Business travel has always been a test of stamina. Early flights, late dinners, back‑to‑back meetings, and the constant pressure to perform at your best in unfamiliar environments.
For CEOs, that intensity is magnified. Harvard Business Review data shows that leaders spend more than half of their working lives travelling — 53% of their time, to be exact and while the world has become more connected, the demands of travel haven’t become any gentler.
What has changed is how the smartest executives approach it. A new generation of business leaders is treating travel not as a disruption, but as a discipline something that can be optimised, refined and even enjoyed with the right strategies. Three frequent‑flying CEOs have shared their tried‑and‑tested hacks, offering a glimpse into how high performers stay sharp on the road.
Think Like a Logistics Chief, Not a Tourist
Natália Honold, co‑founder of Lola Advisory Inc., travels constantly between Brazil, the US and multiple global markets. Her approach is almost architectural: she builds her itinerary geographically, not chronologically. Before every trip, she maps hotels, meeting venues, restaurants and event spaces to understand travel times, traffic patterns and whether she needs a driver or can walk.
“A schedule can look perfect on paper, but completely fall apart if the logistics between locations aren’t planned,” she says. It’s a mindset shift that resonates deeply with modern business travellers. Efficiency isn’t just about what’s in your diary — it’s about how you move through it.”
Honold also saves people, not places. Instead of bookmarking restaurants, she keeps the names and numbers of managers and event coordinators. When plans change and they always do personal contacts solve problems faster than any app or review site.
Protect Your Energy Like a KPI
Honold’s final rule is simple but profound: schedule by energy. High‑stakes meetings go in the part of the day when she’s at her best; admin tasks fill the lower‑energy pockets. “Protecting your energy is part of protecting your performance,” she says.
Deepak Shukla, founder and CEO of Pearl Lemon, agrees and takes it further. The biggest mistake business travellers make, he says, is “maximising minutes rather than energy”.
His golden rule: arrive the night before. Even if it means paying for an extra hotel night, the payoff is huge. A well‑rested arrival is more valuable than squeezing in another day of work before flying.
Shukla also divides his work into two categories: deep work and collaborative work. Flights and lounges are for writing, strategic thinking and planning — distraction‑free zones where clarity comes easily. Meetings, calls and decision‑making happen only once he arrives on‑site.
And his final piece of advice? Build in flex time. “Problems happen, meetings drag, and things may change,” he says. The most productive travellers aren’t the ones with perfectly packed schedules they’re the ones with enough flexibility to absorb disruption without spiralling into chaos.
Design Your Trip Around How You Actually Work
Joshua Wood, Director at Booking.com for Business, has spent years observing how executives travel — and how they fail. His philosophy is grounded in adaptability: “Successful business travel isn’t about trying to control every variable; it’s about making your plans flexible enough to adapt when things change — which they will” .
Wood’s first rule: choose accommodation that doubles as a workspace. Reliable Wi‑Fi, quiet areas, conference rooms and good transport links aren’t perks — they’re productivity infrastructure. “My accommodation must support my working day,” he says.
His second rule is organisational: keep your itinerary in one place. Juggling multiple apps creates friction and increases the risk of missed details. A centralised travel management platform consolidates bookings, confirmations and trip information, reducing admin time and mental load.
Finally: leave your return journey flexible. Meetings overrun, opportunities arise, and plans shift. Free‑cancellation travel removes pressure and lets you adapt without penalty.
The New Business Traveller
Taken together, these insights reveal a new philosophy of business travel — one built on logistics, energy management, flexibility and human connection. Today’s CEOs aren’t just moving from A to B; they’re designing travel as a strategic part of their performance.
They’re mapping cities like operations managers, scheduling days like athletes, and treating travel not as a drain but as a competitive advantage.
In a world where business travel remains essential and often exhausting these hacks offer something rare: a way to travel smarter, not harder.
