How much is your per diem?
#16
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere today, somewhere tomorrow!
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 6,767
Anywhere from 50-100$ a day for me. Depends on the city and if Breakfast/Lunch are provided or not. Usually those two meals are provided for me, thus its 50-75, if not its usually abour 100.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, Breezy 2
Posts: 12,608
Right now, we're actual expenses within reason, but there've been rumblings about switching to a flat per diem for meals and incidentals as a way of reducing accounting costs for processing expense reports.
I cannot abide by the GSA per diem for lodging. At one of my recent client sites, for example, the government rate at the Homewood Suites is $89 and the GSA limit is $74. I'd end up having to eat the difference every time. And many properties won't extend the GSA rate to contractors.
The GSA domestic per diem for meals, however, I think is reasonable as a total, but I don't like their breakdown by meal. $39-$49 for most of my client sites, $64 when I visit our headquarters each month, is fine with me. I'd rather have one nice meal, however, than three mediocre ones.
I cannot abide by the GSA per diem for lodging. At one of my recent client sites, for example, the government rate at the Homewood Suites is $89 and the GSA limit is $74. I'd end up having to eat the difference every time. And many properties won't extend the GSA rate to contractors.
The GSA domestic per diem for meals, however, I think is reasonable as a total, but I don't like their breakdown by meal. $39-$49 for most of my client sites, $64 when I visit our headquarters each month, is fine with me. I'd rather have one nice meal, however, than three mediocre ones.
Last edited by ElmhurstNick; Dec 1, 2005 at 7:15 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: A new location every 12 months or so...
Programs: Alaska, NW, AGR, much love for WN
Posts: 334
$45/day to use as you please. Anything above that, you are on your own. If I'm on reimbursement instead of per diem, $45/day, one alcoholic beverage per receipt. The rest is all on me.
#20
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: STL
Programs: MR LT Titanium, UA 1K, DL Gold, AA EXP
Posts: 886
No per diem, just "reasonable expenses." I think the expense reporting system flags anything over $15 breakfast, $25 lunch, $40 dinner, but your boss just needs to give approval of anything greater. Overall, a very good and fair system. I try to eat cheap for breakfast and lunch then have a nice $30-40 dinner, which I think is fair.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
#21


Join Date: May 2002
Location: Moreland Hills (CLE)
Programs: Over-entitled UA 1.3MM Gold, AA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott L-T Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 5,526
No per diem, just "reasonable expenses."
All food expenses covered, including wine, pre/post dinner cocktails.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
(All travelers are directors/owners of our company.)
All food expenses covered, including wine, pre/post dinner cocktails.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
(All travelers are directors/owners of our company.)
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: PDX
Programs: On a collision course with Kettledom
Posts: 25,550
Originally Posted by dartagnan
No per diem, just "reasonable expenses." I think the expense reporting system flags anything over $15 breakfast, $25 lunch, $40 dinner, but your boss just needs to give approval of anything greater. Overall, a very good and fair system. I try to eat cheap for breakfast and lunch then have a nice $30-40 dinner, which I think is fair.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
No receipts necessary except over $25.
Receipts for EVERYTHING.
Lunch is not paid for on weekdays.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1MM, Delta Plat
Posts: 11,224
My previous company was reasonable expenses, portal to portal. I got mileage to and from airport, lunch at the airport, etc. Heavy flyers could expense RCC memberships, but later reversed it and said you had to pay for it yourself. Our ops manager didn't buy my argument that I probably bought 5 sodas and munchables a week at the airport at $6 each. That's $30 per week just for snacks. At 50 weeks per year it comes to $1500. BUT, they won't allow a $400 RCC membership where I can get this stuff for free.
My other pet gripe was when I would go to ballgames when travelling. On one hand, it would be acceptable for me to go to TGIFriday's, and have a cocktail, ful dinner and dessert, costing $40. If I went to the ballgame and paid $15 for a hog dog and soda, I couldn't expense the general admission ticket to the game.
FWIW, I was responsible for multi million dollar budgets and project pursuits.
Dollars chasing dimes.
My other pet gripe was when I would go to ballgames when travelling. On one hand, it would be acceptable for me to go to TGIFriday's, and have a cocktail, ful dinner and dessert, costing $40. If I went to the ballgame and paid $15 for a hog dog and soda, I couldn't expense the general admission ticket to the game.
FWIW, I was responsible for multi million dollar budgets and project pursuits.
Dollars chasing dimes.
#27
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
Programs: AA EXP (4.5MM), hotel programs as needed
Posts: 5,800
There is some silly regulations in the IRS guidlines for Domestic travel/reimbursement. My former company switched over to it.
Lets say you go to Atlanta on business. Atlanta per this IRS Publication 1542 defines Atlanta as a $38 (old publication is all I have) city. Other cities in GA are a different per-diem.
Since the projects tended to be long term, we were in one city for many months.
The IRS publication stated that if you were allowed more than this city by city amount .. .part of the per-diem would be considered income to the employee for tax purposes. So everyone had to follow this rule since the company refused to process any tax forms for the differential.
There got to be an arguement on short term vs long term staff on a project. Long term (in a corporate apartment) HAD to take this IRS ruled per-diem. Short term staff who stayed in hotels could bill 'actual expenses' that were reasonable (approved by the client). So some people gouged the client by staying 8 months in a hotel just to avoid the apartment-dictated low per-diem (and the hotels would be more $$ than monthly corporate apartments).
Out of the US .. it was totally different and varied based on the location .. pretty reasonable for most foreign cities.
Not sure if this ruling/publication currently is in force ..
Lets say you go to Atlanta on business. Atlanta per this IRS Publication 1542 defines Atlanta as a $38 (old publication is all I have) city. Other cities in GA are a different per-diem.
Since the projects tended to be long term, we were in one city for many months.
The IRS publication stated that if you were allowed more than this city by city amount .. .part of the per-diem would be considered income to the employee for tax purposes. So everyone had to follow this rule since the company refused to process any tax forms for the differential.
There got to be an arguement on short term vs long term staff on a project. Long term (in a corporate apartment) HAD to take this IRS ruled per-diem. Short term staff who stayed in hotels could bill 'actual expenses' that were reasonable (approved by the client). So some people gouged the client by staying 8 months in a hotel just to avoid the apartment-dictated low per-diem (and the hotels would be more $$ than monthly corporate apartments).
Out of the US .. it was totally different and varied based on the location .. pretty reasonable for most foreign cities.
Not sure if this ruling/publication currently is in force ..
#28




Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,452
Originally Posted by thelark
I belive his/her company policy may state that 2 bottles of Cristal are allowable at each meal.
#29

Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,956
Originally Posted by quitecontrary
What kind of $ would these be? As there is nothing in your profile to indicate where you live it could be Monopoly money for all we know!
Originally Posted by thelark
I belive his/her company policy may state that 2 bottles of Cristal are allowable at each meal.

