Business travelers love sharing tips and tricks for surviving life on the road.
From scoring upgrades to maximizing credit card rewards, anything that can make the hassle of jet-setting a little more appealing can be a life-saver.
We reached out to several of our favorite frequent fliers to reveal their favorite travel strategies.
Sign up for Global Entry status
SmarterTravel executive editor Anne Banas raves about Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that pre-qualifies certain travelers for expedited customs.
"I just went through the [application process] a couple weeks ago on a trip to France," Banas says. "I was the only person in line for Global Entry and I went right though. And if you get a combination of flying business class plus Global Entry status, you can just whiz out of there with your luggage right away."
Be loyal to businesses and they'll treat you well
"The key thing for business travel is frequent flier programs," Banas says. "You want to be brand loyal so you can get that elite status and have access to more perks and upgrades."
If you don't want to marry yourself to one airline or hotel chain for infinity, Banas recommends at least getting a rewards credit card that lets you rack up points and miles no matter which company you choose to do business with.
Know the difference between non-stop and direct flights
"Especially if you're on business and going to and from meetings, it's such a waste of time to take a day to get there and a day to get back [because of layovers]," Banas says.
But don't mistake "direct" flights for "non-stop" flights when booking.
"A direct flight might still stop, but you would just stay on the plane instead of having to switch planes," Banas explains. "There's a lot of confusion about this. I would say always choose a 'non-stop' flight instead of direct."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider