New federal lodging per diem rates take effect, Aurora hotels mostly fit cap

New federal per diem rates for lodging on work travel took effect on October 1, 2026, according to reports from a business travel platform called Engine, as cited by aol.com and baxterbulletin.com.

Engine analyzed hotel rates from October 2025 through September 2026 and compared them with the new per diem lodging caps set by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for counties and months across the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.

The standard lodging cap increased from $110 to $113 per night, with 295 destinations having higher caps. Aurora, Colorado, shares a $203 cap with Denver, but 96% of Aurora's hotel rates fit under this cap, compared to 67% in Denver, indicating travelers can find lodging within the per diem easily in Aurora.

In Arlington, Texas, the lodging cap covers a 4-star hotel, and nearby Irving, Texas, with the same $184 cap as Dallas, fits 85% of hotel rates. Larger cities like New York and Boston have the highest caps ($291 and $284 respectively) but fewer hotel rates fit under these caps, with only 38% in New York and 44% in Boston.

The analysis shows that in cities like Boston and Chicago, lower-star hotels fit more easily under the per diem caps than higher-star hotels, suggesting travelers might find better value by staying slightly outside city centers or choosing different hotel categories.