Domestic travel is travel in or between the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Non-domestic travel is travel to any place other than those listed in SI 00830.521A.1. in this section.

The value of a ticket for domestic travel received by an individual, or their spouse, or parent whose income is subject to deeming is excluded from income if:

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  The ticket is received as a gift; and

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  The ticket is not converted to cash (e.g., cashed in, sold, etc.).

This policy applies to tickets for domestic travel received on or after 3/1/90.

A domestic ticket received as a gift is treated as unearned income in the month the ticket was converted to cash.

The gift of a non-domestic travel ticket that cannot be converted to cash (i.e., it is not refundable) or used to obtain food or shelter is not considered as income (see SI 00815.001), even if the ticket was used for transportation. Travel tickets that can be converted are income and are counted as unearned income at the current market value (CMV) in the month of receipt (see SI 00835.020 and SI 00835.310C.), whether the ticket was used for transportation.

Obtain the individual's statement either signed or recorded on a Report of Contact page as to whether the ticket (whether used or not) was or could be converted to cash:

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  If the answer is yes, count the CMV of the ticket as unearned income in the month received.

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  If the answer is no, verify the allegation by examining the ticket or by contact with the travel carrier or travel agent. If the allegation is verified, don't count the CMV of the ticket as income; otherwise count it as income.