What’s Essential
MIT provides PIs with an MIT travel credit card and the Concur online travel booking and expense reporting system. Use of these services assures access to MIT-negotiated travel rates, eliminates the need for travel advances and reimbursements, and eliminates most out-of-pocket expenses.
Travel on MIT business must adhere to MIT travel policies and federal regulations. These policies are applied consistently regardless of the source of funding—federal, industrial, discretionary, or institutional. They also apply to MIT-paid travel expenses for seminar speakers or other business visitors.
PIs are encouraged to book travel using the Concur travel booking system or MIT-recommended travel agencies. The MIT travel credit card should be used to pay for all travel expenses. Travel expense reports should be submitted using the Concur expense reporting system upon completion of a trip and no later than 30 days after the completion of a trip.
Important Considerations
- PIs traveling under sponsored projects should be aware of travel restrictions put in place by sponsors, which are noted in the award terms in the MIT Kuali Coeus award database.
- Remember to document how the travel benefits the sponsored program.
- PIs may fly Business Class only when the flight has a scheduled in-air flying time greater than six hours or if any part of a round trip airfare is in excess of six hours. The cost of Business Class flights may not be charged to sponsored projects. In such cases, PIs must document the lowest available coach fare, subtract it from the Business Class fare, and allocate the difference to a non-sponsored discretionary cost object.
- For post-trip reconciliation of expenses, PIs must keep itemized receipts for all travel expenses in excess of $75 and all expenses that include the purchase of alcohol, no matter what the cost.
Why It’s Important
Failure to comply with MIT travel policy and any restrictions imposed by granting agencies may result in the disallowance of your travel expenses.
Contact the VPF travel office or your department administration with questions.