ConnexUC Information and Resources

Overview

ConnexUC (formerly Connexxus) is the UC systemwide online travel portal used for arranging business-related travel for faculty, student field study, staff, and hosted guests.

Business travel booked through ConnexUC is automatically eligible for the UC Travel Insurance program.

Benefits of Using ConnexUC

  • Securely stores a full traveler profile that manages all preferences
    • Travelers should match the name shown under the ConnexUC 'My Profile' to the government issued ID's for airport security
  • Allows you to make travel arrangements either online or through an agent by phone
  • Searches full airfare inventory, using a well-established, fully tested search engine
  • Highlights and allows you to take advantage of all UC-negotiated discounts
  • Automates travel insurance coverage at no cost for employees and students on official UC business
  • Has built-in reminders about compliance with UC travel policy
  • Supports the Direct Bill process to charge airfare directly to the university

Please refer to the UCOP Central Travel Management website for additional benefits and information.

Booking a Flight with ConnexUC

Policy Update

UC Berkeley is updating their policy on booking business-related travel.

Employee travelers are encouraged to provide feedback and questions, or share issues with booking through ConnexUC, with the travel team at travel@berkeley.edu between now and December 22, 2021. To ensure we incorporate the feedback, we will postpone enforcing the new airfare policy until after we have time to review and respond to the feedback we receive. We will reach back out when we have updates or revisions to the implementation.

We encourage staff to familiarize themselves with the many benefits of ConnexUC such as Direct Bill that allows travelers to charge their airfare directly to the university. Additionally, booking business travel through ConnexUC means travelers will automatically get travel insurance, ticket protection, and agent support for their trip, which could be especially important for international trips that may involve changing circumstances. Other potential benefits include preferred seat options, priority standby, and additional mileage.

Travel Insurance

  • Travel insurance is automatically included when you book business travel through ConnexUC
    • This includes travel insurance coverage at no cost for employees and students on official UC business

Airfare

  • Using Direct Bill and ConnexUC saves money
    • Travelers booking through ConnexUC save on average $155 per ticket
  • ConnexUC has access to the same flight options provided by search engines such as Kayak and Orbitz

Chartstring

  • Travelers who use Direct Bill provide their payment chartstring before booking their flight rather than after they have already booked it
  • If you don’t know your chartstring information, contact your Divisional Finance Leader for help
  • Once you use a chartstring in the Direct Bill system, you can save it to use again

Exceptions

  • If you find a better rate outside the ConnexUC system, please send it to the travel team at travel@berkeley.edu and they will find you the same rate in ConnexUC or potentially grant an exception to book outside the ConnexUC system

Benefits

  • Allows you to make travel arrangements either online or through an agent by phone
  • Searches full airfare inventory, using a well-established, fully tested search engine
  • Highlights and allows you to take advantage of all UC-negotiated discounts
  • Automates travel insurance coverage at no cost for employees and students on official UC business
  • Has built-in reminders about compliance with UC travel policy
  • Supports the Direct Bill process to charge airfare directly to the university
  • Enrolls travelers to receive real-time, location-specific travel and security alerts during travel
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Systems Access Requirements

The ConnexUC and Direct Bill systems are restricted to faculty and staff of UC Berkeley. For more information, please refer to Systems Access Requirements.

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