Travel Policy

1. The university will reimburse for lodging expenses incurred for lodging that is more than thirty-five (35) miles from the metropolitan area of the employee’s official workstation or residence.
2. Lodging claims for individual travelers may not exceed the single occupancy lodging rate, or standard business room rates.
3. Per IRS guidelines, lodging claims require an original, itemized receipt (or equivalent documentation) that displays the traveler’s name, lodging location, dates of stay, and the amount paid.
4. Miscellaneous lodging charges, such as tips, room service, movies, laundry services, meals, etc., are not reimbursable. Note: since meals are reimbursed as per diem, this expense is not reimbursed along with the lodging charge. These types of charges and fees are included in the Per Diem incidental expenses as noted below (Per Diem B). 
5. Lodging charges may be reimbursed to a single traveler when they have paid the expense on behalf of others who are traveling on the same trip/program if the following criteria are met:
   1. The other traveler(s) is/are conducting official university business;
   2. The name(s) of the other traveler(s) is/are included on the reimbursement document;
   3. The itemized lodging receipt is attached to the reimbursement document.

*NOTE: Lodging of a personal nature is not reimbursable.  For example, if lodging for a family member resulted in additional lodging costs, only the employee’s portion of the lodging would be eligible for reimbursement.

1. Per Diem rates are established by the General Services Administration (for the lower 48 Continental U.S.), the State Department (for international rates) and the Department of Defense (for non-foreign rates, which include Alaska, Hawaii and all U.S. territories).
2. Per Diem rates include incidental expenses (service tips, maps, ATM fees, etc.); therefore, these expenditures are not reimbursed separately.
3. The first and last days of travel are paid at 75% of the daily per diem allowance.
4. For overnight trips, the per diem rates are based on where the traveler spends the night, not the location of the meeting (if different cities).
5. For non-overnight trips, per diem is based on the traveler’s business destination.
6. Trips lasting less than 12 hours are not eligible for per diem
7. Trips lasting more than 12 hours, but not overnight, are eligible for 75% of the daily per diem allowance. Reimbursement for non-overnight per diem is taxable.
8. Proof of lodging (such as a lodging receipt) for each day per diem is claimed is required to substantiate the per diem reimbursement unless the lodging was prepaid through the university’s online booking tool.
9. If the traveler lodges with friends, family or colleagues in lieu of staying in a hotel, the dates of stay and the city and state location of the individual(s) who provided the lodging must be provided on the expense report to substantiate per diem.
10. Per Diem is not reimbursed when the traveler stays in his/her own residence unless the residence is not his/her primary dwelling.  In these instances, a note must be included on the expense report explaining that the lodging location is not the traveler’s primary residence.

1. Reimbursement is limited to the cost of economy coach class round trip airfare.

2. The flight must originate from the closest commercial airport to the traveler’s official IU workstation, unless travel from a different airport is more economical or there is a documented business need for travel from a location other than the airport closest to the traveler’s workstation. The fiscal officer of the account being used to fund the trip or the unit leader (whichever is applicable) will determine if travel from a different airport other than the location closest to the traveler’s workstation is reasonable and/or necessary and that adequate documentation is provided to support the determination.

3. Any upgrades from economy coach class airfare must be paid using non-IU funds, such as IU Foundation funds. Airfare class upgrade is also allowed for certain international travel or by medical exception as specified below.

4. If personal travel is included with business travel and the flight contains a personal segment(s), a price quote must be obtained at the time the airfare is reserved showing only the round trip cost of the business portion of the travel. The traveler will be reimbursed for the round trip quote to and from the business destination unless the travel that includes the personal segment is more economical.

5. Personal air segments must not be charged to an IU account (through a Designated Travel Agency or otherwise) unless there is documented substantiation (as detailed above) that the inclusion of the personal segment was more cost effective than the round trip business travel.

6. Fees associated with flight changes may be reimbursed as long as there is a valid business reason for the change.  The reason for the flight change must be included on the expense report.

1. Business class airfare may be allowable for international flights outside of North America.

2. Federal grants or other external grants or sponsored research may not allow business class travel as they may require the most restrictive class of travel. If traveling on Federal funding, it is the traveler’s responsibility to determine if business class airfare is allowed in advance of booking the flight.

3. Unit leaders and/or the department fiscal officer may set more stringent guidelines based on budget and other considerations.  Consult with the department fiscal officer prior to booking business class travel.

1. Travel on a privately owned aircraft will be limited to the reimbursement cost of a 30-day advance purchase round trip economy class airfare ticket and may be subject to additional restrictions as disseminated by Travel Management Services and the Office of Insurance, Loss Control, & Claims (INLOCC).

1. Charter travel by the President is governed by Board of Trustees process.

2. Senior administrators who wish to use a charter flight because of emergency, time or scheduling conflicts, or fiscal responsibility (lower cost than alternatives), must obtain written approval from the Office of the President prior to using a charter flight.

3. The Athletic Director (or a representative from Athletics designated by the Athletic Director) shall approve, in writing, all charter flights paid by the university for athletic teams and coaches.

1. Exceptions for business or first class airfare may be allowed for a documented medical reason.

2. A written approval for the exception to the standard business requirement to use economy coach travel is required from the unit leader (definition below) and must be included with the supporting documentation on the expense report.

1. Travel supported by federal funds to international destinations must comply with the Fly America Act and the Open Skies Act. These Acts restrict the selection of carriers to US carriers or those based in countries with which the US has an applicable agreement.

2. Commercial Air Travel: Domestic and International airfare costs in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class offered by commercial airlines (economy class) are unallowable except when such travel:

   1. Would require circuitous or excessively prolonged travel, or;

   2. Is not reasonably adequate for the traveler’s medical needs. In this case, the traveler must justify and document the condition(s) on a case-by-case basis in order for the use of first class or business class airfare to be allowable.

3. Business class travel on international trips may not be allowable on federally funded or other external grants. If a traveler books a business class trip when not allowed, the departmental account will be required to reimburse the grant funding.

1. Reimbursement is limited to the cost of an economy or mid-size vehicle unless there is a business or medical need for a larger vehicle.
2. The fiscal officer of the account being used to fund the trip or the unit leader will determine if a larger vehicle is reasonable and necessary for the business being conducted, and documented justification by the department should be included on the expense report to expedite Travel Management approval for reimbursement.
3. The Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims (INLOCC) carries liability/damage insurance for business travel. Therefore, rental car insurance for reservations within the United States and Canada should be declined through the rental vehicle agency.  For this reason, insurance on rental vehicles within the United States and Canada will not be reimbursed.  Travelers should purchase rental car insurance when traveling in Mexico.
4. INLOCC recommends purchasing insurance for all rental vehicle reservations outside of the United States and Canada.  Therefore, rental vehicle insurance for travel outside of the United States and Canada will be reimbursed.

1. Reimbursement is allowed for the cost of transportation between the airport and the site(s) of official university business, including the lodging site if different from other official business locations.

1. Reimbursement is limited to the shared ride cost negotiated with IU’s preferred vendors and posted on the Travel Management Services website.
2. The cost associated with a private limousine service is not reimbursed by IU.  The differential between the shared ride and the private ride costs must be paid using non-IU funds, such IU Foundation funds or the traveler’s personal funds, when private limousine services are utilized.

1. The cost of a traveler using his/her own private vehicle is reimbursed through the university’s mileage reimbursement rate.
2. Fuel charges may be claimed in lieu of mileage, but will be limited to the cost of the mileage calculation.
3. If a traveler uses a vehicle other than his/her personal vehicle for university business travel, mileage cannot be reimbursed. Instead, the cost of fuel paid for by the traveler will be reimbursed.
4. Mileage reimbursement rates are determined by the IRS. This rate includes wear and tear, fuel and insurance costs for the personal vehicle.
5. Mileage must be substantiated using the Map feature within the travel system.
6. Reimbursement for mileage costs is limited to the cost of a comparable 30-day advance purchase round trip economy class airfare ticket if the airfare is more economical than reimbursing mileage.
7. Mileage costs up to 500 miles are reimbursed at the full rate. Mileage above the first 500 miles is reimbursed at fifty percent (50%) of the full rate.
8. Mileage can be accumulated over several trips and claimed as a single expense report provided the following criteria are met:
   1. the purpose of each trip is approved university business;
   2. each trip is non-overnight;
   3. no per diem is being claimed; and
   4. the daily mileage amount and the date and purpose of each trip is documented on the expense report.
9. An employee’s daily commute to and from their residence and official work station is not “travel” for purposes of this policy and mileage will not be reimbursed.

1. Reimbursement is limited to the coach fare rate and will not exceed the cost of a comparable 30-day advance purchase round trip economy class airfare ticket.  Exceptions are allowed if approved by a fiscal officer or unit leader and should be noted on the expense report. 

1. In prescribed circumstances, the university will provide a travel advance in the form of check or automatic bank deposit to travelers in order to minimize out-of-pocket expenses during the trip. A travel advance is not intended to pay/reimburse travel expenses in advance of a trip; therefore, IU prepayment programs must be used to prepay travel expenses whenever possible in advance of the trip.
2. Travel advances are allowable for the following:
   1. International travel;
   2. Student group travel;
   3. Student travelers without the financial means to fund his/her business travel.
3. Every effort must be made to utilize Indiana University prepayment programs whenever possible to minimize the need for a travel advance.
4. For international travel, the advance amount is limited to 80% of the estimated per diem and lodging expense, or 80% of the trip limit as identified by the department, or an amount established by the fiscal officer of the account being used to fund the trip; whichever is the least amount.
5. For student group travel and student travel, the advance amount is limited to 80% of the estimated travel expenses, the trip limit, or an amount established by the fiscal officer of the account being used to fund the trip; whichever is the least amount.
6. A trip budget must be submitted in the travel system along with the advance request to substantiate the advance amount.
7. A travel advance must be requested through the travel system no more than twenty one (21) days prior to the trip begin date but no less than seven (7) days before the trip.
8. The traveler must comply with the specific advance guidelines, detailed in the cash advance certification message on the expense report, before a travel advance will be issued.
9. The travel advance must be reconciled and substantiated with applicable supporting receipts uploaded to the travel system within 60 days from the return date of the trip.
10. Any excess advance funds not used for the trip must be returned to the department account within 60 days of the return date of the trip.
11. All unsubstantiated and/or excess advance funds not returned to the department account within 60 days of the return date of the trip will be payroll deducted from the employee’s payroll, billed to the bursar account of the student traveler, or included in the traveler’s income subject to tax withholding; whichever is applicable

1. To qualify as student group travel, a trip must consist of three (3) or more students accompanied by an Indiana University faculty or staff employee who will be designated as the group leader for the trip.
2. All travel expenses for the group must be charged under the group leader’s name using Indiana University prepayment programs, charged to an Indiana University Travel Meeting Card issued in the group leader’s name, or paid out-of-pocket by the group leader to be reimbursed after the completion of the trip.
3. The group leader is responsible for obtaining and submitting all applicable receipts to substantiate the group travel expenses within the travel system.
4. A roster including the name of each student participant must be submitted along with the expense report.
5. Actual meal costs for the group are reimbursed as a total meal expense in lieu of per diem. Itemized meal receipts must be submitted along with the expense report to substantiate the group meal costs.  The total meal cost must not exceed the calculated per diem allowance for the group (based on the GSA per diem rate table).
6. Service tips for baggage handling and transportation may be reimbursed provided the tip amounts are itemized on the expense report and there was a bona fide business need for the service provided.