To travel for University business

First, you need to get INSTAAR approval for your trip.  Fill out an INSTAAR Travel Authorization Form. - warning: If you are using a Mac, please fill out the form using Adobe Acrobat® or Adobe Acrobat Reader®—not Mac Preview. This will keep your accounting person from running into any Mac vs. Windows issues.

If you are a Directorate member, submit the form to Jim White for approval. Non-Directorate members: submit the form to your supervisor for approval.

Ask your accounting technician to process travel—they know the rules and regs. For instance, they will be able to tell you if you should apply for a Travel Card (CU credit card) or not.

If appropriate, apply for a corporate Travel Card and take online Travel Card training (log in, click the My.Training tab, click “Click here for SkillSoft - CU Learning Center Online and Instructor Led Training (ILT),” search for travel, and click “CU: Travel and Travel Card Training.”

Book your trip through either

• Concur travel and expense system
  • Step by step guides from PSC.
  • Log in to the MyCUinfo portal using your Identikey
  • Click the CU Resources tab
  • Click the link "Concur Travel and Expense System"

• CU's authorized travel agent Christopherson Business Travel.
  • phone: 303 694-8744    toll-free: 1 855 462-8885
  • fax: 303 741-6329
  • business hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
  • emergency after hours: 1 800 787-2390 (must reference service code AI79).
  • assistance when booking online: email onlinetravelsupport@cbtravel.com or call 1 888 535-0179 Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

Conference hotels may need to be booked through the conference.

Use your A Card for conference or workshop registration.

For non-employee trips

Complete the CU Non-employee Travel Request form and use Christopherson Business Travel.

Use your A Card for conference or workshop registration.

Airport travel and parking

Your CU-issued EcoPass and $5 gets you on the AB or other airport-bound bus.  The return trip by bus is free with the EcoPass.

Discount parking is available at DIA for CU employees from these vendors:

• Canopy Parking – 8100 Tower Road
• DIA Park – 17151 East 32nd. Avenue
• The Parking Spot – 19901 East 56th. Avenue
• Wally Park – 24200 East 78th. Avenue

For more information see the PSC web page on DIA parking.

The fine print

All travel shall be completed using the most economical means available that will satisfactorily accomplish university business. Upgrades (including extended leg-room upgrades) and Business or First Class travel are allowed only with justification, e.g.: cost savings (avoid subsistence costs/lost productivity); foreign travel (continuous scheduled flight >14 hours); foreign travel (security/sanitation/health exceptions); necessary (accommodate a disability/special need).

Travelers who wish to purchase airline tickets on an external internet site (not Concur Travel & Expense) must first compare the full cost of the outside site’s fare with the fares shown in Concur, and print the list of Concur fares. If total cost of non-Concur fare is less than the Concur fares, travelers can proceed with the non-Concur ticket purchase using a personal credit card. Include itemized receipt/proof of payment with expense report and attach the comparison quote printout to the expense report.

Information from bookings made through Concur Travel or Christopherson Business Travel is provided to the organizational unit, to the appropriate campus sponsored project office (if Fund 30/31), and to the designated officer of the University (if international travel).

Concur Expense is used to reconcile Travel Card charges and to request reimbursement for University travel and non-travel-related expenses by employees. Non-employees and students use the Non-Employee Reimbursement form to request reimbursement. The traveler’s costs cannot be reimbursed until after the trip is completed.

Reimbursement expense reports must be submitted within the designated time period to avoid tax consequences for employees (see Tax Implications).

Fly America Act: U.S. federal grantees and employees are usually required to conduct air travel on U.S. flag airlines. Learn more. The Open Skies Agreement provides some exceptions to the Fly America Act.