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Essential Business Travel Itinerary Templates for Successful Trips

By October 27, 2018 December 29th, 2022 5 Comments

business-travel-itinerary-templates

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:

  • Travel/transportation times and details
    • 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.
    • Go above and beyond: If the executive you work with loves to have all the details, then include some of the bullets below in your itinerary. As you’ll see in our templates, we recommend subordinating many of these details to make the truly essential parts of the itinerary easy to skim.
      • 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.
    • Lodging-related times and details
      • Check-in and check-out times and dates and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
      • Go above and beyond: Some extra lodging details make an executive’s trip more enjoyable.
        • 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.
      • Day-to-day schedule details
        • 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.
        • Go above and beyond:
          • 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

Itinerary – Conference Title – Executive’s Name

Conference Dates
Conference Location

Travel and Transportation

Event Date Time Details Transit Time

OUTBOUND

Ex: Leave house for airport Ex: Via scheduled car
Ex: Plane takes off Ex: Seat 17A

INBOUND

EX: Leave hotel for airport
EX: Plane takes off

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Inbound flight number Ex: FlightXYZ
Ex: Inbound airport address Ex: 123 Airplane Avenue, Big Sky, CO
Ex: Confirmation email Ex: Copy and paste screenshot here

Lodging

Event Date Time Address
Ex: Check In
Ex: Check Out

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Hotel amenities Ex: Gym, Swedish spa, on-site massage therapist
Schedule
Day 1
Time/Timeframe Event Location
Ex: 6:00 AM Ex: Wake up Place – address
Ex: 6:30 – 7:30 AM Ex: Gym Place – address
Ex: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Ex: Conference sessions Place – address
Ex: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Ex: Networking lunch Place – address
Ex: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Ex: Leadership meeting Place – address
Ex: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Ex: Conference sessions Place – address
Ex: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Ex: Welcome dinner Place – address
Day 2
Time/Timeframe Event Location
 —
Day 3
Time/Timeframe Event Location

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: What to wear Ex: Business formal attire

 

Media Tour Itinerary

media-tour-itinerary-templates

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:

  • Travel/transportation times and details
    • 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.
    • Go above and beyond:
      • Last-minute transportation options. (Help executives avoid missed meetings by making sure they have backup options in case the planned transportation choice falls through.)
      • 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.)
      • Printed maps (downloaded from online tools) to use as a backup for cell-phone GPS in areas without reliable internet.
    • Lodging-related times and details
      • Check-in and check-out times and dates and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
      • Go above and beyond: Some extra lodging details make an executive’s trip more enjoyable.
        • Lodging amenities.
        • Transportation tips.
        • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails.
      • Detailed meeting schedule
        • Meeting times and locations.
        • Go above and beyond:
          • 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

Itinerary – Media Tour – Executive’s Name

Media Tour Dates Dates here
Media Tour Location Location here
Arrive via plane Date and time here
Depart via plan Date and time here
Hotel check-in Date and time here
Hotel check-out Date and time here
Meeting Schedule
Day 1
Meeting Start Finish Arriving Via Address
Media Outlet – Main Contact Ex: Car
Media Outlet – Main Contact Ex: Walk
Media Outlet – Main Contact Ex: Car
Media Outlet – Main Contact Ex: Walk
Day 2
Meeting Start Finish Arriving Via Address
Day 3
Meeting Start Finish Arriving Via Address

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Last-minute transport Ex: QwickCabXYZ [555-555-5555]

 

International Travel Itinerary

international-traveling-itinerary-templates

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:

  • Travel/transportation times and details
    • 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.
    • Go above and beyond:
      • 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.
      • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails and tickets.
      • Details for all terminals. (This is especially important for large international airports or train stations where terminals or gates can be miles apart.)
      • Printed maps (downloaded from online tools) to use as a backup for cell-phone GPS in areas without reliable internet.
  • Lodging-related times and details
    • Check-in and check-out times and dates and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
    • Go above and beyond: Some extra lodging details make an executive’s trip more enjoyable.
      • 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.
      • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails.
    • Day-to-day schedule.
      • Meeting times and locations.
      • Meal times and snack times.
      • Work windows.
      • Go above and beyond:
        • 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

Itinerary – International – Executive’s Name

Trip Dates Dates here
Destination Location here
Time Difference Hours ahead/behind
Travel and Transportation
Event Date Time Details Transit Time
OUTBOUND
Ex: Leave house for airport Ex: Train
Ex: Plane takes off Ex: Gate
Ex: Arrive at layover location Ex: Gate
Ex: Depart layover location Ex: Gate
Ex: Arrive at destination Ex: Ground transportation

INBOUND

Ex: Leave hotel for airport Ex: Ground transportation
Ex: Plane takes off Ex: Gate
Ex: Arrive at layover location Ex: Gate
Ex: Depart layover location Ex: Gate
Ex: Arrive at destination Ex: Train

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Helpful travel applications Ex: Gate Guru
Lodging
Event Date Time Address
Check In
Check Out

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Hotel amenities Ex: WiFi and spa
Schedule
Day 1
Time/Timeframe Event Location
Place – address
Place – address
Place – address
Place – address
Place – address
Place – address
Place – address
Day 2
Time/Timeframe Event Location
 —
Day 3
Time/Timeframe Event Location
 —
NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]
Ex: Communication tips

 

Sales Roadshow Travel Itinerary

sales-roadshow-itineary-templates

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

Must-have details for a sales roadshow itinerary:

  • Travel/transportation times and details.
    • 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?
    • Go above and beyond:
      • Parking details.
      • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails and tickets.
      • Printed maps (downloaded from online tools) to use as a backup for cell-phone GPS in areas without reliable internet.
    • Lodging-related times and details.
      • Include check in and check out times, dates, and also addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
      • Go above and beyond: Some extra lodging details make an executive’s trip more enjoyable.
        • Lodging amenities.
        • Transportation tips.
        • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails.
      • Day-to-day schedule.
        • Roadshow times and locations.
        • Meal times and snack times.
        • Go above and beyond:
          • 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

Itinerary – Sales Roadshow – Executive’s Name

Roadshow Dates

Dates here

Roadshow Location

Location here

Roadshow Schedule
Stop 1
Meeting Start Finish Arriving Via Address

Sales Target – Main Contact

Sales Target – Main Contact

Sales Target – Main Contact

Sales Target – Main Contact

Stop 2
Meeting Start Finish Arriving Via Address

Sales Target – Main Contact

Stop 2

Meeting

Start Finish Arriving Via Address

Sales Target – Main Contact

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Food stops along the itinerary

 

Personal Vacation Travel Itinerary

Travel-Itinerary-SnackNation

Even relaxed personal vacations can benefit from structured itineraries.

Must-have details for a personal vacation itinerary:

  • Travel/transportation times and details.
    • Include the trip’s overall arrival and departure times and essential transportation details.
    • Go above and beyond:
      • Parking details.
      • Screenshots or printed copies of confirmation emails and tickets
      • Printed maps (downloaded from online tools) to use as a backup for cell-phone GPS in areas without reliable internet.
    • Lodging-related times and details.
      • Include check in and check out times, dates, and addresses for all the trip’s lodging.
      • Go above and beyond: Some extra lodging details make an executive’s trip more enjoyable.
        • 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.
      • Go above and beyond:
        • Weather forecast and packing suggestions.
        • 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.
      • Schedule details.
        • Outline times and details for each day’s main entertainment/event.
        • Leave plenty of time for relaxing meals.
        • Go above and beyond:
          • 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

Itinerary – Personal Travel – Executive’s Name

Vacation Dates

Dates here

Destination

Location here

Travel and Transportation

Event

Date

Time

Details

Transit Time

OUTBOUND

INBOUND

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Inbound flight number Ex: FlightXYZ

Lodging

Event

Date

Time

Address

Check In
Check Out

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Hotel amenities Ex: Full kitchen, pool table, and hot tub

Schedule

Day 1

Time/Timeframe

Event

Location

Day 2

Time/Timeframe Event Location

Day 3

Time/Timeframe Event Location

NOTES [Pick and choose “Above and Beyond” items for this section]

Ex: Places of interest

 

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. 

5 Comments

  • maggie riessen says:

    What a great idea.

  • Gretchen Smith says:

    This is a great resource, thank you!

  • Jesse Leon says:

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

  • Vivian Black says:

    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.

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