U.S. Government travel regulations typically reimburse 75% of the M&IE rate for the first and last day of travel.
Calculation Results
Total Lodging:$0.00
Total M&IE:$0.00
Estimated Total:$0.00
Understanding International Per Diem Rates for 2024
International per diem rates, often referred to as OCONUS (Outside Continental United States) rates, are set by the U.S. Department of State. These rates determine the maximum daily reimbursement for government employees and are often used as a benchmark by private corporations for business travel expenses in 2024.
Key Components of Per Diem
Lodging: This covers the maximum amount reimbursable for hotel stays. It is typically calculated per night. Note that taxes in international locations are usually included in the per diem rate, unlike domestic travel where they are separate.
M&IE (Meals & Incidental Expenses): This covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and minor incidentals like tips for porters or hotel staff.
The 75% Rule Explained
According to the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), on the first and last day of travel, employees are only entitled to 75% of the daily M&IE rate. This is because these days are assumed to be partial travel days. Our calculator automatically applies this logic when the box is checked, assuming the first and last days are the bookends of your "Number of Full Days" input.
2024 Travel Examples
If you are traveling to London, UK in late 2024, your rates might look like this:
City
Lodging Max
M&IE
London, UK
$350
$195
Tokyo, Japan
$240
$160
Paris, France
$420
$185
Pro Tip: Always verify the specific rates for your travel dates on the official Department of State website, as rates can change monthly based on currency fluctuations and local economic conditions.
function calculatePerDiem() {
var lodgingRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lodgingRate').value);
var mieRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mieRate').value);
var numNights = parseInt(document.getElementById('numNights').value);
var numDays = parseInt(document.getElementById('numDays').value);
var apply75Rule = document.getElementById('firstLastDayRule').checked;
if (isNaN(lodgingRate) || isNaN(mieRate) || isNaN(numNights) || isNaN(numDays)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for all fields.");
return;
}
// Logic: Lodging is based on nights
var totalLodging = lodgingRate * numNights;
var totalMie = 0;
if (apply75Rule) {
if (numDays >= 2) {
// 75% for 2 days (first and last)
var firstLastSum = (mieRate * 0.75) * 2;
// 100% for the remaining days
var fullDaysSum = mieRate * (numDays – 2);
totalMie = firstLastSum + fullDaysSum;
} else if (numDays === 1) {
// If trip is only 1 day, it's generally 75%
totalMie = mieRate * 0.75;
}
} else {
totalMie = mieRate * numDays;
}
var grandTotal = totalLodging + totalMie;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('resLodging').innerText = '$' + totalLodging.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resMie').innerText = '$' + totalMie.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resTotal').innerText = '$' + grandTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('results').style.display = 'block';
}