Regulations and Guidance

Personal Travel

 

R05.02.060.A.(8)

  1. When a traveler extends their stay at the university business destination(s) for personal reasons, it is a personal deviation with an extended stay. This can be booked through the online booking  tool. 
    1. If adding personal time costs more than the comparison for the business timeframe, the additional cost will be first offset from any reimbursable expenses and the remaining amount will be paid back through payroll deduction. 
  2. When a traveler goes to an additional destination outside of the university business routing or destination(s), it is considered a personal deviation with a routing change. The business portion of the trip is booked either through the booking tool (preferred) or by contacting the travel management company. The personal portion is then booked separately by the traveler.  Fees incurred for personal travel are not reimbursable. 
  3. Personal travel that is not associated with a business trip should not be booked through the online booking tool or arranged by university personnel. 
  4. Any extra expenses resulting from travel that differs from the established business cost comparison will be borne by the traveler. Reimbursement will be based only on such charges as would have  been incurred or reimbursed for traveling by the lowest logical cost for business purposes.   
  5.  When personal travel via airlines is being mixed with business travel, a cost comparison itinerary showing the lowest logical cost for the business purpose must be completed at the time the travel is requested through the booking tool.
    1. If there are delays in the approval process, new supporting documentation can be generated. The comparison must be attached to the travel expense report included in the travel  supporting documentation.  
    2. If a cost comparison is not secured before travel, the traveler will work with the travel management company to obtain a business comparison. The cost of this service will be borne by the traveler. 
  6. Personal days must be identified on the travel request, and properly reported as leave, if appropriate.   
  7. Any additional time away from work that may be required for indirect travel, or travel that is not the lowest logical cost, shall be charged to annual leave or leave without pay, unless it results in an overall savings to the university. 
  8. If personal expenses are incurred in excess of authorized business expenses and paid by the university, reimbursement to the university will be offset first from the reimbursable expenses and then from payroll deduction.

Travelers may coordinate personal travel arrangements in conjunction with their UA business travel. This includes personal extended stays at the business location and personal deviations to a non-business location.

General

  • Only business related expenses are reimbursable or paid by the university
  • When an expense is both business and personal, only the business portion is reimbursable
  • Expenses accrued during or because of personal days are not reimbursable
  • Travelers must identify on the Travel Request and/or Expense Report personal days taken in conjunction with UA business travel

Business-Only Cost Comparison

  • When a traveler adds personal time to a business trip, a business-only cost comparison from the Concur Travel booking tool is required
  • The cost comparison provides the lowest logical transportation cost for the business purpose and is used to determine the allowable reimbursable expenses on the Expense Report including per diem
  • The traveler or delegate should obtain the cost comparison at the same time that the business/personal trip is booked
  • See the Traveler: Before Travel - Travel Request page for instructions on securing a cost comparison

Past Fare Quote

  • If a business-only cost comparison is not obtained from the Concur Travel booking tool prior to travel, the traveler or delegate must work with Corporate Travel Management (CTM) to obtain a valid after-the-fact comparison, referred to as a "past fare quote"
  • The traveler is personally responsible for the cost of this service ($19.00)
  • See the Traveler: After Travel page for instructions on obtaining a past fare quote from CTM

Extended Stay

  • When a traveler extends their stay at the UA business destination(s) or an intermediate location for personal reasons
  • Bookable through the Concur Travel booking tool or CTM

Personal Deviation (with a Routing Change)

  • When a traveler goes to an additional destination outside of the UA business routing or destination(s)
  • Business portion is bookable through the Concur Travel booking tool or CTM
  • Personal portion (travel to additional destination) is not bookable through Concur Travel, CTM or university personnel
  • The traveler is responsible for booking and paying for the personal portion

Expense Report

  • Ensure a valid business-only cost comparison or past fare quote is attached to the Travel Request and/or Expense Report
  • Travel Allowance itinerary should reflect the business-only itinerary from the cost comparison/past fare quote to accurately calculate per diem allowances and business expenses
  • Any costs that exceed the business only are first offset from the out-of-pocket reimbursable expenses, and any remaining amount is paid back through payroll deduction

The Traveler section of our website contains additional information on and instructions for adding personal travel to UA business travel including how to secure a cost comparison, obtain a past fare quote and appropriately document expenses on the Expense Report.

Scenario: A traveler attended a business meeting in Seattle and took personal time afterward to visit family in Oakland, CA. The traveler incurred charges for baggage fees on their flight from Seattle to Oakland.

Q: Are the baggage fees a reimbursable expense?
A: No. Although baggage fees are reimbursable when incurred for UA business travel, these were incurred for personal travel.

Q: Can the traveler use their UA travel card to pay for the expense?
A: Yes! The traveler will document the charges as expense type "personal/non reimbursable" on the Expense Report. The cost is deducted from their out-of-pocket reimbursable expenses.

Extended Stay

Scenario 1: A UAA employee is traveling to Fairbanks for a business meeting on Thursday. The business itinerary would have them return to Anchorage on Friday, but they want to stay in Fairbanks for the weekend.

Q: Can they book this trip through the Concur Travel booking tool, CTM or their department travel coordinator?
A: Yes! This is considered an extended stay for personal reasons. The airfare is reimbursed/approved up to the business-only cost comparison pulled from the booking tool.

Q: Can they book this trip directly through the airline and use their UA travel card to pay?
A: Yes. However, the reimbursable/approved cost is still limited to the business-only cost comparison from the booking tool.

In both cases, any additional costs beyond the business-only are first offset from the traveler's reimbursement and then from a payroll deduction

Scenario 2: A non-employee guest is traveling to Anchorage to conduct UA business. They want to arrive a week early to enjoy a personal vacation beforehand.

Q: Can the travel coordinator book this trip through the Concur Travel booking tool or CTM?
A: Yes, but only if the business+personal airfare does not exceed the business-only cost comparison from the booking tool.
Otherwise, the traveler can book the complete trip themselves directly with the airline, and we will reimburse them up to the business-only cost comparison. 

Q: Can the travel coordinator book the business-only return through the booking tool or CTM?
A: Yes! The travel coordinator can use UA resources to book the business-only return, and the traveler can book their outbound directly with the airline. The business-only cost comparison is only for the outbound one-way trip, and we will reimburse them up to that cost.

Scenario 3: A traveler is going from Bethel to Fairbanks for UA business. When their business is done in Fairbanks, they are going to take a personal trip to Portland. However, they will return to Fairbanks after their trip to Portland before going home to Bethel.

Q: Is this an extended stay or personal deviation with a routing change?
A: We would consider their Fairbanks trip an extended stay. This will follow the same booking rules as any other trip with an extended stay.
Since their time in Portland is completely separate from their business travel, the traveler will book and manage all of this on their own.

Q: What if they do not return to Fairbanks before going home? Instead, they want to travel to Portland once business is complete and then continue home to Bethel when they are done in Portland.
A: This is now considered a personal deviation and follows the same booking rules as any other trip with a personal deviation.

Personal Deviation (with a Routing Change)

Scenario 1: A UAS employee is traveling to Dallas for a conference. On their return home, they want to stop in Boston for a week-long family vacation.

Q: Can they book the complete trip through the Concur Travel booking tool or CTM?
A: No. Since this includes a routing change strictly for personal reasons, we cannot utilize UA resources and discounted fares for the portion of the trip that includes the personal deviation.

Q: What can they book using UA resources?
A: They can book their business-only outbound through the booking tool, CTM or department travel coordinator. They will book their return directly through the airline, and we will reimburse up to the business-only cost comparison. (We would use a one-way return cost comparison instead of a round-trip.)

Q: Can they use their UA travel card to pay if they book some or all portions directly through the airline?
A: Yes. However, the reimbursable/approved cost is still limited to the business-only cost comparison from the booking tool. Any additional costs beyond the business-only are first offset from the traveler's reimbursement and then from a payroll deduction.

Q: What if the traveler is not an employee?
A: Then any bookings through the booking tool or CTM should not exceed the business-only. Unlike with employees, we cannot use a payroll deduction to offset any additional costs if the reimbursement does not fully offset them.

Scenario 2: A non-employee student is traveling to San Diego for university business. On their way there, they need to stop in Denver for a few days to do some work for their job with Alaska Parks and Rec.

Q: Is this still considered a personal deviation even though it is not for personal time?
A: Yes. Even though they are deviating for their business reasons, it is not related to any UA business. This will follow the same rules as any other trip with a personal deviation.