You are expected to use the lowest economy airfare that meets your business needs. Cornell will reimburse certain fees (except when prohibited by sponsored awards) when you have substantiated a business necessity for the additional cost. For example, scheduling might require you to pay a fee in advance to ensure a seat on a flight. You must justify the business need for all upgrades. See Premium Airfare below.
You are expected to take the flight from the home institution (your home campus) on the most direct or cost-effective flight to the closest or most cost-effective airport where the official business will take place.
For complex or multi-legged trips, we recommend you contact a preferred travel agent directly.
Cornell University has negotiated business travel discounts with Delta and American Airlines. To get these discounts, you must book travel through Concur or one of Cornell’s contracted travel agents. Cornell’s preferred vendors in Concur are labeled “Preferred for Cornell University.”
When booking through World Travel, if a lower fare is found on a flight within 24 hours of booking your reservation, the agent will notify you or your travel arranger of the better deal.
How-To Guide: Booking a Flight in Concur (video, 4:42 min.)
To see employee leisure discounts, see Employee Personal Purchase Discounts.
You will be reimbursed for reasonable baggage fees and other necessary airline fees. Cornell does not reimburse preferred boarding fees (a fee to allow earlier boarding).
Premium airfare is not allowed on sponsored funds or federal appropriations, unless specifically approved in the award documents.
See Sponsored Travel and Fly America Act and Open Skies Agreements for details.
When traveling to other time zones on flights of six or more hours, you can leave your home location up to two days before your scheduled event to allow enough time to reach your destination and acclimate to the new time zone. Also see International Travel.
Because business or first-class upgrades are beyond the concept of “business need,” you can only upgrade to premium class (e.g., economy plus, business class, first class, etc.) at your own expense using your own means of payment or your frequent-flyer miles (which are not reimbursable by the university). You can only be reimbursed for the cost of a coach flight unless you meet certain requirements. See Getting Reimbursed for Premium Airfare below.
You must book premium upgrades by contacting the travel agent directly. You can search for upgraded flights in Concur, but only the travel agent can book flights that are not coach class.
You will only be reimbursed for premium airfare under any one of the following circumstances:
Students are not eligible for university-paid upgrades and must travel in economy class regardless of the duration or length of the flight, but they can upgrade their flights with their own funds.
Using private personally owned, rented, or borrowed aircraft is discouraged. You are not allowed to carry passengers during university business-related private air travel, and you must meet specific requirements before traveling. See Aircraft Use on the Risk Management and Insurance website.
Chartered modes of transportation require a purchase order and certificates of insurance must be on file before traveling. Contact Procurement Services before reserving chartered aircraft.
Reimbursements for personal aircraft travel are calculated using IRS mileage rates for personal automobiles and cannot exceed the cost of economy air travel. To apply for reimbursement, you must also provide proof that you are a commercial pilot under FAA regulations. Licensing and insurance coverage documentation must be kept up to date. If your coverage changes, you must contact Risk Management and Insurance before traveling.
When your trip includes personal travel and the return trip is not direct from the business destination (e.g., conference location), you must get documentation of the additional costs when you book your flight. You will only be reimbursed for the cost of the flight you would have taken straight home from the business trip.
For example, if you plan to travel from your conference to another city for personal vacation time, you must get a quote for the flight you would have taken on the same day directly from the conference to your home at the same time when you book the flight you actually take.