UT Travel Info for Researchers

Official UT business, non-UT business and personal travel often intersect. For the purpose of obtaining authorization (and reimbursement) to travel for official UT business, we are required to clarify all PURPOSES of travel in terms of location, timing and expenditures. Please communicate ALL purposes, destinations and dates clearly to your unit travel contact, including specific dates and name of event(s), such as for a conference, workshop or meeting.

• Separate purposes include ALL UT business-related destinations and non-UT destinations, whether nearby, farther away, during, before and/or after official UT travel. All purposes and destinations must be declared for the entire date span included in the travel authorization, no exceptions.
   
• It is allowable and reimbursible to arrive up to 1 day before official event and stay up to 1 day after.
   
  • Arriving earlier or staying later than 1 day requires a documented purpose other than the event-related travel, or proof of savings to the university regarding discounts.
    PLEASE NOTE: An in-advance comparison must include all related costs, such as the additional lodging, per diem, transportation to compare to the decrease in airfare, for example. It needs to be clear that staying is more cost effective than leaving 'on time.'
     
• Sponsored project travel must tie directly and specifically to one or more of the deliverables outlined in the statement of work for the project.
   
  • Use of sponsored funds to cover travel requires project-specific business reason to be the main purpose of travel - the most clear way to express this is in number of days associated with each purpose.
    
    For example:
    If you are using sponsored funds to cover costs to a 3-day conference in Orlando, FL to present research, and you stay in Orlando for 2 weeks on non-UT business and/or personal travel, this gives the appearance that the UT business may not have been the main purpose for the overall trip and steps should be taken to ensure the sponsor does not cover aspects of the travel that don't directly benefit the sponsored project. AT A MINIMUM: To handle this travel compliantly, there should be a flight comparison (done at the same time and with the same itinerary) that shows the cost for only the UT business dates.
     
  • Extended personal travel should be arranged separately to avoid even the appearance of use of sponsored funds for personal gain, as well as a potential ruling of impropriety in the event of an audit. It should be clear within the travel authorization (not the reimbursement stage) that we addressed separation of UT business, non-UT business and personal travel.

Use of alternative modes of transportation, such as driving a personally-owned vehicle or travel by train instead of flying, must represent a savings to the university.

• There are guidelines to be followed regarding how to gain authorization, account for, and seek reimbursement for atypical travel situations.
   
  • Please communicate these kinds of plans clearly and well in-advance to your unit travel contact so they may assist you with landing compliantly on these requests.

Companion travel is not reimbursible* unless the companion also has official UT travel status for the same business purpose. Lodging occupancy priced (and taxed) on a per person basis can only include individuals in official university travel status. Per person lodging costs are most common in international destinations. Always check! Hotel folios almost always show the number of guests. It is your responsibility to provide the 1 person vs. 2+ person cost.

• *This includes event banquet costs charged on a per person basis.

If a traveler needs to book airfare to a UT business-related destination, and the itinerary is to originate from a location different from traveler's home base (headquarters), a comparison airfare must be obtained AT TIME OF BOOKING that shows similar itinerary and cost from home base. Reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the two itineraries. Be sure to communicate this to your unit travel coordinator in advance of booking.

 

There are five approved vendors offered for business travel related car rentals. Reservations must be secured using the vendor’s specific rate identifier code to apply the contracted rates and insurance coverage. Rentals with vendors outside of these five may not be reimbursable without an exception. Visit the Travel Management Services Rental Car webpage for more information or check out the Rental Car Exception form.

Select a vendor to learn more about university rates, benefits and program information:

• Avis / Budget
• Enterprise / National
• Hertz

If booking business or first class airfare, in order to be reimbursed, you must obtain a date-stamped exact apples-to-apples coach itinerary ON THE SAME DAY as booking.

• Be sure to communicate this situation to your unit travel contact well in advance of booking.
   
  • It is imperative that you coordinate with your unit travel contact to ensure they have enough time to obtain the necessary flight comparison. 
     
• Please do not attempt to supply your own flight comparisons unless obtained via the university's online travel tool, Concur (which supplies emailed, date-stamped official itineraries) or one of the official university travel agents (which also supply emailed, date-stamped official itineraries).

Be Aware of Booking BASIC Economy & 3rd party Online Non-Refundable Itineraries

Basic economy means no seat-selection, reduced carry-on allowances, and no changes allowed. On-line lower cost airfare is usually discounted because it is non-refundable and changes incur additional costs. Know before you book.

Seating & Class Upgrades, Early Onboarding, Baggage Fees, Other Options 

Upgrades and optional services are not reimbursable, including for hotel, airfare and other transportation costs. Additional and overweight baggage fees are only reimbursable for business related needs.
Exception: Southwest Airline's EarlyBird Check-in fee is reimbursable on local accounts (sponsored and gift funds -not state funds). Internet/Phone service costs must be incurred only for UT business purposes.

If planning to upgrade, an EXACT COACH/NON-UPGRADE COMPARISON is required AT SAME TIME OF BOOKING --NOT AFTER-THE-FACT.  If there is an exception-eligible reason for an upgrade, advance approval is required. Check out the exception request form, which lists eligible reasons at the bottom.

Expenses Incurred while Qualifying for Discount Airfare

When an employee stays extra days at a duty point to qualify for discount airfare, employee may be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred if additional expenses plus discount airfare are less than or equal to the average coach airfare. It must be in the best interest of the University to allow employee to be absent for the extra days. The extra days may occur before or after the official business.

Using Gift Cards, Mileage or Other Rewards Programs

Travelers may only be reimbursed for expenses that show proof of payment. If a gift card or other means of discount is applied to a bill, proof of purchase of gift card or other means of discount must be shown in order to be eligible for reimbursement of that amount. Airfare purchased with personally-gained mileage is not eligible for reimbursement. 

Texas-based Lodging EXEMPT from Occupancy Tax

State employees are exempt from (AND CANNOT BE REIMBURSED) Texas state hotel occupancy taxes. Traveler must present hotel with completed exemption certificate (<--PDF partially completed-just sign and go!) prior to finalizing invoice. If hotel refuses to honor certificate, traveler will be reimbursed the tax, then notify state comptroller about hotel's refusal, as future stays will not be granted exception. Employees are not exempt from county or municipal hotel occupancy taxes.

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