Air Travel
A State of Washington contract travel agent or internet provider may be used when purchasing airline tickets (effective 6/7/12). The contract is available for use as a convenience. The state of Washington has contract airfares with certain carriers to specific destinations, and a department Central Travel Account or a UW Individual Travel Card must be used to pay.
For more information, visit UW Air Travel Policy.
Car Travel
Personal Car
Travelers may choose to use their own vehicles and can be reimbursed for mileage up to the cost of contract airfare to the destination and meal and lodging per diem for the first 24 hours. You are responsible for your own car insurance.
Rental Car
- Whenever possible, use UW Fleet Services for travel in the Puget Sound area that requires a car.
- When renting a vehicle, be sure to keep the original rental car agreement indicating primary driver information, and attach a copy to the expense report when submitting for reimbursement.
- The final rental agreement is required for reimbursement. The UW traveler must be listed as the driver on the rental agreement to ensure the car rental is used only for UW business. The entire car rental expense is not reimbursable if the person listed as driver is not on UW business or if an additional driver is not on UW business.
For more information, visit UW Car Travel Policies.
Fleet Services
The University's Fleet Services should be used if the University traveler does not want to use a personal car and the trip is within 50 miles of Seattle OR if the traveler does not want to fly or use his or her own car and the trip is within Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or British Columbia. Under these circumstances, a rental car should not be used and will not be reimbursed. University cars are not to be used for personal business or to travel between personal residences and the University campus or another University location.
For more information, visit UW Fleet Services.
Other Forms of Transportation
Other methods of travel, including shuttles, trains, and buses, are covered by UW Other Transportation policy.
Foreign Travel
Please review the UW policies and procedures for traveling abroad. Prior approval to travel abroad is required per the specifications listed in the Prior Approval section. Submit a Request for Foreign Travel Form. This form needs to be signed by the traveler, the PI of the grant, and the Division Head prior to travel.
If possible, keep copies of receipts from currency exchanges or use the OANDA Currency Converter upon your return to calculate foreign currency rates. (Use the last day of business travel for the conversion date.) Please print out and label all conversions and attach them to the expense report.