FAQs: While You Are Traveling

Log in to http://web.mit.edu/concur and sign on using your MIT web certificate.

Contact VPF Travel at travelsupport@mit.edu or come to the Travel Drop-in Sessions, Wednesday, 10–11 am in NE49-3100.

Yes, Concur is an optional tool available to travelers and is easily used for simple trips. Travelers and departments are welcome to use any of MIT’s preferred agencies for longer trips. Itineraries for trips booked with Concur or with The Travel Collaborative (an MIT preferred travel agency) will automatically appear in the Upcoming Trips sections of the traveler’s profile. These can quickly be converted to expense reports.

For booking questions call:

Jessica Tam 617-253-2756

For Concur expense reporting questions call:

Chrissy Mullin       617-324-7202

Paul Andersen        617-253-2753

Katie Diaz               617-258-0370

For credit card inquiries call:

Kathy McGrath   617-253-8366

Kim Harmon       617-253-8360

For accounting inquiries call:

Paul Andersen    617-253-2753

If the traveler has direct deposit with MIT HR/Payroll they will receive a reimbursement several days after it is approved for payment. If a traveler is reimbursed though a guest expense report they will receive a check in seven to ten days.

The MIT Online Travel Booking and Expense Reporting System allows you to quickly make plans after viewing your travel options. MIT-preferred providers and their preferred pricing are highlighted. In addition, you have access to Internet fares. MIT Online Travel Booking and Expense Reporting System provides a list of all your travel plans and is your direct source for travel alerts.

Yes, some vendors provide e-receipts, but they may not contain sufficient detail so please attach the detailed receipt you receive from the travel agency.

A Travel Arranger is able to book travel on behalf of someone else via the online booking tool, Concur, and an Expense Delegate is able to submit an expense report on behalf of someone else.

Please call 1‐888‐571‐1000 to activate your card. This number will appear on an activation sticker on the front of the card issued to you. Activation code is your full employee ID number.

No.

Personal expenses will be deducted from the amount due to the traveler if traveler for out-of-pocket expenses. If no money is due to traveler, the traveler must send a check payable to MIT along with a copy of the expense report to Travel NE49‐4037.
When processing a personal charge in a Concur expense report, please mark the “personal expense” check box within the transaction detail. Selecting this check box will ensure the expense is not applied to a cost object.

No, the card is optional. Travelers who prefer to use their personal credit card may continue to do so.

No, MIT has migrated from advances to Travel Cards.

In any travel circumstance, each traveler must submit itemized receipts documenting all transportation expenses, including airfare, train and car rental expenses and detailed hotel receipts. For all other expenses, receipts are only required for any single expenditure in excess of $75 or for meals with alcohol and any local travel expenses regardless of any amount. A credit card statement is not sufficient. Receipts for business-related meetings (meetings/meals with non-MIT participants) should be included and the participants, their affiliations and topic of discussion should be included in the expense detail. Alcohol and airfare difference must be itemized. They should be charged to a discretionary account if the expense report is under a sponsored project.

Quickcard: ProCard and Travel Card Receipts

Quickcard: How Long to Retain Financial Records

MIT travelers may fly business class (or first class if business class service is not offered) for all international travel (excluding Canada).

For travel in the U.S. and Canada, an MIT traveler may fly business class (or first class if business class service is not offered) if the trip meets any one of the conditions below.

• The traveler’s scheduled in-air flying time of a one-way direct or non-stop flight exceeds six hours.
• The traveler’s scheduled in-air flying time of a flight with multiple legs totals more than six hours from origin to destination.
• For roundtrip travel, one of the above requirements must apply to at least one way of travel in order to fly business class in both directions.  For example, business class is allowed for a roundtrip Boston-Los Angeles flight even if only one way exceeds six hours.

Travelers may fly business class (or first class if business class service is not offered) for medical purposes by providing proper documentation of a medical condition and receiving approval from the MIT Office of Disability Services.   

See the full policy here.

If there are no problems with a travel expense report, it normally takes one to two business days from the time the Travel Office receives the report to be approved and submitted for payment. If there is a problem with the report, every effort will be made to resolve it over the phone or through email. If it requires further clarification, the report will be sent back to the submitter with an explanation of the issue and next steps.