Work Travel

fredmoogie

Please share your work related travel experiences.

purpose: training, client site, conference, etc.
location: well-known destinations, domestic, international, etc.
lodging: 1-star, 5-star, crappy, average, etc.
airline: 1st class, economy
per diem: $100/day, etc
misc: did you pay out of pocket then get reimburse, they pay for everything, you get a credit card, etc.

any anything else you want to add. thanks

Everyone

Traveling right now. I work from home, this is my quarterly visit to my company's WHQ. Lodging is average, flight is economy (it's only about an hour long flight, there's pretty much only economy on these small planes). Per diem is based on location. I have a company credit card and I have to file an expense report after my trip.

Pretty much par for the course for any traveling I've done for any company I've worked for.

pinkydapimp

My current job is 100% travel
purpose: training, onsite installation, troubleshooting, pre and post sales consulting, conferences and meetings...
location: Anywhere in the US, but i would say 75% in the eastern time zone where i live
lodging: Anywhere i choose thats under $200 a night. Im typically at Marriott hotels ranging from 3-5 star and above.
airline: I fly continental, but we can pretty much choose whichever we wish. Though if there is a flight that is more than $250 we are supposed to take that, unless there is a good reason(ie, need to be onsite at a certain time....).
per diem: $15 for breakfast, $25 lunch, $40 dinner. Also get reimbursed for tips, and rental car expenses.
misc: Pay using person corp card. anything i pay out of pocket i need to get reimbursed for.

I love it being that i have a ridiculous amount of hotel and frequent flyer miles which means free vacations. Not to mention its cool to be able to see different infrastructures.

powerfool

I travel about once a quarter.
Purpose: training
Location: Anywhere in the US.
Lodging: I stay in Marriott's as well. I typically stay somewhere that is close to my training, so it could be a Courtyard Marriott or a upscale Marriott.
Airline: Whatever is cheapest based on requirements... typically American, Delta, or Continental. I have amassed most of my miles with American, so I would prefer that, but whatever.
Per Diem: Based on location. It covers hotel, food, tips, rental cars, tolls, parking, and/or public transit. I can typically go over per diem if I upgrade the rental based on multiple occupancy since I am typically the senior person on the trips... get a nice big SUV to haul around multiple adults and luggage for a week or more at a time.
Misc: I have a corporate card that I get reimbursed for and pay directly. My corp card also has a rewards program that is for personal benefit (approved by policy).

I currently have an international flight worth of FF miles and a couple of nights saved up for a Marriott stay. Plus, we can use our corporate travel system to get discounts on personal travel. The discounts are okay, but since it is designed to find the best rates, that is the real winner... better than Priceline or Expedia.

Zentraedi

purpose: oversee work at remote backup site (people site, not DC)
location: Domestic (Japan)
lodging: 5-star (Ritz-Carlton)
transport: Shinkansen (bullet train) normal reserved seat
per diem: ¥5000 ($65/day)
misc: can either pay out of pocket or have prepaid. out of pocket allows for more flexibility, but the reimbursement system is difficult to deal with. Last reimbursement took 4 months to process.