U.S. Department of Justice
Policy Statement 1400.04
Example - Deviating from the Authorized Itinerary: A traveler is authorized to travel
from Washington, DC, to Denver, CO, using a Government contract fare (the city-pair is
DC/Denver). The contract fare includes a stop in Dallas, TX. However, the traveler
chooses to stay in Dallas, TX for more than four hours on personal business. In this case,
the traveler will be interrupting the authorized itinerary and breaking the authorized city-
pair. The traveler cannot use the contract fare, the online booking engine, or the IBA for
the return trip.
Section 301-41.030. Making Travel Arrangements for Official and Personal Travel.
When a traveler combines official and personal travel, the travel arrangements for the official
travel must be made through the Department’s TMC. The traveler must use his or her IBA only
for official travel-related expenses, not personal travel-related expenses.
A traveler must not use the online booking engine to make personal travel reservations.
However, a traveler may call the Department’s TMC to make personal travel reservations. When
calling the Department’s TMC to make personal travel reservations, the traveler must:
Inform the TMC that the travel is personal;
Bear all charges and fees associated with the personal travel; and
Use a personal credit card to pay all charges and fees associated with the personal travel.
When travel is to a destination solely for personal reasons, and no official duty is performed at
the destination, a traveler must not use a contract fare or his or her IBA. However, if the traveler
arrives at the TDY location prior to the authorized travel date and/or stays at the TDY location
beyond the authorized departure date for personal reasons, the traveler may still use contract
fares, because the traveler did not deviate from the authorized route.
If on a traveler’s own time, the traveler goes to a different location from the TDY location and
returns to the TDY location, that trip is personal and must not be by contract fare or purchased
with the IBA. The traveler must not claim per diem and other travel expenses for the period of
personal travel. The notation “personal business” on the travel voucher on days for which no
travel expenses are claimed is sufficient.
Section 301-41.040. Rental Vehicles for Combined Official and Personal Travel.
The traveler must not use official rental vehicles for personal travel. If a traveler arrives at the
TDY location early or stays at the TDY location after official travel for personal reasons, the
traveler must contract for the rental vehicle separately for the personal portion of the travel at
personal expense and not use an IBA.
Section 301-41.050. Lodging for Combined Official and Personal Travel.
When lodging is used for combined official and personal travel, a traveler must inform the
lodging facility that a portion of the travel will be for personal reasons. The traveler must use a
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