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About the Travel Program

Northwestern has corporate accounts with two travel agencies as well as several partnerships with travel vendors, including airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. For information about each element of the travel program, please visit the Travel homepage or use the navigation links on the left.

Benefits of the Program

Faculty and staff are highly encouraged to book University travel through Northwestern's Travel Program, which offers many benefits:

  • Direct Billing: The ability to directly bill many travel costs (airfare, some hotels, etc.) to a chart string so that the traveler does not have to be reimbursed for the expense after traveling.
  • Access to Low/No-fee Agencies: Booking travel through one of Northwestern's contracted Travel Agencies provides booking services with no or low fees.
  • Discounts: Booking travel through one of the contracted travel agencies provides access to Northwestern's negotiated contract with United (and joint venture airlines), which provides discounted fares, and to the agency's own negotiated rates and discounts. The Travel Program also offers discounted rates on local, national, and international hotels and car rentals.
  • Compliance: Booking travel through one of the Northwestern's preferred travel agencies helps to ensure that the tickets and options selected are compliant with Northwestern's Travel and Entertainment policy (pdf format) and with federal grant policies.
  • Additional Perks and Support: Northwestern faculty and staff receive additional benefits through negotiated contracts when booking travel through the program, including:
    • Access to the Emerald Club program through National/Enterprise
    • Name change support and other benefits when booking on United
    • Automatic coverage for emergency assistance in case of medical emergencies, natural disasters, and political situations through Northwestern's new business traveler insurance program provided by GeoBlue when traveling outside the U.S.
    • Personal Use: Faculty and staff are able to use Northwestern's discounted Vehicle Rental rates and some Hotel rates for personal use.

Booking travel through Northwestern's Travel Program also benefits the University in a number of ways, reducing audit risk for departments regarding compliance with Northwestern's Travel and Entertainment policy (pdf format) and federal grant policies, and helping the University track business travel, which assists in future contract negotiations and enables the University to provide faster support to faculty and staff in case of an emergency.

Program Eligibility

For information about program eligibility for full-time faculty and staff, part-time/temporary employees, and graduate students, visit the Program Eligibility page.