Flights can be arranged by the guest or by our office. (Faculty cannot pay for travel on the guest’s behalf without an exceptional approval from the Dean’s office.)
If the guest books their own flight…
…we can reimburse them after the event. UC policy limits us to reimbursing for the most economical and direct flights on U.S. Flag Carrier airlines. Unless an upgrade is required for medical reasons or unusual circumstance, we can reimburse non-economy flights at a comparable economy rate and the guest will be responsible for the difference in fare. Guests should avoid purchasing bundled fares (flights + rental cars, for example), unless they have prior approval to be reimbursed for all items in the bundle or can document the costs for each individual item in the bundle. Online travel providers typically do not itemize bundled tickets after the sale.
After the flight is booked, guests should forward the itinerary and receipt to Jessica so that she can book hotel rooms and set up airport shuttles (if these are being provided to your guest.)
If our office books the flight…
…Jessica will put guests in touch with our travel agent who will work with the guest to set up the flight. The travel agent forwards the invoice to our office for payment. The travel agency charges about $25 per ticket for this service.
Other travel expenses:
Hotel rooms are booked at the Mission Inn at the current UCR rate. Rooms + taxes and fees are charged directly to our account and guests are responsible for miscellaneous charges and parking. If the Mission Inn is full, we book rooms at the Hyatt or Marriott downtown. These are also billed directly to our office.
Supershuttle shared-ride service from airports to Riverside can be booked by our office and charged to our accounts. If circumstances require more expensive private cars or point-to-point service (rather than to/from the airport), we can also book and cover the costs for these services. Guests who prefer to use local ride-sharing apps can be reimbursed after their trip.
Let your guest and Jessica know if you will cover additional expenses such as rental cars, parking, meals, ground transportation to/from their local airports, etc.