LTC Block Year 2026-2029 Starts: Can You Claim Air Travel? New Rules & 8th CPC Impact Explained
VERIFIED
By Central Pay Commission Admin | January 3, 2026: The new 4-year LTC block has officially kicked off. Before you book your tickets to Andaman or J&K, read the fine print on “Special Relaxation” and the upcoming 8th CPC changes.
NEW DELHI: As the calendar flipped to 2026, a new LTC Block Year (2026-2029) has commenced for central government employees. This is a crucial reset, especially for fresh recruits and those planning their “Anywhere in India” travel under the guidelines issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).
However, confusion persists regarding the “Grace Period” for the previous block and the validity of the Special Package for North East, J&K, Ladakh, and Andaman & Nicobar. Here is the definitive guide to your travel entitlements for 2026, based on the latest Department of Expenditure (DoE) circulars.
✈️ The “Air Travel” Privilege
Good News: The special relaxation allowing non-entitled employees (Level 1-8) to travel by Air to specific regions has been extended beyond September 2025.
- Destinations: NER, J&K, Ladakh, A&N Islands.
- Mandatory Condition: Tickets MUST be booked via authorized agents only:
2. IRCTC
3. Ashoka Travels
- Warning: Private booking apps (MakeMyTrip, etc.) = Zero Reimbursement as per DoE OM Guidelines.
The “Grace Period” Trap
If you failed to avail your LTC in the 2024-25 sub-block, you have a one-year carryover window. You can utilize this pending LTC anytime in the calendar year 2026. This facility is governed by the CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988.
Pro Tip: When applying, explicitly mention that you are availing the “Carryover LTC for Block 2024-25” to save your fresh 2026-27 quota for a future trip.
| Category | Current Entitlement (7th CPC) | Expected 8th CPC Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1-5 | Rail (Sleeper/AC 3) | AC 2 Tier |
| Level 6-8 | Rail (AC 2 Tier) | Air Travel (Economy) |
| Foreign LTC | Not Allowed | Allowed (Once in Career) |
The 8th CPC Demand: “Foreign Travel”
The biggest expectation from the 8th Pay Commission regarding LTC is the inclusion of Foreign Travel to SAARC or ASEAN countries. This demand has been raised repeatedly by the NC-JCM in their memorandums to the Ministry of Finance.
Currently, top-tier officers can convert their “Home Town LTC” to visit NER/J&K. Unions are demanding that once in a service career, employees should be allowed to convert their “Anywhere in India” LTC to a foreign destination, similar to the facility available in some PSUs.