone (for international travel). Popular options include:

• Google Translate
• Lonely Planet Phrasebook & Dictionary ( Spanish , French , Mandarin , Japanese , German )

PROTOCOL FOR LAST-MINUTE ITINERARY CHANGES

Clarify who should take the lead on resolving conflicts and rescheduling travel.

PROVIDE TRAVEL ITINERARY TO EXEC’S FAMILY/PARTNER

Meeting Prep

BRIEF BIOS ON MEETING ATTENDEES

Download Charlie  on your exec’s phone. Charlie combs through a bunch of online sources and will send your exec a one-pager on who they’re going to meet before even seeing them.

Ninja Tip: Include suggested topics of conversation as well as personal details that may cause someone to be distracted or unengaged (like a recent birth or death in the family)

NOTES ON BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Appropriate behavior varies greatly from culture to culture, refer to this infographic to ensure your exec is properly informed.

EXTRA BUSINESS CARDS

An obvious item but one that’s commonly forgotten!

LOCATIONS FOR SMALL MEETINGS & ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS

These apps identify and reserve on-demand meeting space:

Ninja Tip: Walk Score will tell you if they need to travel by car to get there.

DRESS CODE FOR MEETINGS & SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS

From casual to white tie, this attire guide breaks it down for you.

HEALTHY SNACKS FOR HEAVY MEETING DAYS

Try these healthy options:

• Love With Food
• Quest Nutrition Protein Bars and Chips
• And don’t forget mints , pocketmist , gum , or breath spray

Financial Considerations

CORPORATE CREDIT CARDS

Remind your exec of these tips for traveling with plastic overseas.

CLEAR, ZIPPERED ENVELOPES

Pouches  for receipts and small miscellaneous items.

EXPENSES REPORTS OR APP

Blank expense reports or ensure that your office’s expense reporting app has been downloaded to your boss’s phone.

Ninja Tip: Download an app that lets your boss scan documents or receipts and save them as PDFs, such as Tiny Scanner , Smart Receipts , Expensify , Abacus , or Shoeboxed .

CURRENCY CONVERSION APP

Download a currency conversion app to your boss’s phone for international travel. Popular options include XE Currency , Currency Converter , and Convert Pad .

Local Points of Interest

HIGHLY REVIEWED BARS AND RESTAURANTS

Check Yelp , Opentable , TripAdvisor , and Zagat before providing your exec with recommendations.

STORES THAT SELL SOUVENIRS AND COLLECTORS’ ITEMS

Ninja Tip: Does your exec’s loved one have an affinity for snow globes or any other trinket? Let your boss know where he/she can purchase these personal items. Boom. You’re now a hero to your boss.

ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES WITHIN WALKING OR SHORT DRIVING DISTANCE

• Parks and historical monuments
• Museums and theaters
• Fun/quirky exhibits

Ninja Tip: Check out AroundMe for nearby amenities.

There you have it, Ninjas! The Ultimate Exec Travel Packet. Let’s recap:

The Ultimate Exec Travel Packet:

• Travel itinerary
• Luggage tags
• Maps and detailed directions
• Loyalty membership numbers
• Parking info and costs
• Local host contact info
• Local spots to decompress
• Travel dictionaries & phrasebooks
• Protocol for last-minute itinerary changes
• Provide travel itinerary to exec’s family/partner

MEETING PREP

• Brief bios on meeting attendees
• Notes on business etiquette (for international travel)
• Extra business cards
• Locations for small meetings and one-on-one conversations
• Dress code for meetings and social engagements
• Healthy snacks for heavy meeting days

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Corporate credit cards
• Clear, zippered envelopes
• Expense reports or app
• Currency conversion app

LOCAL POINTS OF INTEREST

• Highly reviewed bars and restaurants
• Stores that sell souvenirs and collectors’ items
• Attractions and activities within walking or short driving distance

Do you have any additional items or Ninja Tips to add to the Ultimate Exec Travel Packet? Leave your ideas in the comments section!

I provide full itineraries for any of my traveling staff via PDF to their email. This way, they can have it on their smart phone, iPad, etc., as well as providing copies to family as needed. I post a copy in my office so when someone asks “Where is _____?” I don’t have to go searching. The itineraries always have all flight details, any car rental info, hotel confirmation numbers, any necessary phone numbers, email addresses, addresses for the offices/conference centers, etc. When I have multiple staff traveling to the same place from different locations, everyone has the full itinerary of arriving/departing flights so they know they can meet up at the airport and share a cab or a car. I’ve spoiled everyone with the itineraries. I even do them for myself when I travel.

Spoken like a true Ninja! It definitely sounds like those spoil your team… who knows what they would do if you set them up with some apps too! Do you start each itinerary from scratch for each trip, or keep a template somehow?

I use a 8 1/2 by 11 clear envelope for our CEO and put a copy of his flight itinerary on one side and his hotel on the other. This way he never has to open the envelope but flips from airport side to hotel side until he arrives. When he gets there, he pulls out the hotel portion and behind it is all his papers for his conference/meeting. He slips all his receipts in the envelope throughout the trip and brings the envelope back to me when he returns to fill out his reimbursement. I recently filled out a more detailed one page itinerary for another one of our executives with all her information of where she needed to be – flight numbers, hotel details etc. She preferred this method and I sold her on the clear envelope to carry everything in.

Great tip. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

This is what I do, Lisa.

This is great! Thank you :)

You’re welcome, Carole! How often do you plan business travel?

Comments are closed.

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Working with a busy Executive who is continually travelling can be an all-consuming task for Executive Assistants, especially when they have a lot of additional tasks that need their attention.

Managing complex travel itineraries for Executive Assistants and Personal Assistants is a must-have skill. Here, at Practically Perfect PA, we have plenty of travel management tips for Executive Assistants that will help you plan every business trip down to the finest detail.

These travel management tips for Executive Assistants will give you plenty of ideas that really will help even the busiest Executive stay organised when travelling for business. Our guides include travel management tools and technology, hotel booking and planning itineraries.

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Issue: July / August 2015

An Admin’s Guide to Travel Planning

By Julie Perrine / July 25, 2015

From apps to stats, Julie Perrine takes us on a journey and shares her guide to travel planning

As an administrative professional, it’s your responsibility to make your executive’s professional life easier. This probably isn’t an issue when your executive is sitting nearby at their desk, but it gets a little more complicated when he or she has to travel.

Making travel arrangements for your executive and keeping him or her as productive and stress-free as possible on the road requires planning. There are a lot of details to figure out, reservations to make, and schedules to coordinate. And even if you plot out every last detail of the trip, there’s still no guarantee your executive won’t experience a travel snag. So the best thing you can do is be as organized as possible, and be ready to solve travel problems in the moment.

But how do you do that?

These best practices will help make the travel planning process before, during and after a trip as simple and stress-free as possible.

Develop travel planning templates and checklists

My travel planning documents are some of the most useful tools in the travel planning process. One of my main motivations for creating a lot of these travel forms, templates, and checklists is because I forgot (or was afraid I would forget) an important detail in the travel planning process. In these instances, I was forced to resolve issues on the fly as my executive was checking into a hotel, boarding a plane, or renting a car. It was stressful for my executive and me, so I sought out ways to prevent mistakes or oversights from happening again.

The primary documents I developed to keep me on track include: a traveler profile form, a travel planning intake checklist, and a travel itinerary template.

Traveler profile form

The traveler profile form is a single page document that includes all of the contact information for each traveler I supported. It includes their name, title, employee ID and other related work contact details, as well as their home contact information. The form has a section for airline preferences, including frequent flier numbers and status, seat preferences, and meal requests. There are also sections for car rental memberships, hotel preferences, and passport and citizenship details. This was a helpful form for my travel agent and any assistants who filled in for me while I was out of the office.

Traveler planning intake checklist

The travel planning intake checklist is a multiple page form that includes sections for commercial or charter flight arrangements, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, dining reservations, meeting or event details, and room for additional notes. Each section also includes related details that need to be handled, and specific questions to ask the traveler to ensure all of the relevant information is successfully captured. This checklist kept me on top of all of the details related to each trip my executive took.

Travel itinerary template

The travel itinerary template is the ultimate document in summarizing, verifying and creating order out of all of the planning details. To effectively organize all the details, you need a travel itinerary template that you use consistently. Don’t ask your travelers if they want one – just do it! You’ll save them a lot of time and hassle in sorting through multiple documents or scrolling through multiple emails to find the information they need while they are traveling.

If you haven’t done a lot of travel planning, one of the first things I encourage you to do is think chronologically. What is the order of events for your traveler throughout their trip? This will help you get all of the necessary arrangements made from the start (flights, ground transportation, hotel, meals, meetings etc).

If you need some help getting started, download my travel itinerary template at www.AllThingsAdmin.com/free-templates . It’s designed to cover all of the basic details that need to be included on an itinerary for a traveling executive. Not every trip requires airline travel. Not every trip requires rental cars. It may change from trip to trip and traveler to traveler. Remain flexible. Customize your template to make it fit your executive’s specific travel needs.

Treat the compilation of the itinerary as though you are the traveler

Include all the traditional information, such as flight, hotel, and car rental details, as well as additional, useful information, including driving directions, dining options, and entertainment venues.

Even if your executive prefers to have everything available electronically when they travel, a printed travel itinerary can save the day when their internet connection is bad or their phone battery dies. It’s also a valuable resource for you to keep printed and accessible at all times so you have all of the details and phone numbers you need at your fingertips if they call and need help navigating a travel snag.

Finally, before you give your executive the itinerary, make sure to proofread it. There are a lot of details in there and you don’t want to mistakenly throw your executive off with a typo.

A travel itinerary is a valuable resource that helps ensure you and your executive are on the same page for the duration of the trip, and that it’s as productive and smooth as possible.

Develop a relationship with a travel agency

Travel agents are an admin’s best friend when it comes to figuring out trip details and making reservations, especially for complex travel itineraries. They have extensive knowledge of the travel industry and frequently have access to tickets, suppliers and prices that are unavailable online.

But to get the most out of this resource, you need to develop a long-term relationship with a local travel agent or agency affiliated with a national brand. This ensures you’ll have a trusted, reliable travel advisor who can offer assistance and access online money-saving booking tools. My travel agents have saved my executives, former employers, and me a lot of money throughout the years. They’ve corrected mistakes, secured better seats at better prices, and saved the day on more than one occasion.

Most travel agencies charge a ticketing fee to assist with booking tickets, but I look at it as “travel insurance” if things go bad. That fee means I have my travel agent on standby on the other end of the phone line if my traveler encounters a travel issue of any sort. They typically have more resources and expertise in resolving the issue more quickly and effectively than I could ever do on my own. However, this fee means a travel agent might not always be the cheapest option for a trip.

So, when do you call the agent and when do you go it alone?

Use a travel agent for:.

• First-class travel
• Refundable tickets
• International travel
• Multi-stop trips
• A trip that requires research to figure out the best options at the executive’s destination.

Book it yourself for:

• Coach tickets
• Non-refundable tickets
• Personal travel
• Repeat itineraries

A travel agent’s ticket fee can be worth it if you consider the time, stress and hassle you save by having someone else do the research and booking for you. An agent also gives you and your executive some reassurance that he/she won’t be stuck in an airport or bad hotel, or over pay for a trip.

Preparing your executive before, during and after a trip

As an admin, there are several things you can do before, during and after a trip occurs to help your executives be as prepared and efficient as possible.

Before your executive departs, create a travel folder with a copy of their printed itinerary, envelopes for travel receipts, and any important travel documents or meeting materials he or she will need while traveling. Make sure their mobile office is ready for travel by replenishing business cards, batteries, basic office supplies, and other consumables. Create a checklist to ensure your executive always leaves with all of the cords, adapters, flash drives, computers, phones, tablets and presentation tools he or she will need. Discuss how you can best assist him or her during travel so you both have the same expectations of how communication and work will flow in their absence.

Learn as much as you can about your traveler’s destination in advance of their trip.

• What is the local currency?
• What is the local time zone?
• Will they need power adapters for electrical cords?
• What local laws or cultures does your traveler need to be aware of?
• What diseases are common for area(s) that will be visited?
• Is the area prone to natural disasters or pests that can pose a travel risk?
• Are there security warnings in effect?
• Does your traveler’s health insurance provide international coverage?
• Does your traveler’s mobile phone plan provide coverage (especially for international travel)?

If vaccinations or medications are required for the trip, your traveler may need to visit a doctor who specializes in travel health four to eight weeks before their departure. If your traveler is traveling internationally, locate the contact information for your country’s local embassy or consulate in the destination country.

While your executive is away, communication is key

Be sure you’re clear on their preferred method of connecting – phone, email, texting etc. What types of updates do they want and how often? Are you able to share their travel details with others internally or is it strictly confidential? It’s also a good idea to catch up on your executive’s filing and cleaning their office so things are neat and tidy when he or she returns. Ask yourself, “What would make their re-entry process as smooth as possible upon their return?” Then take care of as many of those details as you can.

When your executive returns to the office, the first thing you should do is retrieve their travel folder

Be sure all travel receipts are in it. Note any important details required for submitting their expense report. Then process the expense report as soon as possible so your executive gets reimbursed in a timely manner. Replenish any mobile office supplies that are low so you’re both ready for the next trip. Review any outstanding voice messages, emails, or other important updates with your executive. Finally, ask him or her if everything worked well during the trip, including flights, transportation and accommodations. Find out what you can adjust or change for the next trip, and update your travel planning notes accordingly.

You also need to pay attention to your executive’s health after the trip. If your executive isn’t feeling well, he or she should see their doctor and alert him or her of their recent travels. People visiting areas prone to malaria should continue taking their anti-malaria medications upon their return to prevent infection. Malaria symptoms can take up to a year to appear, so tell your executive to seek medical attention if he or she feels sick.

Technology is your friend

There are countless travel planning resources and apps available online and for download on your mobile device. Travel sites, such as Frommer’s and Fodor’s, can provide valuable travel insights on everything from the best time to book airfares to specific destination information. Travel apps like TripIt and GateGuru can make the process a little more manageable and a lot less stressful.

Here are some travel app categories that you should research, download and test out. If you like how they work and find them helpful, then install them on your traveler’s devices before their next trip:

• Trip planning apps (eg TripIt, SeatGuru)
• Airline apps
• Flight tracking apps (eg Flight Aware, Flight Tracker)
• Ground transportation apps
• Restaurant and dining apps
• Currency converter apps
• Cities regularly traveled to
• Time zone apps
• Weather apps
• Connectivity and sharing apps (eg Skype, Evernote, GoToMeeting)
• Translation apps
• Dictation apps (eg Dragon Dictation)
• Book reading apps
• Movie watching apps
• Social media apps

How to stay current as a travel planner

The travel industry is changing and evolving all of the time. So it’s important for admins to develop best practices for coordinating travel and engage with staying current as a travel planner. Here are some ways you can do that.

1 Read travel websites, blogs, e-newsletters and magazines

You need to be educated on what tools exist to help you successfully accomplish your job as a travel planner. There are a wealth of resources out there and many of them are at your fingertips – quite literally. Figure out which ones work best for the types of travel you coordinate and use them!

2 Connect with travel planning experts and service providers on social media

When you come across a new travel resource in your reading, connect with them on social media. Search Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the airlines, ground transportation companies, hotels and other travel resources you already use. Then “like”, follow or connect with them so you can stay up-to-date on the latest news, trends and tips.

3 Attend events and conferences

There are numerous events and conferences held annually that are hosted by travel or trade groups. Watch for them and attend when possible. Some of these organizations also offer free or low-cost online training with industry experts.

4 Do internet research

If you have a burning travel question, do an internet search and see what you can learn on your own. There are countless travel review sites that often have first-hand advice and tips from experienced travelers.

5 Ask your travel agent

Travel agencies make sure their agents are subject matter experts on destinations around the world. Reputable agencies regularly invest in training their agents and sending them to the destinations so they can share first-hand experiences with you. Tap into their wealth of knowledge and expand yours at the same time.

6 Ask other travelers

Never underestimate the advice of other travelers. Ask as many people as you can about their experiences, what they enjoyed, what they’d do again and what to avoid.

7 Travel yourself!

Travel is one of the best ways to become a better travel planner. It gives you a new appreciation for the details that go into the planning process. You gain a new respect for the stress that is associated with various types of travel. And it helps you understand just how important your role is in planning and preparing for each trip your executive takes.

If doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to travel planning or you’re a seasoned pro, coordinating travel for your executives can be challenging. By implementing some of these best practices, tips and advice, your confidence will increase. Your skills will improve. And you will make your travel planning responsibilities less stressful, more enjoyable and downright fun!

Put online travel planning resources to use

The web is a valuable source for travel information – whether you want to make reservations, get recommendations or learn more about a particular destination.

Below are some of the online resources I’ve come to rely on for travel planning. Make a point to visit each site. Explore what each has to offer. Sign up for their free newsletters. Visit them regularly to become familiar with the ins and outs of travel planning. You’ll become more knowledgeable and gain confidence in your abilities. Your executives will appreciate the value added support.

Frommers ( frommers.com )

Frommers has destination info, hotels, trip ideas, deals, news, tips and tools, blogs, member forums, and more!

TripIt ( tripit.com )

With the simple forward of an email, you can turn your flight, hotel, and rental car information into a mobile travel itinerary that organized everything in one convenient location. All of the trip details are accessible from mobile devices or can be printed for your traveler to have in hand.

Landlopers ( landlopers.com )

Explore destinations worldwide, find great restaurants, and research the best means of transportation (planes, trains, ships). Check out their “top travel tips” page – specifically the “top travel apps.”

Smart Women Travelers ( smartwomentravelers.com )

If you support female travelers, there are a lot of very good tips and ideas for staying safe, efficient, and productive while on the road.

Christopher Elliott ( elliott.org )

Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate, multimedia journalist and professional speaker known for his practical advice and creative solutions to customer-service problems primarily in the travel industry.

SeatGuru ( seatguru.com )

Ever had one of your travelers complain about their airline seat size, location, or legroom? SeatGuru includes more than 700 airplane seatmaps from nearly 100 different airlines.

FlightStats ( flightstats.com )

Track flights, view airport delay information, find out what the weather is like in the destination city, setup alerts, and much more. This site can help you troubleshoot potential delays before they ever occur with a few mouse clicks.

The Schengen Visa ( schengenvisainfo.com )

A Schengen Visa makes it easier for a traveler to travel between its 26 member countries. This site explains everything you need to know about the visa, including how to apply for one.

Limolink ( limolink.com )

Reserve chauffeured limo or car service in cities around the world. This site allows you to locate providers and book reservations.

Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands

This book by Terri Morrison and Wayne Conaway is a great read on how to do business in different countries and abide by international customs.

Travel Weekly ( TravelWeekly.com )

Travel Weekly delivers late-breaking news, analysis and research on the travel industry. It provides travel planners with a global perspective through in-depth coverage of airlines, car rentals, cruises, destinations, hotels and tour operator as well as technology, economic and governmental issues.

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8 comments on “ an admin’s guide to travel planning ”.

Hello, Thank you so much for this article! I started a new job as a Travel Coordinator at a Tech Company in February and I’m still learning the ropes. Essentially, I’m an administrative assistant that books a lot of travel. I’m not certified as a travel agent but the core of my job is booking travel. I mostly book through third-party sites like Expedia, Google Flights, etc. I was wondering if you had any advice on using a travel agent or becoming certified myself. Do you think it would help?

This is such a useful article – thanks!! I’m organising a complex trip through my work which has involved many inter changing flights which i booked myself but now wish i’d gone through an agent as i’m worried about delays etc. I will ensure my colleagues have the necessary travel insurance in place. The Flight apps are very useful so i will make sure i set up alerts on all flights so I can keep track!!

Great info. I am just starting to plan trips for guest speakers, so this is extremely helpful. Thanks!

This is a great article, thank you for putting so much useful information in one place. A great site I don’t see mentioned is https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ especially when looking for the most economical route as it allows you to choose multiple cities in an area and dates of travel.

[…] An Admin’s Guide to Travel Planning – … – As an administrative professional, it’s your responsibility to make your executive’s professional life easier. This probably isn’t an issue when your … […]

I totally agree with that statement that technology is your friend. It’s so true that there many travel planning resources that exist. You just have to do a little research to find them.

That’s wonderful, thank you for putting in every small thing in detail. Yes totally agree that technology is our friend, and as busy professionals & entrepreneurs it becomes difficult sometimes to plan for proper time management. I have used Habiliss virtual assistant services to plan-up few of my trips in India and all I would want to say is ‘Incredible India!’

Wonderful guide! Thank you for sharing it with us!

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The Elite Executive Assistants

Amplify your passions and learn for life

3 Must-Have Travel Profile Forms

October 10, 2022

Want to know the 3 Must-Have Executive Travel Profile Forms that every Executive Assistant should have? These are three tested and approved Travel Profile Forms you need to know about.

Most Executive Clients will eventually have Travel on their Agenda, which they want you to plan and organize for them. Travel Profile Forms are convenient and will keep you and your Client organized during domestic and international air travel.

Having experienced clients myself who have been traveling regularly, I created 3 Travel Profile Forms, which you can print out and fill in or further customize in Adobe Illustrator. You can use the domestic or International version, with includes an Itinerary.

After using and perhaps further customizing these Travel Profile Forms, you will be a pro, and your client will be ready for travel in no time.

This post is all about customizable Executive Travel Profile Forms that every Executive Assistant should have. Please click the Headings below to download the free PDFs. 

Free Executive Travel Profile Forms

1. travel itinerary   (domestic).

The Domestic Travel Profile Form includes a Pre-Travel checklist to ensure important documents and other must-haves will make it into your client’s suitcase.

2. Travel Itinerary (International)

The Internation Travel Profile Form version includes a more elaborate Pre-Travel checklist.

3. Travel Profile Form

Keep your client’s information all in one space. You can also upload this form to your digital list-making application, such as Trello, or just print it out and keep it in your client’s binder.

This Form is also very useful to give to your client at the beginning of your work engagement so that you will have all the necessary travel information for later on.

Tripit is an application I enjoy and recommend using for Travel Planning, especially if the travel is more extensive and/or of personal nature.

Tripit offers these Templates to travel agencies/vendors for their customers. I find them very useful as a Template for my client’s personalized travel agendas.

This Post was all about Travel Profile Forms, which help you to be as prepared as possible when organizing your client’s travel.

Welcome! I am Mel, and I have been an Executive Assistant/Virtual Assistant for over 20 years. I genuinely love this profession and am excited to share my professional and personal experience with you. The Elite Executive Assistants is a platform that aims to inspire, support, and educate the Executive Assistants Community in their vigorous & significant Roles. We thrive when our CEO’S & Executive Leaders thrive, and our supportive force, empowers them and their businesses to be successful.

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Executive Assistant Travel Itinerary Template

Executive assistants play a critical role in supporting their executives while they are traveling. In order to help ensure that their executives have a successful trip, executive assistants need to create an accurate and detailed travel itinerary.

A good executive assistant travel itinerary template will include all of the necessary information about the trip, including the dates, the purpose of the trip, the hotels or other accommodations that have been booked, and the flights or other transportation that will be used. It is also helpful to include information about any special events or meetings that will be taking place during the trip.

Executive assistants should always work with their executives to ensure that the travel itinerary is tailored to their specific needs and that it meets all of the necessary requirements. By taking the time to create a detailed and accurate travel itinerary, executive assistants can help to ensure that their executives have a successful and productive trip.

• 1 How do you create an executive itinerary?
• 2 How do I write a travel itinerary?
• 3 How do I write an itinerary for a business trip?
• 4 How do you make an itinerary step by step?
• 5 How should an executive assistant plan a trip?
• 6 How do you coordinate travel arrangements for executives?
• 7 What are the 3 types of itinerary?

How do you create an executive itinerary?

An executive itinerary is a document that outlines the specific details of a business trip or vacation for a high-level executive. It can include everything from the flight itinerary and hotel reservations to a schedule of activities and meeting agendas. Creating an executive itinerary can be a time-consuming task, but it’s worth it to ensure that your executive has a smooth, stress-free trip.

There are a few things to keep in mind when creating an executive itinerary. First, it’s important to be as organized as possible and to think ahead. The itinerary should be tailored to the executive’s specific needs and interests, and it should be as concise as possible. Second, it’s important to be sensitive to the executive’s time constraints. Make sure that you allow enough time for each activity, and be mindful of the fact that the executive may need to travel between different locations quickly.

When putting together an executive itinerary, there are a few key components that you’ll need to include. The first is the flight itinerary. This should include the dates, times, and airports of all of the executive’s flights. You’ll also need to include the contact information for the airlines and any other relevant parties.

The next section of the itinerary should outline the executive’s hotel reservations. This should include the name of the hotel, the dates of the stay, and any special requests (such as a room with a view or a king-sized bed).

The next section should include a schedule of activities for the trip. This should include both business and leisure activities, and it should be tailored to the executive’s interests. If possible, try to schedule activities that are close to each other so that the executive doesn’t have to travel between locations frequently.

Finally, the itinerary should include a section on meeting agendas. This should include the date, time, and location of each meeting, as well as a brief description of the meeting agenda.

When creating an executive itinerary, it’s important to be as organized as possible and to think ahead. By taking the time to create a detailed itinerary, you can ensure that your executive has a smooth, stress-free trip.

How do I write a travel itinerary?

Planning a trip can be overwhelming. There are so many things to consider: what to see and do, where to stay, what to pack. But one of the most important aspects of trip planning is creating a travel itinerary.

A travel itinerary is a document that outlines your planned activities for each day of your trip. It can be as simple or detailed as you like, but having one is important so you can make sure you see everything you want to and avoid overlap or missed opportunities.

Here are a few tips on how to create your own travel itinerary:

1. Decide what you want to see and do. This may be determined by your destination, or it may be more general. For example, if you’re visiting New York City, you may want to focus on specific attractions like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, or you may want to focus on certain areas of the city like SoHo or the Upper East Side. If you’re more general, you may want to focus on types of activities, like sightseeing, museum-going, or shopping.

2. Create a rough schedule. Once you know what you want to do, start creating a rough schedule of when you want to do it. This doesn’t have to be set in stone, and you can always change it later, but it’s helpful to have a plan to start with.

3. Add in travel time. When planning your schedule, remember to add in travel time between attractions. This is especially important if your destinations are spread out or if you’re visiting a city with a lot of traffic.

4. Use online resources. There are a number of online resources available to help you plan your trip, including websites that list attractions by city or country.

5. Make adjustments as you go. As you’re actually travelling, you may find that you want to spend more or less time at certain attractions, or that you want to explore an area that you didn’t plan to visit. That’s perfectly okay – just make the necessary adjustments to your itinerary.

A travel itinerary doesn’t have to be perfect, and it’s always okay to change your plans as you go. But having one will help ensure you see everything you want to on your trip.

How do I write an itinerary for a business trip?

A well-planned business trip can make all the difference for a successful outcome. Part of that planning process is creating an itinerary. An itinerary outlines the specifics of your trip, including your flight, hotel, and meeting schedule. It can also help ensure that you don’t miss any important details or appointments.

There are a few things to keep in mind when creating an itinerary for a business trip. First, make sure to research your destination and confirm the dates and times of your meetings. Next, schedule your flights and hotel reservations. If you’re driving to your destination, make sure to map out the route and include rest stops and gas stations. Finally, be sure to pack your luggage and print out copies of your itinerary for each person traveling with you.

When creating your itinerary, it’s important to be as specific as possible. Include the addresses and phone numbers of your meeting locations, as well as the addresses and phone numbers of your hotel and the airport. You may also want to include a schedule of your activities for each day. This will help you stay organized and make the most of your time.

A well-planned business trip can help you make the most of your time and ensure a successful outcome. By creating an itinerary, you can ensure that you don’t miss any important details or appointments.

How do you make an itinerary step by step?

When planning a trip, one of the first things you’ll need to do is create an itinerary. This document will outline your planned route, what you’ll be doing each day, and where you’ll be staying.

There are a few things to keep in mind when creating an itinerary. First, make sure your plans are realistic. You don’t want to try and fit too much into a short trip, or stretch yourself too thin on a longer one. Secondly, be sure to factor in travel time between destinations. And finally, leave some room for spontaneous adventures and changes of plan.

If you’re not sure how to get started, here’s a step-by-step guide on creating an itinerary:

1. Choose your destination(s).

The first step is to decide where you want to go. Once you have a destination in mind, you can start researching things to do and places to stay.

2. Create a rough outline of your trip.

Now that you know where you’re going, it’s time to create a rough outline of your trip. This will include the different places you’ll be visiting and what you’ll be doing in each location.

3. Make a list of must-see attractions.

Once you have a general idea of your trip, start making a list of must-see attractions. These are the places you don’t want to miss, no matter what.

4. Research transportation options.

Next, you’ll need to research transportation options between destinations. This will help you determine how much time you’ll need for each leg of your trip.

5. Make a schedule.

Now that you have all the information, it’s time to put it all together into a schedule. This will help you make sure you’re hitting all the important points, while still leaving room for spontaneity.

6. Finalize your plans.

Once you have a final itinerary, be sure to double check the details and make any necessary adjustments. Then, all that’s left is to pack and go!

How should an executive assistant plan a trip?

As an executive assistant, you may be responsible for planning and arranging travel for your boss. Here are some tips for making the process as smooth as possible.

1. Start by gathering all the necessary information. This includes the dates of the trip, the purpose of the trip, and any specific requirements or requests your boss may have.

2. Next, research different options for travel. This may include flights, hotels, and car rentals.

3. Once you have selected a travel option, book it and send your boss a confirmation.

4. Make sure to also arrange any necessary transportation or visas.

5. Finally, pack your boss’s luggage and help them get ready for the trip.

How do you coordinate travel arrangements for executives?

Making travel arrangements for a business executive can be a daunting task. There are many things to consider, such as flight schedules, hotel reservations, and meeting agendas. Here are a few tips to help make the process easier.

First, start by gathering all of the information you need. This includes the executive’s travel dates, flight information, hotel reservations, and any other important details. Once you have all of this information, create a spreadsheet or document that will help you track everything.

Next, start lining up flight and hotel reservations. Try to book flights that are as close to each other as possible, and make sure to reserve hotel rooms near the executive’s meeting locations.

Finally, be sure to send all of the travel information to the executive well in advance. This will give them time to review the itinerary and make any necessary changes.

By following these tips, you can help ensure that the executive’s travel arrangements are smooth and stress-free.

What are the 3 types of itinerary?

There are three types of itinerary: the self-guided tour, the group tour, and the tailor-made tour. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The self-guided tour is the cheapest option. You can plan it yourself, and you don’t have to rely on a tour guide. This option is best for people who want to explore a city at their own pace and on their own schedule. However, you will need to do some research to find out where the attractions and restaurants are located.

The group tour is a good option if you want to meet new people and explore a city with a group of people. The disadvantage is that you have to follow the tour guide’s schedule, and you might not have enough time to explore on your own.

The tailor-made tour is the most expensive option, but it is also the most flexible. You can choose the date, the length, and the activities of the tour. The disadvantage is that it is more expensive than the other two options.

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Travel Itineraries: Effectively Organizing Executive Travel

May 15, 2015 | Organization , Travel Planning

Think Chronologically If you haven’t done a lot of travel planning in the past, one of the first things I encourage you to do is think chronologically. What is the order of events for your traveler throughout their trip? This will help you get all of the arrangements made that are required from the start (flights, ground transportation, hotel, meals, meetings, etc.).

Use This Travel Itinerary Template My travel itinerary template is designed to cover all of the basic details that need to be included on an itinerary for a traveling executive. Not every trip requires airline travel. Not every trip requires rental cars.  It may change from trip to trip and traveler to traveler. Remain flexible.  Customize this template to make it fit more specifically to your executive’s specific travel needs.  Join the Online Training Center to download your copy now .

Here are some tips to get you started:

• All of the items in blue or with blanks are the details you’ll need to insert or fill in as appropriate for each trip.
• If you have executives that travel frequently to the same places, save their past travel itineraries.  Open the most recent version, update with the new date and travel details without having to recreate the entire document each time they travel. It’s a huge time saver!
• Print a final copy for your executive and a copy for your file so you have the same information if they need travel assistance while they are gone. If appropriate, you can also print an additional copy for the traveler’s family so they know where they’ll be and when as well.
• If your executives have e-tickets for their flights, print a copy of the flight reservation from your travel agency or online booking service and staple it to the back of the itinerary just in case there are any issues when they check-in at the airport.

Each time you need to create an itinerary, follow these steps to update the template with your executive’s travel information.

1.  Personalize the header  information on the template:

• Include your executive’s name and your company name.
• Insert your company’s name/logo.
• Update the travel dates.
• Do this on the first page and also in the header so it prints on any additional pages of the document if your itinerary is more than one page long.

2.  Update/add all airline  information:

• Delete all previous times on the itinerary template.
• Update all airline information requested on the template: dates, times, flight numbers, airline 800 numbers, travel agency numbers, and any information that might be needed while traveling.

3.  Update the ground transportation  information:

• Be sure to include car service info or shuttle/taxi contact numbers.
• List on the itinerary where the car service or shuttle will pick up the passenger.
• Include the confirmation number.

4.  Update the  hotel  information:

• Be sure there is a contact number to reach the hotel.
• Include street address and any applicable driving directions necessary.
• Include the confirmation number and room rate.

5.  Insert all pertinent meeting information  in order of dates/times.

• Make sure to reference which time zone the time is listed in. (Tip: Visit  timeanddate.com/time/ to find out which time zone abbreviations apply at various times of the year.)
• Include conference number dial in and passcode information in case their flights are delayed and they need to join the meeting from their cell phone until they arrive at the meeting location. (Trust me, it happens!)

6.  Check each section of the itinerary for information that needs to be updated.

7.  Treat the compilation of the itinerary as though you were the traveler. What additional information would you want to know?

• Driving directions.
• Restaurant options and/or locations.
• Entertainment venues.

8.  Proofread the completed itinerary. There are a lot of details here. Make sure you proof it well.

How to Name Your Itinerary Files To keep your electronic files organized nicely, here’s an example of a file naming convention for travel itineraries. Note: XXXXXX = the six-digit date

XXXXXX – Location – Name or Initials of Traveler (i.e.  073015 – Tampa FL – JLP)

XXXXXX – Location Event Name of Traveler (i.e. 073015 – Tampa FL IAAP Conv JLP)

In these examples, the beginning date of the trip is July 30, 2015.  The destination was Tampa, Florida for an IAAP convention. The traveler’s initials were JLP.

When using dates in your file names, consider using full six-digit dates so they always align in order by date. You may also consider starting with a two-digit or four-digit year, so you can find things by the year, then the month and day. Using the same sample data from above, that would look like this:  2015 0730 Tampa FL JLP.

It may take a few minutes to assemble the information, but sending your executive on business travel with an itinerary is a huge  value-add you can provide your executive(s) and your team as an administrative professional.

What are some of your travel planning secrets for keeping your executive’s travel efficient and organized? Share your ideas with us on our  Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn pages.

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Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, is the founder and CEO of All Things Admin, providing training, mentoring and resources for administrative professionals worldwide. Julie applies her administrative expertise and passion for lifelong learning to serving as an enthusiastic mentor, speaker and author who educates admins around the world on how to be more effective every day. Learn more about Julie’s books —  The Innovative Admin : Unleash the Power of Innovation in Your Administrative Career and  The Organized Admin : Leverage Your Unique Organizing Style to Create Systems, Reduce Overwhelm, and Increase Productivity, and  Become a Procedures Pro : The Admin’s Guide to Developing Effective Office Systems and Procedures. 

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Executive Assistant Templates

Browse our executive assistant templates below:.

Executive Assistant Daily Checklist

Our most popular free resource is our Executive Assistant Daily Checklist. It is a simple spreadsheet which lists the most common tasks an executive assistant will need to perform each day.

Executive Meeting Agenda Template

When you send a meeting invite, most recipients will expect to be able to review the agenda before attending the meeting. Use this meeting agenda template for you next meeting.

Minute Taking Template

One important role of an executive assistant is minute taking, and our template will ensure you capture all the important details so your executive can stay informed about what was discussed at every meeting.

Executive Assistant Email Signature Template

If you’re a new executive assistant, one of your first jobs will be to setup your email signatures, and possibly update the email signature of your manager as well. Use this template to save time and ensure your signature has all the important details. These will work for all the popular email clients, including Outlook and Gmail.

1:1 Meeting Template

Maximize the time spent 1:1 with your executive using our 1:1 meeting template. Our template ensures you discuss all the main topics you want to cover and can track the outcomes efficiently.

Executive Assistant Travel Itinerary Template

Managing an executives travel itenerary can be one of the more stressful tasks you’ll need to undertake as an Executive Assistant. One misstep, and it can all turn to shambles. Use our Executive Assistant Travel Itinerary Template to ensure all boxes are ticked.

Phone Messages Template

Ensure you capture all the important details of every phone call using our simple phone messages template.

Printable Executive Assistant Daily Checklist

Our printable Executive Assistant Daily Checklist is one of our most downloaded executive assistant templates. We update it frequently so get it today to ensure you get the latest version.

Cover Letter Template for Executive Assistants

If you’re applying for Executive Assistant jobs you’ll need both a CV and a cover letter. Use this cover letter template for Executive Assistants to ensure yours stands out from the crowd.

About our free Executive Assistant Templates...

Our Executive Assistant Daily Checklist helps to streamline your day to day operations as an executive assistant, and ensures all the essential daily tasks are completed.

Use this template if you want surety you are keeping on top of your daily responsibilities, keeping track of all appointments, and are ready for any upcoming events or meetings.

We find that those that make use of our daily checklist have increased productivity and are a little less stresses, which is what every executive assistant wants.

Our checklist is provided as a Google Sheets file that you can either duplicate for yourself, or download and edit as an Excel file. It can also be printed if you prefer a more hands-on approach.

Simply tick of each item on the checklist each day, and you’ll get a good sense of accomplishment of what has been done, and a clear view of what remains to be done.

Our Executive Assistant Meeting Agenda Template is provided as a Google Doc that can be duplicated into your own drive, or downloaded and edited or printed to suit your own needs.

We’ve found it to be an essential document when organizing efficient meetings as the executive level.

Our template helps you outline the key topics, discussions, and decision-making items that need to be addressed during an executive meeting.

An effective meeting is structured in a way that ensures all critical topics are covered in the allocated time. The agenda ensures there are clear objectives and a structed flow of the meeting. Using this template you can ensure that discussions remain focused and on track, and that every minute of the meeting is used productively.

Download our minute taking template if you need a tool designed to accurately record and document the proceedings of any meeting. It’ll capture the essence of the discussions, decisions made, and actions assigned.

Using this minute taking template will ensure that there is a clear and concise record for future reference.

Meeting Planning Checklist

Use our meeting planning checklist to ensure a thorough preparation and execution of a successfull meeting. This checklist serves as a step by step guide to ensure everything is considered and planned before, during, and after an executive level meeting.

We find people using this checklist avoid last-minute hassles which are a big source of stress in an executive assistants role – there is no worse feeling then not being prepared for gathering of executives.

An email signature provides essential contact information and represents yourself as the executive assistant and your executive in a polished and professional manner.

Within our template is your name, position, company, phone number, email address, company website, physical address, social media links, company logo, and room for a legal disclaimer or confidentiality note.

Download this template and remove what you don’t need, and keep what you do need. Then simply customize it to suite before uploading it into your email software.

1:1 meetings can often feel unproductive if you don’t approach it in a structured manner, which is why we have created our 1:1 meeting template for executive assistants.

This template helps in organizing the meeting’s content and ensuring that both parties benefit from the dedicated time to discuss progress, challenges, and development opportunities.

It serves as a tool to ensure that key topics such as project updates, feedback, career development, and personal concerns are addressed.

This travel itinerary template ensures that all travel components are clearly outlined, making trips smoother and more manageable for busy executives.

This template is used to consolidate travel details in a single, easily accessible document.

It includes all pertinent information regarding flights, accommodations, meetings, and other travel-related activities.

The aim is to provide the executive with a clear, concise itinerary that can be quickly referenced, ensuring they are always aware of their schedule and logistical details.

This template is particularly useful for executive assistants or office staff who often handle incoming calls and need to document messages for future action or reference.

It provides a consistent format for recording caller information, the essence of the message, and any required follow-up actions.

The Printable Executive Assistant Daily Checklist we provide is similar to our other daily checklist mentioned further up the page, but this one is in a ready-to-print format as an A4 PDF.

Print this double sided and tick through it each day to ensure you stay on top of tasks.

Executive Assistants using our Cover Letter Template will present themselves in a professional and polished manner, significantly enhancing their chances of making a positive impression on potential employers.

It ensures that their cover letter is well-organized, clearly articulates their qualifications, and demonstrates how they can add value to the organization.

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by Valerie Riley | Nov 23, 2021 | Blog , Executive Assistant

Creating a travel itinerary for your boss is one of the most important duties you’ll perform as an executive assistant. A well-organized travel itinerary can make an executive’s business trip and save them a great deal of stress and time. It also showcases your attention to detail and time management skills as an EA . 

Creating a travel itinerary is a lot of responsibility, even for the most experienced executive assistant. But not to worry, we’ll run you through exactly how to put together a successful itinerary for your boss.

Creating a Travel Itinerary for Your Boss

There’s a lot to keep in mind when planning a business trip for your boss. You have to book their flights and make hotel reservations. There’s creating daily agendas and aligning schedules. You will be combing through the small details and little extras. And even after you’ve done all of this, you need to be ready for problems or last-minute changes. There’s a lot to consider.

Discuss Their Travel Preferences

One of the first and most essential steps in creating a travel itinerary for your boss is understanding their personal travel preferences, especially if it’s your first time booking a trip for them. You want to be on the same page from the start.

Flight considerations:

• Do they have a preferred airline? Or do they collect air miles for a particular airline?
• What are their seating preferences? Do they expect to fly business class? Window or aisle? Front or back of the plane?
• What’s their in-flight meal preference? Do they have any food allergies?
• Are layovers okay, or should you pay more for direct flights?

Transportation preferences:

• What is their preferred transportation style? Do they like a hire car, private driver, rideshare service, or public transport?
• Should you book transportation in advance, or would they rather do it when they arrive?

Accommodation preferences:

• Do they prefer staying in a hotel or a rented apartment or condo?
• Any particular amenities they like to have? Such as an on-site restaurant, gym, pool, conference rooms, etc.
• Do they want breakfast included at the hotel, or will they eat out?

Additional things to know:

• Do they like to explore the city in their free time or do they like going back to their hotel to rest?
• Will they want you to book any additional activities?
• What about meals? Should you book business or personal dinners?
• Do they prefer a digital travel itinerary or a printed paper itinerary?
• Do they want a bare-bones itinerary or a super detailed itinerary?
• Does the company have any corporate discounts you can use?

You can find out your boss’s preferences by asking them directly, asking other colleagues, or asking their previous assistant. Keep a document with these details, so you can refer to it when booking future travel.

Know The Purpose Of The Trip

Once you know your boss’s general travel preferences, it’s time to get down to the specifics of their upcoming trip. 

Understand the trip’s purpose:

• What is the goal of the trip? Are they conducting research, attending a conference or business meeting, or pitching business to a client?
• If a lot is going on during the trip, what are your boss’s priorities?

The objective of the trip will largely dictate the itinerary and travel plans. For example, if your boss is trying to impress a prospective client, you may want to book a nice hotel close to the client’s office with an on-site bar for post-meeting drinks.

Know The Details

Creating a travel itinerary for your boss requires knowing exactly where they need to be and when. Once you know the key meetings and events, you can plan the rest of the itinerary around them. Be sure to note the time, date, and location of every meeting, appointment, and business dinner or event.

Make Note of Non-Work Related Requests

Even if your boss is going away on a business trip, they may also have other things they want to do in the place they’re visiting. Ask if they have any personal requests and factor these into the itinerary too.

Non-work requests may include:

• Meeting up with friends or family who live in the city
• Keeping up with their exercise routine
• Sightseeing and attractions
• Eating at certain restaurants
• Shop recommendations to buy gifts or souvenirs for their children

Creating the Actual Itinerary

Now that you know your boss’s preferences and the specific details of the trip, it’s time to create the travel itinerary.

Book From Door-to-Door

When you start booking, think about your boss’s journey from door to door. You’re not only securing the flight. You also need to reserve transport to and from the airport at each end. Put yourself into their shoes and think clearly about what they need at each stage of the journey.

Timing is Key

The when is just as important as the where and how when travel planning for your boss. Think about the time needed to get from A to B and factor it into the itinerary. Is there enough time for meals, filling in paperwork, or buying tickets on public transport? Make sure your boss doesn’t rush around at the last minute or show up late to important meetings.

• How long ahead of their flight do they need to arrive at the airport? 
• How long will it take them to get to the airport, accounting for potential traffic?
• How long will it take to get from their hotel to the client’s office?

Be Mindful of Small Details

“The devil is in the details” is a saying which particularly rings true when travel planning. It’s the small details that catch you out and cause the most significant problems. And as an executive assistant, it’s your job to be mindful of these small details when travel planning for your boss.

• Have you taken time zone differences into account?
• If your boss arrives before the hotel check-in time, will they store the luggage?
• Does the hotel have good Wi-Fi in the rooms?
• Do local buses take credit cards or will your boss need local currency?
• Is there a ‘Plan B’ if something goes wrong like a hotel cancellation or flight delay?
• How can you help from the office if your boss experiences a delay?

Think of ‘Little Extras’

Aside from the key travel plans, there are plenty of ‘little extras’ that will improve your boss’s trip and make you stand out as a fantastic executive assistant.

Extras to consider include::

• Putting together a packing list based on the local weather forecast
• Ordering extra business cards for the trip
• Downloading city guide apps or local transport apps onto their phone
• Compiling a list of restaurant recommendations
• Researching things to do during downtime
• Packing healthy snacks for the plane journey

Make Sure Travel Documents Are Updated

Don’t let all of your travel planning go to waste by letting your boss get to the airport with an expired Passport. While you’d like to think they keep these things up-to-date themselves, don’t take this for granted.

Before the trip, double-check:

• Are your boss’s passport and driver’s license expired?
• Is their travel insurance up-to-date?
• Do they need a Visa for traveling out of the country?
• Do they need any vaccinations for the country they’re visiting?

Stay Organized and Keep Details in One Place

The final travel itinerary you give to your boss should include all relevant travel documents and information in one centralized location. You can create a digital travel pack or a physical wallet. Or both if you want to be extra prepared.

The travel pack should include:

• A daily schedule with all locations and times
• Booking details for flights, hotel, and transport
• Contact numbers for the airline, hotel, and transport companies
• A list of names and phone numbers of your boss’s overseas contacts and any colleagues they’re traveling with
• Boarding passes
• Any necessary visas
• Insurance policy documents
• A copy of their passport and driver’s license
• A packing list based on the weather forecast
• Any extras, such as a map of the city or local restaurant and attraction recommendations

You could consider using a travel planning tool such as TripIt to help keep all of these details organized in one place.

Hire An Executive Assistant to Plan Your Next Business Trip

A well-planned travel itinerary can make or break a trip. If you’re looking for an assistant to plan your next business trip, LifeSquire can help. We help you find, interview, and train the ideal executive assistant. Contact us for more information.

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