Gov_Travel_App/README.md

Government Travel Cost Estimator 🍁

A comprehensive web application for calculating official Canadian government travel costs per the National Joint Council (NJC) Travel Directive.

Features

✅ 237+ City Database - Complete database of Canadian cities with validation
✅ Real-Time Flight Search - Amadeus API integration for live flight availability
✅ Multi-Currency Support - EUR, AUD, CAD, USD with automatic conversion
✅ City-Specific Per Diem Rates - Based on NJC Appendix C (January 2026)
✅ Accommodation Rates - Based on NJC Appendix D (January 2026)
✅ Business Class Eligibility - Automatic determination for 9+ hour flights
✅ Private Accommodation Options - Support for staying with friends/family
✅ Export Functionality - Export calculations as JSON
✅ Print Support - Print-friendly format for expense reports

Quick Start

Option 1: Open Directly in Browser

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Open index.html in your web browser
3. Start calculating travel costs!

Option 2: Using a Local Server (Recommended)

# Using Python 3
python -m http.server 8000

# Using Node.js
npx http-server

# Then open http://localhost:8000 in your browser

Usage

1. Enter Travel Details

   • Select departure city from 237+ Canadian cities
   • Select destination city
   • Choose departure and return dates
   • Select preferred currency (CAD, USD, EUR, or AUD)

2. Accommodation Options

   • Check "Private Accommodation" if staying with friends/family
   • Enter custom rate if applicable (optional)

3. Optional Features

   • Enable "Search Real-Time Flight Availability" for flight data
   • Requires Amadeus API configuration (see below)

4. Calculate & Review

   • Click "Calculate Travel Costs"
   • Review detailed breakdown including:
     • Accommodation costs
     • Per diem (meals & incidentals)
     • Flight information (if enabled)
     • Currency conversion details
     • Total estimated cost

5. Export Results

   • Print summary for expense reports
   • Export as JSON for record-keeping

NJC Rate Tiers

The application uses three tiers of rates based on city size and cost of living:

• Tier 1 - Major cities (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, etc.)
• Tier 2 - Large cities and regional centers
• Tier 3 - Smaller cities and towns (default rate)

Sample Rates (January 2026)

City	Per Diem	Accommodation	Tier
Toronto	$95.00	$204.00	1
Vancouver	$98.00	$223.00	1
Calgary	$92.00	$195.00	1
Ottawa	$94.00	$205.00	1
Halifax	$87.00	$178.00	1

Private Accommodation Rate

When staying at private residences: $50.00/night

Per Diem Breakdown

Daily per diem is allocated as follows:

• Breakfast: 20%
• Lunch: 30%
• Dinner: 40%
• Incidentals: 10%

Business Class Eligibility

Business class is automatically approved for flights 9 hours or longer, per NJC Travel Directive guidelines.

The application estimates flight durations and determines eligibility:

• ✓ Eligible: Flights ≥ 9 hours
• ✗ Not Eligible: Flights < 9 hours

Amadeus API Configuration (Optional)

To enable real-time flight search:

1. Get API Credentials

   • Visit Amadeus for Developers
   • Sign up for a free account
   • Create a new app
   • Copy your API Key and API Secret

2. Configure the Application

   • Open config.js
   • Add your credentials:

   const CONFIG = {
       amadeus: {
           apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY_HERE',
           apiSecret: 'YOUR_API_SECRET_HERE',
           environment: 'test'
       }
   };
   

3. Restart the Application

   • Flight search will now use real-time data

Note: The application works without API configuration using estimated flight data.

Currency Support

Supported currencies with automatic conversion:

• 🇨🇦 CAD - Canadian Dollar
• 🇺🇸 USD - US Dollar
• 🇪🇺 EUR - Euro
• 🇦🇺 AUD - Australian Dollar

Exchange rates are based on January 2026 values. In production, integrate with a real-time currency API for current rates.

Project Structure

Gov_Travel_App/
├── index.html           # Main application interface
├── styles.css           # Application styling
├── cityData.js          # 237+ city database
├── njcRates.js          # NJC per diem and accommodation rates
├── currencyConverter.js # Multi-currency conversion
├── flightSearch.js      # Amadeus API integration
├── calculator.js        # Cost calculation engine
├── app.js              # Main application logic
├── config.js           # API configuration
└── README.md           # This file

Data Sources

All rates are based on official NJC Travel Directive documentation:

• Appendix C - City-specific per diem rates
• Appendix D - Accommodation rates
• Effective Date - January 2026

Browser Compatibility

• ✅ Chrome 90+
• ✅ Firefox 88+
• ✅ Safari 14+
• ✅ Edge 90+

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please ensure:

• Code follows existing style
• City data remains accurate
• NJC rates are kept up-to-date
• All features are tested

License

This tool is provided as-is for calculating government travel costs per NJC Travel Directive guidelines.

Disclaimer

This calculator is a tool to estimate travel costs based on NJC Travel Directive rates. Always verify calculations and consult your department's travel policy for specific requirements and approvals.

Support

For issues or questions:

1. Check the documentation above
2. Review NJC Travel Directive guidelines
3. Open an issue on GitHub

---

Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: January 2026
Data Source: NJC Travel Directive Appendices C & D