9 Myths and facts about travel for consultants

Being a management consultant means traveling, a lot. Whether you’re working for one of ‘The Big Four’ (EY, PwC, Deloitte or KPMG) or any other consulting firm, you’re likely to be moving around. It’s important for management consultants to visit the client site where possible, so they can really understand the companies they’re working with.

From global industry leaders such as BCG, Bain, and McKinsey to local consultants, there’s definitely an image of what it means to travel for business—which doesn’t always match with reality. To give you an idea of what to expect as a traveling management consultant, we’ve put together a list of the most common preconceptions about business travel, separating the myths from the truths! 

Let’s dive in. 

Debunking common myths and facts about traveling as a management consultant

1. You’ll have a lot of free time while on the road

Myth! 

It might sound lavish and glamorous—hours in the on-site spa facilities and luxurious dinners out—but in reality business travel as a management consultant means business. A Monday morning anywhere in the world is still a Monday morning, whether you’re in Sydney or San Francisco. 

If you’re a seasoned consultant with plenty of business travel experience, you’ll know that schedules are often grueling. Most hours, from morning to night, are filled with meetings, conferences, client events and business dinners. In the consulting industry, a business trip is a jam-packed, productive couple of days with little time for leisure. 

2. You’ll find better rates if you book on your own

Myth! 

The fact is, there’s no comparing the savings you can enjoy by booking with your company’s travel management partner. Travel management companies (TMCs) have strategic partnerships with airlines and accommodation, which provide you with exclusive discounts you simply can’t get hold of by yourself.

You can still use your company credit card to book any trips, and using corporate travel management company TravelPerk’s software integrations, you can share any travel data with relevant colleagues and their tech—for example, to invoice travel expenses to your employers using expense management software like Divvy or Expensify. 

Booking with a corporate travel management firm means access to the best pricing, but also the best booking experience.