Sometimes it’s the small stuff that makes a business trip less stressful, like knowing that an airport you regularly transit just launched free Wi-Fi or that the hotel you frequent in Los Angeles now runs free 24-hour shuttles to and from the airport. But how can you possibly keep up with the ebbs, flows, twists, turns, ups and downs of this chaotic industry?

As luck would have it, there is a good selection of Internet newsletters and blogs written by business travel journalists, travel industry experts, and business people who travel a lot and these missives can come loaded with information. The beauty of these gems is that once you’ve subscribed, they land in your mailbox with predictable regularity. The challenge lies in narrowing your reading list to those that tell you what YOU need to know.

With a little research and a few clicks, you can:

1. Get lots of business travel information, free.
2. Receive high quality business travel news and discounts, for a fee.
3. Track news on the best airfares.
4. Know what’s happening at airports.
5. Get the inside scoop on the airline industry.
6. Gain from the experiences of frequent business travelers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Scout out the best free business travel newsletters

Not all business travel newsletters are created equal. Writing a useful, consistently informative newsletter on a regular schedule requires a lot of digging through a mountain of information, then sifting and winnowing the useful from the fluff and compacting it into an easy-to-read format.

I recommend: There are newsletters aimed squarely at business travelers that hit the mark. Look into Joe Brancatelli’s “Joe Sent Me” newsletter, available in a brief executive summary format every Friday morning. Travel journalist Christopher Elliott collects travel news from several sources and sends it to e-mail boxes daily under the banner “Tripso Today.” David Rowell, AKA “The Travel Insider” delivers thoughtful weekly insights into the foibles of business travel and an in-depth look at resources and products. American Express offers a free subscription to the Executive Travel Sky Guide E-Alert Newsletter. The OAG (Official Airline Guide) Frequent Flyer Newsletter claims it’s the best on the Web; you decide.

For the price of a subscription you’ll get even more

Joe Brancatelli also offers a members-only version of his weekly “Joe Sent Me” newsletter. Basic and executive level memberships include a wide range of useful services and discounts. There are other subscription-only newsletters that give in-depth coverage on destinations you might frequent.

I recommend: Sign up for Brancatelli’s Members-only program here. Log on and subscribe to the Passport Newsletter here. Score sizeable discounts on travel perks with a subscription to Global Perks.

Receive newsletter alerts on low fares from your home airport

This newsletter is highly-focused, alerting subscribers when fares go down at their home airport. Their motto is “When Airfares are Low, We’ll Let You Know!” and they do it in a simple format that lists deals from your home airport and close-by alternatives. You can book right on the Web site, do a low-fare search and use any of the useful tools, all free.

I recommend: Check out Airfare Watch Dog and sign up for the free newsletter alert.

Get the inside scoop on the airline industry

Following the inner workings of the airline industry is a favorite pastime of many frequent business travelers. On the practical side it can give insight into major changes that could affect airfares, routes and even the existence of some airlines.

I recommend: While not officially a newsletter, the daily Airline/Aviation News blurbs at Yahoo! Finance can be an interesting and informative read. You can learn plenty about airports too at this Aviation Week Web site.

Tap into business traveler blogs and forums

There are thousands and thousands of business travelers who regularly share their experiences (good and bad), warnings and insider tips online. Here again it’s important to mark as “favorites” only those resources that will give you the information you’re most likely to use.

I recommend: Check out this list of author Chris Elliott’s preferred blogs. You’ll find varied advice and valuable insights from frequent business travelers at Flyer Talk’s “View from the Wing.” The Aviation and Travel Industry News’ blog will tell you plenty about what’s happening industry-wide. Will Allen’s Allen on Travel blog is packed with insight from a 30-year veteran road warrior. Veteran travel journalist Wendy Perrin shares her vast knowledge with readers. At USA Today, Ben Mutzabaugh’s “Today in the Sky” chronicles news that matters to business travelers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don’t sign up for every business travel newsletter out there. Your e-mail box will be overrun and you’ll be frustrated trying to sort through the useful and not-at-all-useful offerings.
• •  Check the credentials of the newsletter editor or blog author before you sign up. A journalist who also travels regularly is most likely to impart useful information in a concise and readable style.
• •  While there are several good newsletters for business travelers, there are also those that are thinly-disguised advertising billboards. Try to avoid those that are overloaded with ads and other distractions.
• •  Blogs and forums can be useful resources but it’s important to remember that the opinions expressed are most often personal ones.
• •  Check the privacy policy before you sign on. You don’t want your e-mail address going out to every advertiser on the planet.
• •  Be sure to note the instructions for unsubscribing if you choose to opt out.