Travel for Federal Employees

Federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at the government’s expense must follow the policies defined in the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR). The FTR includes policies on:

• Temporary duty (TDY) travel allowances
• Relocation allowances
• Payment from a non-federal source for travel
• Personal use of frequent flyer miles earned on official travel
• Travel accommodation of an employee with special needs

Other travel-related policies that apply specifically to federal employees include:

• Hours of work while on official travel
• Compensatory time off for official travel

Most agencies have additional requirements that expand on what is included in the FTR. If you're a federal traveler with questions about the FTR or travel reimbursement issues, contact your agency travel manager. If you still have questions, submit them to the General Services Administration.

Federal employees who travel for work are reimbursed for their lodging, meals, and tips. The maximum amount they may receive varies by location and time of year.

Per diem rates for travel within the continental United States are established by the General Services Administration (GSA) for each fiscal year. These rates do not include lodging taxes, which may be reimbursed as a separate expense.

• View frequently asked questions about per diem rates.
• Download GSA's per diem mobile app to look up rates by city/state and ZIP code in locations throughout the U.S. and its territories.

Per Diem Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and Territories outside of the Continental United States

The Department of Defense (DOD) establishes the non-contiguous U.S. per diem rates for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and other non-foreign locations. 

The General Services Administration manages a number of cost-saving programs and resources for federal travelers on official business. These include:

• The FedRooms program, which provides hotel rooms at or below the government per diem rates for lodging
• Privately owned vehicle (POV) mileage reimbursement rates
• State tax exemption information for federal employees on official travel
• The travel charge card issued to federal employees to pay for most expenses incurred during official travel 
• Conference and meeting planning and research tools
• Online and in-person travel training for individuals or groups