Space A Travel Tips

Space-A Travel refers to space available to travel on military aircraft or space available (Space-A) travel. It’s common knowledge that all military branches transport cargo, equipment and service members around the world, but many people don’t know that the Air Force, under Air Mobility Command (AMC), also transports military dependents, medical patients, retirees, and certain government civilian workers.  Space-Available travel is only applicable once all duty cargo and passengers have been accommodated first. Space-A Travel is also dependent on mission requirements, and various other factors.

Space-A Travel Tips

• A nominal fee of $15.00 – $30.00 is due for travel.
• Have your leave paperwork when signing up.
• You can only sign up on the first day your leave starts.
• Environmental Morale Leave will bump you up a category. Must have the EML form.
• Know what category you are in from I-VI, so you have an idea of what your chances are.
• Call ahead and listen to flight schedules to see if it is heading in the direction you want.
• You can fax, email, register in person, mail a reservation request up to 60 days in advance. This can save you from traveling back and forth to the air terminal, as required in the past. Your name will be place on the waiting list according to the Julian date your request was made.  The military and other governmental offices use Julian dates rather than calendar dates, which is simply the actual day of the 365 days in a year.  For example 7 Aug, 2013 is Julian date 219, because it’s the 219^th day out of the 365 days in the year 2013.  This number will be a part of your reservation confirmation number.
• Pack snacks and a change of clothes in a carry-on bag in case plane is rerouted or delayed.
• Official duty passengers have priority in category I.
• Military Reservists are in the last category VI.
• When flying in a military aircraft, the military mission comes first so be prepared to be rerouted and to have to catch out of another air terminal from an unplanned destination.  Cargo on these aircrafts also has priority over passengers, so you may be bumped off enroute.  If this happens you should have enough money to purchase a normal air ticket, when absolutely necessary.
• Meals in flight must be purchased.
• Each passenger may check two pieces of checked baggage, up to 70 pounds each and 62 linear inches in size. Family members can pool allowances.  No excess baggage is allowed.
• One hand carried item is permitted.
• Roll call for passengers who will be on flights are done anywhere between 2-3 hours prior and down the 30 minutes before flights leave.
• Space Available Travel is exactly as described.  A seat may not always be available.

For in depth details on flying military space available travel refer to the Department of Defense or visit the Air Mobility Command website.