Combining personal and business travel is HIGHLY discouraged.

If comparisons are not done properly, it may require review for an exception and could be denied. 

  • Flight/or lodging comparisons must be done at the same time as booking and be with the same airline and/or hotel.
  • Business and personal travel should not be combined on grants.

Non-employees and students should not combine personal and business travel.

Expenses that do not pertain to ISU are prohibited on the T&H Card.

To ensure proper use of university funds, travelers should arrive no earlier than 24 hours (domestic) or 48 hours (international), based on the destination time zone, before a business event and depart no later than 24 hours after the event concludes. Extended time on either end of the trip will be considered personal travel.

Procedures

When faculty and staff travel in conjunction with personal vacation, the following standards should apply:

  • The business portion of the travel must be justified.
  • The traveler has provided a written estimate outlining the costs for the business portion of the trip.
    • When personal travel is combined with business, the traveler should personally pay for all expenses and request reimbursement.
    • Reimbursement for personal funds used to purchase airline tickets will not be made until the conclusion of the trip and no travel advances will be issued to facilitate the purchase of air tickets. If you are using federal funds, you MUST comply with the Fly America Act (PDF).
    • When purchasing tickets with a personal credit card, the traveler assumes all risk. If the trip is canceled, ISU will not reimburse the traveler for the ticket of a trip that was not taken, as the credit for the unused ticket goes back to the traveler's credit card.
  • When vacation or personal requirements cause indirect routing, the cost of the direct route required for ISU business was compared and documented at the same time/date and from the same airline.
  • University or federal policy requirements for travel were met for those segments of the trip identified as business-related.
  • Iowa State University will reimburse the lesser of the expenses.

Accurate flight comparisons cannot be made retroactively.