Global business travel is booming once again, with spending forecast to hit £1.27 trillion ($1.71 trillion) across 1.84 billion trips this year, according to the Global Business Travel Association’s August 2026 report.

As more professionals return to packed itineraries, CEOs and founders who travel frequently for work are revealing the items they never board a flight without.

Corporate travel specialists at Booking.com for Business have gathered first‑hand insights from executives who regularly cross continents for meetings, pitches and conferences .

Pack light, but pack smart: CEO essentials

Deepak Shukla, UK‑based Founder and CEO of SEO agency Pearl Lemon, says his golden rule is to travel light—while still covering the basics. His must‑pack list includes earphones, a power bank, universal adaptors, charger cables and running shoes.

For Shukla, running on arrival is his secret weapon: “Running upon arrival at your destination is the fastest way to overcome the jet lag problem and arrive fresh for your meetings”.

Natália Honold, Co‑founder of Lola Advisory Inc., who regularly travels between Brazil, the U.S. and other markets, opts for a blend of tech and polish. Her essentials include an iPad with offline documents, a printed itinerary, a portable charger, a universal adapter, comfortable polished shoes, and one meeting‑ready layer to elevate any travel outfit instantly.

Booking.com for Business: tips for smoother corporate travel

Joshua Wood, Director at Booking.com for Business, says successful business travel is less about controlling every variable and more about building flexibility into your plans .

His top recommendations include:

  • Choose accommodation that doubles as a workspace: prioritise reliable Wi‑Fi, quiet work areas and strong transport links to support your working day.
  • Keep your itinerary in one place: centralising bookings and confirmations reduces admin time and prevents organisational overload.
  • Leave your return journey flexible: free‑cancellation options help when meetings overrun or plans shift unexpectedly.

A new era of high‑intensity corporate travel

With global business travel now surpassing pre‑pandemic levels, executives are refining their routines to stay productive, rested and ready to perform—whether they’re flying across Europe or between continents.

For business travellers, these CEO‑approved essentials and strategies offer a practical blueprint for staying organised and arriving meeting‑ready, even as the pace of global travel accelerates.