Travel

Cost Comparison Requirements

When personal travel is combined with business travel, a cost comparison should be obtained from Concur, a 3rd party travel vendor, or AAA prior to the trip and must meet the requirements below.

Cost Comparison Requirements and Guidance

Domestic Travel

Cost comparisons are not required for domestic flights (United States and U.S. Territories), unless personal travel is combined with business travel and/or there is a change in airport, due to personal travel.

  •  The maximum reimbursable amount allowed for domestic travel transportation is $550. The amount of travel expenses reimbursed when a cost comparison is required is the lesser of the cost comparison amount or the actual expense amount.
  • Cost comparison will need to show most direct roundtrip flight from closest major airport from traveler’s official duty station to the closest major airport to traveler’s official business location.
  • It is the responsibility of the traveler to obtain and provide a required cost comparison. In the event a traveler has not provided a cost comparison, the reimbursement will be the lesser of the actual expense or maximum reimbursement for domestic travel at $550.
    • Purdue Travel has based this on the average flight costs reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
  • The cost comparison should be made at the same time airfare is purchased or the travel request is completed.
  • Search should not be limited to a single airline.
  • Any personal travel outside of the business location is not reimbursable, regardless of the number of personal days included.
  • It is acceptable to provide a copy of a co-worker's airfare itinerary/receipt who attended the same business event with no personal or other travel destinations involved.

International Travel

A cost comparison is required for all international travel to, between or within countries outside of the United States or U.S. Territories. This includes Mexico and Canada trips, but only if it includes personal travel and/or airport change due to personal travel.

  • The maximum reimbursable amount allowed for international travel transportation is $1,000. The amount of travel expenses reimbursed when a cost comparison is required is the lesser of the cost comparison amount or the actual expense amount.
  • Cost comparison will need to show most direct roundtrip flight from closest major airport from traveler’s official duty station to the closest major airport to traveler’s official business location.
  • It is the responsibility of the traveler to obtain and provide a required cost comparison. In the event a traveler has not provided a cost comparison, the reimbursement will be the lesser of the actual expense or maximum reimbursement for international travel at $1,000.
  • The cost comparison should be made at the same time airfare is purchased or the travel request is completed.
  • Search should not be limited to a single airline.
  • Any personal travel outside of the business location is not reimbursable, regardless of the number of personal days included.
  • It is acceptable to provide a copy of a co-worker's airfare itinerary/receipt who attended the same business event with no personal or other travel destinations involved.

Help

A Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is available to help complete a cost comparison.

Further details can be found in Purdue's Travel Regulations document.