Group/Team Travel
UNI Travel Guidelines
Group/Team Travel
Last Updated: Mar 6, 2026
Group Travel
The University defines group travel as three (3) or more employees & non-employees traveling to the same location for the same official University business where the individuals are recognized as a cohesive unit representing the University. Examples could include student organizations, intercollegiate sports clubs, a class on a field trip, study abroad groups, etc.
Group Travel must include student representation or guest representation. A roster is required listing each participant's name and affiliation to UNI. A group of employees going to the same function does not constitute group travel and each employee should submit an individual travel request.
Each group must designate a group leader. The group leader is responsible for ensuring that the group follows all established policies and procedures and is responsible for the expenses of the group, including transportation and group meals. If the group leader uses a T&H Card or personal credit card to cover the cost of group meals, they must attach itemized receipts and a list of attendees to the expense report for each paid group meal. The amount of the group meal cannot exceed the sum of the per diem for all individuals partaking in that meal.
Group Travel Policies
University of Northern Iowa group/team travel is subject to University travel guidelines and meal/lodging allowances. Exceptions will be made to the standard individual cash advance policy. An amount large enough to reasonably cover meal and miscellaneous expenses for the group/team will be allowed. This can be indicated when the Service Hub Travel Request is submitted.
Hotel expenses should be charged to a UNI Travel and Hospitality card or direct billed whenever possible and should not be included in the cash advance request unless no other payment method is available.
Group/team airfare (other than charter air) is required to be booked through the new travel partner site, Collegiate Travel Planners and charged to a UNI Travel and Hospitality Card whenever possible. This should be done in order to obtain discounts and additional insurance coverage provided by the University’s airline and credit card agreement(s). When an outside travel agency must be used or provides documented cost savings, airfare should be charged to the UNI Travel and Hospitality Card as well.
Prepaid cash advances will not be allowed for group/team air travel charged to personal charge cards.
**Note** Team travel spend categories (61220, 61520, 61820) are only to be used if the team is traveling for competition purposes, otherwise use the corresponding (in-state/out-state/foreign) staff or student codes.
Group Travel Guidelines
When arranging travel for groups, please note that Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP) defines group travel for booking airline tickets as ten (10) or more employees/non-employees traveling together.
When arranging travel for athletic teams, please note that Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP) defines group travel for booking airline tickets as six (6) or more employees/non-employees traveling together.
If you need assistance determining whether your travel planning meets the definition for group travel, please contact: Business Operations at 319-273-2162, Option 3 or email obo-hub@uni.edu.
Booking Group Travel
For a group of ten (10) or more travelers traveling on the same flight to the same destination, contact the dedicated group travel agent at Collegiate Travel Planners for assistance.
Advantages to booking group airfare can include:
Potential discounts (dependent on the airline, destination, size of group, and lead time of travel)
Secured seats that can be booked up to 11 months prior to the departure
Reducing the number of ticketed seats up to 90 days prior to departure date
Securing flights with an "estimated" number of travelers (dependent on the airline, a final list is not due until 35-45 days prior to departure)
Securing reservations with only a deposit, deferring full payment until 30-45 days prior to departure date
Name changes allowed up to 7 days before travel date
Coordination of ground transportation between airport and destination to ensure group travelers are not separated; and/or
Rebooking all travelers together in case of flight changes or cancellations
Group Travel Purchases
An employee who is the group leader can make pre-trip arrangements and in-travel purchases related to the group’s travel using their own T&H card. Examples of these allowable purchases for members of the group are conference registration fees for a student group, lodging charges for a club sports team, ground transportation, and group meals for all members of a traveling group (see below for more information on Group Meals). All expenses related to expenses paid for the group during trip should be claimed in the group leader’s pre-trip or post-trip expense report. This includes expenses paid for group travel as a study abroad cohort.
If a group of employees is traveling to the same event but will be submitting individual post-trip expenses (meaning there is no group leader covering common costs), each employee should pay for his or her own expenses and submit their own expenses at the end of the trip. Each expense report should be a record of the individual traveler’s trip. An employee traveling with their own Travel Card should not use that card to cover trip expenses for another employee.
The only exception is the rare occurrence where a vendor cannot separate the cost of shared lodging. In these rare cases, one employee should pay the total bill on their Travel Card and identify the other employee(s) whose lodging is also included on that bill in the comments on the subsequent expense report. An attempt should always be made by the vendor to split the cost of shared lodging when two employees share a room.
Group Airfare
Group travel is defined when 10 or more people are all traveling together and must be booked in the same reservation. This is called "Blocked Space". This may require additional logistics. In addition to group travel, University hosted events may have unique travel needs. Groups can also travel to one location, but from different parts of the country. This could include both University employees and guests.
Group Lodging
If you need multiple rooms for multiple travelers, it is suggested to book directly through Collegiate Travel Planners.
Ground Transportation
Ground shuttles, charter buses, train fare or other forms of ground transportation for a traveling group can be purchased ahead of time on a purchase order or on the group leader's travel card.
Group Meals
The group leader can use their Travel Card to purchase food directly for the traveling team or group. Individual per diem limits apply to group meals, so the total cost of the group meal expense cannot exceed the sum of the individual per diem amounts for all individuals partaking in that meal. A list of all group members for the group meal must be attached to the group leader's expense report when group meals are included on an expense report.
Alternatively, the group leader can provide the members of the team or group with cash equal to the individual’s meal per diem. This allows the group members to purchase their own meals while traveling with the group. In this case, the group leader would request a cash advance prior to the trip. A list of group members, along with the total amount of meal per diem paid to the individuals each day, must be attached to the travel request.
Note: When group meals are being purchased by the group leader, per diem is generally not being claimed by the individuals traveling as part of that group. If an individual is partaking in group meals while also claiming per diem for other meals, their expense report should be reduced for the group meals paid by the group leader. This would be an uncommon occurrence. For multiple individuals traveling to the same location, but not meeting the definition of Group Travel, meals should be reimbursed to the individuals only through per diem. Official Functions may also be attended by individuals in travel status, but the per diem should be reduced for these UNI-paid Official Function events.
Group Travel Authorization
A travel request (pre-authorization) should be submitted in service hub at least 14 days in advance for domestic group travel and at least 30 days in advance for international group travel.
A group leader must be identified on the travel request (pre-authorization).
A fully approved spend authorization in UNI Works is required before any group travel arrangements are made.
Reconciling Expenses
Expenses related to Group Travel are submitted as pre-trip or post-trip expenses on the travel request and reconciled by the OBO travel specialists.
Expenses should be submitted within 30 days after the travel end date.