Travel is bad for relationships -- it's as simple as that. You can try to compensate, but you can never get away from the fact that it's a corrosive factor.

For me the best strategy is total information. I give my wife and family as much notice as possible of trips, even potential trips. I make it clear that I am minimizing nights away from home, to the point of favoring redeyes instead of day-before flights in order to have as much home time as possible.
And I always write out a detailed itinerary (flight times, hotels, phone numbers, etc.) for the kitchen counter so my family knows exactly where I am. Yes, they can reach me via cell phone most anytime anyway, but it's symbolic.)

Also, if my flight numbers change, I always call home and notify my wife. These days it's important that she know exactly what flights to be concerned about if news bulletins start to roll in.