Egencia FAQs

We want to ensure that you feel comfortable and confident making travel arrangements using Egencia. Please review some frequently asked questions below and contact Travel Services if you have additional questions.

When will I receive an email confirmation of my travel booking?

You will receive an emailed confirmation the same day as the booking is made, usually within an hour. You can view the confirmation immediately in your Egencia profile by clicking on "Trips".

Can I customize the name of my trip as I’m booking my trip?

While you cannot customize the name of the trip when making your booking, you can update the trip name after the booking is complete.

Click on the Trips tab and open the trip you would like to rename.
Your destination will appear at the top of the screen with a "Rename" link in blue to the right.
Simply click on the link, rename your trip to make changes.

Can I book personal travel (for myself or other employees) on Egencia?

No. Egencia should not be used to book personal travel.

I read that Egencia has a mobile app. How do I learn more about it?

For more information about Egencia's mobile app, click on the "Tools" tab on Egencia's home page and you will find it under the "General" heading.

Will Northwestern's preferred and negotiated hotel rates show on the Egencia site?

Yes.

Why can't I find a flight that I saw on another website?

If you search for a broad flight match (example: a flight from Chicago to Seattle at any time of day), you may need to filter further to find the results you are looking for. There are two ways to do this:

At the start of your search, you can enter more specific parameters such as adding in a specific airline or time.
Another option is to narrow your results and "Search for More". Once your initial search results populate, click on your preferred airline and/or times in the left navigation panel. Then click on the "Search for more flights" link that appears in the center of the page above the search results.

Why do I sometimes see lower air fares on other websites?

The shopping algorithms of websites are set to favor different preferences, such as price vs. total travel time. Since Egencia is focused on the needs of corporate travel, we put more emphasis on flight options conducive for time-sensitive business travelers. Note that the prices shown on Egencia flights are always round trip and include the Egencia online booking fee. Some websites show one-way fares, and may not have a booking fee.

If you should find a better price online for the exact same flight within 24 hours of booking, Egencia agents will book the cheaper flight for you – and waive the transaction fee to make the change. Or, if we are unable to find that flight we will give you a credit for the difference. To take advantage of this, contact our customer service team (no service fee will be charged).

Why do some flights say "Price Unavailable"?

Most often this message appears when you have selected different airlines for your outbound and return flights. For round trip tickets, the airline must be the same for both legs of the trip. To get around this, you can book two one-way flights/tickets on different airlines for each leg of your trip.

Egencia wants to ensure you can access all available flight options. Sometimes this means that flights are not priced because they are a less attractive option – due to high price, long trip duration, etc. – and will be displayed with "Price Unavailable." You can still choose any of these flights, and in most cases, your click will price the flight and you can book.

What do I do with my unused airline tickets/credits?

Airline credits are generally available for a year after issuance
Airline credits can be transferred to another traveler with the help of an Egencia customer service agent. The traveler who will be using the credit must select their flight and put it on hold. The original traveler must list the new traveler as a Travel Arranger in their profile. Next, call an Egencia agent who can facilitate the credit transfer. There generally is a fee of $100 for the name change, which is paid to the airline, and a processing fee from Egencia.
In some cases, credits can be refunded. There is a fee of between $100-$250 depending on the dollar amount of the credit. Contact travel@northwestern.edu for assistance.

Can I make Southwest exchanges online through Egencia?

Yes, you can book Southwest flights and make changes online as long as travel has not begun. Once en route, you must contact an agent if you want to cancel and/or change a Southwest ticket. You may incur an offline fee when calling an agent.

Will I be able to view my unused Southwest ticket credits on Egencia?

Yes, but you will need to call an Egencia agent to apply the credit and complete the exchange.

Can I share my trip with other co-workers?

Yes, you can invite others to view your trip.

How to select my travel arranger

Please reference the 'Arranging for others' user guide for full instruction.

Can I book an international trip on a sponsored program through Egencia?

If your trip is funded by a Federal award (fund 610, 611, 620, or 621), or by a Federal cost share, the trip is subject to the Fly America Act that mandates the use of U.S. air carriers. Further, depending on your sponsor and destination, your trip may also be subject to Open Skies agreements that allow the use of certain non-U.S. carriers.

You can book an international trip on a sponsored program using a U.S. air carrier through Egencia. If booking an international trip on a sponsored program using a foreign airline is desired, Northwestern’s brick and mortar Travel Agencies (Travel 100 Group) can provide air policy guidance in selecting allowable flights.

See the Office of Accounting Services for Research and Sponsored Programs (ASRSP) website for additional information.

Should you have any questions regarding sponsored project travel, please contact Jany Raskina at y-raskina@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4697 on the Evanston campus, and Rosanna Sian at m-sian@northwestern.edu or 312-503-0835 on the Chicago campus.