Intro Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Appendix A Appendix B
performed in the PDS or vicinity, or to and from any combination of the actual residence, PDS and TDY
locations. Official travel does not include travel for personal reasons, by a circuitous route, or by
transportation modes not authorized or approved. Non-official travel may only be reimbursed up to the
cost of the authorized route or transportation mode.
ORDER is a document approved by an authorizing or approving official that directs a traveler, or group
of travelers, to travel. An order identifies the purpose of travel, authorizes requested and allowable
official business expenses, provides the TMC with documentation for arranging transportation and
lodging, and supplies financial information necessary for budgetary planning. There are two types of
orders, a trip-by-trip order and a blanket order.
A. A trip-by-trip order allows the traveler or group of travelers to take one or more specific
official business trips, which must include a specific purpose, itinerary, and estimated costs. Premium
class transportation, AEA travel except by the Coast Guard, conference travel, foreign travel, travel
funded by a non-federal source, training travel, and invitational travel must be authorized as a trip-by-trip
order.
B. A blanket order is an order issued to a traveler who regularly and frequently makes trips away
from the PDS to perform regularly assigned duties at specific places for specific periods of time within a
fiscal year. A blanket order is restricted to economy or coach travel and requires an amendment for each
trip using premium class transportation. A blanket order is restricted to the locality per diem rate and
requires an amendment for each trip using actual expense allowance. The Coast Guard allows actual
expense allowance on a blanket order.
C. There are three types of blanket orders, an unlimited open, a limited open and a repeat. An
unlimited open blanket order allows the traveler to travel anywhere on official business without further
authority. A limited open blanket order allows the traveler to travel on official business without further
authority only under certain specific conditions, such as travel to a specific geographic area for a specific
purpose, subject to trip cost ceilings, or for specific periods of time within a fiscal year. A repeat blanket
order allows the traveler to travel on official business without further authority to a specific destination
for a specified period of time within a fiscal year.
PER DIEM ALLOWANCE is also known as a subsistence allowance and is a daily payment instead of
actual expense reimbursement for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. A per diem allowance is
separate from transportation expenses and other reimbursable expenses. Lodging taxes in the U.S.
(CONUS and non-foreign OCONUS) are excluded from the per diem allowance and are reimbursed as a
separate expense. In foreign locations, lodging taxes are part of the per diem allowance and are not a
separate expense.
A. Lodging is overnight sleeping facilities, including Government quarters, baths, personal use
of the room during daytime, telephone access fees, service charges for fans, air conditioners, heaters, and
fireplaces furnished in rooms when not included in the room rate. Lodging does not include expenses for
sleeping accommodations on airplanes, trains, buses, or ships. Sleeping accommodations on airplanes,
trains, buses, or ships are a transportation cost and are not covered by per diem.
B. Meals are breakfast, lunch, dinner, and related taxes and tips. Meals do not include expenses
incurred for alcoholic beverages, entertainment, or expenses incurred for other persons.
C. Incidental expenses are fees and tips, laundry while at a location OCONUS, taxes, and service
charges.
1. Incidental expenses include fees and tips for porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and