According to the Global Business Travel Association, Americans took 429.9 million business trips in 2022. However, business travel isn’t always a solo affair. More often, business travelers are bringing along a plus-one, and for the guest tagging along, it can feel like a free vacation. However, experts say there’s still a bit of etiquette involved.
Being a great plus-one means striking a balance between independence and supporting your business-travel buddy. “The art of being a plus-one on a business trip comes down to the three Bs,” says Lisa Mirza Grotts, author of “A Traveler’s Passport to Etiquette in a Post-Pandemic World.” “Be busy. Be balanced. Be brief.”
With a little planning and the right mindset, experts say you can enjoy the destination while also helping make the trip smoother for the person whose work brought you there. Here’s everything you need to know to be the best plus-one ever.
Plan your time and expectations before the trip.
Before you even pack your bags, our travel experts say communication and planning are key.
“When you are a plus-one on someone’s business trip, you only have one responsibility: to be a proper travel companion, and this goes for whether you’re a friend or a romantic partner,” says Richie Frieman, author and podcast host of “Modern Manners Guy.”
Frieman adds that the person inviting a guest should clearly outline what events may require attendance with their plus-one, and that the guest should fully understand their role on the trip.
“The art of being a plus-one is being able to live a life of comfort—not stress,” Frieman says. “A proper travel companion is someone who can be by themselves and not bother the working person. They are there to work; the plus-one is there to relax.”
If you cannot spend time alone, Frieman says it’s best to turn down the trip invitation as your presence can quickly become a distraction.
Frieman adds, “A plus-one is a work trip wingman, a sidekick, a partner in arms, to be tagged in at any moment, as a way to help out, for whatever the ‘ask’ may be at the time.”
Build your own daytime itinerary.
Once the trip begins, the best plus-ones treat the destination as their own mini getaway while their companion works. Grotts echoes Frieman’s earlier point, explaining that independence isn’t just helpful as a plus-one; it’s part of good etiquette.
“Be busy,” she says. “If they’re in meetings all day, that’s your cue to book a spa treatment, explore a museum, and treat yourself to lunch. The most confident plus-ones don’t wait to be entertained; they create their own itinerary.”
All the travel professionals agree that it’s critical to research the destination before arrival, so you can build a flexible list of things to do during the day while ensuring your plans still fit in with your travel partner’s business needs.
“It’s important to get the itinerary of events or the schedule of the person you are traveling with so you know when you have to be around for things like dinners or events as their plus-one,” says Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago. “With that schedule in mind, you can plan out different things to do. I would say that in general, the more free time you have during a block, the further out you can explore.”
Pick the right hotel for plus-ones.
If you happen to have a say in where you stay, make sure to choose a property that will make the trip enjoyable for both people.
“Being a plus-one on a business trip is an opportunity to create a mini escape of your own,” says Meghan Fitzgerald, brand leader at Signia by Hilton. “The key is choosing a hotel that makes that balance effortless.”
And, naturally, that means finding one with amenities galore.
“Look for a property with robust amenities such as a spa, multiple dining options, outdoor spaces, or wellness programming, so you can truly unwind or explore at your own pace,” Fitzgerald adds.
Cody Boyles, vice president of sales and catering at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, agrees, saying a hotel’s amenities matter, but so does its location.
“Booking a property with built-in amenities allows the plus-one to enjoy their own experience while their partner is working, rather than feeling tied to a meeting schedule,” he notes. “Location matters, too. Staying somewhere with easy access to shopping, dining, and entertainment, like Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’ Strip-adjacent property, adds flexibility for both people to create meaningful shared plans during downtime without requiring extensive planning or pulling focus from the purpose of the trip.”
Show up in more ways than one.
While daytime independence is absolutely the name of the game, experts say evenings are often when the plus-one role truly matters.
“Be balanced,” Grotts says. “A business trip isn’t a romantic getaway. Understand which events you’re invited to, respect the purpose of the trip, and don’t expect to be included in everything. Independence is the new elegant.”
When you do attend networking dinners or events, she recommends keeping conversations friendly, but letting your partner take the lead professionally.
Grotts’ recommendation to “be brief” is crucial when chatting with your travel partner’s business associates. “At networking dinners, be friendly and supportive, but let your partner do business; don’t monopolize the conversation,” she adds.
Jennifer Maguire, president of Jennifer Maguire Communications & Public Relations, says it’s also important to remember that a plus-one reflects on the person who invited them.
“As a plus-one on a business trip, you are an extension of your host, whether it’s your friend, relative, or partner,” Maguire notes. “While it’s not your work trip, it’s theirs.”
Make new friends.
Finally, experts recommend using the resources around you—particularly hotel staff—to make the most of your plus-one experience.
“My number-one tip when traveling as a plus-one: The hotel concierge is your friend,” Maguire says. She suggests checking in with the concierge either before arriving or shortly after check-in to learn about all the activities, restaurant recommendations, and solo-friendly experiences nearby, so you can help both yourself and your travel partner.
Being a plus-one isn’t complicated, but it does require the right mix of independence, flexibility, and support. Then again, for the most part, your job is to relax by the pool and eat some free business dinners. Or, as Frieman put it, “The plus-one life is not a hard one, folks.”
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