Important Travel Information

If you are selected for a fellowship, please be advised that we will only be able to process airfare reimbursements for flights on U.S. Flag Carriers.

U.S. Flag Air Carriers. Under the Fly America Act, only U.S. carriers shall be used for travel reimbursed from federal grants and contracts, unless one of the following exceptions applies:

• Use of U.S. carrier service would extend travel time, including delay at origin, by 24 hours or more;
• U.S. carriers do not offer nonstop or direct service between origin and destination. However, a U.S. carrier must be used on every portion of the route where it provides service unless, when compared to using a foreign air carrier, such use would:
  • Increase the number of aircraft changes outside the United States by two or more; or
  • Extend travel time by at least 6 hours or more; or
  • Require a connecting time of 4 hours or more at an overseas interchange point.
• When the costs of transportation are reimbursed in full by a third party, such as a foreign government or an international agency.

Reimbursement of travel on a foreign air carrier may be denied in the absence of such justification.

If you are awarded a fellowship and wish to obtain an exception to the U.S. Flag Carrier restriction listed above, you must obtain prior approval. Please e-mail all supporting documentation to: spintech@cnsi.ucsb.edu