Staff Travel Policies 

Travel Card 

Your MIT travel card is the preferred method for booking airfare, train tickets, meals, and other travel-related expenses. Please note: MIT is not responsible for reimbursing cancellation or change fees if you choose to use a personal credit card to earn points and the trip is canceled or changed. 

Travel Registry 

According to MIT travel policy, all MIT-related travel must be registered in the Institute’s Travel Registry.  

Working outside the US for more than 30 consecutive days 

International People Placement (IPP) Intake Form must be completed if you plan to be outside the US for more than 30 days. Even if the travel is a combination of business and leisure.  

Travel to India 

Any work-related travel to India that does not meet the IPP requirement must be reported using the India Travel Report Form.  

Booking with Blockskye Travel 

MIT’s preferred travel agency, Blockskye Travel, operates behind Concur. Booking via Concur offers several benefits—you can find more information HERE. 

Business Class Travel 

While MIT policy permits business class flights exceeding 6 hours, this is subject to departmental discretion and available funding; please speak with your supervisor. For flights that exceed 6 hours, we recommend booking the lowest coach fare and opting for extra legroom when possible. 

CAPs/MISTI staff: As a reminder, program funds may not be used to purchase business or first-class airfare. Travelers are welcome to use personal funds or miles if they wish to upgrade. That said, program funds can be used for “comfort” or “economy plus” seats as long as the cost of those tickets is not more than 50% of the standard economy fare.  

Per Diem & Cash Advances 

Per diem provides a fixed daily allowance for meals, lodging, and incidental expenses. 

• Domestic per diem must be approved in advance by both me and VPF.  

• International per diem requires approval only from me. 

If you opt for per diem, you may not use your MIT travel card or submit receipts for reimbursement. You may not claim the full per diem on your first and last days of travel. In most cases, you can claim 75% on travel days. 

Please note that while staff may claim a daily per diem instead of itemizing individual expenses on their expense report, MIT policy states that employees should neither gain nor lose personal funds as a result of business travel. In other words, the total per diem claimed should not exceed the actual amount spent during the trip. Staff are expected to track their expenses accordingly while traveling. 

If you have any questions, you can reach out to VPF Travel. 

Cash advances are also available for travel to areas where credit cards are not accepted. Submit your request to me at least two business days prior to your departure and include a breakdown of how the funds will be spent.  As a reminder, per diem and cash advances are provided to support allowable travel expenses. Using it for personal gain is not compliant with legal or the institution’s policy. 

Hotels 

Please use MIT’s preferred hotels to take advantage of negotiated rates and discounts. 

Travel Reports 

Please submit your travel reports via Concur within 60 days after your trip, per the Institute’s travel policy. Repetitive delayed submissions may result in the cancellation of your travel card. For a reminder on this process, visit Policies: Travel Planning and Expensing. 

To find forms related to travel (travel card application, cash advance request form, etc.), go to Financial Forms.