Business trip planning includes making a budget that should include the following:

Estimated Airfare
When checking airfare, make sure to check rates not just for different airlines but also for different times and days around your business trip. Sometimes, you can restructure a business trip to accommodate significantly cheaper airfare. Check out the difference in pricing for traveling on a Saturday or a Wednesday, two traditionally less expensive travel days. Try to avoid traveling on a Monday or a Friday, two traditionally expensive airfare days.

Hotel Expenses
When checking hotel prices, make sure you ask for a corporate discount rate. If your company has not set up a corporate account with the hotel of your choice, ask your human resources representative to do so. Even if you don’t have a frequent guest or corporate account with the hotel, many hotels will give you a discount if you commit to staying in the hotel for a certain number of days or you express your intent to travel to this destination frequently in the next quarter or six months.

Transportation Expenses
Can you get a shuttle to your hotel?  Will you be able to use public transportation in the destination city?  Or will you need to rent a car or hire a cab?  Compare the prices and propose the options to your boss as part of your business trip travel budget.

Food Expenses
Will you get free breakfast at the hotel? Can you take a client out for a fancy lunch instead of a fancy dinner? Will you need to serve alcohol to your client? Bring food to meetings? Make sure you take into account all of your proposed expenses before you write up your budget plan.

Show Your Willingness to Save the Company Unnecessary Expenses
The days of unlimited expense accounts are gone, so you’ll want to make an effort to save the company expenses wherever you can.  That being said, you don’t want to lose a client just because you’re trying to cut costs. The best way to walk this line is to present a budget that is lowest cost possible, but also present an “ideal” budget proposal detailing why the extra expenses would be in the company’s best interest.  By making a detailed budget plan, you will show your boss that you are taking into consideration what is best for the company as a whole, that you are a team player, and that you are flexible, all things that are sure to be viewed favorably.