I decided to do a Blog on Military Space A because I’m suprised when I tell someone that we are flying Space A this summer to go home, alot of people of no idea what it is !!!

You have to look at Space A as a adventure and make sure you have plenty of time both ways, we are Flying Space A from Petterson Airforce base, Colorado to Wright Patterson Airforce base in Ohio. from there we will Rent a car and drive to Kentucky Money saved

$ 1000.00 plane tickets for 2 adults and 4 kids ……………..

Also if your Spouse is deployed you are allowed with your kids one roundtrip Space A once in 365 days !!! all you need is the Deployment Orders !!!!

Space Available Flights, better known as Space A or military hops, are a unique privilege afforded to service members, retirees, and their families. Under this program, unused seats on board US military aircraft are made available to these passengers on a space-available basis. Unused seats on DoD-owned or controlled aircraft are made available once all the space-required (duty) passengers and cargo have been accommodated.

Space-A travelers may sign up for travel 60-days in advance of the desired travel date. Passengers are categorized by priority of travel and are processed in priority order by their sign-in time (Julian date). For leisure travel,. (Official duty passengers have priority over Space-A travelers.)

Air Mobility Command (AMC) Passener Terminals are located at US Air Force airfields where a Space-A flights transit through. Your best bet when searching for a Space-A flight is to contact the AMC Passenger Terminal at a large Air Force hub — however, there can be Space-A flights available at virtually any US Air Force, Navy, Army, or Marines airfield. Check out the list of worldwide AMC Passenger Terminals and their contact information below. Contact the AMC Passenger Terminal that is closest to you and inquire about their scheduled flights. (call them they can answers all your questions)

While the precise procedures for making flight arrangements may vary from one air terminal to another, the first step is to find out what destinations you can travel to from the air terminals near you. The simplest way to get a list of destinations is to call the terminal in your area. Terminals typically provide either a voice or recorded listing of upcoming flights. On request, most terminals can also fax you a copy of their flight schedule.

 Once you have made your travel plan, you can sign up for flights in several ways. You always have the option of going to a terminal in person. However, in many cases you do not even have to leave your home. Flight requests can be made by mail, by telephone, via the Internet, or by facsimile. Upon sign-up, travelers are assigned a travel category and compete for seats in that category, based on the date and time of sign-up. Passengers stay on the flight register for either 60 days, the duration of their travel authorization, or until they get a seat. Once registered, passengers can review their reservation status any time.

There can be drawbacks to Space-A travel. As a Space-A traveler, your flight request is processed on a first-in, first-out basis within your assigned category of travel. You must be aware of the following facts when you decide to fly Space-A:

Official duty passengers and priority cargo have priority over Space-A passengers. If your flight has more than one leg, you can get bumped off of your plane at the end of any leg.

Reservations cannot be made for any portion of a trip. Flexible travel plans are necessary.

Reservists and retirees are classified as Category VI passengers.

Long, uncomfortable and frequently costly waiting periods may be encountered at any point of your journey.

The U.S. Government is not obligated to provide transportation for Space-A passengers to or from desired destinations.

Summer months are peak travel times.

You will need to travel with either a credit card or carry sufficient funds to pay for lodging, meals, local transportation, and even commercial airfare, if necessary.

Call the voice recording they will state the Baggage aloowance for that flight, Remember each person is allowed the weight so combine bags if needed !!! !

Plan, be flexible, be patient. As a rule of thumb, military ports offer more travel opportunities than commercial gateways (i.e., travel chances are better to Europe from Dover AFB DE than Baltimore-Washington IAP).

If possible, travel at off-peak Space A travel periods (i.e., peak periods are the summer months after school is dismissed and Christmas holiday season). Historically, February-March and October-November are low travel periods.

Be as flexible as possible in choosing a destination. If you want to get to Ramstein AB, Germany, consider a flight into Spangdahlem AB, Germany, or even RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, as an alternative. At Mildenhall, try for another flight bound for Germany.

There is a head tax on CONUS outbound or federal inspection fee on CONUS inbound international commercial charters.

When traveling Space A with young children, prepare for possible delays along the way where baby supplies may not be readily available. A good supply of games and books is also recommended. Be aware that a baby’s ears, like an adults, are sensitive to altitude pressure changes.

Space A is just that—space that is available after all mission requirements are fulfilled. Military aircraft are subject at all times, first and foremost, to DoD mission response.

If you any questions please leave a comment below also do you have Travel Tips ?