Business travel is typically calculated using a combination of actual expenses and per diem rates to cover lodging, meals, and incidental expenses (M&IE). In the United States, companies often look to the GSA (General Services Administration) to set these benchmarks. For 2026, the standard CONUS (Continental US) per diem rate is $178 per day, consisting of $110 for lodging and $68 for M&IE. However, these rates vary significantly by city and season; for example, a trip to New York City or Los Angeles will have a much higher "non-standard" rate. To calculate your total, you would multiply the daily rate by the number of nights, but remember the "First and Last Day Rule": on the days you are traveling to and from your destination, you are usually only entitled to 75% of the M&IE rate. For international travel, the U.S. State Department provides the official per diem lookups. Most modern companies use digital expense management platforms like Ramp or Expensify that automatically pull these 2026 rates based on your GPS location and dates, reducing the need for manual math and receipt-tracking.