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Travel on Government Aircraft

GSA helps federal aviation managers, uniformed personnel, members of the foreign service, and civilian employees and contractors clarify confusing rules related to travel on government aircraft. GSA has answered commonly-asked questions in Federal Travel Regulation; Use of Government Aircraft.  This Code of Regulation (CFR) addresses the following issues:

• Who can travel:
  • Anyone who has received authorization from an executive agency may travel on government aircraft, providing there is no more cost-effective method of travel  
• When passengers can travel: A passenger may use a government aircraft when
  • no scheduled commercial airlines are available
  • the cost of using government aircraft is less than a commercial airline
  • required to use government aircraft to fulfill a federal mission or,
  • traveling from a remote government location   
• How to get travel authorization:
  • All federal travelers must obtain written approval from their designated travel official.
  • For travelers required to use government aircraft, an agency’s senior legal official or his/her principal deputy must provide written authorization.
  • In an emergency, a passenger may receive verbal approval with an after-the-fact written authorization from an agency’s senior legal official or his/her principal deputy.
• Documentation: to receive authorization to travel, a passenger must present their designated travel official with
  • A traveler’s name, title and organization
  • The name of the authorizing agency
  • The official purpose of the trip
  • The destination
  • For personal or political travel, the amount to be reimbursed to the government
  • For official travel, the comparable cost of a commercial flight

Reimbursing the government for travel:

• Official government travel requires no reimbursement
• Personal travel: unless you are traveling from a remote government station, you must reimburse the government the full coach fare of the flight. 

For more information, see the Federal Travel Regulation; Use of Government Aircraft CFR, 41 CFR Chapter 301, Subchapter B, Subpart C, Travel on Government Aircraft.