uw travel comparison airfare

Book & Pay | Rewards Programs | Package Deals

Itinerary & receipt requirements, airfare upgrades & approval, personal time, companion fare, state contract fares, travel time in excess of 14 hours, fly america act.

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Companion Airfare

Amount(s) itemized to the UW business traveler(s) is what is eliglble for reimbursement: 

See RCW 42.52.160

It is not mandated that state contract fares be utilized, they are available as a resource if travelers wish to utilize them. 

Airline Tickets: These fares are fully refundable without penalties or restrictions for use by authorized government/state travel. These fares are typically more expensive due to the fare flexibility, but may be more advantageous due to business needs. 

Form of Payment:  May only be purchased with Central Travel Account (CTA) or UW Individual Travel cards  

Booking:  Tickets can be booked through contracted Travel Agency  or Alaska Airline's EasyBiz program ( how to get started )

• List of  Alaska contract airfares  (effective July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2025)
• Provide "YCAWA" as fare basis code during purchase
• Domestic fares includes all applicable federal, state and local taxes; does not include passenger facility charges, segment fees and September 11th security fee

Travel time is calculated as the one-way from origin (airport) to destination (airport) including flight time and layovers. Documentation must include an itinerary with documented flight time. Do not include travel time to the airport or home from the airport. 

Business class fare OR a foreign layover directly en route or at the final destination for brief rest period (not to exceed 24 hours) may be authorized, provided ALL  the following conditions have been met: 

• Business class upgrade   is NOT ALLOWED ON FEDERALLY SPONSORED AWARDS. The layover option (brief rest period) may be taken on a federally sponsored award. See the  PAFC webpage for more information.
• Have prior travel approval from an authorized person, can be on the out-of-state travel approval
• Origin or destination is outside the continental United States

The Fly America Act  is federal General Services Administration (GSA) policy that mandates the use of U.S. certificated air carriers for federally funded international travel. It is recommended to work with a UW contracted travel agency , as travel agents are experts in assuring Fly America compliance at the time of booking. 

There are  exceptions to using a US carrier, such as the when a US carrier is not available & the Open Skies Agreement that can potentially be met. See GSA Fly America Act  for more information. For any questions regarding exceptions, contact GSA - [email protected]  

Open Skies 'Cheat Sheet' from GSA's website: 

Travel Policies

Booking uw travel and requesting reimbursement.

It is the responsibility of the traveler to adhere to UW policies and to be aware of the reimbursement limitations. ECE follows UW travel policies outlined on the UW Travel website. 

1. Request Approval to Travel – Required

• Obtain authorization to travel out of state* from your PI or from Department Head (ECE Chair or ECE Administrator) before you travel. This can be done via email and combined with the funding approval authorization outlined below.
• Obtain authorization to use UW funds from your PI or from Department Head (ECE Chair or ECE Administrator) before you travel. This can be done via email and combined with the request to travel out of state as described above.

*There is a blanket approval on file for faculty to travel out of state so this typically only applies to students or staff traveling. 

2. Book your Flights & Lodging

• Please see this page for more information and policies regarding reimbursing airfare at UW
• Please refer to the “How to pay for travel” table below for details on how to book airfare and lodging

3. Review UW Travel Policies and prepare for your trip

• UW Travel Policies must be followed
• Itemized receipts in PDF format (see below for receipt requirements and allowable expense reimbursements)

4. Organize your documentation and request reimbursement

• Provide a PDF copy of the approval to travel and charge UW funds
• Provide all receipts and required documentation from your trip in PDF format
• Review UW Travel policies if you have questions about what can or cannot be reimbursed
• Only request reimbursement for the amount approved by your PI / Unit Head
• Once the UW Connect form has been submitted, it will route to the Engineering Shared Environment for processing
• Please reach out to your PI or Grant Manager for UW Worktag information if it was not provided in your request to use UW funds to travel. The ESE does not provide worktag information for travelers.

Pre-trip Reimbursement

• It is allowable to reimburse travel expenses prior to the trip as long as it meets all other travel compliance requirements.  The most common expenses include airfare, registration, and lodging.

How to pay for travel

Additional travel information, per diem rates.

• Current  Domestic Per Diem Rates
• Current  Domestic Non-Contiguous Per Diem Rates  (Alaska, Hawaii and other U.S. territories)
• Current  International Per Diem Rates

Travel packages

Travel packages are only reimbursable as a travel expense if components of the travel package can be itemized (airfare, airfare tax, lodging room rate per night, lodging tax per night, etc.)

If package deals are reimbursed without detail, it is not an allowable travel expense, and the reimbursement counts as taxable income for the traveler and is taxed through payroll.

Visit UW’s policy on  package deals .

Travelers must indicate if meals were provided by other sources. For example, if you are attending a conference and lunch is included. Your conference itinerary must be included in your reimbursement request.

Meal per diem starts when you are in travel status. Documentation examples include airfare itinerary, train reservation confirmation, or POV departure time.

You will not be reimbursed for alcohol. For additional information on meals and/or alcohol during travel, please see UW’s policy on  meals .

Lodging per diem

Before you book, verify  lodging per diem rate for your travel destination . Reimbursement is limited to per diem rate unless an exception exists.

Exceptions in which lodging costs in excess of the per diem rate is allowable include:

• Hotel is adjacent to conference listed in program – limitations apply
• Lower cost overall to stay in more expensive hotel (vs. combined cost of staying in cheaper hotel and taking a taxi to conference or renting a car) – limitations apply
• Concerns for health and safety
• Special event or disaster

For additional information on lodging, please see UW’s policy on  lodging .

Personal time

If taking personal time, you will need to provide documentation comparing airfare costs showing your personal time did not incur additional costs.

Comparison airfare

If you are taking personal time off, comparison airfare is the airfare you would have booked if you only stayed for the allowable business days. For example, a conference is Monday-Thursday, and you want to take personal time from Thursday-Sunday. You will need to provide comparison airfare for the Monday-Thursday dates, along with the airfare you purchased with personal time. If the purchased airfare exceeds the comparison cost, you will only be reimbursed the lesser of the two.

For additional information on comparison airfare, see UW’s policy on  comparison airfare .

Mileage for long distances

If requesting mileage for long distances, you will need to provide other transportation comparisons to show what the cost would have been if taking other means of transportation (e.g. train, airfare, bus, etc.). For example, if you were traveling from Seattle to Portland, you will need to provide documentation on cost of airfare, mileage, and/or other means of transportation (e.g. bus or train).

Compact or sedan (5-person car) is the standard allowable car rental. Upgrades are allowable with appropriate justification. For example, requesting a van to transport supplies and equipment necessary to complete field work is an appropriate justification.

For additional information on car rental or other transportation, see UW’s policy on  car, insurance, mileage and other transportation .

Mileage rates for privately owned vehicle

All mileage starts from the university campus on weekdays, during work hours 8am- 5pm. If travel begins outside of work hours, you may use your home as your starting point for mileage. You cannot claim reimbursement for BOTH mileage and gas. The mileage rate accounts for gas and wear and tear.

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PurchasePATH

How to pay for travel

Submitting a request for travel reimbursement.

All travel reimbursement requests are submitted via PurchasePath . Please email Hettie Scofield  for access.

To submit a travel reimbursement, follow these step-by-step instructions .

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Although university policy only requires receipts for reimbursing expenses over $75, the CEE departmental policy REQUIRES that individuals submit ALL RECEIPTS to the CEE Fiscal Office when requesting reimbursement, regardless of cost.

Additional travel information

Per diem rates.

• Current Domestic Per Diem Rates
• Current Domestic Non-Contiguous Per Diem Rates (Alaska, Hawaii and other U.S. territories)
• Current International Per Diem Rates

Travel packages

Travel packages are only reimbursable as a travel expense if components of the travel package can be itemized (airfare, airfare tax, lodging room rate per night, lodging tax per night, etc)

If package deals are reimbursed without detail, it is not an allowable travel expense, and the reimbursement counts as taxable income for the traveler and is taxed through payroll.

Visit UW's policy on package deals .

Travelers must indicate if meals were provided by other sources. For example, if you are attending a conference and lunch is included. Your conference itinerary must be included in your reimbursement request.

Meal per diem starts when you are in travel status. Documentation examples include airfare itinerary, train reservation confirmation, or POV departure time.

If you opt to reimburse direct costs rather than claim per diem, you will only get reimbursed up to the per diem rate.

You will not be reimbursed for alcohol. For additional information on meals and/or alcohol during travel, please see UW’s policy on meals and CEE’s alcohol policy.

Lodging per diem

Before you book, verify lodging per diem rate for your travel destination . Reimbursement is limited to per diem rate unless an exception exists.

Exceptions in which lodging costs in excess of the per diem rate is allowable include:

• Hotel is adjacent to conference listed in program – limitations apply
• Lower cost overall to stay in more expensive hotel (vs. combined cost of staying in cheaper hotel and taking a taxi to conference or renting a car) – limitations apply
• Concerns for health and safety
• Special event or disaster

For additional information on lodging, please see UW's policy on lodging .

Personal time

If taking personal time, you will need to provide documentation comparing airfare costs showing your personal time did not incur additional costs.

Comparison airfare

If you are taking personal time off, comparison airfare is the airfare you would have booked if you only stayed for the allowable business days. For example, a conference is Monday-Thursday, and you want to take personal time from Thursday-Sunday. You will need to provide comparison airfare for the Monday-Thursday dates, along with the airfare you purchased with personal time. If the purchased airfare exceeds the comparison cost, you will only be reimbursed the lesser of the two.

For additional information on comparison airfare, see UW’s policy on comparison airfare .

Mileage for long distances

If requesting mileage for long distances, you will need to provide other transportation comparisons to show what the cost would have been if taking other means of transportation (e.g. train, airfare, bus, etc.). For example, if you were traveling from Seattle to Portland, you will need to provide documentation on cost of airfare, mileage, and/or other means of transportation (e.g. bus or train).

Compact or sedan (5-person car) is the standard allowable car rental. Upgrades are allowable with appropriate justification. For example, requesting a van to transport supplies and equipment necessary to complete field work is an appropriate justification.

For additional information on car rental or other transportation, see UW’s policy on car, insurance, mileage and other transportation .

Mileage rates for privately owned vehicle

All mileage starts from the university campus on weekdays, during work hours 8am.- 5pm. If travel begins outside of work hours, you may use your home as your starting point for mileage. You cannot claim reimbursement for BOTH mileage and gas. The mileage rate accounts for gas and wear and tear.

Travel Guide

Download COE Travel Guide

COE Travel Policies are more restrictive than UW Travel policies.  If you feel that something contradicts your understanding please contact your budget manager.

Travel Tips

• Get solo travel pre-authorization or group travel pre-authorization (see sample pre-authorization form)
• Know the per diem rate for lodging & meals
• COE requires you keep ALL receipts – except for individual meals
• Turn in  Post-Travel form (see sample Post-Travel form )
• Know what is NOT reimbursable.  (UW Travel link )

Personal Time Tips

• Get pre-authorization
• Airfare for a trip with personal time cannot be put on the CTA
• Get a list of comparison fares at the SAME time as you get your airfare
• Understand when UW business time ends and Personal time begins

Reference Pages

Per Diem Rates

School Mileage Chart

• Faculty & Staff
• University of Wisconsin System
• Planning University Travel

Combining Business and Personal Travel

Adding personal travel to your business trip.

After discussing with your supervisor, you may opt to add personal travel days on the beginning or end of your business trip. The University will only pay for costs associated with university sponsored travel.

How to book air

Concur or the designated agency is to be used for booking air. A cost comparison (defined below) must be obtained during the booking process.

Reserving a car

If renting a car when combining personal and business travel, the business travel contracts may be used. Only the days that correspond with business travel may be expensed. Please include an explanation in your expense report that describes why the amount on the invoice varies from the amount claimed. Car rental vendors typically cannot split the invoice into two trips.

Hotel stays

If using a rate that is designed for business use only, rooms associated with personal travel must be booked separately.

1. Booking Companion Travel

For employee travel companions (spouse, partner, friend, etc.):.

• Use of Concur is reserved for UW employee use only.
• Airfare and other discounts, fee waivers and other contract benefits cannot be extended to those that are not traveling on University paid business.
• The University will not pay or reimburse any additional costs associated with taking a travel companion along on a University business trip.

Options to Book a Companion Ticket:

• Employee contacts a contracted agent and book both tickets with the agent.
• Employee books travel via designated agency or Concur. Companion then books with airline and contacts an airline agent directly (phone, email or chat) and requests the airline to Sync the PNR. Provide the 6 digit Airline Record Locator from the employee booking to the airline agent.

2. Airfare Cost Comparisons: Explanation and Examples

Download Cost Comparison Guidance pdf

To ensure prudent use of travel funds, the University cannot pay or reimburse any additional costs resulting from traveler preferences. A cost comparison is required at the time of booking in the following circumstances:

• Travel prior to or after the required business travel dates.
• Using transportation methods that are not the most efficient or cost-effective (i.e. electing to drive/take a train versus fly when flying would be the most efficient and cost-effective option.)
• Departing from/returning to an alternate city (not near campus/headquarter city) for personal reasons.
• Any other situation where the traveler’s itinerary is modified for personal reasons
• Travelers must consider potential extra costs for transportation, lodging, meals, tolls, parking, etc.
• Either the traveler’s actual travel or comparison travel -whichever is less expensive – is payable/reimbursable.

3. Acceptable Cost Comparisons

• When booking via Concur, provide Concur screenshots.
• When booking via the designated agency, request documentation such as emailed quotes.

Due to airfare pricing and availability fluctuation, accurate cost comparisons must be done at the time of booking to be valid. For screenshots it is recommended to “Save to PDF” or email the document the date the comparison was completed.

A valid Concur or agency cost comparison includes:

• Proof that the cost comparison was done on the same date as the purchased actual airfare.
• Proof that the travel dates shown on the comparison correspond with the UW business dates.

4. Cost Comparison Examples

EXAMPLE 1. Concur cost comparison for personal airfare is more expensive than the business airfare. EXAMPLE 2. Concur cost comparison for personal airfare is less expensive than the business airfare. EXAMPLE 3. Travel Inc. cost comparison for personal airfare is more expensive than the business airfare. EXAMPLE 4. Travel Inc. cost comparison for personal airfare is less expensive than the business airfare.

EXAMPLE 1. Concur cost comparison for personal airfare is more expensive than the business airfare

Conference travel. The conference is September 17 – September 20 in New Orleans, LA. The traveler would like to spend a few extra days exploring New Orleans and combine the business trip with personal travel.

• Search Concur for approved conference dates.

• Click “Print/Email”.

• A new window will open with the search results. You may email the results to yourself or print the flights and “Print to PDF”.

4. To “Print to PDF” click “Print Flights” and then:

• Select “Microsoft Print PDF”.
• Select “Print”.
• Note that the output document has the date and time the comparison was made. If you don’t see the date and time on your document, ensure under “more settings” you have checked “headers and footers”.

• Search Concur for personally desired travel dates.

• 1.  Select “Microsoft Print PDF”.
• 2. Select “Print”.
• 3. Note that the output document has the date and time the comparison was made. f you don’t see the date and time on your document, ensure under “more settings” you have checked “headers and footers”

• Note that the airfare for the personally preferred dates is $454.11 and the business portion cost is $330.64. Regardless of what the actual travel is, the maximum that will be reimbursed is $330.64, the cost of the University related travel.
• The cost comparison must be included with the documentation for the payment mechanism (e.g., expense report, purchasing card transaction).

EXAMPLE 2. Concur cost comparison for personal airfare is less expensive than the business airfare.

University Event Travel. The event is an all-day event on October 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Business travel dates are October 20 – October 22. The traveler would like to visit family that lives in Las Vegas for a few extra days and travel October 20 – October 25.

• 1. Select “Microsoft Print PDF”.

• 3. Note that the output document has the date and time the comparison was made. If you don’t see the date and time on your document, ensure under“more settings” you have checked “headers and footers”

9. Note that the airfare for the personally preferred dates is $481.48 and the business portion cost is $656.19. The maximum that will be reimbursed is $481.48, only the cost of lowest option is reimbursable.

10. The cost comparison must be included with the documentation for the payment mechanism (e.g., expense report, purchasing card transaction).

EXAMPLE 3. Travel Inc. cost comparison for personal airfare is more expensive than the business airfare

Conference Travel. UW employee is attending a conference in Atlanta, GA Aug 21-24, 2023.  He needs to arrive in ATL on Sunday afternoon, August 20th.  He can depart ATL any time after 3pm on August 24th.  However, he is in a wedding in New York City and needs to attend the rehearsal on Friday, Aug 25th.  Therefore, he would like to depart ATL to NYC on Thursday, August 24th after the conference.  Then return from NYC to MSN on Sunday, August 27th after the wedding festivities.  In this scenario, the passenger is responsible for the difference of $358.73.

• Obtain cost comparison from a Travel Incorporated consultant:

Airfare for Business Trip

Comparison – with traveler’s personal deviation

• Note that the airfare for the personal itinerary is $984.36 and the business portion cost is $625.63. Regardless of what the actual travel is, the maximum that will be reimbursed is $625.63, the cost of the University related travel.
• The entire cost comparison email, including the date the cost comparison was obtained, must be included with the documentation for the payment mechanism (e.g., expense report, purchasing card transaction).

EXAMPLE 4. Travel Inc. cost comparison for personal airfare is less expensive than the business airfare

Conference Travel. UW employee needs to fly from Chicago to Paris for a conference.  The conference date is October 10-12, 2023.  The employee needs to arrive in Paris on October 9th by 10am and needs to depart Paris anytime after 1pm on Oct 12th after the conference.  However, the employee wants to extend her stay to enjoy the sites, so she would like to return to Chicago from Paris on Tuesday, October 17th instead.  The employee will need a cost comparison for the following:

Comparison – with traveler’s personal deviation

• Note that the airfare for the personal itinerary is $1,185.35 and the business portion cost is $1,947.35. The maximum that will be reimbursed is $1,185.35, only the cost of lowest option is reimbursable.

Page Navigation

Cost Comparison Guidance pdf

• Booking Companion Travel
• Cost Comparison Definition
• Acceptable Cost Comparisons
• Cost Comparison Examples

Related Pages:

• Personal Use Contracts

The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies

Everything You Need to Know About Traveling with CICOES

Submit travel summary and receipts within 90 days of return or tax withholding will be taken from the reimbursement.

Advance Funds

Must be $300 or greater.

Once the completed and signed Travel Request form is received by CICOES, submit advance request via email to Collen or Nomie (no additional form required). Indicate number of days in each location.

Coach fare only. For additional leg room, see Coach Plus airfare below.

Once the completed and signed Travel Request Form is received by Nomie, contact CICOES’s travel agent, Corporate Travel Management, at [email protected] to make your reservation.

If you are hosting a visitor, submit the individual’s travel request and email address to Nomie and she will guide the visitor through the travel process, including how to contact the travel agent for flight reservations.

Business class fare allowed if entire one-way flight (including layovers) is more than 14 hours and approved by PI.

When traveling on NOAA cooperative institute budgets, US flag airlines must be used unless no US carrier offers flight or other exceptional circumstances ( Fly America Act ). See Foreign Travel below.

Open Skies Agreement Countries

Baggage Fees

Receipt required for reimbursement regardless of amount.

Business Class – Air and Rail

Only allowed by prior approval of the Dean of the College of the Environment for travel less than 14 hours, including layovers. When travel to or from a foreign location is 14 hours or greater, including layover, business class seating or staying in lodging for one night (not to exceed 24 hours) is allowable with prior approval on travel request.

Receipt required for reimbursement regardless of amount. For reduced rates, use Enterprise/National and use contract code 45WA033 and company name WAS. You must be the only driver unless you are working with another UW employee. Go to Enterprise website and click on business tab to get started.

More UW car rental guidelines and details

Coach Plus Seating

If needed to accommodate health needs, contact Collen to have approval added to expense reimbursement. Cost of additional airfare must be identifiable from regular airfare, so it can be applied to a non-grant budget.

Currency Exchange

Collen calculates exchange rate on OANDA website for all expenses in foreign currency unless you provide exact USD charges from bank statement.

Currency Exchange Fees

Not reimbursable, considered to be covered by foreign meal per diem.

Prior to travel, study and take action on guidelines provided on the Office of Global Affairs page.

When taking equipment on foreign travel be prepared at US Customs reentry to show a receipt for the item and/or a confirmation letter signed by the CICOES Deputy Director.

Foreign Travel

When traveling on NOAA cooperative institute budgets, flights using UW carriers only and US carriers with an “operated by” code share (must be ticketed subsidiary to US company) can be ticketed without NOAA approval. Contact Collen or Fred prior to arranging travel. CICOES must purchase all tickets; we can not reimburse foreign airfare for cooperative agreement budgets that did not get prior approval from NOAA.

Foreign airline reservations can be made through Corporate Travel Management (see airfare notes above).

Some budgets require prior approval from sponsor for foreign travel, contact Fred Averick if unsure.

More foreign travel information

Foreign Visitors or Travelers

To be reimbursed, foreign visitors must provide scans of visa, passport photo page, paper or electronic I-94 form, entry stamp page, and other forms based on entry status (J1 – DS-2019; F1 – I-20). Canadian citizens can provide a copy of either the driver’s license and social insurance card or copy of identity page in passport.

Allowable costs include medical evaluation, vaccinations, prescriptions, chest x-ray, TB test, and other items based on requirements. Prescriptions must be described on receipts, amounts only are not acceptable. A health authorization memo must be signed by the CICOES administrator. Costs are reimbursable prior to travel.

Not reimbursable. Personal health insurance liaison in emergencies is Daniel Brencic, Global Travel Security Manager (see Emergency above).

Internet Fees

Allowable and a receipt is required for all uses including in airports and during flights. When traveling to a conference, usually when resorts charge a “resort fee,” internet access is one item in the list of services. Find this description on the website and provide the URL to Collen or Nomie. Without this justification, resort fees will be denied by the Travel Office.

Fully detailed receipts are required to be able to separate room rate from room service or mini bar charges (not allowable), internet (allowable), parking or valet parking (must be required by hotel), business center access (allowable), etc.

Reservations can be made via websites, and lodging paid for prior to travel is immediately reimbursable. Any bonafide, legal rental may be used such as AirBnb.

Justification for reimbursement greater than the per diem rate must be fully documented before travel or during travel in the case of needing to change reservations. Be informed of what is sufficient documentation prior to travel.

Receipts are not required. Full per diem is calculated for all travel based on location(s). Please provide complex travel itineraries on the Detailed Travel Movements form to document timing and location of movements.

Membership Fees

Since the cost of membership can’t be allocated to one project – even when it’s required to attend a meeting at the member rate – membership costs cannot be paid on grants.

Mileage calculation must be via Google Maps or Mapquest. When using personal vehicle, an airfare comparison must be searched online prior to travel. You are reimbursed for the cost of the airline ticket, not miles driven, if airfare is less. Airfare calculation should be reasonable based on the plans you would have made for the trip.

More details on reimbursement for use of personal car  

Personal Travel

It is allowable for UW employees to take annual leave before or after business travel, however do not assume reimbursement of airfare for trips that include personal time. Comparison airfare must be provided and documented prior to travel. Make note of date and time that personal leave starts and ends. It is best to cover requirements thoroughly with Collen prior to making arrangements.

Regardless of cost, some items require receipts; specifically airfare, baggage fees, supplies, and car rentals. Generally items under $75 do not require receipts, however best practice is to provide them. Scanned, photographed, and faxed receipts are allowed. Card transaction statements are acceptable if no other receipt is available (except for lodging and car rental).

Registration

Registration can be paid for by Collen or Nomie with CICOES’s ProCard. For sites requiring a user ID and password, send the information to them. A copy of the meeting/conference website URL is needed with the travel request at time of purchase.

Reimbursable with receipts. If it may not be clear what the supply is for, describe research purpose.

Tip is allowable. Foreign taxi currency exchange is calculated by Collen unless bank transaction of amount is provided. If the driver has no way to provide a receipt, record the expense in the foreign currency paid. For Uber and other types of car service, forward email receipts to Collen or Nomie.

Tips are allowable for car service and foreign research vessel steward payments. Have steward sign or initial your record of payments. Tips to hotel workers are considered to be covered by foreign meal per diem.

Travel Card

For all expenses related to travel that cannot be paid for by a CICOES ProCard (contact Collen), UW policy encourages employees to use a UW Travel Card issued by JP Morgan Chase. The application can be found here. The card has a 60 day pay period rather than one month.

Costs can be submitted prior to travel with a travel request.

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Comparison Airfare Guide

When a comparison airfare is required.

• A traveler combines personal time with a business trip .
• Personal time is defined as arriving earlier or departing later than reasonable for the business purpose of a trip.  If there is a business justification for arriving early or departing later than reasonable, this should be documented and approved prior to travel.

WHY a Comparison Airfare is Required

The University of Washington is a publicly funded institute and is required to ensure that tax payer dollars are used economically and only for state business.

Comparison – PRIOR to Trip

• Comparison airfare must show the cabin class, travel date, and travel time.
• One way flight comparisons are allowed as long as each leg has an itemized cost.  If purchasing a roundtrip flight (and each leg does not show an itemized dollar amount), the comparison airfare should be a roundtrip flight.
• If another traveler from UW is taking the same trip with no personal time, their travel itinerary can be used as the comparison airfare.
• If booking with a travel agent, the agent can provide a comparison airfare for documentation.

Alternative Comparison Airfare Procedures – AFTER Trip

• These procedures should only be used if a comparison was not obtained at time of purchase.
• Ensure the comparison airfare utilizes dates as far in advance as the tickets were booked.
• One way flight comparisons are allowed as long as each leg has an itemized cost. If a roundtrip flight was originally purchased (and each leg does not show an itemized dollar amount), the comparison airfare should be a roundtrip flight.
• UW will reimburse the lower between actual cost or comparison airfare.

AFTER Travel

• The printed copy of the comparison airfare itinerary.
• The actual airfare ticket that included the personal portion.

Booking a Flight

How to book and pay for a flight, and what air travel-related expenses are allowed.

How to book airfare

Book online with Concur

Concur travel guides are available on the UW TravelWIse page .

Note: New Concur users must first register for a Concur profile .

The University’s contracted travel agency for individual travel is Travel, Inc. Call (877) 811-9898 for individual travel reservations.

The University’s contracted travel agency for group travel – defined by the airlines as 10 or more individuals traveling together – is Fox World Travel. Call (920) 933-4180 for group travel reservations.

Arranging travel for other employees, guests, and groups

All profiled Concur users can book airfare on behalf of employees and non-employees (guests).  Employee travelers must assign a travel assistant in Concur for another employee to make travel arrangements on their behalf.

Arranging travel for another employee

• UW System Guide: Booking for another employee in Concur
• UW System Guide: Concur support and user guides

Arranging travel for non-employees/guests

Use the “Book for a guest” option in Concur when arranging travel for a non-employee/guest. Employee travel should not be arranged as “guest” travel; see resources above for employee travel. More information about booking guest travel

Arranging travel for a group

Travel for a group of 10 or more people is arranged through Fox World Travel .

Arranging travel via an administrative group

Administrative groups , which allow travelers to book their own flights with oversight from administrative group leaders, can be setup with Travel, Inc. for many different purposes, including guest travel for speakers, job candidates, and other visitors.

Booking and payment

What to book.

Airfare is limited to the lowest-cost, logical, non-refundable, coach/economy class fare available, unless:

• The traveler has been granted an ADA exemption through the Employee Disability Resources Office or
• It is an international flight with 8 hours or more of total flight time, including domestic segments (allowable upgrade to Premium Economy class only ).

Travelers can use the following to pay for lodging and allowable air travel-related expenses:

• Purchasing Card
• My Corporate Card
• Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses

Travel booked using personal airlines miles or credit card points will not be reimbursed.

Allowable expenses

University funds may be used to pay/reimburse for some air travel-related expenses incurred in association with University business travel, such as:

• Baggage fees
• Fees for aisle/exit row seats
• Fees for flight changes/cancellations
• Agency fees
• Transportation to/from airport
• Parking at airport

Reimbursement information

Required documentation

Airfare purchases/reimbursement requests must be supported by an e-Receipt from the University’s contracted travel agency. For other related expenses, please review UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy .

Personal travel and promotions

Combining business and personal travel.

If personal travel is combined with business travel, a cost comparison is required . The University will not incur additional expense for personal travel. Acceptable cost comparisons include Concur screenshots or designated agency documentation (such as emailed quotes). Due to airfare pricing and availability fluctuation, accurate cost comparison must be done at the time of booking to be valid.

When traveling with a companion (non-business-related traveler), contact Travel, Inc. to reserve flights for both the business traveler and companion.

Airline promotions

All airfare purchasing decisions should be made based on business needs and policy compliance. Employees will be reimbursed based on fare paid and will not be compensated for business use of any vouchers, or certificates of frequent flyer miles redeemed.

Vouchers, certificates, or frequent flier miles received as a result of University business travel belong to the individual and may be used for future business travel or personal travel.

Flight changes and cancellations

Use Travel, Inc. or Concur to change or cancel an existing reservation.

• UW System: Change or Cancellation Reservation Guide (PDF)
• Concur video: Changing a Purchased and Ticketed Trip

Provided the circumstances were outside of the traveler’s control, fees for changing/cancelling flights are payable/reimbursable by the University (e.g. meeting dates changed).

Forms and Policies

• Concur Self-registration Form More

Policies and procedures

• UW-3016 Air Travel Policy More
• UW-3022 International Travel Policy More

You might also be looking for...

• Concur Travel Profile Administration More
• Booking Lodging More
• Booking a Rental Car More
• Booking Guest Travel More
• Purchasing Card More
• My Corporate Card More
• Getting Reimbursed More
• Local Transportation More
• Traveling to a Foreign Country More

Travelers and departmental staff should contact their Divisional Business Office for policy or procedural questions.

Divisional Business Offices may email [email protected] with questions.

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• Travel Reimbursement

Members of Network programs may be eligible for travel reimbursement when traveling for Network-related business. To confirm eligibility, contact the Network Office . All travelers on Network-related business are subject to the Network’s travel policies (see below). We recommend reviewing the travel policies prior to your trip.

Please note: we currently have two separate reimbursement procedures for UW employees and non-UW travelers (includes regional volunteer clinical faculty, residency staff, and residents).

Please click on the appropriate button to the right to submit for your reimbursement. Reimbursements will be processed in the order received.

Thank you for your patience and please contact our travel team with any questions.

UW-employed faculty and staff

Regional volunteer clinical faculty, residency staff, residents

Network Travel Policies

Receipts are not required for reimbursement, except for air travel, lodging, car rentals (final agreement), and expenses over $75. Please provide itemized receipts for each of these expenses.

To book airfare, please make your reservation on our Corporate Travel Account (CTA) by calling our travel agent, Corporate Travel Management, at 206-674-4322 or emailing [email protected] and ask that your trip be charged to the FMRN CTA.

Network travelers should book the lowest standard coach cost airfare available per state travel rules. Travelers who think they have a reasonable chance of a last minute change in travel plans should ask for the state contract airfare.

Airfare should be booked at least 30 days in advance of the flight. Travelers may be responsible for higher costs for reservations made less than 2 weeks in advance.

If you are driving instead flying, you will be reimbursed for your mileage at the current rate (as of Jan 2023) of $0.655/mile up to the lowest cost of the roundtrip airfare quote if driving from the office.

Mileage is usually calculated based the shortest distance from your business address to the destination. On non-regular work days, mileage can be calculated based on your residence. Mileage to the airport is available for reimbursement (round trip mileage reimbursement if a third party drives – eg. family member takes you to airport). Please note third party drivers in the comments box.

Google Maps will be used by the Network office to calculate and verify final mileage.

If you are traveling to Seattle we encourage the use of the Seattle Light Rail system.

We encourage travelers to rideshare. Please consider coordinating your trips with fellow travelers when hiring a rental car or taking a cab.

If you need to rent a car for your trip please note all drivers must be restricted to those conducting UW-related business . We recommend to using UW Enterprise and National for car rentals since we have an official contract with them. UW’s rental car policies are as follows:

• Car class charged on final agreement can be up to a full-size sedan. Any class higher than full size requires justification.
• ALL drivers on the final rental agreement must be on UW business. Drivers not on UW business are allowed are not allowed; otherwise the entire amount of the car rental is not reimbursable.
• Name of driver/additional drivers
• Car class charged
• Pick-up/Drop-off information
• Itemized charges
• Itemized insurances
• Proof of payment
• Gas for rental is reimbursable as separate expense or on final agreement
• GPS is reimbursable if required for UW business.
• Car2Go and Reach Now are considered car rental.
• Effective June 1, 2022, we will be unable to accept Turo as rental car service. (Classification of Car are outside of our policy)

Please use your credit card to reserve and pay for your lodging. If you are unable to keep the reservation you are responsible for contacting the hotel to cancel it. No-show charges are NOT reimbursed.

Make sure to get a detailed receipt (folio) for reimbursement. Lodging reimbursement will be the actual lodging total paid on your folio. Lodging reimbursement CANNOT exceed the maximum allowed per diem rate for the destination city plus tax, or the Network block rate plus tax if the room block is reserved by the Network. Conference hotels can exceed per diem rates but require prior approval. Please contact the Network Travel Team prior to travel to make sure your conference hotel is reimbursable.

Meals are reimbursed on a per diem basis. Meals that are provided as part of the business event are NOT reimbursable. You may view per diem rates here .

NOTE: Washington state law prohibits the UW from reimbursing lodging expenses or meals for participants traveling less than 50 miles from duty station/residence, with the exception of back-to-back late night-early morning meetings. To verify eligibility, please contact the Network office.

Please note if any personal travel is involved you can NOT use our FMRN CTA, per state travel regulations. When ANY personal travel is involved, please make all reservations under your name and pay for ALL travel expenses with personal funds. We will then reimburse you for the business portion of the travel.

FMRN does not reimburse for any expenses beyond what would normally incur for Network business purposes. Trips extended for personal reasons will only be reimbursed for Network business-related costs. Please separate personal and business expenses when possible. If they cannot be separated, expenses will be pro-rated.

Airfare will be reimbursed based on a comparison flight excluding the personal time. If you would like to verify the amount you will get reimbursed, please provide us with a comparison airfare from a travel agency or online travel site. Please create a round trip comparison itinerary using same parameters that exist for actual trip and use the current lowest available coach fare and send this comparison airfare to our travel team ([email protected]) to verify the reimbursement amount.

Hybrid course participants will need to provide receipts for lunch reimbursement along with the reimbursement form.

If you are submitting a scanned receipt, please make sure it meets the University’s minimum scanning requirement of 300 dpi (dots per inch). We cannot accept cell phone pictures but we do accept PDFs from cell phone scanning apps. Please make sure the scanning app resolution is set at 300 dpi and saved as a PDF. Please do note all meals provided to you, either at your hotel or conference. Remember to include addresses (departure and destination) if you wish to claim mileage.

Any reservation changes and costs for non-business related reasons are the responsibility of the traveler. 

UW travel reimbursement requests are accessible to all UW employees (for reasons of fiscal transparency): name of traveler, details of trip, and mailing address, etc. For this reason, we prefer to mail your reimbursement check to your office address.

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Contact to Listing Owner

• KAYAK for Business NEW

Compare flights from 100s of sites.

Save money on airfare by searching for cheap flight tickets on KAYAK. KAYAK searches for flight deals on hundreds of airline tickets sites to help you find the cheapest flights. Whether you are looking for a last minute flight or a cheap plane ticket for a later date, you can find the best deals faster at KAYAK.

New York Flights

• Flight Atlanta - New York (ATL - LGA) $55+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - LGA) $55+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - EWR) $56+
• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - EWR) $56+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - LGA) $71+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - LGA) $75+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - LGA) $75+
• Flight Orlando - New York (MCO - LGA) $84+
• Flight Orlando - Newark (MCO - EWR) $84+
• Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - EWR) $95+
• Flight Chicago - Newark (ORD - EWR) $106+
• Flight Tampa - Newark (TPA - EWR) $110+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - JFK) $127+
• Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - LGA) $127+
• Flight Los Angeles - Newark (LAX - EWR) $154+
• Flight San Francisco - Newark (SFO - EWR) $154+
• Flight San Francisco - New York (SFO - LGA) $169+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - JFK) $171+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - JFK) $179+
• Flight Burbank - Newark (BUR - EWR) $199+
• Flight Seattle - Newark (SEA - EWR) $246+
• Flight Ontario - New York (ONT - JFK) $276+
• Flight Los Angeles - New York (LAX - JFK) $279+
• Flight San Francisco - New York (SFO - JFK) $296+

Orlando Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - MCO) $37+
• Flight Cleveland - Orlando (CLE - MCO) $50+
• Flight Philadelphia - Orlando (PHL - MCO) $53+
• Flight Houston - Orlando (IAH - MCO) $62+
• Flight Baltimore - Orlando (BWI - MCO) $67+
• Flight Detroit - Orlando (DTW - MCO) $69+
• Flight Chicago - Orlando (ORD - MCO) $72+

London Flights

• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $381+
• Flight New Windsor - London (SWF - STN) $387+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LHR) $390+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LGW) $426+
• Flight Los Angeles - London (LAX - LGW) $431+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LHR) $450+
• Flight Miami - London (MIA - LHR) $474+
• Flight Newark - London (EWR - LGW) $482+
• Flight Newark - London (EWR - LHR) $487+

Fort Lauderdale Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $43+
• Flight Raleigh - Fort Lauderdale (RDU - FLL) $44+
• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $46+
• Flight Newark - Fort Lauderdale (EWR - FLL) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Fort Lauderdale (ORD - FLL) $53+
• Flight Baltimore - Fort Lauderdale (BWI - FLL) $60+
• Flight Cleveland - Fort Lauderdale (CLE - FLL) $60+

Boston Flights

• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $52+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $58+
• Flight Miami - Boston (MIA - BOS) $68+
• Flight Charlotte - Boston (CLT - BOS) $76+
• Flight Atlanta - Boston (ATL - BOS) $79+
• Flight Orlando - Boston (MCO - BOS) $83+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Boston (FLL - BOS) $87+

India Flights

• Flight New York - Mumbai (JFK - BOM) $486+
• Flight New York - New Delhi (JFK - DEL) $518+
• Flight New York - Ahmedabad (JFK - AMD) $567+
• Flight New York - Bengaluru (JFK - BLR) $583+
• Flight San Francisco - New Delhi (SFO - DEL) $652+
• Flight Chicago - Hyderabad (ORD - HYD) $653+
• Flight New York - Hyderabad (JFK - HYD) $671+

Japan Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $448+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $516+
• Flight Ontario - Tokyo (ONT - NRT) $603+
• Flight Dallas - Tokyo (DFW - NRT) $626+
• Flight Seattle - Tokyo (SEA - NRT) $645+
• Flight Chicago - Tokyo (ORD - NRT) $674+
• Flight Baltimore - Tokyo (BWI - NRT) $707+

Phoenix Flights

• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $38+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $51+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $53+
• Flight Denver - Phoenix (DEN - PHX) $58+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Phoenix (SLC - PHX) $58+
• Flight San Francisco - Phoenix (SFO - PHX) $59+
• Flight Portland - Phoenix (PDX - PHX) $78+

Honolulu Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $217+
• Flight Oakland - Honolulu (OAK - HNL) $226+
• Flight San Francisco - Honolulu (SFO - HNL) $256+
• Flight San Jose - Honolulu (SJC - HNL) $277+
• Flight Ontario - Honolulu (ONT - HNL) $279+
• Flight Las Vegas - Honolulu (LAS - HNL) $303+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Honolulu (SLC - HNL) $311+

Los Angeles Flights

• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $55+
• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $58+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $66+
• Flight Chicago - Los Angeles (ORD - LAX) $74+
• Flight Denver - Los Angeles (DEN - LAX) $79+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $82+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (IAH - LAX) $82+
• Flight Atlanta - Los Angeles (ATL - LAX) $92+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Los Angeles (FLL - LAX) $98+

Chicago Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - ORD) $33+
• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - MDW) $37+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - ORD) $51+
• Flight New York - Chicago (LGA - ORD) $55+
• Flight Philadelphia - Chicago (PHL - ORD) $67+
• Flight Houston - Chicago (HOU - ORD) $70+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - MDW) $74+

Denver Flights

• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $38+
• Flight Detroit - Denver (DTW - DEN) $63+
• Flight Chicago - Denver (ORD - DEN) $68+
• Flight Houston - Denver (IAH - DEN) $68+
• Flight Atlanta - Denver (ATL - DEN) $69+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $69+
• Flight Orlando - Denver (MCO - DEN) $75+

Washington, D.C. Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Baltimore (ATL - BWI) $37+
• Flight Orlando - Baltimore (MCO - BWI) $42+
• Flight Boston - Baltimore (BOS - BWI) $56+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (HOU - BWI) $72+
• Flight Dallas - Baltimore (DFW - BWI) $73+
• Flight Los Angeles - Baltimore (LAX - BWI) $83+
• Flight Chicago - Baltimore (ORD - BWI) $86+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - DCA) $95+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - DCA) $123+
• Flight Minneapolis - Washington, D.C. (MSP - DCA) $125+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - IAD) $129+
• Flight Houston - Washington, D.C. (HOU - DCA) $139+
• Flight Atlanta - Washington, D.C. (ATL - DCA) $155+
• Flight San Francisco - Baltimore (SFO - BWI) $157+
• Flight Chicago - Washington, D.C. (ORD - DCA) $167+
• Flight Atlanta - Washington, D.C. (ATL - IAD) $184+
• Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - DCA) $185+
• Flight Los Angeles - Washington, D.C. (LAX - DCA) $195+
• Flight Seattle - Baltimore (SEA - BWI) $209+
• Flight Seattle - Washington, D.C. (SEA - DCA) $213+
• Flight Los Angeles - Washington, D.C. (LAX - IAD) $218+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - IAD) $223+
• Flight Seattle - Washington, D.C. (SEA - IAD) $257+
• Flight San Francisco - Washington, D.C. (SFO - IAD) $335+

Atlanta Flights

• Flight Detroit - Atlanta (DTW - ATL) $36+
• Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $37+
• Flight Chicago - Atlanta (MDW - ATL) $37+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (HOU - ATL) $37+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (IAH - ATL) $37+
• Flight Miami - Atlanta (MIA - ATL) $37+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $42+

United States Flights

• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $55+
• Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $61+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $64+
• Flight Newark - Orlando (EWR - MCO) $74+
• Flight New York - Fort Lauderdale (LGA - FLL) $75+

Hawaii Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $192+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $249+
• Flight Seattle - Hawaii (SEA - USHI) $275+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $277+
• Flight Ontario - Hawaii (ONT - USHI) $279+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Hawaii (SLC - USHI) $311+
• Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $317+

Tampa Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $45+
• Flight Cincinnati - Tampa (CVG - TPA) $48+
• Flight Raleigh - Tampa (RDU - TPA) $53+
• Flight Chicago - Tampa (MDW - TPA) $58+
• Flight Philadelphia - Tampa (PHL - TPA) $74+
• Flight Chicago - Tampa (ORD - TPA) $75+
• Flight Cleveland - Tampa (CLE - TPA) $75+

Houston Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Houston (ATL - IAH) $43+
• Flight Denver - Houston (DEN - IAH) $57+
• Flight Orlando - Houston (MCO - IAH) $63+
• Flight Dallas - Houston (DFW - IAH) $64+
• Flight Chicago - Houston (ORD - IAH) $69+
• Flight Charlotte - Houston (CLT - IAH) $72+
• Flight Philadelphia - Houston (PHL - IAH) $72+

Las Vegas Flights

• Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $23+
• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $31+
• Flight Oakland - Las Vegas (OAK - LAS) $47+
• Flight Denver - Las Vegas (DEN - LAS) $63+
• Flight Santa Ana - Las Vegas (SNA - LAS) $66+
• Flight Portland - Las Vegas (PDX - LAS) $71+
• Flight Atlanta - Las Vegas (ATL - LAS) $73+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (HOU - LAS) $76+
• Flight Houston - Las Vegas (IAH - LAS) $76+
• Flight Minneapolis - Las Vegas (MSP - LAS) $76+
• Flight Seattle - Las Vegas (SEA - LAS) $83+
• Flight Chicago - Las Vegas (ORD - LAS) $93+

Miami Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $42+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $47+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $52+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $55+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $60+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $63+
• Flight Boston - Miami (BOS - MIA) $68+
• Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $75+
• Flight Detroit - Miami (DTW - MIA) $76+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $77+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $77+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $83+
• Flight New York - Miami (LGA - MIA) $87+
• Flight Denver - Miami (DEN - MIA) $108+
• Flight Minneapolis - Miami (MSP - MIA) $121+
• Flight Los Angeles - Miami (LAX - MIA) $133+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Miami (DCA - MIA) $139+
• Flight Ontario - Miami (ONT - MIA) $149+
• Flight San Francisco - Miami (SFO - MIA) $162+
• Flight New York - Miami (JFK - MIA) $176+
• Flight Seattle - Miami (SEA - MIA) $195+

San Francisco Flights

• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $36+
• Flight Phoenix - San Francisco (PHX - SFO) $59+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $63+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $65+
• Flight Denver - San Francisco (DEN - SFO) $82+
• Flight Dallas - San Francisco (DFW - SFO) $99+
• Flight Chicago - San Francisco (MDW - SFO) $103+
• Flight Santa Ana - San Francisco (SNA - SFO) $114+
• Flight Minneapolis - San Francisco (MSP - SFO) $118+
• Flight Atlanta - San Francisco (ATL - SFO) $120+
• Flight Austin - San Francisco (AUS - SFO) $123+
• Flight Chicago - San Francisco (ORD - SFO) $128+
• Flight Houston - San Francisco (HOU - SFO) $137+
• Flight Houston - San Francisco (IAH - SFO) $137+

Seattle Flights

• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $78+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $89+
• Flight San Diego - Seattle (SAN - SEA) $91+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $96+
• Flight San Francisco - Seattle (SFO - SEA) $99+
• Flight Minneapolis - Seattle (MSP - SEA) $109+
• Flight Los Angeles - Seattle (LAX - SEA) $110+

Paris Flights

• Flight Boston - Paris (BOS - CDG) $304+
• Flight Los Angeles - Paris (LAX - ORY) $318+
• Flight Baltimore - Paris (BWI - CDG) $327+
• Flight New Windsor - Paris (SWF - CDG) $331+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Paris (IAD - CDG) $332+
• Flight Los Angeles - Paris (LAX - CDG) $390+
• Flight Newark - Paris (EWR - ORY) $402+

Europe Flights

• Flight New York - Madrid (JFK - MAD) $367+
• Flight Newark - Barcelona (EWR - BCN) $415+
• Flight New York - Athens (JFK - ATH) $425+

Florida Flights

• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $46+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $52+
• Flight Boston - Florida (BOS - USFL) $68+
• Flight New York - Florida (LGA - USFL) $75+
• Flight Dallas - Florida (DFW - USFL) $78+
• Flight Los Angeles - Florida (LAX - USFL) $130+

Dallas Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Dallas (ORD - DFW) $51+
• Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $53+
• Flight Orlando - Dallas (MCO - DFW) $64+
• Flight Charlotte - Dallas (CLT - DFW) $68+
• Flight Miami - Dallas (MIA - DFW) $70+
• Flight Los Angeles - Dallas (LAX - DFW) $73+

San Diego Flights

• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $48+
• Flight Denver - San Diego (DEN - SAN) $57+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $57+
• Flight Chicago - San Diego (ORD - SAN) $64+
• Flight Sacramento - San Diego (SMF - SAN) $65+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $67+
• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $68+

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to know before booking a flight.

There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilizing the best travel tools.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was March. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and June the most expensive.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying non-stop is not possible and you will have to fly with a layover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a layover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than non-stop flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

How do I find the best flight deals on KAYAK?

A simple flight search at https://www.kayak.com/flights scans for prices on hundreds of travel sites in seconds. We gather flight deals from across the web and put them in one place. Then on the search results page you can use various filters to compare options for the same flight and easily choose the best flight deal from all of the deals coming straight from the travel sites to your screen, with no extra fee from KAYAK.

Does KAYAK query more flight providers than competitors?

Yes, KAYAK has access to more data and information than online travel agencies and consistently outperforms the competition in accuracy, globally.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you flights up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. That way, you can see if leaving a day or two earlier will find you a better deal. You can also select the flexible "weekend" or "month" search options to widen your search range and find the cheapest price that works for you.

What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

The best day to book your flight depends on a number of factors, but there are general trends that you can follow to increase your chances of cheaper plane tickets. Based on an analysis of KAYAK data for all flights departing from inside United States over the last 12 months, the cheapest day to fly for domestic flights is Wednesday. For international flights, Tuesday had the cheapest tickets on average.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets - Last minute or in advance?

Last minute flight deals are definitely up for grabs but when exactly to purchase your plane tickets will depend on where you’re traveling to and from. Based on all data for flight searches made on KAYAK over the last 12 months, prices for domestic flights remained below the average price up to 1 weeks before departure. For international flights, deals could still be had up to 1 weeks prior to the departure date, with prices remaining below average. If you’re flexible, KAYAK brings you both advance and last minute one-way and round-trip flight deals.

How does KAYAK find such low flight prices?

KAYAK processes over 2 billion flight queries annually and displays results from hundreds of airlines and third party sites, allowing it to find a variety of flight prices and options. It also displays results from 2M+ properties along with rental cars, vacation packages, activities and millions of verified reviews so users can see as many available travel options as possible.

How can Hacker Fares save me money?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets on different airlines when it can save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.