Department of Defense | Defense Human Resources Activity
Completing a Constructed Travel
Worksheet for Authorizations (Pre-Travel)
March 8, 2024
GUIDE
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
This document is maintained at travel.dod.mil
Defense Travel Management Office Saved or printed copies may be obsolete. 1
Table of Contents
I. Overview of Constructed Travel .................................................................................... 2
A. Summarized Constructed Travel Process for Authorizations ................................................ 3
II. Traveler Instructions ....................................................................................................... 3
A. Complete the CTW, Step-by-Step ......................................................................................... 3
B. Finding a Flight Cost and Fare Type: .................................................................................... 6
III. Approving Official Instructions ...................................................................................... 8
A. The DTS CTW Cost Comparison Tool .................................................................................. 8
Approving with limited reimbursement ..................................................................................... 10
Approving without limited reimbursement ................................................................................ 10
B. ADDITIONAL LIMITATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR AOs ................................................ 10
Changing Constructed Costs or Overriding Your Approval Decision ....................................... 10
Cost Comparison Tool Values Zero Out on Authorization Amendments ................................. 10
Centrally Billed Accounts (CBAs) and Prepaid Options with Constructed Travel .................... 11
C. Per Diem when the AO Limits Reimbursement ................................................................... 11
This instruction has been reviewed by the Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee staff in
accordance with DoDI 5154.31, Volume 5, as PDTATAC Case RR24001, dated 4 March 2024.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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Defense Travel Management Office Saved or printed copies may be obsolete. 2
I. Overview of Constructed Travel
When triggered on an authorization, the DTS Constructed Travel pre-audit indicates that a constructed travel
worksheet (CTW) may be required.
1. A CTW is not required if you will use the transportation mode the AO will authorize or direct on every
travel leg. The AO will usually authorize or direct you to use commercial air unless a local policy
dictates otherwise.
2. A CTW is not required if government transportation is authorized or directed.
3. A CTW is required any time you use your Privately Owned Vehicle (POV). A POV is an automobile,
motorcycle, airplane, or boat.
• If a CTW is not required, justify the Constructed Travel pre-audit flag by stating the condition that
applies. The AO will not limit your transportation reimbursement.
• When using your POV, you must complete a CTW to help the AO decide whether to limit your
transportation reimbursement to the constructed transportation cost. The AO will consider the costs
you enter on the CTW, but the CTW does not override the AO’s authority – supported by the JTR – to
determine which travel and transportation expenses are eligible for reimbursement. You are not
required to use the CTW available through DTS. You may use any locally approved worksheet.
The flowchart on the next page summarizes the above process. Consult your AO or DTA if you still do not know
whether you need to complete a CTW, or if an alternate, locally approved worksheet exists.
Note: A travel leg is usually a one-way journey from the PDS to a TDY location, from one TDY location to
another, or from a TDY location to the PDS. Short stopovers with no change of transportation mode do not
create a new travel leg. So, in other words:
• A TDY to 1 location generally has 2 travel legs: PDS → TDY1 | TDY1 → PDS
• A TDY to 2 locations generally has 3 travel legs: PDS → TDY1 | TDY1 → TDY2 | TDY2 → PDS
• And so on…
Overnight stops and changes of transportation mode create additional travel legs. For example, if you take a
one-way rental car to the airport, then a flight to your TDY location, you wind up with two travel legs to get to
your TDY location.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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A. Summarized Constructed Travel Process for Authorizations
Notes:
1. The Traveler Instructions section of this document explains how to complete a CTW. If you are using
an alternate worksheet, contact the document creator for complete instructions.
2. The AO Instructions section of this document outlines the considerations the AO uses to determine
which transportation mode is advantageous to the Government.
II. Traveler Instructions
When a CTW is required, fill it out, attach it to your DTS authorization in the Expenses module, and justify the
Constructed Travel pre-audit by stating that the CTW is attached.
Your AO will use the CTW to decide whether to authorize full reimbursement for your travel expenses or to
limit your reimbursement to the constructed transportation cost.
A. Complete the CTW, Step-by-Step
1. Enter your Name.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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2. Complete the Section 1. Travel Itinerary chart to reflect the transportation mode the AO would have
authorized or directed. The first row is for the outbound trip to start your TDY. The second row is for
the return trip to your PDS. Four extra rows give you space to enter additional travel legs from one
TDY location to another. Do not use them if your trip only includes one TDY location. For each travel
leg, enter:
2.1. The Date of travel.
2.2. The Departure Location. If applicable, also enter the code of the terminal you would have
traveled from. Example: You might list a flight out of Los Angeles as, “Los Angeles, CA (LAX)”.
2.3. The Arrival Location. As 2.2, but for the arrival terminal.
Note for 2.2 and 2.3: Do not list en route stops unless you would have paid separately for the
transportation, switched transportation modes, or received per diem at the en route location (e.g.,
for an overnight layover). Example: If your flight to Dallas, TX includes a short layover in Phoenix, AZ,
do not enter Phoenix as an arrival or departure airport.
2.4. The transportation Mode (air, rail, etc.).
2.4.1. For air travel, include the fare class. To determine the fare class, see the section on Finding
a Flight Cost and Fare Type.
2.4.2. For all other travel modes, enter any factors that would have affected the travel cost (e.g.,
“sleeper car” for overnight rail travel).
2.5. The travel Cost. Enter the constructed cost of the transportation mode the AO would have
authorized or directed. Do not include any other expenses. For ticketed transportation, the
constructed cost is the ticket cost plus all taxes and fees except the TMC fee. See JTR, par.
020210-F for more detail about constructed costs.
2.5.1. If the AO would have authorized or directed travel by commercial air, see the section on
Finding a Flight Cost and Fare Type.
2.5.2. If the AO would have authorized or directed travel by rail or bus, enter the estimated ticket
cost, including taxes and fees, except the TMC fee. Your best source for ticket costs,
terminal codes, and fare class (where applicable) is the provider’s website.
2.5.3. If the AO would have authorized or directed travel by a Government Vehicle (e.g., motor
pool vehicle), enter the estimated amount you’d have to pay for gas and oil (usually $0.00),
plus any reimbursable expenses JTR, par. 020208 allows that would apply to the trip.
2.5.4. If the AO would have authorized or directed en route travel by rental car (including a one-
way rental car to or from any official location) enter the cost of the lowest cost rental car
that is suitable for the mission, and add any reimbursable expenses JTR, par. 020210-F
allows that would have applied to the trip. You can find the lowest cost rental car on the
Select a Rental Car Screen.
Note: For round-trip travel, if you plan to use an authorized or directed transportation mode for
at least one travel leg, and a different mode for at least one travel leg, use the cost of the
authorized or directed mode as the cost for both legs.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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Example: The AO authorized you to fly round-trip to and from Reno, but you want to fly to Reno,
pick up a car, and drive it home. On the CTW, use the actual cost of the flight to Reno as the
constructed cost for both the outbound and return travel legs.
3. Complete Line 2E in Section 2. Constructed cost. The CTW enters all other costs in this section for
you.
3.1. Line 2A shows the transportation cost of your first (outbound) travel leg.
3.2. Line 2B shows the transportation cost of your final (return) travel leg.
3.3. Line 2C shows the total transportation cost for all other travel legs. If you only have 2 travel legs
on this trip, this will always be $0.
3.4. Line 2D shows the total cost of Lines 2A, 2B, and 2C, which are the only transportation expenses
the JTR allows you to include in the constructed cost.
3.5. In Line 2E, enter the standard TMC transaction fee. If you don’t know what your TMC charges,
ask your DTA or AO.
3.6. Line 2F shows the total cost of Lines 2D and 2E, which is the constructed cost.
4. Complete Section 3. Potential transportation costs. These costs are not included in the constructed
cost, but they provide the AO with more complete information about the total cost of the
transportation mode the AO authorized or directed. The AO will consider this information when
deciding whether to limit your transportation reimbursement to the constructed cost.
Note: Do not include the costs associated with authorized or directed en route rental cars in Section 3.
Enter them in Section 1 (see step 2.e.iv.).
4.1. In Line 3A, enter the estimated transportation cost (e.g., POV mileage, taxi, etc.) to travel from
your home or PDS to the departure airport.
4.2. In Line 3B, enter the estimated transportation costs to travel between official destinations (e.g.,
places you eat, sleep, work, etc.) at all your TDY locations. This may include rental cars, public
transportation, taxis, etc.
4.3. In Line 3C, enter all estimated costs related to the use of the transportation modes in Line 2B
(e.g., gas for a rental car, hotel parking, tolls).
4.4. In Line 3D, enter the estimated transportation costs (e.g., mileage, taxi, etc.) to travel back to
your home or PDS from the arrival airport.
4.5. In Line 3E, enter the estimated cost for parking your POV at the outbound terminal (e.g., airport)
while you are TDY.
4.6. In Line 3F, enter the estimated cost to ship official material to/from the TDY location. Include
excess baggage fees the airline charges.
4.7. In Line 3G, enter the constructed transportation cost for all official travelers, if any, who will be
sharing your POV. Multiply the amount that appears in Line 2F by the number of passengers.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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5. Complete Section 4. Additional considerations. This section identifies conditions that incur no cost
but could affect your ability to accomplish the mission if you use the transportation mode the AO
would have authorized or directed. Checking them will require you to explain the circumstances to
your AO and add a comment in your authorization. Check each box that applies to this trip.
5.1. First box: Using the transportation mode the AO would have authorized or directed would have
caused you to leave too late, arrive too late, or travel too long to successfully complete your
mission. Example: All available flights to the TDY location arrive too late for you to make a
mandatory meeting.
5.2. Second box: The transportation mode the AO would have authorized or directed is not available
or is not practical to support the mission. Example: All flights that serve the TDY location are fully
booked for several days before and after the projected TDY start date.
5.3. Third box: There is a significant potential for traffic, weather, or routing delays. Example: An
earthquake took down the tower at the only airport that serves your remote TDY destination, so
until repairs are completed, all inbound flights will re-route to other airports.
5.4. Fourth box: POV use is more efficient, economical, or would result in a more expeditiously
accomplished mission. Example: Using commercial air would cost more than driving.
6. When the CTW is complete:
6.1. Select Save at the bottom of the completed worksheet to save the file to your computer.
6.2. Follow the usual DTS process for electronically attaching the document to your authorization,
making sure to clearly identify the document as a constructed travel worksheet.
6.3. (optional) Include the reason you are requesting this transportation mode in the justification for
the Constructed Travel pre-audit.
B. Finding a Flight Cost and Fare Type:
1. If your itinerary includes air travel, navigate to the GSA City Pairs Program lookup tool at URL
https://www.gsa.gov/plan-book/transportation-airfare-pov-etc/airfare-rates-city-pair-program on
any web browser. The search tool (Figure 1) opens.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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Figure 1: GSA City Pair Program Flight Search Screen
2. Enter your departure and arrival airports, accept the terms of service, and select the button that
identifies the fiscal year in which you will travel. The results screen (Figure 2) opens.
Figure 2: Flight Search Results
3. Two results are possible:
3.1. Results appear: Your route is in a City Pair market, so the JTR requires you to enter the cost from
the Govt YCA Fare column. The fare class for City Pair flights is always YCA.
Note: This website only displays one-way costs, never round-trip costs.
3.2. No results appear: Your route is not in a City Pair market, so you must ask your TMC for the fare
class and cost of the least expensive, unrestricted economy/coach class airfare including tax and
fees but excluding the TMC fee.
Return to Transportation Mode section Return to Travel Cost section
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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III. Approving Official Instructions
For trips that contain constructed travel, the Digital Signature screen displays a Constructed Travel
Worksheet (CTW) Cost Comparison tool (Figure 2). This tool helps you decide whether to limit the traveler’s
transportation reimbursement to the constructed cost or to allow full reimbursement for travel. Please note
that these instructions only apply to the CTW that is accessible directly from DTS. If the traveler used a locally
approved worksheet, use the instructions that came with that worksheet instead. If the AO is prompted to
limit the reimbursement in the Authorization and does not, they will not be prompted to limited in the
voucher.
Figure 2: Digital Signature Screen – CTW Cost Comparison
A. The DTS CTW Cost Comparison Tool
1. Open the CTW using the link provided .
2. Enter the amount on Line 2D of the CTW into the Transportation Costs field .
3. Enter the amount on Line 2E of the CTW into the TMC Fee field . DTS automatically calculates the
Total Allowed Cost of Government Preferred Transportation .
4. Compare the Total Allowed Cost of Government Preferred Transportation to the Total Allowed
Cost of Traveler Preferred Transportation (DTS pulls these figures from the authorization). Before
you decide which transportation mode to authorize, you should also look at the following two
sections of the CTW:
4.1. Section 3, potential transportation costs, to get a better look at the total cost of the authorized
or directed transportation mode. You should also check the authorization for extra travel days,
which drive up the trip’s per diem costs.
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Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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4.2. Section 4, additional considerations, to see factors that could impact mission accomplishment
but will incur no cost. Unless you are very familiar with the travel route and circumstances, you
must verify the selected items with the traveler. You should also verify that the traveler included
an explanation of the factors in the authorization.
Note: DTS does not display any commercial airfare costs in the Total Allowed Cost of Traveler Preferred
Transportation. If the traveler wants to travel part of the way using the authorized or directed transportation
mode (e.g., fly to the TDY location and drive a POV back to the PDS), you must manually add the cost of that
flight into the Total Allowed Cost of Traveler Preferred Transportation when comparing costs.
Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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Approving with limited reimbursement
If, after considering all cost and non-cost factors, you decide that the traveler’s requested transportation
mode is not to the Government’s advantage, you may authorize its use, but should limit the traveler’s
transportation reimbursement to the constructed cost. To do so, select the Approve Government Amount
radio button, then select Approve and Continue (not pictured) to conclude the approval process.
When you approve with limited reimbursement:
1. You limit the traveler’s transportation reimbursement to mileage allowances only. Mileage
allowances display in the Expenses module as either Private Auto-To/From TDY or Private
Motorcycle-To/From TDY.
2. Reimbursement of expenses associated with driving a POV is not authorized. DTS automatically
denies reimbursement of POV-related driving expenses such as Parking-TDY Area and Tolls (highway
bridge etc.).
Approving without limited reimbursement
If you decide that the traveler’s requested transportation mode is to the Government’s advantage, select the
Approve Traveler Amount radio button then select Approve and Continue (not pictured) to conclude the
approval process.
B. ADDITIONAL LIMITATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR AOs
Changing Constructed Costs or Overriding Your Approval Decision
After you decide whether to limit a traveler’s transportation reimbursement, if the situation changes, you can
return to the Digital Signature screen at any time to update the costs or your approval decision.
Cost Comparison Tool Values Zero Out on Authorization Amendments
If you approve an authorization with limited transportation reimbursement, the values you entered in the
Transportation Costs and TMC Fee blocks in the Cost Comparison tool reset to zero on amendments to that
authorization. You must re-enter them before approving the amended authorization.
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Guide: Completing a CTW for Authorizations (Pre-Travel) March 8, 2024
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Centrally Billed Accounts (CBAs) and Prepaid Options with Constructed Travel
When a traveler pays for transportation with a CBA or prepaid option, you cannot approve the travel as
limited. The Government is obligated to pay the full charged cost for such transactions, so only the preferred
values display in the Cost Comparison tool. Therefore, if a traveler wants to use a transportation mode that
you determine is not in the best interests of the Government and payment will process by CBA or a prepaid
option, do not approve the authorization. Instead, return it to the traveler with instructions to change the
transportation mode.
C. Per Diem when the AO Limits Reimbursement
When the AO approves an authorization with limited reimbursement, DTS sends the traveler an email to let
them know about the limitation. Even so, the AO must inform the traveler of the limitation and ensure the
traveler has manually adjusted the trip’s per diem allowances, per JTR, par. 020210-F.
Example: The traveler plans to take 3 days to drive their POV to the TDY location and 3 days to drive back, but
as the AO, you limited the traveler’s reimbursement to the cost of commercial air travel. Since using
commercial air would have enabled the traveler to get to and from the TDY location in 1 day (each way), the
traveler is limited to 1 day of per diem (each way), and must zero out the per diem on all other travel days.
To zero out per diem in DTS, the traveler must select a leave, duty day, or non-duty day per diem status for
each extra travel day. However, since DTS marks extra travel days as IN TRANSIT, and since DTS always pays a
meals and incidentals (M&IE) allowance on IN TRANSIT days, before selecting the appropriate per diem status,
the traveler must do one of the following:
• Update the trip itinerary to include each stopover location.
o Note: Per JTR, par. 033301-B3, if the travel order identifies any locations associated with
leave or personal travel, the authorization must make clear that the traveler must pay any
excess costs.
• Adjust the first TDY location arrival day and the last TDY location departure day to show extra days at
a TDY location.
Note: If your Component forbids both of the above approaches, contact your chain-of-command for alternate
guidance.
When complete, the Per Diem module must show $0.00 in the Lodging Cost, Lodging Allowed, and M&IE
Allowed columns for every day on which no per diem is authorized.
