The U.S. General Services Administration for fiscal year 2026 will hold its standard allowable per diem rates for federal travelers steady at 2025 levels, the agency announced Friday.
GSA's standard lodging rate for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2026, is $110, the same as it is in fiscal year 2025. GSA's standard meals and incidentals allowance for the 2026 fiscal year is $68, likewise unchanged.
It's the first time in five years that GSA has not increased the per diem year over year. GSA in a statement said the decision not to raise the per diem reflects "the federal government's commitment to being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars," adding that the steady per diems "are made possible by the reduction from the historically high inflationary pressures seen during the previous administration."
"GSA's decision ensures cost-effective travel reimbursement while supporting the mission-critical mobility of the federal workforce," GSA office of government-wide policy associate administrator Larry Allen said in a statement.
The rate, which applies to federal government travelers as well as those traveling on government-contracted business, applies to everywhere in the U.S. not designated as a "non-standard area," which have per diems higher than the standard rate. GSA for fiscal year 2026 will hold the number of non-standard areas steady from 2025 at 296.