6 Ways to Travel like a Pro with Dean Alan Shao

Image courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine – July 2014.

When it comes to traveling, Dean Alan Shao of the College of Charleston School of Business is an expert. He’s traveled everywhere from China to Switzerland and Mexico to Germany, and between lengthy flights, jet lag and foreign languages, he’s mastered the tricks of the trade. With Thanksgiving – notoriously the worst time for air travel – right around the corner, Shao shares his tips for making your holiday travel as painless as possible.

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1. Check and double check that you have your essentials.

For Shao, who primarily travels to raise funds and increase globalization efforts for the School of Business and One-Year Global MBA program, that means workout gear.

“I never travel without my running shoes, headphones and iPod,” Shao said. “I exercise every morning no matter what city or time zone I’m in because it helps to reset my body clock.”

2. Pick favorites.

Alan Shao, dean of the School of Business

“Being loyal to an airline definitely has its perks,” Shao said. “As a United Airlines Gold Member, I get to board earlier and grab overhead storage space, and occasionally I get upgraded to a higher class.”

If you don’t travel enough to become an airline’s gold member just yet, you should still consider buying with one airline instead of many to collect miles to apply to future flights.

3. Be an early bird.

Shao recommends flying early in the day for a few reasons: for one, the earliest flights are less likely to be delayed, and two, if your flight is cancelled, you still may have time to catch the next flight rather than having to wait until the next day. “For domestic travel especially, I like to get out early while I have the energy to travel and be alert when I arrive at my destination.”

4. Stick to your routine.

Like exercising in the morning for Shao, including a few other familiar tasks while you’re traveling will help your body to adjust to a new time zone or location. “If you can get into a routine where your body can recognize that doing this or that means it’s time to wake up, you’ll acclimate more easily to your new location,” he said.

5. Buy 30 days in advance.

Whether you’re flying domestically or internationally, Shao recommends buying your plane tickets at least 30 days out.

“Airlines sell a certain block of seats at a discounted rate, and when those are gone they sell a certain amount at the regular rate, and finally they sell the remaining seats at a premium rate,” Shao explained. “The earlier you can get your tickets, the better the selection and, typically, lower price.”

6. Get out and explore.

“If you can see the local culture, not only will it make you more open minded,” Shao said, “but it will also make the trip a more valuable experience for you.”

While Shao often travels for business and has little opportunity to explore the cities he visits, he makes sure to at least eat at locally recommended restaurants. Furthermore, “The people I visit always enlighten me about the local culture, too.