Changes intended to make official travel easier, more efficient

Changes are coming in January to the travel program for all University of Wisconsin System employees. The program changes are intended to ease travel booking, improve traveler safety and comfort, and achieve cost efficiency.

Fox World Travel (FWT), the UW System’s contracted travel agent, will hire additional agents to serve UW System travelers. UW–Madison’s Division of Business Services also will provide increased support.

Concur, FWT’s comprehensive online corporate booking tool, will be upgraded to make self-booking air travel, car rental and lodging more intuitive and efficient.

A new notification application that will provide updates on flight delays, cancellations and gate changes via text and email message will debut later this month.

The improvements are being made in anticipation of a UW System requirement that all university-related travel be booked through FWT or Concur. The requirement, which will help ensure that UW travelers attain greater savings and benefits, takes effect Jan. 5, 2015.

As of July 1, 2015, travel must be booked through the contracted program to be eligible for UW payment or reimbursement.

Booking exclusively through FWT/Concur will enable the UW System to update its reimbursement rate structure for travel expenses, such as meals, lodging and incidentals. More information on the new rate structure will be available this spring.

Fare discounts will continue through FWT and Concur on American, Delta, Southwest, Sun Country and United. Frontier Airlines will join that list on Jan. 5, 2015.

To learn more about travel policy changes, read a letter from UW System President Ray Cross, or visit the UW TravelWIse portal.