ChiCityJetsetter

What's it like traveling longhaul business class every few weeks? I've done my share of frequent business travel, but it's mostly been shorthaul domestic flights in economy.

I'm already assuming I'll get really tired of flying ~17,000+ miles every two weeks, but it looks like that's what I'm in for. I'll have a week at home for every two weeks I'm away. Anticipating this will last about a year.

Any tips? I already stocked up on Airborne tablets, Vitamin C, and have loaded my laptop up with seasons of TV series that have been on my "to watch" list.

MSPeconomist

The good: Airline top tier elite status, lots of miles, staff at smaller stations are likely to quickly recognize you and give VIP (or at least CIP) treatment.

The bad: With all those miles, you want to vacation by not traveling.

The ugly: Feeling jet lagged for a not-insignificant fraction of your life.

It sounds like you'll be traveling to the same place, so the hotel you use is likely to also soon give VIP/CIP treatment (and you can make special requests, such as your favorite room or the storage of stuff for you), you'll get to know the local restaurants, etc. Hotel chain top tier elite status and lots of points to spend, but little desire to travel more. I suggest picking convenient local coffee house, bakery, small deli/grocer, etc. and becoming a regular at these places. Try to explore the area and make special plans for the weekends you spend at the destination. Would it make sense to take a fully furnished apartment rather than doing hotel stays?

ChiCityJetsetter

Thanks for the reply. I'll be staying at a hotel. It's a nice hotel (Intercontinental), but I'll have to start off with no status (Starwood is currently my preferred hotel chain for business travel).

MSPeconomist

Can you get a status match or challenge, perhaps through your employer? If not, you might try to negotiate some perks for the period before you've achieved status. Try to get to know some of the managers.

JackInThePlane

You collect a boatload of Amenity kits.

I save my unopened ones, put $5 in each and then give them to the homeless guys standing on the freeway off ramp.

MSPeconomist

I save mine and deliver several boxes or laundry baskets of them to a local shelter for battered women. I do the same with excess unused luxury hotel toiletries when they build up at home.

Long Train Runnin

You can actually purchase status with Intercontinental. Just some food for thought.

http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/...rms-conditions

gpia

In case you don't know this yet: You can just chat them up online, tell them what status you have with SPG and give them some info on your upcoming stays https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/chatFrameSet

They might offer you a challenge, even when starting from zero. Worked for me on Marriott and SPG.

Edit: This is directed at the OP, not you, MSPeconomist 8)

ChiCityJetsetter

It doesn't seem to say how much it costs.

ChiCityJetsetter

Thanks!

shuigao

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Oformula

Grab the IHG Card and hit Spire Elite very quickly. At the very least, you'll start out as Plat after the sign-up bonus. There doesn't seem to be any advantage for being Ambassador over Spire Elite, rather SE seems cheaper with the same benefits.

Bluehen1

Glad to know I'm not the only one that does this.

Annalisa12

It's still hard in business or first.

lhrsfo

It's hard, and seems to get harder, the whole time.

On flights, I settled quite quickly into a pattern of which flight to take (assuming you have a choice) and what to expect so that there are no surprises and no stresses. For me, that was key in making the travelling easier and less tiring.

Having said that, for me eastbound is a killer and over the years all I have been able to do is develop coping strategies to deal with periods of overwhelming tiredness after lunch for a period of several days - such as ensure I don't have boring meetings at that time, and that I'm not driving at that time. If necessary, I know to pull over and have a nap. No amount of sleep on the eastbound flight gets over this problem.

Finally, I rapidly tired of the same location at my travel destination. So, I abandoned the hotel elite bit quickly and I aim for more interesting accommodations, preferably in residential areas. I now shudder to consider the city centre, which is full of tourists and much prefer to mingle where "real" people live. If you can't find an apartment, I would recommend AirBnB or, better, VRBO for some stays at least until you find a nice area. Often non-chain hotels will end up being much nicer and more welcoming. The key is to personalise as much of the stay as possible, rather than spend your time in a soulless box.

Finally, as a thought, it appears your work will be two weeks on-site, one week off. Perhaps it would be better to try to extend the on-site and consolidate some of the off-site. This would reduce the travel and jet-lag, but also give more of an incentive to regard the on-site as a temporary home. Perhaps get your family or friends to visit etc. It all helps in the personalisation process.