KEY TAKEAWAYS
- VA pays 41.5 cents per mile for approved travel to VA or VA-authorized health care — and that rate has been frozen by law since 2010, unlike the standard IRS mileage rate, which adjusts most years.
- You don’t need a high disability rating to qualify. A 30%+ rating is one path, but traveling for a Compensation & Pension exam, receiving a VA pension, or meeting an income threshold all qualify you too — some at 0%.
- A small deductible applies to most trips — $3 one-way or $6 round-trip, capped at $18 per month — after which VA covers the rest of that month’s approved travel in full.
- Many eligible veterans never file for this benefit at all, leaving real money unclaimed trip after trip.
- Claims are filed through BTSSS (Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System) and generally must be submitted within 30 days of the appointment.
- What Is VA Beneficiary Travel?
- Who Qualifies
- The Mileage Rate — and Why It Hasn’t Changed Since 2010
- How the Deductible Works
- Special Mode Transportation
- How to File a Claim
- Frequently Asked Questions
If you drive to VA appointments and have never filed for reimbursement, you’re not alone — and you may be leaving genuine money on the table. VA’s Beneficiary Travel program, usually just called “travel pay,” reimburses eligible veterans for mileage and certain other costs of getting to VA or VA-authorized health care. It’s one of the more overlooked VA benefits, partly because the qualifying rules aren’t as widely known as they should be.
What Is VA Beneficiary Travel?
Beneficiary Travel is authorized under 38 U.S. Code § 111, which allows VA to pay the actual necessary expense of travel — or a mileage-based allowance in place of it — for eligible veterans traveling to or from a VA facility for examination, treatment, or care. The same authority also covers travel connected to vocational rehabilitation and required counseling, which means it can apply to VR&E program participants as well as veterans going to a standard medical appointment.
Who Qualifies
You’re eligible for Beneficiary Travel reimbursement if you meet at least one of the following:
- You have a service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher
- You’re traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition, regardless of your rating percentage
- You receive a VA pension, including Survivors Pension
- You’re traveling to or from a VA Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam — this applies even at a 0% rating, since the exam itself is what determines your rating
- Your gross household income is at or below the VA’s Means Test threshold
- You’re a caregiver enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, traveling in connection with that role
- You’re a donor or support person traveling in connection with VA-approved care
The C&P exam pathway is worth highlighting on its own: veterans sometimes assume travel pay only applies once they already have a rating, when in fact traveling to the exam that determines your rating in the first place is covered too.
The Mileage Rate — and Why It Hasn’t Changed Since 2010
VA reimburses approved travel at 41.5 cents per mile in 2026. If you’re familiar with the standard IRS or GSA mileage rate — which adjusts most years and sits meaningfully higher — you might reasonably wonder why VA’s rate looks low by comparison. The reason is straightforward: Congress last increased this specific rate in 2010, and it has been fixed by law ever since, while other federal mileage rates adjust automatically. Legislation has been introduced in Congress to address this gap, but as of 2026 the rate remains unchanged.
In cases where flying is the only practical way to reach a VA facility, VA can also cover the reasonable cost of airfare rather than a mileage allowance.
How the Deductible Works
By law, VA withholds a small deductible from most Beneficiary Travel reimbursements — the withheld amount goes back into funding travel payments and medical care for other veterans. The 2026 deductible structure:
- $3 for a one-way trip, or $6 for a round trip
- Capped at $18 per calendar month
- Once you’ve hit that $18 cap for the month, VA reimburses the full cost of any additional approved travel for the rest of that month, deductible-free
The deductible is waived entirely in certain situations — travel to a C&P exam is one — and can also be waived based on financial hardship. If you’re not sure whether your situation qualifies for a waiver, ask when you file rather than assuming the deductible automatically applies.
Special Mode Transportation
If your medical condition requires something beyond a standard vehicle — an ambulance or a wheelchair-accessible van, for example — VA can authorize special mode transportation with preapproval when it’s clinically necessary. This isn’t automatic; it requires a determination that a standard vehicle isn’t appropriate for your specific situation, so this is worth raising directly with your care team if it applies to you.
One related note: VA can also withhold travel benefits in the rare case where a clinician determines that the travel itself would be counterproductive to your care or treatment, with that determination documented in your medical record. This isn’t common, but it’s part of how the program works.
How to File a Claim
- Track your mileage and save receipts for the appointment — tolls, parking, and any lodging or meal costs tied to approved travel can be included alongside mileage.
- File through BTSSS (the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System), VA’s online portal for these claims. You can sign in with an existing Login.gov, ID.me, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet account, or create a free Login.gov or ID.me account if you don’t have one.
- File within 30 days of the appointment, or within 30 days of being notified of your eligibility if that comes later. Filing a separate claim for each appointment, promptly, is the simplest way to avoid missing the window.
- Set up direct deposit in BTSSS so approved reimbursements land in your account automatically rather than waiting on a mailed check.
KEEP READING
100% VA Disability: What It Takes and What It Pays →
Travel pay is available well below 100% — see the full range of benefits tied to VA disability ratings.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) →
The same travel-pay authority that covers medical appointments also covers travel connected to VR&E training.
VA Veterans Benefits: Your Complete Guide →
The full range of VA benefits, including smaller, often-overlooked ones like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 30%+ rating is one path to eligibility, but you can also qualify by traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition regardless of rating, traveling to a Compensation & Pension exam (even at 0%), receiving a VA pension, or meeting the VA’s income-based Means Test threshold.
VA’s Beneficiary Travel mileage rate is set by law and was last increased in 2010. Unlike the standard IRS and GSA mileage rates, which adjust most years, VA’s rate has stayed fixed at 41.5 cents per mile since then. Legislation to address this has been introduced in Congress, but as of 2026 the rate hasn’t changed.
$3 for a one-way trip or $6 for a round trip, capped at $18 per calendar month. Once you’ve reached that $18 cap in a given month, VA reimburses the full cost of any additional approved travel for the rest of that month without further deduction.
Generally 30 days from the date of the appointment, or 30 days from when you’re notified of your eligibility if that comes later. Filing promptly after each appointment is the simplest way to avoid missing the deadline.
Yes, if it’s clinically necessary and preapproved. VA can authorize special mode transportation, like an ambulance or wheelchair-accessible van, when a standard vehicle isn’t appropriate for your medical situation — raise this with your care team in advance rather than assuming it’s automatic.
This article is provided by USMilitary.org, an independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. For official information and to file a claim, visit VA.gov.
