Use of Foreign-Flag Air Carriers

Travel To and From the United States

Use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if:

• The airport abroad is the traveler's origin or destination airport, and use of a U.S.-flag air carrier service would extend the time in a travel status by at least 24 hours more than travel by a foreign-flag carrier; or,
• The airport abroad is an interchange point, and use of U.S.-flag air carrier service would require the traveler to wait six hours or more to make connections at that point, or would extend the time in a travel status by at least six hours more than travel by a foreign-flag air carrier.

Travel Between Points Outside the United States

Use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if:

• Travel by a foreign-flag air carrier would eliminate two or more aircraft changes en route;
• Travel by a U.S.-flag air carrier would extend the time in a travel status by at least six hours more than travel by a foreign-flag carrier; or,
• The travel is not part of the trip to and from the United States, and use of a U.S.-flag air carrier would extend the time in a travel status by at least six hours more than travel by a foreign-flag carrier.

Short Distance Travel

For all short distance travel, regardless of origin and destination, use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if the elapsed travel time on a scheduled flight from origin to destination airport by a foreign-flag air carrier is two hours or less and service by a U.S.-flag air carrier would double the travel time.

(Reprinted from GC-1, NSF Grant General Conditions)