How to enjoy business travel
At times, traveling the States or the wider world can be a challenge. Getting from A to B can often involve standing in line for longer than you'd ideally want. It can involve trying to find space amongst the crowds. And it can involve jetting off to far-flung cities that sound glamorous in theory, were it not for the fact that you are there to work and not play. But these are merely challenges along the way, and the savvy traveler can ensure that every step of his or her journey is enjoyable – even fun. The following 9 steps could make a big difference.
1. Enjoy the airport
While it's true that airports can be busy, it's never been easier to find your own private space within them. Aside from boasting amenities including world-class shopping, restaurants, bars and spas, business facilities also make it easy to hit deadlines in relative peace and quiet.
To maximize your enjoyment, arrive in plenty of time, stroll the facilities at your leisure and visit your airline's lounge to unwind before your flight. Once inside, you may never want to leave.
2. Cut the lines
Nobody likes standing in line, particularly when traveling, but there are programs designed to make the whole process quicker, easier and less stressful. TSA Pre® and Global Entry are two such options designed to get you through the long lines without the wait. TSA is designed for domestic flights and Global Entry for international flights. Both have a fee and involve a small vetting procedure but are worth the effort.
You may also want to consider CLEAR, another program designed to get you through the screening process by using a fingerprint rather than a license or passport. It too has a fee associated with it and isn't as commonly used as TSA Pre and Global Entry, but it's well worth considering.
And of course, it's a good idea to try to get by with carry-on baggage if you can. Avoid checking baggage and you'll exit the airport more quickly upon arrival.
3. Make time
Even though you're away on business rather than vacation, it still sometimes pays to take the less-is-more approach. Nobody benefits if your business trips push you to the brink of exhaustion. It's far more beneficial to thin out your schedule and allow yourself time to prepare and recharge effectively between meetings.
With that in mind, if your boss is open to the idea, arrive a day earlier to allow yourself time to get settled, especially if you're crossing time zones. Also remind your boss that studies have found that “a disruption to the circadian rhythm you get through jet lag… has long-lasting effects when it builds over time." And long-lasting effects are never good.
4. Relax
Unless you're battling crazy deadlines, schedules or workloads, aim to relax as much as possible on your journey – or at least on the flight itself. Put away your smartphone and laptop and disconnect from your work for the duration of your journey. Recline the seat, watch an inflight movie, read a book and take the time to recharge so that you arrive refreshed and ready to hit the ground running.
5. Make more time
If at all possible, try to factor in some time away from your work to see the sights around you. This is particularly important if you've flown halfway around the world: if you're traveling the world, make time to actually see it, experience it and taste it. If you have time between meetings, explore. Once the day is over, head out to eat in the city, rather than just ordering room service and staring at the hotel's walls.
Try to appreciate where you are, or risk every place just blurring into one. And if you have the option, particularly in a long-haul location you may not plan on returning to, consider adding on a day or two at the end of your trip to see the place as a tourist, not as a businessman or woman. Try to make your business trip an experience you'll remember years down the line. Why? Because to not see the Rocky steps in Philly, the Trevi Fountain in Rome or the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin would be a missed opportunity you may one day regret.
6. Live like a local
If you do have time to explore the city, use a local guide to make sure you don't just wander aimlessly and miss all the essential sites and experiences. As before, scheduling some down time to see the outside world will help you experience more, recharge your batteries between meetings and avoid burning out. But a word of warning: if you are likely to be wandering the city, pack appropriately – footwear you can walk in should be high on your list of priorities.
7. Stay fit and healthy
It's easy to live a less healthy life when you're flying around on business, it's been found that business travelers are more likely to get sick than 'regular' travelers. Pack your exercise gear and use the hotel gym facilities or explore the area on foot. Studies link regular exercise to a variety of cognitive benefits, including improved concentration, sharper memory, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity and lower stress.
What you eat also impacts on how you perform. Fast food and extended periods of inertia can become the norm – and over time make you feel sluggish. The solution is simple: try to plan ahead as much as possible, long before you actually get hungry, and stick to what you generally eat. Grabbing something – anything – quickly when hunger strikes usually leads to bad quick-fix food decisions, and risking a new exotic diet in a foreign land right before an important presentation could have terrible repercussions.
8. Call home regularly
The lifestyle of a regular business traveler may be glamorous in parts, but it can get lonely if you're away from a wife or husband and kids. This was a more acute problem back before they invented FaceTime and Skype. And while staring down the screen at your loved ones many miles away isn't quite the same as a hug, it's the next best thing, so use the tech we have to stay in regular touch. Because while it's a generalization to say that a happier traveler performs more effectively, it's also usually true.
9. Upgrade your experience
One of the great benefits of flying regularly is that the more you fly, the better the rewards. Flying regularly on United Airlines helps you achieve Premier status, which gives you bonus award miles, upgrade opportunities, priority travel services, fee waivers, discounts and much more. Take advantage and the more you fly, the more comfortable your whole journey becomes.
United Airlines now offers the new United PolarisSM business class option. Offering a new United Polaris lounge, personalized dining and bar service, relaxation areas and rest pods, plus world-class comfort onboard, every element of United Polaris is designed to maximize your enjoyment of business travel. Click here to find out more.
1. Enjoy the airport
While it's true that airports can be busy, it's never been easier to find your own private space within them. Aside from boasting amenities including world-class shopping, restaurants, bars and spas, business facilities also make it easy to hit deadlines in relative peace and quiet.
To maximize your enjoyment, arrive in plenty of time, stroll the facilities at your leisure and visit your airline's lounge to unwind before your flight. Once inside, you may never want to leave.
2. Cut the lines
Nobody likes standing in line, particularly when traveling, but there are programs designed to make the whole process quicker, easier and less stressful. TSA Pre® and Global Entry are two such options designed to get you through the long lines without the wait. TSA is designed for domestic flights and Global Entry for international flights. Both have a fee and involve a small vetting procedure but are worth the effort.
You may also want to consider CLEAR, another program designed to get you through the screening process by using a fingerprint rather than a license or passport. It too has a fee associated with it and isn't as commonly used as TSA Pre and Global Entry, but it's well worth considering.
And of course, it's a good idea to try to get by with carry-on baggage if you can. Avoid checking baggage and you'll exit the airport more quickly upon arrival.
3. Make time
Even though you're away on business rather than vacation, it still sometimes pays to take the less-is-more approach. Nobody benefits if your business trips push you to the brink of exhaustion. It's far more beneficial to thin out your schedule and allow yourself time to prepare and recharge effectively between meetings.
With that in mind, if your boss is open to the idea, arrive a day earlier to allow yourself time to get settled, especially if you're crossing time zones. Also remind your boss that studies have found that “a disruption to the circadian rhythm you get through jet lag… has long-lasting effects when it builds over time." And long-lasting effects are never good.
4. Relax
Unless you're battling crazy deadlines, schedules or workloads, aim to relax as much as possible on your journey – or at least on the flight itself. Put away your smartphone and laptop and disconnect from your work for the duration of your journey. Recline the seat, watch an inflight movie, read a book and take the time to recharge so that you arrive refreshed and ready to hit the ground running.
5. Make more time
If at all possible, try to factor in some time away from your work to see the sights around you. This is particularly important if you've flown halfway around the world: if you're traveling the world, make time to actually see it, experience it and taste it. If you have time between meetings, explore. Once the day is over, head out to eat in the city, rather than just ordering room service and staring at the hotel's walls.
Try to appreciate where you are, or risk every place just blurring into one. And if you have the option, particularly in a long-haul location you may not plan on returning to, consider adding on a day or two at the end of your trip to see the place as a tourist, not as a businessman or woman. Try to make your business trip an experience you'll remember years down the line. Why? Because to not see the Rocky steps in Philly, the Trevi Fountain in Rome or the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin would be a missed opportunity you may one day regret.
6. Live like a local
If you do have time to explore the city, use a local guide to make sure you don't just wander aimlessly and miss all the essential sites and experiences. As before, scheduling some down time to see the outside world will help you experience more, recharge your batteries between meetings and avoid burning out. But a word of warning: if you are likely to be wandering the city, pack appropriately – footwear you can walk in should be high on your list of priorities.
7. Stay fit and healthy
It's easy to live a less healthy life when you're flying around on business, it's been found that business travelers are more likely to get sick than 'regular' travelers. Pack your exercise gear and use the hotel gym facilities or explore the area on foot. Studies link regular exercise to a variety of cognitive benefits, including improved concentration, sharper memory, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity and lower stress.
What you eat also impacts on how you perform. Fast food and extended periods of inertia can become the norm – and over time make you feel sluggish. The solution is simple: try to plan ahead as much as possible, long before you actually get hungry, and stick to what you generally eat. Grabbing something – anything – quickly when hunger strikes usually leads to bad quick-fix food decisions, and risking a new exotic diet in a foreign land right before an important presentation could have terrible repercussions.
8. Call home regularly
The lifestyle of a regular business traveler may be glamorous in parts, but it can get lonely if you're away from a wife or husband and kids. This was a more acute problem back before they invented FaceTime and Skype. And while staring down the screen at your loved ones many miles away isn't quite the same as a hug, it's the next best thing, so use the tech we have to stay in regular touch. Because while it's a generalization to say that a happier traveler performs more effectively, it's also usually true.
9. Upgrade your experience
One of the great benefits of flying regularly is that the more you fly, the better the rewards. Flying regularly on United Airlines helps you achieve Premier status, which gives you bonus award miles, upgrade opportunities, priority travel services, fee waivers, discounts and much more. Take advantage and the more you fly, the more comfortable your whole journey becomes.
United Airlines now offers the new United PolarisSM business class option. Offering a new United Polaris lounge, personalized dining and bar service, relaxation areas and rest pods, plus world-class comfort onboard, every element of United Polaris is designed to maximize your enjoyment of business travel. Click here to find out more.
Jessica Kimbrough, currently Labor Relations and Legal Strategy Managing Director, will take on the new role of Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Managing Director.
Jessica assumes this new and expanded position to focus on global inclusion and equity as part of our enhanced commitment to ensure best practices across the business to strengthen our culture.
In this role, Jessica will be responsible for helping United redefine our efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion – ensuring that our programs and approach are strategic, integrated and outcome-oriented, while we continue to build a culture that reflects our core values. She will report to Human Resources and Labor Relations EVP Kate Gebo.
"Jessica's appointment to this role is another critical step our executive team is taking to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion remains a top priority at United," said CEO Scott Kirby. "Given her drive, experience and commitment to champion collaboration and allyship among our employee business resource groups, she is uniquely qualified to take on this position and I look forward to working closely with her."
As Labor Relations and Legal Strategy Managing Director, Jessica worked closely with senior management to create and maintain positive labor relations among our unionized workforce, providing counsel on labor litigation, negotiations, contract administration, organizing issues and managing attorneys who represent United in labor relations. Previously, she served as Labor and Employment Counsel in our legal department.
Jessica has a passion for creating a pipeline of diverse lawyers and leaders, and was honored as one of Chicago Defender's "Women of Excellence" for excellence in her career and civic engagement in 2017. She currently serves as President of uIMPACT, our women's employee business resource group.
Jessica's new role is effective immediately.
By working together and strengthening partnerships during these unprecedented times, our global community has overcome challenges and created solutions to keep the global supply chain moving. As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the shipping landscape, United and our industry partners have increasingly demonstrated our commitment to the mission of delivering critical medical supplies across the world.
United Cargo has partnered with DSV Air and Sea, a leading global logistics company, to transport important pharmaceutical materials to places all over the world. One of the items most critical during the current crisis is blood plasma.
Plasma is a fragile product that requires very careful handling. Frozen blood plasma must be kept at a very low, stable temperature of negative 20 degrees Celsius or less – no easy task considering it must be transported between trucks, warehouses and airplanes, all while moving through the climates of different countries. Fortunately, along with our well-developed operational procedures and oversight, temperature-controlled shipping containers from partners like va-Q-tec can help protect these sensitive blood plasma shipments from temperature changes.
A single TWINx shipping container from va-Q-tec can accommodate over 1,750 pounds of temperature-sensitive cargo. Every week, DSV delivers 20 TWINx containers, each one filled to capacity with human blood plasma, for loading onto a Boeing 787-9 for transport. The joint effort to move thousands of pounds of blood plasma demonstrates that despite the distance, challenges in moving temperature-sensitive cargo and COVID-19 obstacles, we continue to find creative solutions with the help of our strong partnerships.
United Cargo is proud to keep the commercial air bridges open between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Since March 19, we have operated over 3,200 cargo-only flights between six U.S. hubs and over 20 cities in Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, India, the Caribbean and the Middle East.
A message from UNITE, United Airlines Multicultural Business Resource Group
Fellow United team members –
Hello from the UNITE leadership team. While we communicate frequently with our 3,500 UNITE members, our platform doesn't typically extend to the entire United family, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share some of our thoughts with all of you.
Tomorrow is June 19. On this day in 1865, shortened long ago to "Juneteenth," Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved individuals were free. For many in the African-American community, particularly in the South, it is recognized as the official date slavery ended in the United States.
Still, despite the end of slavery, the Constitutional promise that "All men are created equal" would overlook the nation's Black citizens for decades to come. It wasn't until nearly a century later that the Civil Rights Act (1964) ended legal segregation and the Voting Rights Act (1965) protected voting rights for Black Americans. But while the nation has made progress, the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have made it undeniably clear that we still have a lot of work to do to achieve racial parity and inclusion.
Two weeks ago, Scott and Brett hosted a virtual town hall and set an important example by taking a minute, as Brett said, "to lower my guard, take off my armor, and just talk to you. And talk to you straight from the heart."
Difficult conversations about race and equity are easy to avoid. But everyone needs to have these conversations – speaking honestly, listening patiently and understanding that others' experiences may be different from your own while still a valid reflection of some part of the American experience.
To support you as you consider these conversations, we wanted to share some resources from one of United's partners, The National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum will host an all-day Virtual Juneteenth Celebration to recognize Juneteenth through presentations, stories, photographs and recipes. The museum also has a portal that United employees can access called Talking About Race, which provides tools and guidance for everyone to navigate conversations about race.
Our mission at UNITE is to foster an inclusive working environment for all of our employees. While we are hopeful and even encouraged by the widespread and diverse show of support for African Americans around the country – and at United - we encourage everyone to spend some time on Juneteenth reflecting on racial disparities that remain in our society and dedicating ourselves to the work that still must be done to fight systemic racism. By honoring how far we've come and honestly acknowledging how far we still must go, we believe United – and the incredible people who are the heart and soul of this airline - can play an important role in building a more fair and just world.
Thank you,
UNITE (United Airlines Multicultural Business Resource Group)
Leadership Team
