Travel Guide

Concur Travel Authorization is and must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car.

  • Always provide a ROBUST justification for you travel in the comments field.
  • International travel requests take longer to route through the approval flow. Please plan accordingly.
  • Submit Concur Travel Requests to Speedtype Approver then the appropriate approver
    • CCAR: Sarah Melssen
    • AmREC: Morgan Bays
    • BioServe/Bioastro: Joan Wiesman
    • IRISS/RECUV: Laura Clayton
    • SWxTREC: Sarah Melssen
    • AES Staff/non-Center related travel: America Palacios

Regardless of who is paying for the trip, travelers must obtain department approval for all travel. Traveler must reimburse the University for any travel-related expenses incurred by the University and ultimately paid by another entity.

  • Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.
  • International airfare MUST be booked via Concur (preferred, and faster) or by calling a Christopherson travel agent at:
  • If international travel is supported by federal funds, you must comply with the
  • For no cost international trips, travelers must log their trip itinerary in iSOS:
  • For more information visit the Risk Management Website:
  • When traveling to or from another country, keep in mind that laptops and mobile devices are subject to confiscation and export control. The law may require an export license to travel with these items. Export control licenses take time so plan ahead. Please refer to the website for further information.
  • As of 8.1.14, the University now provides international travel medical and evacuation insurance coverage for all CU employees travelling internationally on university business authorized by their CU department. The insurance coverage is through Geo-Blue and you should atwith the CU Access Code: QHG99999UCBT. There you can print the CU ID Card you will need should you need medical treatment or emergency services. There are a host of services to assist you in your travels and you only need to register once.
  • provides travel tools and resources at. One of those resources is the CU International Traveler Letter attached to this email and included in all international travel itineraries when your travel is booked through Christopherson Travel Agency. The letter contains critical information regarding travel and GEO-Blue.
  • The University retains an additional international evacuation and emergency service travel consultant through International SOS (ISOS). They assist CU employees and students with emergency services such as; lost passports, on-the-ground country specific information, and/or if seeking safety/security advice. If you choose to do so, you can register your trip with ISOS using the CU Membership #11BCAS000006. They will have your travel information in a CU traveler database and able to assist you in case of an emergency. If you would like a laminated ISOS membership card, contact University Risk Management (carolyn.peet@cu.edu) with your campus box number.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

To book airfare, traveler MUST either use the online CONCUR Travel and Expense System OR contact a travel agent with Christopherson Business Travel:

  • To purchase airfare using the Concur Travel System ($9 processing fee): See the PSC Training and Help website at
  • Booking through a Christopherson Agent ($20 processing fee): See available agents at

Parking: Discounts on parking near DIA are offered to all University employees. Methods for obtaining discounts are different for each vendor so please use the following link for detailed information -

Free Baggage: United Airlines is providing free baggage with the purchase of State Airfare Price Agreement tickets. In order to avoid paying baggage fees, please verify with your travel agent that you have purchased a ticket via the State of Colorado Airfare Price Agreement.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

Car rentals MUST be booked via Concur Travel and Expense System:

  • Insurance: Decline insurance for domestic preferred cars (Avis, Budget, National, Enterprise and Hertz), accept insurance for international and non-preferred vendors. In most cases, VISA provides Collision/Loss Damage Waiver (CDW/LDW). The State contracted agencies provide liability coverage. For more information contact 1.800.VISA.911 prior to traveling to determine the specific insurance needs applicable to your trip.
  • Note: Four-wheel-drive vehicles may only be rented if the trip requires it to access a difficult-to-get-to location. Unless this is the case, travelers must rent two-wheel drive vehicles.

How do I pay for my rental car?

  • Use your Travel Card to receive insurance coverage benefits.
  • You will need to obtain an itemized rental car receipt showing proof of payment for rental car and rental car gas.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

Book lodging online through Concur Travel and Expense System:

  • Use your Travel Card to pay lodging and any required deposits to the extent of the actual cost of reasonable accommodations. Itemized receipts are required for both the lodging deposit and the balance of the hotel stay.
  • You are not allowed to use the Procurement card to pay for lodging!
  • If you arrange private lodging (staying with family or friends) you can be reimbursed up to $25/day for associated costs.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

  • Tips may not exceed 20%. Any excess tip will need to be reimbursed to the University.
  • Meals are reimbursed via a per diem. Do not use your TCard to purchase meals. You do not need to provide meal receipts when seeking reimbursement.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

Plan ahead and register early to get the early registration discount most conferences provide. You may use the Procurement card to pay for registration fees. This is the only conference related cost that may be purchased on a PCard. Please leave your Pcard at home while in travel status.

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

As mentioned, since meals are paid via GSA per diem, receipts are not needed for meals in travel; however, please provide receipts for all other travel expenses. The CU 鶹ӰԺ Office of Contracts and Grants Guidelines require that the department “ensure proper documentation exists and is retained to support appropriateness of all sponsored project expenditures. This documentation responsibility is required regardless of dollar amount.”

Concur Travel Authorization is required for all traveland must be obtained PRIOR to booking airfare and rental car. See Travel Authorization above.

  • Please review the information at if you intend to mix personal and business travel:
  • Alert your Center finance staff of your plans well in advance of your trip and reach out with any and all questions pertaining to additional documentation needed and the reimbursement process.
  • CCAR: ccarfinance@colorado.edu
  • RECUV: RECUV-admin@colorado.edu
  • IRISS: IRISS-admin@colorado.edu
  • AMREC: AMReC-Admin@colorado.edu
  • BioServe/Bioastro: bio-admin@colorado.edu
  • SWxTREC: ccarfinance@colorado.edu
  • AES Staff/non-center related Travel: aerofinancehelp@colorado.edu