Presidential Campaign Travel: Moving Thousands Daily

As you watched the election unfold and the countless campaign rallies throughout the United States, did you ever wonder how everyone arrived where they were supposed to be and on time? Or, perhaps, you yourself attended one of this election season’s political events. There is one travel management company based out of Washington, DC-MacNair Travel Management-which has been responsible for managing Presidential campaigns for nearly 20 years.

This election season was no different as Michael MacNair, president and CEO of MacNair Travel and author of Smooth Landings, was contracted to develop travel management systems and strategies for all commercial travel related to the campaign. MacNair Travel also facilitated online and call-in ticketing.

“In a given day we moved 1,200 people from one campaign spot to the next,” MacNair says. “We are managed travel for advanced personnel, staff coordinators, consultants, finance personnel, VIP’s speaking on behalf of candidates, and their staffs.”

Presidential travel management differs from traditional corporate travel, according to MacNair. “First, Presidential campaign travel ramps up to about a $3 million dollar travel budget in months and then shuts down. Second, there is new staff and volunteers who need travel everyday so an authorization process must be stringent. And, third, there is more change involved than with average companies,” he explains.

There are particular travel management items the MacNair travel consultants have to ensure they pay attention to. “Price, authorization, travel change requests and car rental age requirements, since it’s hard to rent a car to anyone under 25, are just a few detailed items to monitor,” he adds. “Based on our experience garnered from the previous seven Presidential campaigns we have managed travel for, we create, implement and enforce very tight and defined travel management policies.”

Not only did MacNair Travel arrange for airline tickets, but the team also secured hotel rooms, car rentals and other travel items. “Often hotel rooms are pre-paid and that is a bit of a challenge, but we have an excellent system. We also rented SUV’s for the candidate’s entourage and vans, along with Secret Service coordination,” MacNair says.

The 2008 Presidential campaign was the second highest in travel volume, only coming behind the current President Bush’s campaigns, according to MacNair.

It takes a special skill set among travel agents to manage Presidential level travel, especially during the heat of the campaign trail. MacNair Travel specializes in developing travel management systems (policies, procedures, billing processes, customize online booking sites, preferred supplier deals). “Our Travel Consultants are faster, more flexible, more knowledgeable of U.S. geography, and can handle VIPs better,” MacNair states.

Which Presidential campaign events have you attended in your lifetime?