Corporate Travel FAQs

The Hows Behind What We Do

If you’ve been in an airport during a storm or a hotel swarming with convention goers, then you know that problems are rarely resolved to your satisfaction. Most of the time, your blood pressure rises and you’re stuck with the “best they can do.” That status quo just won’t do.

When flights are overbooked or delayed. The front desk can’t find your reservation. The umpteenth call to customer service goes nowhere. The only thing you want to know is that it’s being handled. Someone knows what’s going on. Someone is taking care of your corporate travel.

That someone is a CIRE Travel corporate travel planner. CIRE has dedicated, expert travel advisors who deal with corporate travel 24/7. Backed by the global force of Global Travel Collection, there’s nothing we can’t arrange or rearrange. Our concierge-level service relieves the stress of business travel so people can focus on getting the job done.

How does CIRE handle last-minute travel and constant changes?

We work with a number of executives, celebrities, touring artists, and production teams so fast-moving that constantly evolving travel is something we know well.

In the travel industry, there are typically two approaches to 24/7 support:

On one end are call center-style services. These offer around-the-clock access, but often come with longer hold times, rotating agents, and a more transactional experience.

On the other end are fully dedicated, always-on travel managers who function as an embedded member of your team. This level of support is absolutely possible, but it typically requires a significant annual retainer.

CIRE is intentionally positioned between those two.

We provide a consistent, highly experienced team that understands your travelers and can move quickly, paired with structured after-hours and on-call support when needed. The goal is to deliver real responsiveness and continuity, without sacrificing quality or placing you into a call center environment.

For day-to-day travel, we operate with a proactive workflow that benefits from advance planning. For larger productions or fast-moving schedules, the more visibility we have, even just a few days ahead — the better we can position flights, secure availability, and anticipate changes before they become urgent.

When travel begins to shift in real time, we layer in dedicated support and defined on-call coverage during active travel periods. This ensures that when plans change, we’re set up to respond quickly and thoughtfully.

How does CIRE approach airfare and cost management?

We’re not a discount booking engine, and we don’t position ourselves as the “cheapest option.”

Our role is to help you make the right decisions quickly, with full visibility into timing, routing, flexibility, and risk.

In many cases, that does lead to cost savings — whether it’s avoiding change penalties, securing better options earlier, or knowing when to wait versus when to ticket. But just as often, it’s about protecting your time, reducing friction, and ensuring your travelers arrive exactly where they need to be, without disruption.

We monitor fares, advise on routing and timing, and manage changes as plans evolve. More importantly, we provide context — so you’re not just seeing options, you’re making informed decisions.

What hotel access and benefits does CIRE provide?

Through our global partnerships, including our affiliation with Global Travel Collection, we provide access to a curated portfolio of luxury and business-focused hotels worldwide.

This includes preferred rates, VIP amenities, and priority recognition at thousands of properties, from major brands to independent boutique hotels.

Depending on the property, benefits may include:

  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Upgrades upon arrival (when available)
  • Early check-in / late check-out
  • Property credits and added amenities

More importantly, we don’t just book hotels, we match the right property to the purpose of the trip, whether that’s proximity to meetings, privacy, recovery time between flights, or overall experience.

Our goal is not just to secure a room, but to ensure the stay works seamlessly within the larger travel plan.

Why should I book my hotel or resort with CIRE Travel instead of booking direct or online?

When you book a hotel online or even directly with the property, it’s typically a transactional experience. A reservation is made, but there’s little context behind your stay and limited advocacy if something doesn’t go as planned.

At CIRE, our hotel bookings are relationship driven.

Our owner, Eric Hrubant, has spent more than 30 years cultivating relationships with hotel teams around the world. When we make a reservation, it’s not just entered into a system — we’re often reaching out directly to our contacts on property to ensure your stay is recognized, prioritized, and set up properly in advance.

Because of this, our clients aren’t treated as one-off reservations, but as valued guests arriving through a trusted partner.

In short, you’re not just checking in — you’re being expected.

Do I really need to develop an official corporate travel policy?

Without an official travel policy, small to mid-sized businesses run the risk of unnecessarily high travel budgets. No two corporate travel policies are alike. Our corporate travel advisors evaluate your organization’s budget and needs, developing a policy to match. Plus, you gain access to the keys that open “travel industry insider” connections, savings and perks that you can’t get on your own. CIRE will:

  • Design and implement effective, measurable cost protocols
  • Enforce your travel policies
  • Maintain superior service benchmarks
  • Directly reduce overall trip costs consistently
  • Report our system’s performance and acceptance

Our travel management reporting tools deliver data integrity essential in travel program analysis, which drives down corporate travel costs. In the end, time is money and happy, valued employees are better employees. CIRE Travel can take an enormous load off of your travel budget and in-house resources.

Will working with CIRE reduce travel costs and save valuable time?

Without a doubt. Contacting CIRE Travel for a proposal is one of the easiest and best decisions you’ll ever make.

Four easy steps to working with CIRE Travel for business travel:

Partnering with CIRE Travel means your company’s travel program runs smoothly, efficiently, and with a personal touch. Here’s what to expect during the initial get-to-know-you phase and as we move forward together. At CIRE Travel, there is no sales team, nobody will try to sell you a platform or pressure you into a contract. As a travel company that provides white-glove service, we like to start every new relationship with a conversation. Eric Hrubant, our agency owner, and Amy Brueckner, our COO, typically schedule a phone or video call with prospective corporate clients to ensure our values and goals are aligned. At CIRE, we focus on partnerships, not transactions.

Once we’ve decided to move forward, here’s what happens next:

1. Company Profile Setup
We’ll create a custom profile for your company that includes:
Your travel policy
• Organizational hierarchy
• Reporting needs
• Billing preferences
• Any unique protocols or requirements

2. Individual Traveler Profiles
Each traveler will complete their own profile form so we have all essential information on hand:
Full name as it appears on government-issued ID
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry numbers
• Frequent flyer memberships
• Seating, hotel, and airline preferences

👉 [Click here to access our traveler profile form.]

3. Payment Terms & Fee Structure
We’ll review and agree upon our billing process and fee structure, which is always transparent and straightforward. Whether you’re on a retainer or pay-as-you-go model, we’ll tailor it to your needs.

4. Ongoing Support & Reporting
Once onboarded, your team will have direct access to our experienced travel advisors and after-hours support. We also provide reporting as requested, helping you track your travel spend, monitor unused tickets, and get insights into your company’s travel patterns.

Most corporate clients can be fully onboarded within 1–2 days, depending on the size of your team and the complexity of your travel program.

Ready to simplify your company’s travel program? Contact us to schedule your introductory call with Eric and Amy.  We look forward to building a travel program that works as hard as your team does.

Wherever You Travel. Whatever You Do. CIRE Travel’s Got It Handled.
"We got a solicitation voicemail yesterday from some corporate travel agency down the street, and I made a point of calling them back just to tell them that we were so happy with our travel guru, CIRE Travel. We didn’t need to hear about their corporate travel planning services because we were not looking to change. Shortest solicitation call of my life.”

– Emilian P, Cyber Security – Washington, DC

"Eric is so great that he takes care of problems before you even know there is a problem, especially with weather delays and other travel snafus. I cannot say enough good things about Eric and his team and highly recommend them for both personal travel and corporate travel planning needs!” 

– Benjamin, Media – New York

"I was spending countless hours on travel booking and airline websites. What was taking me a ridiculous amount of time to do, CIRE Travel handled in minutes. And with a trip involving three airlines and four airports, I’m relieved knowing that if something goes wrong, I just call CIRE.” 

– Brenda H, Advertising – Kansas City

"Eric is truly the best travel planner. He goes above and beyond every time, without fault. He seizes absolutely every opportunity to improve and enhance your travel experience. As a client, I know I benefit each trip from the relationships he has established, and the credibility and outstanding reputation he has earned in the industry. His disposition, ease, and professionalism qualitatively set him apart. Regardless of the request, the urgency, the challenge, he handles each issue and transaction with a calm and efficient attitude. Above all, he is just a great person and simply such a pleasure to work with. I have and will continue to recommend Eric, without hesitation and unconditionally, to anyone who needs a corporate travel agent. And if you think you don’t need one, after working with Eric for a couple of times, you’ll wonder how you lived without him.”

– Kiersten C, Cyber Security – Virginia

"Eric is wonderful! He helped me organize a week-long conference in New Delhi and he managed each piece seamlessly—from the flights to the hotels to the ground transportation. He knew all about our various options within New Delhi and helped weigh in thoughtfully as we finalized our contracts with each vendor. He was a genuine pleasure to work along every step of the process!”

–Preeti B, Fashion – New York