This week I am coming to you from the medieval Village of Montone, Italy. I spent the last week with our team in Italy as we put together all the pieces of our company meeting, which we will hold in November of this year. Our meeting is called Simplifying Travel 2025. At this meeting, we have our staff host our corporate customers as well as many prospects who will be attending a full week of seminars and, more importantly, lots of fun in the Italian countryside. I am amazed at how affordable it is to hold a business meeting in Italy. We did some comparisons and found that it was 30% cheaper to hold our company meeting in Italy than to hold it in a town such as Charlotte, North Carolina. This week has been a magical week as the weather has been in the 70s and perfect for me. Please be sure to put Italy on your bucket list.
Executive Travel Tip’s – Is our new short video series that we are launching that offers 60-second video reels with short travel tips for business and vacation travelers alike. Each week, we post on Facebook and LinkedIn, and I’ve seen a lot of people say they enjoy the short reminders of how to make their trips easier. Our motto at Executive Travel is we SIMPLIFY TRAVEL. Here are our first three Executive Travel Tips.
Executive Travel Tip # 1 – Never, Never, Never check on luggage- This is my biggest frustration. Most people, when they do a trip to Europe or many other locations, always check on luggage and this is like putting a chain around your neck. The airlines are now charging you anywhere from $35-$100 each direction for you to check on luggage. So you may find a great ticket for $200 and pay an extra $200 to check on your luggage. Not a good deal. Also, when you check on luggage, you have to wait 30 to 60 minutes at the airport when you arrive for your luggage to come out on the carousel. If you don’t check on luggage, you can be on your way and save an extra hour. If your luggage gets lost, you’ve got even more headaches ahead of you. Most people pack twice the clothes that they need on a trip. My tip is take half the clothes in a carry-on luggage and avoid checking on luggage to make your trip easy. P.S. Remember, you can always do laundry at the hotel if you run short of clean clothes.
Executive Travel Tip #2: – Consider Buying Two One-Way Tickets Instead of a Round-Trip –For years, round-trip airline tickets were almost always cheaper than buying two one-way tickets. Airlines intentionally priced them that way to ensure they captured both legs of your journey. But today, that’s not always the case—especially when using frequent flyer miles. Here’s what I recommend:
Step 1: Check the cost of a round-trip ticket.
Step 2: Then compare the price of two one-way tickets.
Step 3: If the cost is the same (or even close), go with the two one-way tickets.
Why? Flexibility. If your plans change—say your return date shifts—you can change just the return ticket without affecting your outbound flight. This is especially helpful when using miles, where change fees and seat availability can vary widely. With today’s unpredictable airline pricing, it just makes sense to check both options. You might save money—and you’ll definitely gain more flexibility.
Executive Travel Tip #3: Book the Window and Aisle Seat for a Better Flight – Traveling with a friend or spouse? Here’s a simple trick to improve your flight experience. Book the window and aisle seat—leave the middle seat open. On the average U.S. flight last year, there were about 18 empty seats, and most of those were—you guessed it—middle seats in the back third of the plane. This strategy gives you a good chance the middle seat stays empty. Worst case? Someone ends up there, and you can always offer to switch so they get the aisle or window—most people will gladly accept. Best case? You and your travel companion enjoy extra space and a much more comfortable flight.
Smart travel is all about playing the odds—and this one’s in your favor.
Are you ready for some football?
Executive Travel is proud to announce one of our favorite tours! We are hosting one of our amazing football trips to sunny Pasadena, California, to watch the Huskers take on the UCLA Bruins in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium. Join us from November 6th to the 9th as we cheer on the Huskers. To learn more about all the festivities, click here to view the brochure. To secure your spot(s), click on this link or contact our friendly group department at 888.549.1186 / GroupDepartment@executivetravel.com.
Check out our Weekly Travel Alert Podcast – The Weekly Travel Alert Video Podcast is available on YouTube plus all your favorite podcast stations, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with everything travel.