Work trip checklist: before booking, before you go and after you're back
Print this page, or save it as a PDF, and fill it in for each trip. It collects the questions from our guides in one place. Your employer’s own policy and approvals always decide the answers; this list only helps you ask them in time.
Before you book
- Booking channel. Which channel must I use: a company travel tool, a travel agency or booking myself? Which fares or rates are allowed, and who approves exceptions?
- Approvals. What approval do I need, and when: before booking, before travel, or both? Note the approval reference: ______________
- Who pays. Corporate card, central billing or my own card? If my own card is allowed, for which expenses?
- Reimbursement timing. When will I pay, when can I submit, and when is repayment expected (and what is that estimate based on)? See plan the payment before you book.
- Money in the gap. If I’m paying first, can I cover it without touching money I need for essentials, even if repayment comes later than expected?
- Upgrades and extensions. Does the policy allow them? Who approves? How will personal costs be kept separate?
Rewards: ask before you assume
- May I add my loyalty numbers to company-paid bookings, and keep what I earn? (Employer’s policy.)
- Does this fare or rate earn in the program at all? (The program’s rules, which can depend on the rate type and booking channel.) See what to check before a company-paid trip.
- For flights: record the operating airline, the ticket issuer, the fare type and the currency before estimating points. See check the ticket before counting points.
At the hotel
- Ask for an itemized folio that shows every night and charge separately.
- Ask early whether the hotel can split the bill, with work nights on one folio and personal items on another, but don’t count on it.
- Match each line to what was approved. Anything not approved stays personal unless the policy says otherwise. Taxes need care: if there’s one tax line for the whole stay, ask for a breakdown and confirm the allocation with your expense approver. See separate company and personal charges.
After the trip: what to keep
- The policy section or approval that covers each decision.
- Who paid for what, and with which card or billing method.
- Receipts, itemized folios and booking confirmations.
- Work total and personal total, checked so they add back to each bill.
- Reimbursement status: submitted ____ / approved ____ / paid ____ (dates).
Trip notes
Trip: ______________________ Dates: ______________ Approval reference: ______________
Payment method: ______________ Expected reimbursement date: ______________
This checklist is general information for employees. It isn’t tax, legal or HR advice, and it doesn’t replace your employer’s policy.