GSA Lodging Rates for Arlington-Fort Worth-Grapevine June 2026

The General Services Administration (GSA) has established the federal lodging per diem rate for the Arlington, Fort Worth, and Grapevine areas of Texas at $181 for Fiscal Year 2026. These reference values are used to reimburse overnight travel expenses for federal employees and private organizations that adhere to GSA standards.

The FY 2026 rates are effective from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The $181 rate specifically applies to the locality encompassing Arlington, Fort Worth, and Grapevine, including the City of Grapevine in Tarrant County.

GSA Rate Determinations and National Standards

The GSA announced the FY 2026 per diem rates on August 25, 2025, stating that lodging rates for cities and areas across the United States would remain unchanged from the previous fiscal year. The agency attributed the decision to keep rates flat to a sharp reduction in government travel amidst broader cost-cutting efforts.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) had advocated for an increase in these rates, arguing that rising costs justify an increase, while simultaneously stressing the importance of maintaining current levels to preserve government travel viability.

For geographic areas that do not have a specific federal per diem rate set, the GSA utilizes the default CONUS rate. For FY 2026, the standard CONUS lodging rate remains $110 per night.

In addition to lodging, the GSA set the federal daily per diem rate for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) at $68. However, larger metropolitan areas generally have a higher M&IE rate, typically ranging between $74 and $80 per day.

Application to Texas Government Travel

The federal per diem standards also extend to other levels of government within the state. Travel policies for Texas state government and Texas local government mirror the federal per diem rates for FY 2026. Travelers within these entities follow either the standard $110 CONUS rate or the specific metro area per diem rate, such as the $181 rate for the Arlington-Fort Worth-Grapevine region, depending on the hotel’s location.

International Travel Interest

These lodging reference values have gained attention among international travelers planning visits to the United States for the 2026 World Cup. Specifically, those seeking accommodations in North Texas to support the Argentine national team have used GSA data as a benchmark for expected lodging costs in the Arlington and Fort Worth areas for June 2026.