Travel Planning and Booking

Plan your business-related trips with up-to-date information on travel contracts, booking methods, and recommended best practices.


Determine the best options for booking and paying for transportation and lodging.

Pre-trip approval

Pre-trip approval requirements vary by Division/Department. Travelers are expected to follow all internal travel approval procedures prior to making trip reservations. Contact your Divisional Business Office for more information on pre-trip approval procedures.

Where to book and how to pay

Using Travel, Inc. and Concur

Travel, Inc. is the University’s contracted travel agency for individual travel. Concur is the online booking portal administered by Travel, Inc. Prior to booking travel in Concur, employees must set up a profile.

Pedestrians and students walk down Bascom Hill at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Payment methods

Payment by UW Purchasing Card or My Corporate Card is preferred for pre-trip expenses (e.g. airfare, registration fees, lodging deposits, rental car guarantees).

A Wisconsin Purchasing Card. Business Services can help departments set up and use a purchasing card to make purchases.

Choosing the best travel plan

While making travel arrangements, employees are expected to be good stewards of the University’s money. It’s important to consider different modes of transportation, departure/arrival locations, travel dates, and accommodations in order to determine the lowest cost means of travel.

Modes of transportation

An airplane in flight

Airfare

Commercial air travel is generally the most economical and practical for longer trips

Booking a flight

A UW-Madison fleet vehicle

Vehicle

Automobile travel is generally appropriate for round trips up to 800 miles.

Using vehicles for business

Students entering a Badger Bus

Local transportation

Travelers can use options like local bus, subway, shuttle,  rail, taxis, or rideshares.

Using local transportation

Combining business and personal travel

If personal travel is combined with business travel, an airfare cost comparison is required. The University will not incur additional expense for personal travel.

When traveling with a companion (non-business-related traveler), contact Travel, Inc. to reserve flights for both the business traveler and companion.

Reserving lodging

How to reserve lodging for UW-Madison business travel, including payment/reimbursement, calculating maximum nightly rates, and finding the best rates.

A bright hotel room with a bed

Common Travel Tasks

Meals and incidentals

Determine which meals and incidentals are approved for reimbursement during business-related travel.

Calculate Reimbursements

Let someone else book

Also called a “travel arranger” or “travel assistant”, allow another UW employee to make travel arrangements for you.

Use a travel arranger

Registration fees

This might include conferences, performances or other business related engagements.

Booking registrations

Group traveling

How to plan for group travel for business-related purposes including booking transportation, lodging, and registrations.

Book Group Travel

Travel to foreign countries

Including visas, passports, foreign exchange rates, insurance and what’s reimbursable.

Travel outside of the US

Once you’re there

Things to remember during travel like changing or canceling flights, using local transportation, and vehicle insurance.

Once you’re there

Accessibility accomodations

The University understands the need to accommodate travelers with health issues or physical limitations in accordance with state and federal disability accommodation laws. Please contact your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) if you need a disability-related accommodation. Travel arrangers can also contact the respective DDR on behalf of the person whose travel is being arranged.

Booking for guests traveling to campus

Arrange travel and lodging for guests coming to, or traveling on behalf of, UW–Madison. Examples include guest speakers, job candidates, or conference attendees.

Remember: guests are always considered non-employees. Employees are never guests.

Booking travel for guests

Travel program and Concur training

This session is designed to introduce UW–Madison’s Managed Travel Program and online booking tool Concur to travelers and travel arrangers. Its purpose is to make managing profiles and booking in Concur as easy and efficient as possible. An overview of our contracted agencies, required travel vendors, and administrative group bookings will be provided. Recommended for frequent travelers and travel arrangers.

Register for Travel Program and Concur Training

 

Contact

Travelers and departmental staff should contact their Divisional Business Office for policy or procedural questions.

Divisional Business Offices may e-mail uwtravel@bussvc.wisc.edu with questions.