Now that the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer have ended and business travelers have survived the hurricanes, earthquakes, and security scares, it might be wise to take a few moments to rethink, reload, and revamp for the fall travel season.

We're facing an airline system this autumn that will offer a sharply reduced number of routes and seats as the major carriers struggle with high jet-fuel prices and their own financial weakness. Hotel chains are desperate to try and raise our prices too. But to mangle Shakespeare, the challenges this fall will not be from airlines or lodging providers, but from our own established patterns.

Before you wade into the hectic travel weeks between now and mid-November, consider some of these tips to clean up and sharpen your skills and strategies for surviving on the road.

Clean Out Your Carry-On

Our essential piece of travel gear is also a magnet for all sorts of detritus. Dried-up highlighters, broken pencils, the thumb drive that stopped working two years ago. Add in paperwork of all sorts—the first draft of last year's business plan, the boarding passes from flights you don't remember taking, and the folios for the last three hotel stays, none of which you've remembered to expense—and you have the business traveler's equivalent of the family junk drawer. Now is a great time to totally empty your carry-on bag and give it a good internal cleaning. Then put in only the stuff you currently need on the road. And a word to the wise: You can throw away the "quick tips" card for Lotus 1-2-3 now.

Recheck Your Tech

Entrepreneurs and small-business people are especially susceptible to what can only be called Travel Tech Creep. Suddenly, and without even knowing it, you're traveling with a big-box store's worth of gear: a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet, a book reader, music player, a portable hard drive, and more earbuds, headphones, extension cords, and AC chargers than a Radio Shack. It's long past time to slim down and make some intelligent choices. If you've got a decent smartphone, you can ditch most of the separate small items. Then add a tablet or a laptop and you probably should have everything you need to survive on the road. Word to the wise: Losing your separate music player and ebook reader are the easiest bits to leave behind. Your phone and laptop or tablet can do those jobs nicely.

Audit Your Wallet

If you're like most business travelers, you've probably said yes to every credit-card solicitation you've ever received. Which means your wallet is stuffed with cards you never use, cards you should be using but don't, and "go-to" cards that you haven't thought about critically in years. Regardless of what worked for you then, you need to think about what's practical now. Since you travel on business, it seems logical to assume you should carry and use the credit cards from the airlines and hotels you frequent most often. That will help you maximize your miles and points. Besides, the cards now offer perks not available to average travelers. If you travel internationally, make sure at least one of your credit cards is free of foreign exchange fees. Ditto for your ATM card—and make sure you're with a bank that will rebate your ATM access fees too. Word to the wise: Airlines, hotels, and car-rental firms rarely require you to show your frequency-program cards. But if you're wary of leaving those behind, create a separate "travel wallet" to hold the cards.