Athlete Travel Information

The USATF National Office Staff is primarily responsible for athlete travel for the US World Championship Team. Athletes will not travel as a Team to the World Championships. In order to serve our athletes, USATF is offering three options for air travel to Berlin.

The travel date spreadsheet (pdf) will help you plan your travel to Berlin and the Training Camp. Athletes may arrive at training camp up to 9 days prior to their first day of competition. Athletes will be required to arrive at the team hotel 3 days prior to their first day of competition unless other arrangements have been made with the head coach.

OPTION 1 - USATF Travel Department
An athlete may elect to have USATF book his/her ticket. USATF will pay for a true roundtrip ticket from the athlete’s home city to Berlin and back to home city. USATF will ticket the lowest airfare based on a reasonable travel itinerary. Under this option, all travel for athletes who have made the team at the Outdoor Championships must be ticketed by USATF either at team processing in Eugene or no later than July 15, 2009. Athletes who are eligible to chase the standard per the selection procedures must book their travel immediately upon meeting the standard but no later than August 1, 2009. USATF Travel can be reached at travel@usatf.org or 877-203-3799. Email contact is preferred. Athletes who request USATF to book their tickets after the above deadlines must take option 2 or 3. The earlier a ticket is booked, the more likely an athlete is to get preferred routing and seat assignments.

OPTION 2 - Travel Stipend to Agent/Coach
An athlete’s agent/coach may purchase the athlete’s airline ticket and receive a $1200 travel stipend from USATF. A full travel itinerary and a copy of the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket must be presented to USATF no later than August 1, 2009 in order to receive the travel stipend. USATF will reimburse the agent/coach $1200 per athlete ticket purchased after the World Championships are over and the athlete has competed. The provided receipt must include the actual cost of the ticket. If the ticket cost is less than $1200, the recipient of stipend (agent/coach or athlete) will be issued a Form 1099 on the difference. This is required by IRS rules. USATF will not be responsible for airport pick-up for athletes who have not provided their travel itineraries to USATF.

OPTION 3 - Travel Stipend to Athlete
An athlete may choose to purchase his/her airline ticket and receive a $1200 travel stipend from USATF. A full travel itinerary and a copy of the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket must be presented to USATF no later than August 1, 2009 in order to receive the travel stipend. USATF will reimburse the athlete $1200 after the World Championships are over and he/she has competed. The provided receipt must include the actual cost of the ticket. If the ticket cost is less than $1200, the recipient of stipend (agent/coach or athlete) will be issued a Form 1099 on the difference. This is required by IRS rules. USATF will not be responsible for airport pick-up for athletes who have not provided their travel itineraries to USATF. Note: Itineraries and ticket receipts needed for the $1200 reimbursement should be e-mailed to Sandy Snow no later than August 1, 2009.

If an athlete fails to select an option at USATF Team Processing or changes their option after July 15, 2009, USATF will pay $1200 towards the purchase of a ticket and the athlete/coach/agent will be responsible for any difference.

Travel itineraries changed after ticketing will be at the expense of the athlete. Athletes must provide changes to Sandy Snow, Associate Director of International Teams in order for housing and airport transportation to be revised. Contact Sandy Snow or on her international cell phone at 770-330-6482.

Travel Date Spreadsheet (pdf)