Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP), the university’s designated travel partner, provides negotiated rates on airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more for university business travel. U-M and CTP discounts will be automatically applied when booking business travel with CTP.

Additional benefits of booking business travel with CTP:

  • Fully supported business travel
  • 24/7 assistance to travelers through agents and the travel portal
  • Easily apply unused tickets and e-credits to new bookings or reallocate them to alternate travelers within the university
  • Book for up to 9 guests and/or employees at the same time through CTP’s online booking tool, Lightning
  • A dedicated team of agents who specialize in booking group travel for groups of 10 or more

CTP has a team of travel agents dedicated to U-M, which is available M-F from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time. A general after-hours service is available outside of business hours for emergency situations at the same main phone line. Additional fees apply.

 

Book through either the online travel booking tool or via agent assistance.

 

For training materials, access the Travel and Expense TDx Knowledgebase.

 

Announcements

Southwest Airlines loyalty offer for new year✈️

U-M business travelers can take advantage of Southwest Airlines’ loyalty offer this semester and earn up to 30,000 bonus points!

🔹How to qualify:

✔️Add your Rapid Rewards number to your CTP profile

✔️Book through CTP, U-M’s designated travel partner

✔️Complete qualifying flights between Jan. 15 – Apr 15, 2025

🎯Bonus Tiers:

✈️5,000 points – Book and fly 2 round trips (or 4 one-ways)

✈️15,000 points – Book and fly 3 round trips (or 6 one-ways)

✈️30,000 points – Book and fly 4 round trips (or 8 one-ways)

Register and learn more at Southwest’s Loyalty Offer page. You’ll need to log into your Rapid Rewards account to access the offer.

Mileage Rate Increase

Effective January 1, 2025, the university’s rate for mileage reimbursement changed to 70.0 cents per mile, from 67.0 cents per mile, for qualified university business travel that commences on, or after, that date. For more information on mileage reimbursement, see Expense Reporting.

Virtual Supplier Feature Series Kicks Off with Delta Airlines

The U-M Travel Program recently launched its new Virtual Supplier Feature series, a quarterly Zoom event highlighting preferred travel suppliers. Each session features supplier representatives who provide insights into their services and answer traveler questions.

The first session, held on January 28, featured Delta Airlines, giving attendees an in-depth look at exclusive benefits for U-M travelers. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here.

Stay tuned for our next session, coming this spring! The featured supplier, along with the exact date and time, will be announced soon. Updates will be shared here on our website under the upcoming events section and in the bi-monthly Travel Program News.

Upcoming Events

Virtual sessions for U-M travel booking questions

CTP and U-M representatives will be available to answer your questions. 

The Zoom link and passcode below can be used for all sessions:

https://umich.zoom.us/j/96013633019
Passcode: 684564

Contact Us

Travel Booking and Support

Phone: (877) 804-3688
International: (402) 252-4404
Email: umichigan@ctptravelservices.com
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET) Monday – Friday

For after-hours emergency assistance, please use the phone numbers provided above. Please be aware that additional fees will apply.

Group Travel Support

 

U-M Travel Policy Questions

Phone: (734) 764-8212, option 2
SSC Travel & Expense General Inquiry eForm

Travel
Resources

Online Booking

Group Travel

Travel Policy

The Travel and Business Hosting Expense Policy is published in SPG 507.10-1. For a summary of allowable expenses, refer to the Summary of Allowable and Unallowable Expenses.

Airfare

The university will pay for the cost of standard coach airfare. Travelers should always select the lowest price airfare within the bounds of the most logical schedule. For full U-M guidelines and limitations, please see SPG 507.10-1.

The university has negotiated discounted rates with multiple airlines. There are several perks available when booking using these contracts. Visit the Delta, United, and Southwest supplier pages to learn more about perks, including how to upgrade to preferred seating.

Lodging

The university will reimburse lodging expenses at a reasonable standard room rate. When the hotel is at a conference or convention site, reimbursement will be limited to the conference rate, if available.
 
NOTE: Most hotels require a credit card to reserve a hotel room, however, this card may not actually be charged. The traveler may be asked to present their actual form of payment upon arrival. Contact the hotel directly to put a PCard on file to be charged. An authorization form may be required.

Car Rental

It is strongly recommended that employees use the university’s preferred car rental suppliers, National Car Rental and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. This ensures that appropriate insurance is included and discounted university rates are applied.

Risk Management advises that travelers decline all collision insurance for vehicle rentals originating in the U.S. as the university self-insures for commercial rental vehicle loss/damage. When traveling outside the U.S. it is recommended that travelers accept collision insurance. See the Risk Management website for more information on insurance coverage. 

Personal Car Mileage or Car Rental?

Use the Trip Optimizer tool to receive a cost estimate for claiming mileage reimbursement vs. renting a car.

International Travel

The International Travel Policy (which includes U.S. territories) is published in SPG 601.31.

NOTE: Booking international travel through the university’s designated travel partner does not automatically register your international U-M Related Travel in the U-M Travel Registry. You must register your international travel separately.

Travel Meals/Per Diem

U-M adheres to U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem policy for employee travel meals and incidental expenses. The per diem rates are set by the GSA for travel to domestic CONUS (continental US) and foreign/OCONUS destinations (foreign and non-continental US). Travelers are allowed 75 percent of the per diem amount on the first and last days of travel. University employees on business travel should pay for their own individual meals and incidentals out of pocket while traveling. Per diem can be claimed via an expense report after their trip and is calculated based on the travel destination. Receipts are not required. For full U-M guidelines, please see SPG 507.10-1

(Looking for the Hosting policy? See Expense Reporting.)

Non-employee Travel

Whenever possible, business travel for non-employees (students/guests) should be paid for with a university PCard and should be arranged using the university’s designated travel partner.

Non-employee travel meals are reimbursable for the actual cost incurred provided the rate does not exceed current maximums ($30 breakfast, $30 lunch, $70 dinner). In lieu of reimbursing actuals, units may also pay non-employees at a set rate, provided that the rate does not exceed the GSA per diem rate. See Expense Reporting to learn more about processing these payments.

Forms

Individual Travel Request Form (CTP)

This form can be used to request a travel booking for an individual traveler. 

Group Booking Request Form (CTP)

This form must be completed to start a group travel booking for a group of 10 or more travelers. Read more about the Group Travel booking process.

Fly America Act Exception Form

This form must be completed whenever non-U.S. flag air carrier service is used and intended to be charged to a federal project/grant. The completed form must be submitted with the expense report.

 

Travel Resources

Information for employees and students to prepare for international travel, including health insurance.

Resources for employees and students planning international travel.

Provides per diem rates specific to major cities (both domestic and foreign).

Register your international travel.