Partial Day Travel
When travelling without an overnight stay regardless of destination, meals and incidentals are reimbursed using a per diem method of a flat sum to cover expenses for travel. As meals are covered through this per diem method, personal meals while traveling are not allowed on the P-Card. Parking, tolls, and/or conference registrations are allowable on the P-Card as these are not covered by the per diem. The rate is based on the duration of travel.
Overnight Travel within the State of Alabama
For in-state travel occurring August 1 and after, there will be two options for submitting your Concur Expense report.
Option 1: In-State GSA Reimbursement
In accordance with the Code of Alabama 36-7-21, prior approval must be obtained from the supervisor of the traveler for in-state travel seeking GSA per diem reimbursement. A record of this approval must be retained within the department. UA will allow actual costs of lodging up to $250 per night before taxes. Conference rates in excess of $250 per night are allowable. Any lodging rate greater than $250 per night before tax that is not a conference rate requires additional explanation from the traveler as to why the lodging rate was necessary. If this method is selected, the University Purchasing Card (P-Card) is the required method of payment for lodging and rental cars. The P-Card is the preferred method of payment for conference registration fees, allowable ground transportation, and parking fees. Personal meals and incidentals cannot be charged to the P-Card.
Option 2: In-State Per Diem Reimbursement
The employee can be reimbursed on a per diem basis for expenses other than transportation. Current per diem rates are maintained on the Accounts Payable website. In-State travel expenses covered by per diem, such as lodging, meals, and gratuities, cannot be charged to the P-Card. The P-Card is the preferred method of payment for conference registration fees, allowable ground transportation, and parking fees.
| Accounts Payable | Financial Accounting |
|---|---|
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| Box 870137 | Box 870136 |
Overnight Travel outside of the State of Alabama
When traveling overnight meals and incidentals are reimbursed using a per diem method of a flat sum to cover these expenses for each travel day. The rate is a per diem established by the U.S. GSA and is based on the duration and the destination of travel. Therefore, personal meals while traveling are not allowed on the P-Card.
For all employee travel outside of the state of Alabama, UA will allow actual costs of lodging up to $250 per night before taxes. Conference rates in excess of $250 per night are allowable. Any lodging rate greater than $250 per night before tax that is not a conference rate requires additional explanation from the traveler as to why the lodging rate was necessary. Lodging should be booked through the Concur Booking Tool when possible. The UA P-Card is the required method of payment for lodging.
Parking, tolls, and/or conference registrations are allowable on the P-Card as these are not covered by the per diem.
Other Considerations
Some departments have opted for their P-Cards to be “Travel Only.” This means that the card is limited to merchants with certain Merchant Category Code (MCC) classifications. If your card is travel only, even though conference registrations are allowable per UA Policy, you may not be able to use the card for this depending on the MCC classification of the merchant or entity you are paying. You will need to check with your Budget Manager or with P-Card Services to determine if your P-Card is classified as Travel Only.
Airfare, baggage fees, rental cars, taxis, shuttles, ride-sharing, conference fees and parking are allowable travel expenses with a valid business purpose. The P-Card is the required method of payment for airfare, lodging, and rental cars. The P-Card is the preferred method of payment for conference registration fees, allowable ground transportation, and parking fees.
Helpful References
Purchasing Card Policy & Procedures
Contact Information
For questions regarding Concur travel bookings, UA Travel Policy, and/or Travel, Entertainment and Expense Reports, please contact the Concur Helpdesk at concur@ua.edu.
For questions regarding your UA P-Card, please contact P-Card Services at pcard@ua.edu.