{"database": "openregs", "table": "gao_reports", "rows": [["GAO-27-108631", "State Department: Fly America Act\u2019s Effects on Travel Costs and Personnel Experience", "2026-10-01", "GAO-27-108631", null, null, "What GAO Found\n\nThe Fly America Act requires that, except under certain circumstances, all air travel funded by the U.S. government use a U.S.-flag air carrier service\u2014which is generally provided by a U.S. airline or under a code share agreement with a foreign air carrier. GAO found that the Act increases State Department travel costs by an estimated $0.7 million to $1.5 million annually\u2014about 1 to 2 percent of the $69 million State spent on air travel in fiscal year (FY) 2025. To derive this estimate, GAO analyzed a generalizable sample of simulated international travel itineraries for FY 2026. This sample consisted of 1,000 ticket pairs, each containing the least expensive unrestricted fare and most direct flight available for an Act-compliant ticket and -noncompliant ticket. For 5 percent of ticket pairs, GAO estimated that the Act increases State\u2019s costs (reflecting both fare and travel time) by an average of $455 per ticket. For an additional 12 percent of ticket pairs, GAO estimated that the Act does not affect State\u2019s costs. For the remaining 83 percent of ticket pairs, the Act\u2019s effects on cost are uncertain because they are subject to assumptions about airline pricing strategies, among other factors.\n\nSome State travelers experience challenges during urgent and routine travel as a result of the Acts, according to State documents, data, and officials. For urgent travel\u2014for example, authorized or ordered departures from foreign posts and emergency travel for personal circumstances, such as for a funeral\u2014Act-compliant flights can be difficult to find on short notice and approvals for exceptions may take time to process, according to officials. For routine travel, implementation of the Act poses challenges in three main categories: (1) compliant flight availability, (2) travel with pets, and (3) State\u2019s administrative process to apply for an exception to the Act. In FY 2025, State approved employees\u2019 applications for an exception to the Act, allowing them to use a foreign air carrier, for approximately 6 percent of itineraries between U.S. and foreign destinations. State most often approved requests claiming an exception to reduce trip duration, to reduce layovers abroad, to ensure timely arrival to accomplish State\u2019s mission, and to travel with pets for new post assignments and evacuation travel. State rejected approximately 14 percent of waiver requests in FY 2025.\n\nUkraine Evacuation Flights Prior to Russian Invasion, Including Foreign Service Family Members\n\n\n\nWhy GAO Did This Study\n\nThe Act and its regulations allow travel on foreign carriers under certain circumstances, including when a U.S. air carrier is not available for medical reasons or traveler safety. However, a lower-price ticket on a foreign air carrier does not constitute an exception to the Act. The Act\u2019s travel requirements may particularly affect State personnel, who represent 69 percent of all U.S. government personnel at U.S. posts abroad.\n\nCongress included a provision in law for GAO to review the Act\u2019s effects on U.S. government costs and State personnel. This report examines the Act\u2019s effects on (1) State\u2019s estimated travel costs and (2) State personnel\u2019s experience with urgent and routine travel.\n\nTo examine the Act\u2019s effects on State\u2019s estimated travel costs, GAO developed a random, generalizable sample of 600 itineraries from the full universe of State\u2019s 26,906 authorized itineraries for travel between a U.S. and a foreign destination in FY 2025. For each itinerary in this sample, GAO asked State to search for a pair of tickets\u2014one ticket that complied with the Act and one that did not\u2014for each route on specific dates in FY 2026. GAO analyzed any cost differences in the 1,000 resulting ticket pairs and extrapolated the results to derive a total cost estimate. To examine the Act\u2019s effects on State personnel\u2019s travel experience, GAO reviewed documentation, analyzed travel data, and interviewed State officials.\n\nFor more information, contact Chelsa Kenney at kenneyc@gao.gov.", null, null, null, null, null, null, null, "https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108631", null]], "columns": ["package_id", "title", "date_issued", "report_number", "document_type", "doc_class", "abstract", "subjects", "public_laws", "usc_references", "statute_references", "citation", "pdf_url", "html_url", "detail_url", "sudocs"], "primary_keys": ["package_id"], "primary_key_values": ["GAO-27-108631"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.2796049229800701, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}