### Nearby events

* If you are attending an event that is nearby to where you live

  (accessible by local transportation), you may claim M&IE for any day of

  attendance at the travel day rate (75% rate).

* Please also consider if your destination may be reasonably reached by

  train, rather than by plane for environmental reasons.

* You may stay at the official conference hotel or any hotel that is the

  same price or less. Where there is no conference hotel, you may book a

  hotel at the GSA or Department of state rate +15%. See the "Rates"

  section below for details.

* SFC reserves the right to reject any reimbursement that is submitted after

  90 days (this could become particularly urgent depending on times related

  to closing our financial books). Where we are able to pay after the 90

  days, unless there is some exceptional circumstance, we will reimburse

  you for less money the longer after the 90 days the request is submitted.

* If you want to upgrade your flight at your own expense, you can do so

  without prior approval. You will not be reimbursed for the additional

  amount.

* If the cheapest fare is a basic economy fare, you may add an additional

  $200 to flight budget so that you can choose a regular economy fare

  (please note that basic economy fares have hidden costs like baggage and

  seat assignment fees that ultimately make those fares more expensive).

  This would make the flight budget $300 above the cheapest available

  flight. Alternatively, you may include a luggage fee for your first bag

  (either carry on or checked) and a fee for advanced seat selection up to

  the price of that increased flight budget.

It is permissible to adjust the times in your fare search to only reasonable

travel times (i.e. avoiding redeyes where possible,  avoiding very early

morning or late at night flights or if you need certain times due to

obligations, personal or professional, you cannot move).  If the cheapest

flight includes a layover of more than 3 hours more than the other relevant

flights, or an overnight layover where one is not necessary, you can simply

ignore the cheaper inconvenient flight (and say so in your reimbursement

request).