Business travel doesn’t always have to mean leaving loved ones behind. More employees are blending work with personal time, turning business trips into family experiences that make the most of time away from home.
According to a recent Christopherson LinkedIn poll, 48% of respondents said they would consider bringing a friend or family member on a business trip, and 32% have already done so—sometimes without notifying their employer. That growing trend highlights the appeal of bleisure travel but also the need for clear expectations, transparent communication, and careful planning.
Here’s how both travelers and travel managers can make family-inclusive business travel enjoyable, compliant, and stress-free with the right mix of do’s and don’ts.
Every successful family-accompanied business trip begins with the same step: reading—and following—your company’s travel policy.
If your organization allows family members to join work trips, check the fine print. Some companies require prior approval, restrict which expenses can be reimbursed, or limit how much of the trip can be personal. If your policy doesn’t mention companions, travel managers should work with their travel management company (TMC) to define those rules before the next trip.
At Christopherson, account executives help organizations update their policies to reflect new travel realities. A clear policy not only outlines who pays for what, but also clarifies how to handle insurance, emergency coverage, and duty of care.
“We often see employees assume that bringing family along is harmless—but without pre-approval, it can create real compliance and insurance issues,” said Carol Del Giudice, account executive at Christopherson. “Transparency is key.”
Bottom line: Ask first, document everything, and make sure your trip is approved in writing before you book a single ticket.
Even if your company’s policy allows family travel, the organization’s insurance, risk, and duty-of-care protections almost always cover the employee only.
If a spouse or child gets sick abroad, the company’s travel insurance won’t apply. Travelers should purchase separate travel insurance for their family members and ensure emergency plans are in place. Travel managers can help by reminding employees what is and isn’t covered and by providing guidance on vetted insurance partners.
For global trips, particularly those with multiple destinations or long-haul flights, a TMC advisor can help the traveler and their guests align travel plans safely, flagging local health requirements, potential security concerns, and family-friendly options that meet company standards.
When family joins a work trip, financial boundaries matter as much as travel logistics.
Typically, employers pay for the employee’s airfare, hotel, and ground transportation. Family members’ flights, meals, and activity costs should be booked and paid for separately. Some companies even require dual invoices when hotel stays extend into personal time.
Modern expense tools make this easier, but travelers still need to do their part: keep detailed receipts, use separate payment methods for personal spending, and clearly label which days are business versus leisure.
"Document everything upfront—especially when extending a trip,” said Del Giudice. “Extending a business trip into personal time can affect per diem eligibility or even create taxable benefits if not properly disclosed.”
Tip: Treat personal expenses like you would at home. If it wouldn’t go on a company card there, it shouldn’t go on one on the road.
Trying to balance meetings, deadlines, and sightseeing can be tricky. If not managed carefully, it can distract from the purpose of the trip or create the impression that business funds are supporting personal activities.
Keep professional priorities front and center. When planning, start by finalizing your business schedule—meetings, site visits, events—and then build family plans around it. That approach ensures work commitments are respected and documented before leisure activities are added.
Travel managers should encourage employees to share detailed itineraries when family members are involved. Doing so helps maintain transparency while ensuring travelers stay compliant with policy and safety standards.
A smooth family-inclusive trip requires thoughtful timing and coordination. Begin by booking the business portion of the trip through your TMC, then coordinate personal extensions or companion arrangements separately.
For example, when one C-level executive was asked to travel from the U.S. to Sydney, Australia, he saw an opportunity to make the long journey more enjoyable. After discussing it with his wife, they turned the trip into both a business obligation and a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Once meetings wrapped, the couple spent a few extra days snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.
The executive's company covered his round-trip fare, and he used paid time off to extend the trip by a week for sightseeing. The couple coordinated their return flights, keeping both records clear and compliant.
When using rideshares or rental cars, remember that if your family rides along in a vehicle you’d take anyway, it’s fine. But if you upgrade to a larger car to accommodate extra passengers or baggage, you should cover the difference personally.
Your TMC can help ensure itineraries are linked for safety and support, but still properly separated for expense and policy tracking.
Every time a business traveler is on the road, employers have a responsibility to track their safety and provide assistance if needed. When family members join, things can get complicated if the company isn’t informed.
Undisclosed travel companions can impact emergency response procedures and risk management tracking systems. That’s why it’s critical for travelers to disclose all family travel details during the booking process.
TMCs like Christopherson maintain systems that note when an employee’s family is present. This allows companies to provide accurate support in emergencies while still maintaining appropriate privacy boundaries.
Compliance aside, disclosure ensures everyone gets the help they need if something unexpected happens.
Bringing family on a business trip can be rewarding, but it works best when everyone understands the plan.
Before you go, talk with your spouse or family about the schedule, when you’ll be working, and when you’ll be available. Be realistic about flexibility—client dinners and last-minute meetings happen. Setting expectations helps prevent disappointment or frustration once you’re on the ground.
“With proper planning, combining business and personal travel can be both rewarding and responsible,” said Del Giudice. “It just requires communication, coordination, and clarity.”
Travel managers can reinforce this balance by using itinerary tools and mobile alerts to help employees and families stay on the same page.
Extending a business trip to include personal time can be a great way to make the most of travel—but skipping the paperwork can cause headaches later.
Use vacation or PTO days for the extended portion and ensure those days are logged in the company’s HR or travel system. Let both your manager and your TMC know the exact dates of your personal travel. Doing so keeps records clean and avoids confusion about which expenses are reimbursable.
When documenting an extension, include a cost comparison showing the trip’s total with and without the added personal days. For example, if meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, note the standard cost of flying in Monday night and returning after the meeting, then compare it to flying in over the weekend to visit family. Outline any differences in airfare, lodging, and transportation costs, and indicate whether the added time counts as PTO or remote work. Clarifying these details upfront helps ensure fairness, prevent misunderstandings, and support healthy work-life balance.
A trusted travel management company can make the difference between a stressful process and a smooth one.
TMCs help coordinate complex itineraries that mix business and leisure, provide tools for tracking policy compliance, and give both travelers and employers peace of mind. Christopherson’s integrated booking platforms and automated approval workflows make it easier to manage mixed-purpose travel while maintaining compliance and transparency.
Whether you’re a travel manager updating policies or a traveler planning a family-inclusive trip, clear communication is your best tool.
Managers should proactively remind employees of companion-travel procedures and risk guidelines. Travelers should disclose all family plans during booking and clarify which costs they’ll handle. The smoother the communication, the fewer surprises along the way.
Bringing family along on a business trip can be a win for everyone with the right mix of planning, compliance, and transparency. And as more employees seek balance and flexibility, defining companion-travel procedures isn’t just a courtesy—it’s a business necessity.
Employees get the chance to make memories without compromising their professional obligations, and employers maintain control over risk and cost.
As work and personal life continue to blend, companies that adapt their travel policies to reflect today’s realities will set themselves—and their travelers—up for success. With support from a trusted TMC, blending business and family travel doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be done right.
The result? Successful business outcomes—and memorable experiences shared with loved ones.
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