Helpful Business Trip Planning Apps for Executive Assistants

Now that we’re back to traveling again, you’ve probably got some upcoming business trips to plan for your boss. If planning travel is a big part of your job description, it’s up to you to find the best tools and resources to succeed at the task. It’s an important one; you are leading the charge in ensuring an executive from your company is in the right place at the right time. 

Managing travel can be a full-time job in itself; there are countless moving parts, things to update, reservation changes - and on and on. Travel can be stressful for everyone involved, so we’ve put together a list of a few planning apps that will help alleviate your stress. These apps can help you become very efficient at planning and managing business trips for executives.

TripIt Itinerary Planning

As you book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more, TripIt stores all the various reservation numbers for each trip in one central location so they are easy to access at any point leading up to and during a trip. 

The best way to use TripIt as an executive assistant is to have the master itinerary created prior to the trip, then review it with your boss before they leave. Ensure they download the app, then forward all the itinerary details to their account. This way, they know how to access all the information within the app if they need something in a pinch. 

Hopper Flight Tracker

Hopper lets you track the cost of flights and book travel within the app. It tells you, based on price, if you should book now or wait for the flight cost to decrease. If your travel budget is lower this year, Hopper is a great resource to use to cut costs on flights. If you pride yourself on thrifty trip planning, this app is for you. 

Wiffinity WiFi Finder

Wiffinity is a mobile app that shows you locations that offer free WiFi around town. If your boss is in between meetings or looking for a restaurant to get some work done, have them download the Wiffinity app to find the best WiFi offered in their area. 

FlightStats

This flight tracker tells you where your executive is mid-flight by using real-time flight status information. It also provides current weather conditions, airport delays, and more. If you need to help your boss day-of with travel and coordination, FlightStats is a great tool to have in your back pocket. 

Staying Organized While Planning Travel

When it comes to booking and managing travel, your executive assistant duties can vary by the trip, by the executive you’re working for, and because of the current climate and its travel restrictions. It’s challenging to plan trips to places that you’ve never been to, and it’s no secret that some executives can be particular about where they stay on trips, which airline they travel, and how they get around once they’ve arrived. 

Make sure you take notes along the way as you plan business trips for executives; by the time your work is done, you won’t even remember all the details of what worked and tricks you discovered along the way. 

Each executive has unique preferences and making note of them will help you serve them better for their next trip. Being organized, concise, and on top of things will help you successfully plan business trips for your company’s top executives.

Learn More with ASAP

If you’re looking for more resources on how to successfully plan business trips for an executive, members can check out our ASAP webinar on how to create an effective system for hassle-free travel planning. We cover how to plan domestic and international travel, the technology you can use to streamline the process, and much more.