All travel requires approval from CIRES Travel before any trip costs can be booked.  

 When traveling internationally, please allow extra time, as the approval process has additional layers and can be lengthy.  RIO must approve all international travel. If traveling to a high-risk destination, further approval is required from the Provost. Please follow the below steps when requesting international travel:

 ·       Submit your Travel Request in InsideCIRES

·         A CIRES Travel team member will enter “a shadow” request in Concur

·         The InsideCIRES request remains “under review” or “pending”

·         The Concur request will route to RIO (and the Provost if necessary) for approval 

·         Once the Concur request has been approved, CIRES Travel will approve your travel request in InsideCIRES once they have reviewed your intended airfare booking and confirmed it’s on a US Air Carrier.

·         Note: Ticket cost and convenience are NOT exceptions to the Fly America Act.

·         Your InsideCIRES approval will contain the ‘Concur Requestor #’ that CBT will need to book the ticket.

 You must comply with the Fly America Act when international travel is supported with federal funds.

 What does this mean?

 You must use a US flag air carrier to the extent that a US air carrier is available.  Foreign air carriers may be used only in specific instances.  CIRES Travel will help you navigate these exceptions if needed. Any exceptions to the Fly America Act need to be documented and, in some cases, approved by the federal agency funding the travel. 

Before booking your airfare, you must send your intended air itinerary to CIRES Travel (via the Inside CIRES Travel Request) for approval. CIRES Travel will confirm that your airfare complies with the Fly America Act. Once approved, you must book this exact flight. If any changes are made to the flight, you must get CIRES Travel to re-approve the airfare. 

 If your trip includes personal travel, you must provide two airfare quotes from Concur or CBT.  The first quote will be for the business only days of travel. The second quote will be for the business days + personal days. If the cost of the airfare is more with the inclusion of personal days, you will be instructed to purchase your airfare using a personal credit card with CBT. You will only be reimbursed the business cost of the airfare. As previously stated, the flight must comply with the Fly America Act. You must provide both quotes to CIRES Travel before booking.  Once approved, you must book this exact flight. If any changes are made to the flight, including price, updated quotes must be provided to CIRES Travel for re-approval. 

Please email CIRES Travel with questions.