After being advised that passport-processing delays are expected to continue through the rest of the year, the Department of Homeland Security reversed its position and announced that it will postpone implementation of the next phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Now, on Jan. 31, 2008, travelers returning to the United States either by land or sea will have to show a valid form of government-issued identification such as a driver’s license or birth certificate instead of a passport. Travelers can keep abreast of all the changes and updates or get answers to specific questions by visiting the State Department’s Web site at www.travel.state.gov. The following fast facts summarize some of the recent changes:

• The State Department is advising that non-expedited applications will take approximately 12 weeks to process this summer. Processing time should improve to 8 weeks by fall.
• Applicants who paid for expedited service but still experience delays can apply for a refund. A written request should be send to the to the agency’s refund office in Washington. See http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_3259.html for complete details.
• Air travelers who have applied for, but have not received their passport, can return to the United States through Sept. 30 by showing a government-issued photo ID and a receipt showing that they have applied for a passport.
• The next phase of the WHTI, which will require land and sea travelers to show a passport has been amended. Starting Jan. 31, land and sea travelers will be required to show only a government issued ID and proof of application to return to the United States until the backlog of passport applications can be resolved.
• The State Department reminds travelers that each country has its own entry requirements and travelers must abide by those requirements as applicable.
• The Bahamas announced that it would match the United States’ temporary policy and thus accept a valid government issued photo along with proof of U.S. passport application for entry.
• Proof of passport application can be obtained at http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html. Applicants will need to provide their last name, date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number to verify their identity when requesting online proof of passport application. Applicants should allow 7-10 days for online tracking.

Average Domestic Ticket Costs

According to travel managers responding to our quarterly Airline Ticket Cost Survey, the average airline ticket for First Quarter 2007 domestic travel was $406, a decrease of 7% from Fourth Quarter 2006.

Use these numbers to compare individual company or agency performance against the industry average. Because this is an average, individual performance could vary significantly from this norm. In such cases, the value of the data is in observing quarterly fluctuations a comparison to the trend line.

First Quarter 2007 Domestic Hotel & Car Rental Rates
	Average
Hotel	$160
Car Rental	$50

 

Average International Ticket Costs

According to travel managers responding to our quarterly Airline Ticket Cost Survey, the average airline ticket cost for First Quarter 2007 international travel was $1,968, a decrease of 19% from Fourth Quarter 2006.

*In U.S. dollars Round trip ticket, includes.tax

Use these numbers to compare individual company or agency performance against the industry average. Because this is an average, individual performance could vary significantly from this norm. In such cases, the value of the data is in observing quarterly fluctuations a comparison to the trend line.

First Quarter 2007 International Hotel & Car Rental Rates
	Average
Hotel	$232
Car Rental	$52