STATE OF TEXAS CONTRACTED AIRFARES
Contracted Airfares
Each year, the Texas Building and Procurement Commission contracts with multiple airlines to provide state contracted airfares. In addition to providing lower overall fares for state business travelers, these special fares, with some exceptions, offer the following advantages:

• no advance purchase necessary,
• no minimum/maximum length of stay required,
• last seat availability, and
• no fee or penalty for changing or canceling the reservation.

Mandatory Use
Travelers are required to use the state contracted airfares when state funds are used, unless one of these exceptions exists. When one of these exceptions is used the exception must appear on the travel voucher used for reimbursement. When using local/institutional funds you will not be reimbursed for commercial air transportation that exceeds the cost of the state contracted airfares, unless you can document one of the exceptions listed above. First class airfare may be reimbursed if it was the only available airfare.

Making Reservations
Reservations and tickets are available only through the U.T. System Administration's contracted travel agencies. After identifying yourself as a System employee, be sure to tell the travel agent you are interested in obtaining a State of Texas contracted airfare. Do not ask for the "government fare" since the travel agencies may also have contracts with other governmental entities. If you change a previously made state contract reservation at the airport, you may be asked to present identification as validation of your entitlement to the contract fares. You must present one of these forms of identification to the contracted airlines:

• U.T. System ID card
• payroll slip
• letter on U.T. System letterhead signed by an executive officer, identifying the bearer as traveling on state business and authorized to use state contracted airfares

Non-business Travel
State contracted airfares are available to employees for business related travel or prospective employees where travel is being paid by the state. They are not to be used for leisure, personal or non-state business travel.

Non-state Employees
State contracted airfares are not available to independent contractors/consultants working for the state, even if U.T. System reimburses their travel.

Group Travel
State contracted airfares are not for group travel. When securing tickets for ten or more persons, contact a travel agency and inquire about group rates.

Travel by Private Aircraft
Employees may be reimbursed for travel in personally owned or leased aircraft are the rate of 40 cents per highway mile for single engine aircraft and 55 cents per highway mile for twin engine. An employee may be reimbursed for the cost of renting or chartering an aircraft if the Aircraft Pooling Board provides written approval. An employee may rent or charter an aircraft if a state-owned aircraft is not available or if the rental would reduce the cost of transportation.

Airfares Centrally Billed
Only airfares obtained through U.T. System's travel agencies are centrally billed, thus not requiring an outlay of an employee's funds. Airfare paid for by the employee may not be reimbursed until after the trip is taken.