Calculate estimated reimbursement based on GSA rates found for your destination.
*Note: Lodging taxes are usually reimbursed in addition to the per diem rate. M&IE on first and last days of travel is typically calculated at 75% of the full daily rate.
function calculateGSA() {
var lodgingRateStr = document.getElementById('lodgingRate').value;
var lodgingNightsStr = document.getElementById('lodgingNights').value;
var mieRateStr = document.getElementById('mieRate').value;
var fullDaysStr = document.getElementById('fullDays').value;
var travelDaysStr = document.getElementById('travelDays').value;
// Parse inputs to floats or integers
var lodgingRate = parseFloat(lodgingRateStr);
var lodgingNights = parseInt(lodgingNightsStr);
var mieRate = parseFloat(mieRateStr);
var fullDays = parseInt(fullDaysStr);
var travelDays = parseInt(travelDaysStr);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('gsa-result');
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(lodgingRate) || lodgingRate < 0 ||
isNaN(lodgingNights) || lodgingNights < 0 ||
isNaN(mieRate) || mieRate < 0 ||
isNaN(fullDays) || fullDays < 0 ||
isNaN(travelDays) || travelDays < 0) {
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numeric values for all fields.";
return;
}
// Calculations
var totalLodging = lodgingRate * lodgingNights;
var totalFullMie = mieRate * fullDays;
var travelDay MieRate = mieRate * 0.75;
var totalTravelMie = travelDayMieRate * travelDays;
var totalMie = totalFullMie + totalTravelMie;
var grandTotal = totalLodging + totalMie;
// Output formatting
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.innerHTML = `
Total Lodging (${lodgingNights} nights):$${totalLodging.toFixed(2)}
Total Full Days M&IE (${fullDays} days @ $${mieRate.toFixed(2)}):$${totalFullMie.toFixed(2)}
Total Travel Days M&IE (${travelDays} days @ $${travelDayMieRate.toFixed(2)}):$${totalTravelMie.toFixed(2)}
Total M&IE Allowance:$${totalMie.toFixed(2)}
Estimated Grand Total Reimbursement:$${grandTotal.toFixed(2)}
`;
}
Understanding GSA Per Diem Rates for Federal Travel
For federal employees traveling on official business within the continental United States (CONUS), the General Services Administration (GSA) establishes per diem rates. These rates set the maximum allowances for reimbursement of lodging expenses and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE). Understanding how to calculate the total expected trip cost based on these rates is crucial for travel planning and expense reporting.
What are GSA Per Diem Rates?
The GSA per diem rate is composed of two main parts:
Lodging Rate: This is the maximum amount reimbursed for overnight stays. It varies significantly depending on the location and the time of year (seasonality). Note that lodging taxes are generally reimbursed separately and are not included in the base GSA lodging rate.
M&IE Rate (Meals & Incidental Expenses): This is a fixed daily allowance for meals and small incidental costs (like tips for baggage carriers). Unlike lodging, which is reimbursed based on actual cost up to the cap, M&IE is paid as a flat rate regardless of what the traveler actually spends on food.
How to Use This Calculator
Because GSA rates depend on specific cities and counties, you must first look up the official rates for your destination on the GSA website for the dates of your travel. Once you have those figures, use the calculator above to estimate the trip total.
Lodging Nightly Rate: Enter the specific nightly rate cap found for your destination location.
Number of Lodging Nights: The total nights you will be staying in a hotel.
M&IE Daily Rate: Enter the full daily allowance rate for your destination tier.
Number of Full Days: These are days spent entirely at the travel location. You receive 100% of the M&IE rate for these days.
Number of Travel Days: Federal travel regulations typically stipulate that on the first and last day of travel, the employee receives 75% of the applicable M&IE rate. Enter those days here (usually 2).
Standard vs. Non-Standard Areas
The GSA maintains a standard CONUS rate that applies to most locations. However, many major cities and popular destinations are designated as Non-Standard Areas (NSAs) and have significantly higher lodging and M&IE rates. Always ensure you are using the correct rate for the specific county or city of destination, not just the state average.