# Travel day

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/travel-day
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Spencer Kaufman, Storiara

> A travel day is a day on which a cast or crew member travels to or from a distant location and does no shooting. It shows as T on the day out of days, and on union shows it is usually a paid day, which is why schedulers try to place travel efficiently.

## Two kinds of travel days

The first is an individual's travel. An actor based in New York is cast in a feature shooting in New Mexico. She flies out the day before her first work day, so her [day out of days](https://storiara.com/glossary/day-out-of-days) row starts with T, then SW. After her WF she may get another T to fly home.

The second is a company travel day, when the whole unit relocates. A feature that shoots two weeks in Albuquerque and then moves to Santa Fe might put a banner on the board reading "TRAVEL DAY: COMPANY TO SANTA FE" between day 10 and day 11. That day isn't a [shoot day](https://storiara.com/glossary/shoot-day), but crew on weekly deals are still on the clock, and hotels, [per diem](https://storiara.com/glossary/per-diem), and trucks all run.

## Pay under SAG-AFTRA theatrical terms

SAG-AFTRA's help center summarizes the theatrical contract this way: when a day performer travels to or from a location on a day with no work, they are paid for a full day, and overtime caused by travel time is paid at time and a half ([SAG-AFTRA theatrical travel](https://servicesagaftra.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1000/~/what-does-the-contract-say-about-travel-to-a-location-for-a-theatrical)). Crew travel pay comes from the relevant union agreement or the deal memo.

## Worked example: a travel day that pays twice

Joe is a day performer with scenes on days 4 and 7. First draft of his DOOD row: T on 3, SW on 4, H on 5 and 6, WF on 7, T on 8. That is six paid days for two days of work.

The AD finds that Joe's day 7 scene (INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT, 1 2/8 pages) can shoot on day 5 after the motel exteriors. The row becomes T on 3, SW on 4, WF on 5, T on 6. Four paid days, and one fewer hotel night.

Could Joe fly in the morning of day 4 and work that afternoon? If the flight is short, maybe, but then travel counts toward his work hours and a delayed flight puts the whole day's scenes at risk. Many ADs prefer the separate travel day for anyone in the first scene of the morning.

## Mistakes to avoid

Leaving travel off the DOOD is the classic one, because the budget then under-counts cast days. Another is booking flights before the schedule is locked, then having to pay change fees and an extra hold when the schedule shifts. The [travel coordinator](https://storiara.com/roles/travel-coordinator) should work from the latest DOOD, and the production coordinator should put arrivals on the call sheet's travel section.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do actors get paid for travel days?

Under SAG-AFTRA's theatrical contract, a day performer traveling to or from a location on a day with no work is paid for a full day. Weekly performers and other contracts have their own terms, so confirm with the agreement.

### Can an actor travel and work on the same day?

Yes, if travel is short enough. Travel time then counts toward the work day, and under SAG-AFTRA's theatrical terms overtime caused by travel is paid at time and a half, so a long travel-and-work day can get expensive.

### Is a travel day counted as a shoot day?

Shoot days only count days when the unit photographs. A travel day for the whole company sits between shoot days on the schedule as a banner.

## Sources

- [SAG-AFTRA: What does the contract say about travel to a location for a theatrical production?](https://servicesagaftra.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1000/~/what-does-the-contract-say-about-travel-to-a-location-for-a-theatrical)