From Apply Now,
Your Guide to Business Travel.
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It's Friday afternoon, and your supervisor walks into your office saying that a major deal is about to fall through. You need to book a trip quickly and efficiently in order to salvage this major deal. Where do you start?

Book Your Hotel

Go online to check hotel availability at one of several booking engines. Quikbook is a great resource for business travelers in that it offers a multitude of good hotel deals. Selections can be based on lowest price, and travelers can find an appropriate hotel that will fit within their corporate per diem. You can also read reviews for hotels to see what has the best business amenities. A great resource for hotel reviews is About.com's Hotels, Resorts & Inns. Expedia is also a good resource for checking hotel availability. If you are a member of a hotel rewards program like Hilton Honors or Marriott Rewards, call their hotline to see what deals they are offering for rewards members.

Book Your Flight

Go online to check flights. Expedia and Orbitz are good options for booking flights in that they go through and compare several of the larger carriers such as Delta, Continental and American Airlines to find the lowest available price. Another alternative is to try the discount carriers such as Southwest, AirTran or JetBlue. Usually, you can find round-trip airfare for less than $300, but be diligent about searching for good deals.

Book Your Car

Book your rental car. All of the major rental car companies like Alamo, National, or Enterprise have online sites to make the process easier. You can also review the statement for pricing before selecting a car. Also, check airline and hotel sites for partnership deals. Southwest's website has an area where you can peruse rental car prices and compare between companies. Special deals are also available for frequent fliers and hotel reward members.

Now that you've booked your trip, focus on your presentation and save that deal.