Start with the assignment, not the airfare
The official duty period should anchor every travel decision. Confirm where the traveller must be, the working dates, the acceptable arrival buffer and the earliest responsible departure. This prevents a convenient flight from quietly creating a conflict with the programme schedule.
- Purpose and official duty dates
- Required arrival buffer
- Host or event schedule
- Traveller-specific constraints
- Internal travel rules and approval owner
Make documentation a tracked workstream
Entry rules and organisational requirements can have different lead times. Record each requirement, its owner, current status and the date by which it must be resolved. Avoid treating a general reminder as confirmation that a requirement is complete.
- Passport validity and traveller details
- Entry or transit requirements
- Invitation and supporting letters
- Travel authorisation and internal approvals
- Insurance or health documentation required by policy
Connect the ground arrangements
Accommodation, airport transfers and local movement should be tested against the same itinerary version. Record late arrival or early departure implications, check-in windows and the contact responsible for each transfer.
- Accommodation dates and confirmation
- Airport arrival and transfer owner
- Daily movement requirements
- Host and emergency contact details
- Changes communicated to every affected party
Use a final readiness review
Before travel, review the complete brief rather than each booking in isolation. Every open item should have an owner and a deadline. The traveller and the supporting team should be using the same final itinerary and contact record.
- All approvals confirmed
- Names and dates consistent across documents
- Final itinerary issued
- Unresolved items closed or escalated
- Reference documents stored together