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Per diem rates released for fiscal 2009

Starting Oct. 1, Defense Department travelers will get more money for trips to many big cities, such as New York, Washington, Boston and San Francisco.

About 400 locations will have higher per diem rates than the national standard, which is $70 for lodging and $39 for meals and incidentals. That standard per diem rate is unchanged from this fiscal year.

Chart

2009 per diem rates

Employees heading to the nation’s capital will see their hotel per diems climb to between $165 and $233 in fiscal 2009, depending on the season. That compares to a range of between $154 to $201 now. Meals are covered at $61, unchanged from this year.

Hotel rates will rise as much as 18 percent in New York. The daily lodging per diem in the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island will range from $259 to $360, up from the current rate of between $220 and $311.

Rates also are up in other major cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orlando, Fla., which is home to many conferences.

The General Services Administration announced the new per dime rates Aug. 8.

GSA plans to review the standard rate every three years. The last adjustment was for fiscal 2008, which increased the lodging rate that had been in effect since 2005. The standard daily reimbursement for meals has been unchanged since 2006.