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Travel FAQs

  1. When will my travel voucher be paid?
  2. Is my travel cash advance ready for pickup?
  3. Can I check on the status of a travel reimbursement or paperwork for a cash advance without contacting the Travel Office?
  4. What is the current mileage reimbursement rate?
  5. Do I need original receipts to be reimbursed or to clear advances?
  6. What is the per diem rate or maximum allowance for hotel and meals for a foreign or domestic city?
  7. Who are the University of Iowa’s Preferred Travel Agencies?
  8. Do I use a Non PO Voucher & Invoice or a Travel Expense Voucher form for reimbursement?
  9. How do I pay for a conference registration fee?
  10. How do I convert foreign currency to American Dollars?
  11. Do we have a preferred car rental supplier?
  12. Should I purchase insurance with my car rental?
  13. How do I know there is a travel agency service fee for my airline ticket?
  14. What if I combine a personal vacation with my business travel?
  15. What if I want to take my family or a friend on my business trip
  16. Can I use my Procurement Card for online airfare purchases?
  1. When will my travel voucher be paid?
    Provided the travel voucher is completed properly and all required documentation is attached, most travel vouchers are processed within 2-3 days of arrival in the Travel Office. Please check with your department and any other offices to which it was sent for approval to assure that it has been sent to the Travel Office. If it was sent more than a week ago, you may call the Travel Office to check the status of payment.   ↑top
  2. Is my travel cash advance ready for pickup?
    Most cash advances are direct deposited to your bank account on file.   If you require a paper check, someone (the traveler, courier, or contact person) must come to the Travel Office to sign for and pick up travel advance checks. Travel Cash Advances may be picked up 5 working days prior to travel dates. Prepaid Advances (airfare and/or hotel charged to personal credit cards) may be picked up any time after the paperwork has arrived in the Travel Office. If anyone other than the traveler is picking up the check, be sure that he/she has the traveler’s SS#, destination and dates of travel to provide to the receptionist in order to have the check issued.  ↑top
  3. Can I check on the status of a travel reimbursement or paperwork for a cash advance without contacting the Travel Office?
    Yes. You can complete an Access Request form from the ITS E-forms page. Request "view only" access for TRAV. This will allow you to view our travel processing system to determine if/when a travel voucher or Request for Travel Advance form has been received by the Travel Office and if a particular voucher has been paid.  ↑top
  4. What is the current mileage reimbursement rate?
    You may find the current allowances for mileage reimbursement rates on the Domestic/Int'l Web Page.  ↑top
  5. Do I need original receipts to be reimbursed or to clear advances?
    Yes.  Original receipts are always required for airfare, rental car, train, hotel, or conference registration fee, regardless of the cost.  Receipts are also required for any other single expense claim of $75 or greater.  ↑top
  6. What is the per diem rate or maximum allowance for hotel and meals for a foreign or domestic city?
    You can find the current maximum allowances for domestic & international destinations here on the Travel Web page. Remember that actual expenditures should be claimed up to the maximum allowance.  ↑top
  7. Who are the University of Iowa’s Preferred Travel Agencies?
    They are: Meacham Travel, (351-1360) and Winebrenner Red Carpet Travel (Gilbert St 351-4510, UIHC 384-7100, or CHA 335-6950). ↑top
  8. Do I use an eVoucheror a Travel Expense Voucher form for reimbursement?
    Individuals are always reimbursed for travel expenses on a Travel Expense Voucher. Travel related expenses, use ProTrav. ↑top
  9. How do I pay for a conference registration fee?
    Registration fees should always be paid by departmental procurement card if possible. If the conference will not accept credit card payments, they may be paid by an e-Voucher.  ↑top
  10. How do I convert foreign currency to American Dollars?
    You multiply the foreign currency amount by the exchange rate for the period of time that travel occurred. The easiest way is to use a currency converter, Oanda or Universal Currency Converter.  ↑top
  11. Do we have a preferred car rental supplier?
    Yes. The Big Ten has a contract with National Car Rental (1-800-CAR-RENT) to provide special rates. Free unlimited mileage and insurance are included in most rentals with National Car Rental.  ↑top
  12. Should I purchase insurance with my car rental?
    In general, purchasing insurance coverage is not necessary and is NOT reimbursable. The University of Iowa is self insured for comprehensive and collision damage to vehicles that are rented by University employees for University business. In addition, liability and collision insurance is included in our rates with National Car Rental if our University discount number is included in your reservation. For other rental companies, you should purchase basic liability coverage ONLY if NO liability insurance comes with the basic rental.  ↑top
  13. How do I know there is a travel agency service fee for my airline ticket?
    Any ticket issued by one of our Preferred Travel Agencies will have a booking fee in addition to the cost of the ticket. The booking fee will be listed on the invoice, but not on the airline ticket.  The fee varies depending on which agency you choose.  ↑top
  14. What if I combine a personal vacation with my business travel?
    It is okay to add additional time at your business destination and/or to add an additional side trip to your business trip. However the University will only fund the business portion of your trip, of course. If you add an additional destination to your trip, you must get a quote in writing from your travel agency for the business portion of your trip—please ask for the advance purchase cost directly to/from your business destination on what would be your business travel dates. It is important to get this quote at the time you are making your plans and not after the trip is over. This documentation must then be attached to your Travel voucher.  ↑top
  15. What if I want to take my family or a friend on my business trip?
    Again, this is fine, but any additional cost is at your own expense. You must send verifying documentation and claim the single room rate only for your hotel expense.   ↑top
  16. Can I use my Procurement Card for online airfare purchases?
    The University Travel office would like to pass along some very important information to those of you who use the UI Procurement Card to purchase airfare on-line. As a security measure, for e-tickets booked online, airlines now require that the traveler have in their possession the credit card that was used to purchase the ticket. You may be asked to show the card prior to check in or boarding. This is true whether the ticket is booked directly on the airline’s Web page (UAL.com, AA.com, etc) or an on-line booking agency (i.e. travelocity.com). If an individual does not have the exact credit card used for the purchase, they may be denied boarding and be asked to step out of line and go to a phone to book a new ticket with a credit card they have with them. Airlines do not require this extra security measure for tickets booked through a travel agency or for paper tickets.

    In order to avoid problems at check in and boarding the following solutions are recommended:

    • If booking on-line, use the Procurement Card in the name of the traveler so that the card can be taken with the traveler to the airport. (Note: A cardholder is not allowed to send their card with another individual in travel status.)
    • If you are using a “departmental” Procurement Card or the PCard of an individual other than the traveler, book your ticket(s) through one of the UI’s Preferred Travel agencies or another reputable agency.
    • Request a paper ticket rather than an E-Ticket. Note that most airlines now charge if paper tickets are requested and are moving towards eliminating paper tickets completely on itineraries that are eligible for E-tickets.  ↑top