travel voucher purpose

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Travel guide:

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about booking travel, how to book flights or rail, enter your destination, then origin.

• Go to Concur at travel.gsa.gov
• In the shortcuts menu on the upper left hand corner, select Travel - New Booking
• Click on the Air/Rail icon (this should be already selected). If you need to travel by train only, choose the Rail icon instead.

*Note: If you need to travel by both air and rail, call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 and they will make your reservations for you. An hour after your call, skip ahead to this step to submit your AdTrav reservation for approval.

*Note: The destination city is entered before the departure city

• Click Search to move onto the next screen.

How to Choose a Flight

When choosing flights, you may notice they fall into four different categories:

• Govt. Contract Discounted: the preferred option. In general, these fares are only available 15 or more days in advance, so try to book your travel as early as possible.
• Govt. Contract: the standard option, based on the city pair rate , the agreed upon rate for government flights between two cities. These are preferred if no govt. contract discounted fares are available.
• Non-contract Government: these fares are also acceptable to book if the timing is more advantageous. All these fares are within the City Pair rate and are fully refundable. No additional approvals are required to book a non-contract government fare.
• Lowest published: while these fares may come at a lower cost than the contract options, they also come at increased risk to the government because many of these fares are nonrefundable. Any flight that is nonrefundable must be explicitly approved by the authorizing official before the TTS travel team can approve. If you think that choosing a "Lowest published" nonrefundable fare is your best option, skip ahead to securing your approval email now , and then come back to book later. You'll want to ensure you secure the approval before you book because these fares expire quickly, often before authorizing official and travel team approval can be reasonably obtained.

*Note about flights with policy violations:

If you need to take a flight which indicates a policy violation, the type of violation will inform what steps you need to take next. Click on "View Fares" to pull up additional details about your flight selection.

If any part of the fare that you chose is nonrefundable, or exceeds the City Pair rate (note that lookup values here are for one-way fares), you will need an additional email approving the risk of nonrefundable airfare and/or additional costs from your authorizing official sent to , external, [email protected] .

What justifies using a non-contract fare?

• Select the lowest cost, most compliant fare available by clicking on the blue button at right with the price. This will take you onto the confirmation page.

• This will take you to the Trip Overview . This page also lists your current reservations.

By choosing "I will book a hotel now." you will be allowed to book your hotel directly in Concur. Before doing so, please ensure that your travel card is saved in your Concur profile .

Book lodging

*Note : If you don't have a travel card yet, make sure that you've applied for one (it is required by GSA policy), then choose "I will book a hotel later". Call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 to reserve your hotel (and rental car if needed) on your personal card in the meantime. Assuming you've already booked your flight or train in Concur, mention the authorization number associated with your itinerary so you don't get a second overlapping authorization for your hotel and/or rental car. You can verify your authorization number by going to the "Authorizations" tab in Concur and finding the number in blue on the left side associated with your travel dates. An hour after you call with AdTrav, proceed on to completing trip information .

How to Book a hotel in Concur

*Note: if you are coming back to this step after going back to the main menu of Concur, make sure your saved authorization is selected, go to Travel Home , reopen your itinerary, and then choose "Hotel" under "Add to your Itinerary".

*If you didn't need to book flights or rail, you can go to the Travel tab of Concur and make your reservations selecting the "hotel only" option.

Enter check-in and check-out dates, location, any preferred hotels, and then click next.

Confirm the per diem location and click next. The maximum lodging rate and M&IE allowance is indicated below.

Choose a hotel from the list of search results. Unless you have approval otherwise, or intend to pay for the difference in price personally, sure that you pick a hotel with a nightly rate equal to or less than the government maximum for the area listed here . In the side bar you can filter your search results to only those under the Per diem rate by checking Hide hotels over Per Diem limit ($XXX.00) .

Click on View Rooms , to view a detailed list of rooms within the hotel and select the room by clicking on the listed price at right.

Review and Reserve Hotel On the review screen:

• Select your hotel room preferences
• Choose a credit card
• Agree to the hotel's rate policies.
• Click on Reserve Hotel and Continue

You will now be taken back to your trip itinerary. Note that the hotel has been added to the flight.

Scroll down and click Next and complete your trip information , or if needed, continue on to reserve a rental car .

Can I book outside of Concur?

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, you should use Concur for all reservations (flights, hotels, and rental cars). If you choose to book a hotel outside of Concur, include a justification that corresponds with one of the following (from the Federal Travel Regulation):

• When you are attending a conference where the conference sponsor has negotiated with one or more lodging facilities to set aside a specific number of rooms for conference attendees and to ensure that a set aside room is available to you, you are required to book lodging directly with the lodging facility.
• When your travel is to a remote location and it is not possible to book lodging accommodations through the TMS or ETS (Concur).
• When such travel arrangements are so complex and circumstance will not allow you to book your travel through an online self-service booking tool (Concur).

If you need to book a hotel outside of Concur, check if booking comes with any nonrefundable fees. If it does, make sure that you get your authorizing official to approve the approximate amount of what is nonrefundable and send the email to , external, [email protected] . Nonrefundable hotel fees that are not pre-approved are the traveler’s liability. Should booking a hotel in Concur or via AdTrav not be possible, , external, Fedrooms offers hotels within government maximum rates that have flexible cancellation policies.

When you are finished booking your hotel, proceed on to complete trip information .

Booking a Rental Car

Before booking a rental car ensure that manager or client who approved your travel explicitly approved budget for a rental car-- in certain situations, rental cars and parking charges are not as advantageous to the government as common carriers such as taxis and/or public transit. Government vehicles may also be available-- check out the guide , external, TTS-only, here for more details.

*If you didn't need to book flights, rail, or hotel, you can go to the Travel tab of Concur and make your reservations selecting the "rental car only" option.

How to Book A Rental Car in Concur

• From the itinerary page, choose "Car" under "Add to your Itinerary" and then select the trip leg when prompted.
• Indicate pick-up and drop-off dates, location(s), car type, and preferred vendor(s).

*Note GSA employees are required to use the lowest cost compact car unless approved for a larger vehicle based on meeting one or more of the justifications listed in FTR §301-10.450(c) .

• Confirm your email address and travel card information, and then Reserve Car and Continue.

Important notes:

Be aware that the rental company you select must participate in the , external, Defense Travel Management Office's (DTMO) Rental Car Program . Rental car companies participating in the program established ceiling rates; unlimited mileage (except for one-way rentals); vehicle contract will be ready upon arrival; if size/class reserved is not available, the company will offer an upgrade at the same cost; no underage drivers’ fee for drivers between the ages of 18-25; no minimum rental period; no cost for additional drivers; and full coverage insurance for damages resulting from an accident while performing official travel.

The Government is self-insured and rental vehicles under the DTMO agreement include full coverage for damages resulting from an accident while performing official travel. Employees on TDY travel within CONUS will not be reimbursed for collision damage waiver (CDW) or theft insurance available on commercial rental contracts. Employees will be reimbursed for collision damage waiver or theft insurance while on TDY in non-foreign areas in accordance with FTR §301-10.451 . Personal liability insurance is considered a personal expense and will not be reimbursed.

Once you have reserved your rental car, continue on to complete trip information .

Questions about securing approvals

Completing trip information.

On the Trip Booking Information page you must enter some general information in order to ensure that your trip gets billed to the right client and/or budget.

*Note: If you called Ad Trav to book travel, you'll need to open Concur about an hour after your initial call to AdTrav, going to the Authorizations tab, clicking on your authorization, and selecting Edit Authorization . This will open up the document, where you can go to the General tab and see the fields that are presented below:

How to Complete Your Trip Information

Trip name: Identify the budget of your trip here, based on the type of project you are traveling for:

• Billable projects: for 18F and CoE, include the exact name and number of the project as it appears in , external, TTS-only, Tock . For PIF billable travel, simply indicate the project is billable.
• All other projects: include the name of the team budget that is paying for this travel (a list of options is in cell C5 of the , external, TTS-only, TTS Budget and Accounting Lookup

*Note: If you are traveling for multiple projects (whether billable or not), list all of the relevant Tock name and numbers and budget names as appropriate.

• BILLABLE: 18F / HHS / CMS FY19 #997
• BILLABLE: CoE / USDA Phase 2 / Cloud Adoption #980
• BILLABLE: PIF - DHS
• NONBILLABLE: OPP Smarter IT Solutions Division (QXD)
• NONBILLABLE: 18F Strategy Branch (QEAD)
• NONBILLABLE: Cloud Adoption CoE

Type Code: "SINGLE TRIP". Trip Purpose: “Mission (Operational)” in most cases, unless attending a conference or training. Document detail: Brief summary of the purpose of the trip. Will this travel be a detail to another location? No.

• Proceed by clicking Next to finalize the reservation.

Additional step if you booked your hotel outside of Concur or Ad Trav

*Note: If you did not book a hotel from Concur, a policy violation will be flagged. If this applies to you, briefly justify your hotel choice .

Additional step if you are extending travel for personal reasons

Deleting hotel expenses which auto-populate on your authorization is relatively straightforward, but an additional step is required to remove M&IE. In some cases, Concur may not allow you to do this on the authorization. If that's the case, proceed as normal and return to this step when creating your voucher after you get back.

How to Justify Rental Cars and Personal Vehicle Mileage

In most cases, you can proceed straight on to stamping and submitting for travel team approval at this point . However, since "common carrier" transit (e.g. public transit, flights, trains, buses, shuttles, taxis, etc) or a , external, TTS-only, government car are the preferred modes of transit for official GSA travel, additional justification is required if you intend to incur the following expenses:

• Rental Cars: You must add a comment on the "Expenses and Receipts" page justifying the use of a rental car as advantageous to the government (considering both cost and time) compared to common carrier transit or a government car.
• Mileage: You must add this in as an expense on the "Expenses and Receipts" page and then justify the mileage claim as advantageous to the government (considering both cost and time) compared to common carrier transit, government car, and rental car. Mileage from your home to the airport (plus associated parking fees or round-trip travel in case of a drop-off) need only be justified as advantageous compared to taxi and public transit, as it is understood that obtaining a government car or rental car is impractical over such a short distance.

How to Stamp and Submit for Travel Team Approval

Following this step will ensure your authorization or voucher is in SUBMIT TO APPROVER status, which is required for your request to be reviewed, approved, and ticketed. Before you submit, you can review , external, this Checklist to ensure you've addressed all potential issues that can result in your request getting rejected or returned for correction.

• Click Document Actions -> Submit Document (in the upper right hand corner of your authorization)
• You will be taken to a document history page. If your “Status to Apply” is “Submit to Approver” , then click Stamp and Submit Document at either the top or the bottom of the page and continue. If not, please correct any other failures.
• The next page will show you your pre-audit results . These will let you know if anything might be awry, which is represented by either a FAIL or a HARDFAIL . Many of these are not a cause for concern as long as you secure approvals in the right way. For a more detailed guide on what to do for each FAIL or HARDFAIL , read on , external, TTS-only, here . As long as you don't have any hardfails, you are clear to Continue Stamping the Document
• If you successfully stamped the document, you be taken to a page with the button Close Post Stamping Document Closure Screen . It doesn’t look like it, but when you see that button, you are done! Your authorization has been submitted. You don’t even have to click the button again (but you can if you want).
• In the case of authorizations, your travel will be approved by the TTS travel team once you have secured approval from your authorizing official . Ensure this is complete by 3:30 PM Eastern, else your travel will not be approved until the next business day. If you require approval after business hours, see the guide for after-hours and emergency travel here .

*For vouchers, your travel will be approved within 3-5 business days.

• Once you have been approved by the TTS travel team, you should receive a notification from Concur. Please note that in most cases, government contract airfare does not ticket until 72 hours before departure , so you may not receive official confirmation of your itinerary until then. Don't worry about this, the TTS travel team is not aware of any situations where approved travelers have not been issued tickets :)

*For vouchers, reimbursement will be issued to your personal account and travel card 3-5 business days after travel team approval. For issues with reimbursement, read on more here

Once your authorization is approved and ticketed, you might want to take a look at what to expect while traveling !

How to secure authorizing official approval

You must formally request your authorizing official's approval* via email and forward it to , external, [email protected] , unless you are traveling to a training, conference, speaking event, or other "IRL" or large team gathering, in which case you must follow the event request process instead . Who is my authorizing official? The body of the email must include the following: See an individual template here and a group template here

• Names of individuals traveling What if this changes?
• Start and end dates of travel What if I am extending travel for personal reasons?
• A brief description of work to be done on the trip
• Identified budget that will be paying for the trip How do I identify my budget?
• Origin and destinations for each individual What if I am returning to or traveling from a location other than home?
• Estimated expenses for each individual, including a sufficient budget for local travel and miscellaneous expenses such baggage fees How should I estimate my expenses?
• Include the travel expenses estimator as an image in the body of the email to make the travel approver's life easier.

* Note that in many cases, your engagement manager or team lead may request approval on behalf of the group-- reach out to them before emailing your authorizing official.

Who is my authorizing official and what is my budget?

Your authorizing official must be a supervisor or director at GSA.

If your travel is non-billable , and coming from your team's budget, your authorizing official would be your supervisor or director. If expenses will be paid out of another team's budget (list of budgets available in cell C5 of , external, TTS-only, this sheet ), you will need a supervisor or director from that team to approve.

If your travel is billable , you will need to have the Account Manager of the project or Director of the team overseeing the project verify the budget prior to submitting the travel request. Please use the following process to document the verification:

• Project teams should send travel request(s) with estimated costs via email to the Account Manager
• The Account Manager will reply with either "Approve" or "Reject" and provide additional context if they deem necessary
• Once approved/rejected the Account Manager updates the comment session for the project in Airtable.
• Submit the travel request(s) to the appropriate approver as listed below

The following list provides Concur approvers for billable travel:

• 18F: 1st Line Supervisor (verify with the project's Account Manager first per instructions above)
• 10x: Nico Papafil
• cloud.gov: Ashley Mahan until a new cloud.gov director is selected
• login.gov: Dan Lopez
• Centers of Excellence: Jenny Rostami.

What if I am traveling for multiple projects?

Secure approval from each authorizing official as you would normally, but with an eye on which project will be covering each expense. When completing your trip information in Concur , ensure that either the Trip Name or Document Detail mentions that the travel will be split between multiple projects. If more than one authorizing official has approved expenses for a particular day or leg of the itinerary, clarify which project will be paying for each part of the trip, either via email to , external, [email protected] or comment in the Trip Name or Document Detail sections of Concur. Splitting overall trip costs by a percentage is acceptable as well, as long as the split is agreed upon by all parties.

Another common situation which arises when splitting travel across multiple projects is having days in between, such as a weekend in between travel for two projects. Having official travel approved for the days in between, including weekends or leave is possible as long as the following conditions are met:

• It is not possible to reschedule one of the meetings or events to avoid having days in between.
• Considering both the travel time and overall cost, it is advantageous to the government to pay for the hotel and meals for the time in between rather than the round trip travel cost of having the employee return home.
• One or both authorizing officials agree to cover the costs of the time in between.

* Note that this same situation may arise when travel is required for one project on both sides of a weekend-- the same considerations apply.

How can I get my travel approved to attend a training, conference, speaking event, or other "IRL" or large team gathering*?

Instead of obtaining an email of approval, you must follow the event request process . You may book your travel in the meantime. However, if you will be extending your trip at your own expense , flying to or from points that are not either your duty station or location of the event , or combining your event travel with travel for some other reason, you must secure an email from your authorizing official approving of the revised itinerary.

*The threshold for a large team gathering is over 6 employees traveling for an internal management meeting (not day-to-day business) and/or more than $10,000 in estimated travel expenses for the group. Requests for approval of these events is typically handled by the organizer of the meeting.

What if who is traveling changes?

A follow-up to the original email from the authorizing official indicating who the new travel is, and if there is any change in dates or estimated cost is sufficient.

What if I am extending travel for personal reasons?

Include language that specifies which days will be at your own expense, and acknowledge that "I understand all other travel expenses including lodging and meals before or after the official travel dates specified above are my own responsibility." You may remove hotels and M&IE from your authorization in Concur if you haven't already.

Alternatively, you may book your official travel and have it approved as normal. Once your travel has been approved by the travel team in Concur, you may then call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 and request to be re-booked on a different flight for personal travel. In the case of most government contract flights, there is no additional charge. However, if there is an additional cost compared to your original itinerary, AdTrav will request you provide a personal credit or debit card number to pay for the difference.

What if I am returning to or traveling from a location other than home?

If you were previously scheduled to be on leave or telework at the other location*, the full cost of travel from or to that location can be approved at the discretion of your authorizing official. Ensure that there is language in the email that reflects your itinerary.

If you'd like to schedule personal travel that's incidental to your work trip (i.e. planned after the work trip), after your official work itinerary has been approved in Concur, you can give AdTrav a call at (877) 472-6716 and request that your itinerary be changed for personal reasons, with you covering any difference in cost that may arise.

*Note that while GSA travel policy doesn't explicitly forbid being approved to travel from a foreign location, travel to or from foreign locations must be requested in Event Tracker for GSA Administrator approval at least 7 weeks in advance, making approval in these circumstances extremely unlikely.

International travel

All official international travel taken by GSA employees, regardless of funding source, requires Salesforce event approval. Please reach out to the Travel and Events team at least 7 weeks in advance in order to coordinate this.

Teleworking from locations outside the U.S. while on personal travel is not allowed.

How should I estimate my expenses

In the case of individual or small group travel, you may estimate your expenses based on the total amount of your authorization in Concur, plus an reasonable allowance for any additional expenses such as taxis, parking, and baggage fees.

For larger group travel, it is recommended to use this , external, TTS-only, travel expenses estimator template which automatically calculates most airfare and per diems.

Questions about reimbursement

How do i create a "voucher from authorization".

Visit Concur at travel.gsa.gov . Click "Vouchers" in the top bar and then "New Voucher" in the next-to-top bar. In the field Document Type, select "Voucher From Authorization" and click Next. You will be led through creating a voucher from your authorization that you got approved prior to traveling.

• Under Document Search, you’ll see a list of your “open” authorizations (i.e. your authorizations that don’t have vouchers yet).
• Hit the pencil button to select the authorization you’d like to be reimbursed for. You will be moved onto the next step, Reviewing and completing trip information on the Document Information screen.
• TIP : If you can't figure out which authorization is your recent trip by name, look at the departure date column.

Once you've selected your authorization and continue, you'll be taken to the Document Information page. This should all be auto-populated, so unless some of the details of your trip changed, no further action is required here and you may continue on to Create Document and start adding your expenses . More guidance on what receipts or justifications are required can be found here

What if I can't find my authorization listed here?

If you can't find your authorization on this list, it may be because an amended authorization was generated for you. If you changed your trip such that trip dates or locations fall outside what was originally approved, you'll need to submit that amended auth for approval by going to the Authorizations tab, selecting the amended authorization corresponding to your trip, and going in to Open Document .

However, in some cases, Concur will generate an amendment in error. If you suspect this is the case, head to the Authorizations tab, select the amended authorization corresponding to your trip, and Delete Document

How do I create a local or miscellaneous voucher?

Upon selecting the Local voucher option, you will be taken to a blank Document Information page. Here's what you need to include for each field:

• Trip Name This should follow the same naming conventions you would use for a travel authorization . Ensure you have an email from your authorizing official approving all of the expenses you'd like to claim sent to , external, [email protected] .
• Type code and Trip purpose If the voucher is for local travel (taxis, mileage, etc.), choose Local travel . For any other sort of reimbursement, choose Misc voucher .
• Document detail Enter a brief description of what the reimbursement is for here.
• Click on Create Document

Proceed on to entering your expenses . Note that any local transit over $25 requires a receipt, and all expenses claimed on a miscellaneous voucher require receipts.

How to add, edit or delete expenses

Adding expenses.

Expenses can be added by clicking the Add expense button either above or below. Make sure to save and click the Add expense button again before creating a new expense.

Editing expenses

Expenses can be edited by clicking the pencil button and then making changes on the right hand side. Don't forget to save any changes you make!

Selecting payment type

Make sure you correctly indicate what was paid on the travel card vs personal means of payment to avoid issues with reimbursement .

• Use IBA for anything paid for on the travel card. Not seeing this option? Add your travel card to your Concur profile
• Use CASH for anything paid for using cash or a personal card.
• CBA is only used for air and rail expenses paid through Concur directly.

Attaching receipts

You can attach receipts by clicking on the Add receipt to lodging button (looks like a slip of paper with a checkmark, just to the right of the pencil button for editing expenses.

Deleting expenses

Expenses can be deleted by clicking the checkbox next to the expense and then clicking the Delete selected expenses button either above or below.

When are receipts or further justifications required to claim expenses?

Simple expenses.

The following expenses can be entered as-is without further receipts, written justifications, or other considerations, provided that each expense is under $75:

• Airfare or Amtrak tickets booked through Concur or AdTrav
• Airplane wifi
• Fees for one checked bag per leg of itinerary
• Laundry expenses, if official travel is at least 4 nights
• Tolls, if government car, POV mileage or rental car is pre-approved
• Meals and Incidental Expenses
• Public transit expenses of $25 or less.

Expenses requiring receipts

The following expenses require receipts:

• Flights or Amtrak booked outside of Concur (Requires additional justification and is only approved on a case-by-case basis)
• Rental cars and gas for rental cars (also requires additional justification
• Any other expense exceeding $75, including local transportation (This threshold is $25 for local vouchers)
• Any expenses claimed on a miscellaneous voucher.
• Professional liability insurance

Expenses requiring further justification:

The following expenses don't require receipts, but do require brief descriptions to justify claiming them:

• Local transportation expenses of $75 or less per trip (Metro, taxis, personal vehicle mileage, etc.)
• Checked baggage fees for more than one piece of luggage per leg of your trip.

Questions about entering specific expenses

How should i claim meals and incidental expenses.

• The allowance for Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) is a flat rate given to a traveler regardless of what they actually spent. No receipts or justification is needed to receive M&IE.
• For example : Consider a trip taken between 9/16 and 9/18. M&IE is $69 per day in DC, and is 75% of $69 ($51.75) on the first and last days of a trip. We see that the three days of M&IE has been added automatically.

How should I claim meals paid on the travel card?

When meals are paid on the travel card, there are a few different ways of documenting it:

• One can create a new M&IE expense with expense method IBA in the amount spent on meals per day. The amount of M&IE reimbursed to your personal account will be automatically reduced accordingly (you will see negative charges appear that correspond with this). If you document all expenses correctly, your travel card bill will be paid off exactly.
• One can change the payment method of M&IE expenses to IBA so that all reimbursement is routed to the travel card. If the entire allowance was not used, any amount left over will show up as a positive balance. You may call the customer service number on the back of the card and request that a check be mailed for that remaining amount.
• One can leave the payment method of M&IE expenses as the default, CASH . After the voucher is processed, there will be an outstanding balance remaining. This will need to be paid-- call the customer service number on the back of the card for more details on making a payment.

How can I remove extra days at personal expense from my authorization or voucher?

If you were authorized to extend your trip at your own expense and need to delete M&IE, there are some special instructions that you should follow:

• Edit your first full day of travel at your own expense by clicking on the pencil icon.
• Click on the View Per Diem Conditions . You should see a menu expand below.
• Choose M&IE Override , then Override by amount , and 0 .
• Check On leave . Use Other leave , 8 hours .
• If you are requesting leave for multiple days, return to the top and enter in the last full day you are traveling at personal expense.
• Save. Your M&IE should show as zero for the day. If it didn't work, just go ahead an add in a comment about the days you would like to zero out in the comments field, and the travel team will take that into account when they review your voucher for approval.

How should I claim hotels and lodging taxes?

If you booked a hotel in Concur, your actual hotel expenses should populate automatically. However, that automatic amount will often lump in the taxes, which should be considered a separate list.

First, attach your receipt to the first night of lodging only, unless you have multiple receipts. Note that Concur will flag all expenses needing receipts

Then, correct the lodging expenses so they reflect the actual nightly rate paid, not including taxes.

Finally, add a new expense for lodging taxes in , keeping in mind the following:

• Create Expenses Through: Enter the last night you were checked into the hotel, and each night’s lodging tax will be copied through.
• Expense Date: The night that you checked in.
• Expense Description: Lodging Tax
• Cost: Tax per night (tax can also be reported as a lump sum, though lodging itself must be broken out per night)
• Payment Method: Travel card -> IBA , and other form of payment -> CASH

Don't forget to Save!

How should I claim air or Amtrak booked outside of Concur

Any airfare or Amtrak tickets booked outside of Concur are at your own risk and may not be approved. If you are seeking reimbursement for personally booked airfare or Amtrak, you must choose Other - Miscellaneous as the expense description, and in the comments section under Show other details , you must provide a justification as to why it was not possible for you to book your travel via Concur or AdTrav.

How can I get reimbursed for professional liability insurance?

Supervisors may be reimbursed for up to half the cost of professional liability insurance, up to $150. In order to claim reimbursement, get an email from your supervisor approving the amount of the reimbursement you intend to claim and send it to , external, [email protected] . Then, create a miscellaneous voucher in Concur and attach the receipt you received after purchasing the insurance.

How should I claim local transportation expenses?

For public transit, taxis, rental cars, POV mileage and other forms of local transportation, you may add the expense as normal , choosing whichever expense description reflects the nature of the method used. Choose the payment method used , and upload a receipt only for rental cars, rental car gas, or any other expense greater than $75 (this threshold is $25 for local vouchers .

Any local transit expense other than public transit under $25 requires a brief comment describing the origin and destination of the travel (e.g. "from airport to office").

You can add this by clicking on Show other details and filling out the Comments section that pops up below.

For public transit over $25, a “blanket entry” describing generally the origins and destinations of travel paid for is acceptable.

For rental cars and mileage claims, the comment should also include an additional justification as specified here .

For mileage claims over $75, instead of attaching a receipt, attach a screenshot showing a map of your itinerary with the calculated distance.

Issues with reimbursement

I received a bill for an outstanding balance on my travel card. should i pay it.

A: First, verify that your most recent voucher was paid to the travel card account. Go to the Vouchers tab of Concur, then click on the voucher number you want to view and choose View Summary . In the voucher view, navigate down to the Totals and travel advances section and verify the amount on the Pay to Charge Card line. This amount should match with a payment made to the travel card in your travel card statement. TTS-only, More information about logging into and managing your travel card account. If it does, and there is still a remaining balance, it is likely that you used the travel card to pay for something that was either claimed as CASH on the voucher, or not claimed at all.

If you discover a valid charge to your travel card that you need to be reimbursed for after your voucher is initially approved, you may create an amended voucher .

If you were reimbursed to your bank account for a charge made on your travel card, you will have to pay the bill for it. Contact the number on the back of your travel card for details on how payment can be made.

Positive balance on travel card

If you have a positive balance on the travel card, it is likely that you claimed an expense as paid for on the travel card when you actually paid for it via a personal means of payment. You can call the number on the back of your travel card and request that they mail you a check in the amount of the positive balance.

My reimbursement never arrived!

If it has been over a week after your voucher has been approved and your reimbursement hasn't arrived (whether to your travel card account or personal account), contact [email protected] and describe the issue you are having. cc [email protected].

How do I amend my voucher after it is approved?

To amend a voucher, go to the Vouchers tab of Concur, then click on the voucher number you want to view and choose Amend voucher . Provide a brief reason for the amendment, then proceed with adding your revised expenses and resubmitting for approval . Note that if you want to revise a voucher that has not yet been approved, you can simply Edit Voucher instead of amending.

Note: Vouchers should NOT be amended in the case of revising the payment method ( IBA to CASH or vice versa , or reducing a claim on an already-approved expense. If you were over-reimbursed for something, you will need to mail a check for that amount, made out to GSA to the following address:

USDA-OCFO Financial Operations & Disbursement Branch Attn: Bryan DeLeve - 2SE 2300 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64108

Reference the authorization and voucher number along with the payment.

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The Ultimate Guide to Travel Vouchers: All You Need to Know

Last Updated: April 30, 2024 July 18, 2024

Travel vouchers are a valuable resource for adventurers seeking to explore the world while saving money. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a long-haul journey, understanding the different types of travel vouchers can help you use them effectively. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is a Travel Voucher?

A travel voucher is a certificate that you can redeem to cover all or part of your travel costs. These vouchers can be issued by airlines, cruise lines, hotels, travel agencies, or tour operators.

They’re usually digital, and you may receive them when a travel provider, like an airline or cruise service, makes an error on a previous trip. For instance, if an airline bumps you from a flight that’s overbooked, they might give you a voucher for a free later flight. You might also receive one if you’ve purchased and then cancel a flight or accommodation that’s not refundable for cash.

Types of Travel Vouchers

Travel vouchers all essentially work in the same way by applying their value to the cost of your trip. However, it’s important to know the different types and what specific scenarios you can use them in:

• Airline vouchers: Airlines may issue these as compensation for flight delays, cancellations, or overbooking. They’re typically good towards future flights with the same airline.
• Hotel vouchers: Hotels often issue vouchers for complementary stays, room upgrades, or discounts on future bookings. You may receive one as compensation for inconveniences during your stay or as part of a loyalty program.
• Travel agency vouchers: Travel agencies may offer vouchers as promotional incentives or as compensation for booking errors or inconveniences. You can usually redeem them for discounts on future bookings or additional travel services.
• Tour vouchers: Tour operators sometimes provide vouchers for discounts on guided tours, excursions, or activities at various destinations. These vouchers may be included as part of a travel package or offered separately as promotional incentives.
• Cruise vouchers: Cruise lines may issue vouchers for onboard credits, cabin upgrades, or discounts on future voyages as compensation for service issues or as part of loyalty programs.

Benefits of Travel Vouchers

Travel vouchers offer numerous benefits for travelers, such as:

• Cost savings: Vouchers can substantially reduce your travel costs, allowing you to stretch your budget further and enjoy more experiences.
• Added value: Vouchers often come with added perks, such as room upgrades, complementary services, or discounts on additional purchases, enhancing the overall travel experience.
• Convenience: Redeeming vouchers is usually a straightforward process that you can complete online, making it convenient to take advantage of their benefits.

How To Use Travel Vouchers

Using travel vouchers is typically a straightforward process, depending on their specific terms and conditions. Here’s a general guide on how to use these vouchers effectively:

• Check the expiration date: Most travel vouchers have a set expiration date, so it’s essential to verify the validity period before planning your trip.
• Read the terms and conditions: Review the terms and conditions associated with the voucher, including any restrictions or limitations on its use. For instance, some vouchers may have blackout dates when they’re not eligible for use.
• Redeem online or contact provider: Depending on the voucher, you’ll likely redeem it online through the provider’s website or app. Alternatively, you may need to contact the provider directly to make arrangements.
• Book your trip: Once you’ve decided on your travel dates and destination, proceed to book your flights, accommodations, tours, or other services using the voucher.
• Apply the voucher code: At the end of the booking process, the site will usually prompt you to enter the voucher code to apply the discount.
• Confirm your reservation: After applying the voucher, double-check your reservation details to ensure accuracy and confirm that the voucher has been properly applied.

With your travel arrangements confirmed, all that’s left to do is pack your bags and embark on your adventure. By following these steps and staying informed about the terms and conditions of your travel voucher, you can make the most of its benefits and enjoy a memorable travel experience.

Common Questions About Travel Vouchers

How long do travel vouchers last?

How long your voucher lasts depends on the provider and the terms of the voucher. Some vouchers may expire in a few months, while others may be good for a year or more. Others may have no expiration date. Check the expiration date when you receive the voucher, and plan to use it within its valid period so you don’t miss out.

Are there any restrictions on using travel vouchers?

Travel vouchers may come with certain restrictions on how you can use them, such as blackout dates, minimum stay requirements, or restrictions on specific destinations or services. Make sure to carefully review the voucher’s terms and conditions before using it so you know what to expect.

What happens if I lose my travel voucher?

Most travel vouchers are electronic and stored on the provider’s website, so you don’t need to worry about losing them. However, if you lose a physical voucher, contact the issuer as soon as possible to report the loss. Depending on their policies, they may reissue the voucher. However, there may be fees or restrictions associated with replacing lost vouchers, so it’s best to act quickly and follow the issuer’s instructions.

Can I insure a trip booked with a travel voucher?

Yes, you can typically insure a trip booked with a travel voucher, however the amount of the travel voucher should not be included within your trip cost. This is because travel insurance is designed to cover the out-of-pocket monetary expenses travelers spend on their trip. Since you did not pay the cash value out-of-pocket for the voucher, it is not considered a reimbursable trip expense.

If you have booked a trip using a travel voucher, you can insure the additional prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses. Most policies are comprehensive, meaning in addition to coverage for your trip costs, you can also be covered for interruptions, medical emergencies, travel delays, and more.

By Casey Clague

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Your flight is stuck on the tarmac. What do airlines owe you?

Getting the compensation you deserve will take some work.

U.S. airports fell into chaos last week as a CrowdStrike outage led approximately 46,000 flights to be canceled worldwide . Thousands of Delta flights continue to be affected , provoking a Department of Transportation investigation and adding to what already was a summer of flight delays .

But while delays often are miserable, they can be even more so when you’re waiting on the tarmac, as some of the outage-affected passengers said they were. It doesn’t help that, in a summer of extreme and dangerous heat , planes can’t cool cabins on the ground as well as they can in the sky.

If your flight is stuck on the tarmac past a certain point, airlines may owe you. But there’s a catch.

The protections for U.S. airline passengers are “rudimentary” compared to in Europe, said Eric Napoli, the chief legal officer at claims management company AirHelp. “The best you’re going to get is what airlines want to offer you in the terms and conditions you have for that airline.”

You’ll have to advocate for yourself.

Your basic rights while on the tarmac

Tarmac delays have shortened significantly since the Transportation Department established customer-protection rules for delays, said William McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. But some tarmac stops still can drag maddeningly on.

Depending on how long you’re stuck on the tarmac, airlines in the United States have certain obligations.

Per Department of Transportation rules , at the two-hour mark, airlines must provide their passengers with food, water, “comfortable” cabin temperatures, access to functioning toilets and medical assistance, if needed. After that — before three hours on the tarmac for domestic flights, and before four for international flights — an aircraft must provide customers the option to deplane. The exception to this rule, Napoli said, is if a safety issue is preventing the plane from returning to the gate.

The same tarmac rules apply for arriving planes. If travelers are not provided with these essential provisions, Napoli recommends filing a complaint with the airline as soon as possible.

Airlines’ policies for flight delays

Some airlines that provide food, hotel or transportation vouchers or flight credits for other sorts of delays would provide the same for a tarmac delay, as long as it falls within their specific guidelines.

To find your airline’s policies, check the Transportation Department’s Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard , which compiles compensation and rights information from 10 U.S. carriers. The dashboard lists which airlines give a travel credit or voucher when delays last more than three hours (JetBlue, Southwest and Alaska) and which provide hotel accommodation and transportation in the case of significant delays (all but Frontier). The Transportation Department does not define “significant delays” worthy of refunding, however, so travelers who believe they’re eligible must file a complaint with their airline on a case-by-case basis.

McGee also recommended that passengers download their airline’s contract of carriage, documents that serve as contracts between U.S. airlines and their passengers. Contracts of carriage can be difficult to understand, but knowing your rights helps you appeal for what you deserve.

“You have to do a little homework. I wish I could say it was easy … but it’s not, in the United States,” McGee said.

How to get what airlines owe

Regardless of the problem, whether delay or cancellation, contact airline customer service quickly. Especially during mass disruptions like the CrowdStrike outage, beating the rush to ask for help can be the difference between getting timely help and waiting hours or days for a response.

The best way to reach customer service , experts say, is in person or over the phone. Talking to a real person — even if it requires a long hold time — means you can more directly insist upon your rights, rather than argue with a chatbot.

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

What is the Olympic torch? History, symbolism of Olympic flame heading into 2024 Paris Olympics

There perhaps is not a more symbolic and equally visible item at the Olympic Games than the Olympic torch.

Whether it was Muhammad Ali lighting the Olympic cauldron during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the bullseye shot of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics or "walking on air" in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Olympic torch is one of the oldest and perhaps most cherished parts of the Olympic Games.

Every four years as the Olympics commence, this shining and uniquely designed piece of metal carries on a tradition like no other, one that's built in rich history — a common theme to the Olympics as a whole. And so, in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, curiosity has once again risen on the history of the Olympic torch and its meaning to the Summer Games.

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS: Follow USA TODAY's full coverage here

Here's what you need to know about the Olympic torch leading into the 2024 Paris Olympics:

What is the Olympic torch?

The Olympic torch — specifically, the Olympic flame — is perhaps one of the most sacred traditions of the Olympic Games.

It dates back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, when Carl Diem — secretary general of the Olympics' organising committee — suggested the idea of a flame being lit in Olympia, the founding site of the Olympics, and transported to the Olympic games.

The Olympic torch is first lit in Olympia, where it then begins the first of two Olympic relays. The former is shorter than the latter, as the torch travels through different territories and towns of Greece by foot to Panathenaic Stadium in Athens across 11 days. Per NBC.com, the 2024 Olympic torch relay from Olympia to Athens had more than 600 people participate in it as torchbearers.

Once the Olympic torch reaches the Panathenaic Stadium, it is carried into the stadium for a ceremony in which it is handed off to the delegation of that year's Olympic Games.

Per the Olympics, it is a "manifestation of the positive values that man has always associated with the symbolism of fire and thus makes the link between the ancient and the modern Games."

REQUIRED READING: Paris Olympics 2024 schedule: Complete time, dates for each event at Summer Games

Paris 2024 Olympic torch

Each Olympic Games has its own Olympic torch built and designed. Here's a look at the torch for not only the 2024 Paris Olympics, but also previous Olympic Games:

How does the Olympic torch travel to the Olympics?

It's a two-step process.

First, following the lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece, the Olympic torch is brought to the host city of that year's Olympics, either Summer or Winter, by means of transportation. As noted by the Olympics website, the Olympic torch was brought over to France from Greece by sea and transported on the Belem, a 19th-century French three-masted ship.

Then, once the Olympic torch arrives at the host country, the 68-day long Olympic torch relay begins. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, the torch relay began in Marseille, roughly eight hours south of Paris off the shore of the Balearic Sea.

"Throughout the torch relay, the flame announces the Olympic Games and spreads a message of peace and friendship between peoples," as written on the Olympics website.

Olympic torch route 2024

The 68-day Olympic torch route for the 2024 Paris Olympics began on Wednesday, May 8 in Marseille, France. Since then, the Olympic torch has crossed through 64 territories in France, finishing in Paris on Friday, July 26 with the opening ceremony.

By end of the 2024 Olympic torch relay, more than 10,000 torchbearers will have carried the Olympic torch.

Here's a full breakdown of the route of the Olympic torch for the 2024 Paris Olympics:

• May 8: Marseille
• May 9: Marseille
• May 10: Var
• May 11: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
• May 12: Bouches-du-Rhône
• May 13: Millau-Sète-Montpellier
• May 14: Corse
• May 15: Pyrénées-Orientales
• May 16: Aude
• May 17: Haute-Garonne
• May 18: Gers
• May 19: Hautes-Pyrénées
• May 20: Pyrénées-Atlantiques
• May 22: Dordogne
• May 23: Bordeaux et le Libournais
• May 24: Charente
• May 25: Vienne
• May 27: Indre
• May 28: Maine-et-Loire
• May 29: Mayenne
• May 30: Calvados
• June 1: Ille-et-Vilaine
• June 2: Deux-Sèvres
• June 4: Vendée
• June 5: Entre Loire et Atlantique
• June 6: Morbihan
• June 7: Finistère
• June 9: Guyane
• June 11: New Caledonia
• June 12: La Réunion
• June 13: Polynésie française
• June 15: Guadeloupe
• June 17: Martinique
• June 18: Alpes-Maritimes
• June 19: Vaucluse
• June 20: Drôme
• June 21: Vichy
• June 22: Loire
• June 23: Haute-Savoie
• June 25: Doubs
• June 26: Collectivité européenne d'Alsace
• June 27: Moselle
• June 28: Haute-Marne
• June 29: Meuse
• June 30: Marne
• July 2: Nord
• July 3: Pas-de-Calasis
• July 4: Somme
• July 5: Seine-Maritime
• July 6: Eure
• July 7: C'Chartres
• July 8: Loir-et-Cher
• July 10: Loiret
• July 11: Yonne
• July 12: Côte-d'Or
• July 13: Aube
• July 14: Paris
• July 15: Paris
• July 17: Aisne
• July 18: Oise
• July 19: Val-d'Oise
• July 20: Seine-et-Marne
• July 21: Val-de-Marne
• July 22: Essonne
• July 23: Yvelines
• July 24: Hauts-de-Seine
• July 25: Seine-Saint-Denis
• July 26: Seine-Saint-Denis and Paris

Has the Olympic torch ever gone out?

Yes, the Olympic torch has gone out on numerous occasions, both on accident and deliberately. However, Olympic organizers safeguard this by keeping multiple copies of the flame, either transported with the relay or maintained in backup locations.

Some notable examples of the flame going out (and being reignited) include the 1976 Montreal Olympics, in which a rainstorm put out the Olympic flame days before the Games opened. An official re-lit the flame with a cigarette lighter, though it was doused and re-lit using a backup of the original flame.

Another example included in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, when the flame was blown out at the Kremlin and later reignited by a security officer's lighter (instead of a backup flame). An example of the flame deliberately being put out was in 2016, when protesters in Rio de Janeiro halted the torch relay and extinquished the flame to protest spending by the city to host the Olympics.

2,600+ US flights canceled: United, American Airlines resume service after global outage

• A global IT outage caused delays and cancellations for air passengers around the world.
• Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems.
• The aviation sector is hit particularly hard due to its sensitivity to timings.

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William Sikora III was supposed to fly from Philadelphia to Detroit on Friday morning.

“We are stuck at this airport,” he posted in a video on X at 6 a.m., zooming in on blue airport screens showing system errors. “United, Delta, America, all this stuff is down. People are just sitting here. The apps still say our flight’s on time because they can’t update information in the apps.”

Air passengers around the world faced delays, cancellations and problems checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in a  massive IT outage  that also affected industries ranging from banks to media companies.

Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

There were over 2,600 flights canceled and nearly 9,200 delays as of 5 p.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware . Most airlines were able to resume operations as the morning progressed, but many said they expected disruptions to continue throughout the day.

More on the outage: Global tech outage grounds flights, hits banks and media businesses

Megan Brown said Washington Dulles Airport was surprisingly calm, even as the airline industry was in turmoil. She said the airport was less crowded than usual, making for a quicker-than-expected security screening, and passengers seemed understanding about the disruptions.

"We just took the gamble and came here, and hopefully we’ll leave today,” Brown told USA TODAY by phone from Dulles. “There’s nothing you can do.”

Her family's 8:25 a.m. ET flight to San Francisco was delayed, but they were able to take off within a couple of hours. "A cheer just erupted as the gate agent said we are going to start boarding," she said.

Around the world, airports and airlines advised customers to arrive earlier than normal for flights.

Around 9 a.m. Sikora posted another video showing fellow travelers sitting on the floor and standing in the middle of a crowded Philadelphia International Airport terminal. 

“Everyone is in the same boat. Just wandering and sitting,” he told USA TODAY.

Issues online: Instagram may be the best social app to get your flight issues fixed. Here's why.

The cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike blamed the global tech outage on a defect in an update for Microsoft Windows hosts.

“Today was not a security or cyber incident. Our customers remain fully protected," Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz posted on X . "We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. As noted earlier , the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed. There was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts."

The aviation sector was hit particularly hard due to its sensitivity to timings. Airlines rely on a closely coordinated schedule often run by air traffic control. Just one delay of a few minutes can throw off a flight schedule for take-offs and landings for an airport and airline for the rest of the day.

"The issue affected many separate systems, such as those used for calculating aircraft weight, checking in customers, and phone systems in our call centers," United Airlines said in a statement. "After pausing all departures overnight, flights resumed on Friday morning and we are working diligently to get our customers to their destinations."

Story continues below.

Are flights still grounded? How long will flight delays last?

"Ground stops and delays will be intermittent at various airports as the airlines work through residual technology issues," the FAA said, adding that it's working closely with airlines to resume normal operations.

Travelers are advised to contact their airlines and monitor the FAA's website for the latest information.

How to find the reason for flight delay

Customers can ask airlines why their flight is canceled or delayed, but the Department of Transportation confirmed that it considers the delays and cancellations caused by Friday's IT outage to be "controllable" by the airlines. While airlines may say they didn't cause the computer error, it means that the DOT will hold them responsible for upholding the commitments they've made to customers when it comes to policies like rebooking or hotel and meal vouchers as the mess gets sorted out. Every airline's policy is outlined on the DOT customer service dashboard.  

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics also tracks causes of delays and cancellations.

Airline waivers

Airlines are doing what they can to provide extra flexibility to those affected by the outage.

• American issued a waiver for affected travelers covering all of its U.S. hubs.
• Delta issued a waiver allowing all passengers traveling Friday to rebook their flights.
• Frontier issued a waiver offering rebooking for travelers whose flights were delayed by more than 3 hours. Customers whose flights were canceled may opt for a refund or credit toward future travel.
• United issued a waiver for select airports so passengers can make changes if their flights are affected, though a United spokesperson told USA TODAY that nearly all of the airline's flights depart or arrive in one of the airports covered by the waiver.
• Spirit issued a waiver allowing customers who are booked to fly Friday or Saturday through any airport in its network to change their flights at no additional charge.

What happens if my flight is canceled?

Department of Transportation rules  require all airlines to offer customers a refund if their flights are canceled for any reason, but customers may be entitled to additional compensation if a cancellation is within the airline's control.

What should I do if my flight is delayed?

If your flight is experiencing a long delay, the Transportation Department suggests asking airline staff if they will pay for meals or a hotel room.

The DOT dashboard reflects airlines' official policies, but many carriers handle compensation for delays on a case-by-case basis and may provide vouchers or other benefits in some situations that are not formally covered.

What is considered a significant flight delay?

Each airline defines significant delays differently, but the DOT's dashboard identifies which airlines provide compensation for controllable delays of 3 or more hours.

For instance, all major U.S. carriers are supposed to provide a meal voucher for flights delayed by at least 3 hours for reasons within their control. Additionally, Alaska, JetBlue and Southwest offer credit or a travel voucher when a controllable delay "results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time," according to the dashboard.

How to file compensation for a delayed flight

Travelers seeking monetary compensation for delayed flights should file a claim with their respective airlines. Passengers seeking other types of compensation, like frequent flyer miles, may be able to request those through the airline's customer service.

Contributing: Andrew Mills, Joanna Plucinska and Lisa Barrington ; Reuters

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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Global IT Outage Travel Waiver

A disruption caused by a Global IT Outage on July 19, 2024 affected our operation systemwide. A travel waiver, which offers customers the ability to make a one-time change to their itinerary, or to cancel and receive a refund for the unflown portion of their ticket upon request, is in effect for customers with travel scheduled for July 19-28. The fare difference for customers will be waived when rebooked travel occurs on or before August 4, in the same cabin of service as originally booked. Check flight status frequently for up-to-the-minute information about your flight plans, or get updates sent directly to your mobile device or by email with  One-Time Flight Notification .

If your flights were delayed or canceled, visit our Delayed or Canceled Flight page for options and details.

Future Travel Rebooking Options:

• Customers who elect not to travel may cancel their reservation and receive a refund of the unflown portion of their ticket upon request at delta.com/refund , or the unused value of the ticket will be issued as an eCredit that may be used to purchase a new ticket. Final travel must be completed by the ticket validity expiration date.
• A fare difference may apply when the waiver is class to class restrictive and the original booking class is not maintained in the rebooked itinerary.
• When rebooked travel occurs after August 4, 2024, a difference in fare may apply.

Conditions and Restrictions

Eligibility only for customers with an Original Ticket Issue Date on or before July 23, 2024. Changes to origins and destinations may result in an increase in fare. Any difference in fare between your original ticket and the new ticket will be collected at the time of booking.

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Caught in the CrowdStrike Outage? Here’s How to Get Compensated.

Air travelers paying for last-minute lodging and other expenses are entitled to be reimbursed if their flight was impacted by an event in the airline’s control, like the CrowdStrike failure. Here’s how to get your money back.

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By Christine Chung

The global software outage last week caused thousands of travelers flying in the United States and internationally to have their flights delayed, canceled or both. In the days that followed, some airlines were trying to reboot critical computer systems affected by the outage, with many of their passengers still stranded at airports.

During a travel meltdown, it may seem nearly impossible for air travelers to find immediate help . Gate agents are swamped, customer service phone lines have hourslong hold times, and seemingly confusing or incomplete instructions online only add to the headaches.

Passengers who foot the bill for last-minute lodging and other expenses are entitled to reimbursement if their flights were impacted by an event in the airlines’ control, like the CrowdStrike outage. Here’s how to get your money back.

[Are you seeking compensation from an airline following the Crowdstrike outage? We want to hear from you .]

If they caused the disruption, airlines owe passengers assistance

It is the airline’s fault when a situation under their control — issues with crew, maintenance, baggage and fuel, or software outages — leads to a delay or cancellation. Weather and air traffic control issues do not count. On Friday, the Transportation Department noted that this I.T. outage fell under the control of the airlines.

What passengers will get from airlines depends on how long they were forced to wait, but it could include transport to and from hotels and the costs of accommodation.

Know what you are owed, and ask for it

Strategize your ask. Gate agents may not always know the airline’s commitments or the Transportation Department policies. Usually, airlines prefer to take care of the details, distributing vouchers or directly booking hotel rooms. But during the CrowdStrike fallout, they initially did not believe they were required to provide assistance and later, seemingly, remained unaware of their obligations in some instances or were too overwhelmed by the numbers.

That meant many travelers had to take matters into their own hands to find transport, accommodation and meals, but they are eligible for reimbursement. However, how much will vary by airline and travelers won’t necessarily know before submitting receipts.

Reimbursement can generally be requested through an online form — hold onto your receipts!

Some airlines have online forms for reimbursement requests, while others will require you to contact customer service to start the process. Below are the online reimbursement or customer-services sites for some of the main U.S.-based airlines affected by the outages:

Delta Air Lines

United Airlines

American Airlines

Allegiant Air

Spirit Airlines

If your flight was canceled and you decided not to rebook, you can get a refund

Don’t expect this to be seamless or automatic. Airlines generally have online forms where you can request refunds; you’ll need all of your trip details for this. You can get a refund to your original form of payment; you do not need to accept flight credits or a travel voucher. In addition, you can contact the airline’s customer service team for more help and to check on the status of your claim.

Check the fine print of your credit card agreement or travel insurance policy

If you purchased travel insurance, the policy could cover certain types of trip interruptions, including select air travel issues — and your credit card agreement might also, though it may have a requirement that the affected flight was booked using it.

Here, too, remember to save your receipts and any other documentation, and brace yourself for a possibly lengthy process.

Consider lodging a complaint with the Transportation Department

On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the agency had opened an investigation into Delta’s response to the outage, after receiving numerous passenger complaints about the carrier. If you have a complaint yourself, you can submit it here .

That form can be used for concerns or comments related to other airlines as well, but not for security or safety issues. The Transportation Department investigates complaints, though they advise passengers to contact airlines first.

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Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung