Space available travel allows service members and their families to fly for free. Space available travel, often abbreviated simply Space A, does have its own set of rules and regulations, which are just as rigid, if not more so, than civilian travel. Yet, knowing the rules, where the gateways are, and applying a few tips, military travel offers cost-free travel to exotic destinations.
Rules
Space available travel allows military members (active, guard, reserve and retirees) and their families free travel on a space available basis. The program classifies passengers in six different categories prioritizing passengers by their classification. Below are the descriptions of the six categories as listed by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
Category I: Emergency Travel
This category pertains to active military members and their families needing to travel under emergency situations such as a death in the immediate family. They trump all other travelers and this category has little to do with recreational travel.
Category II: Environmental Moral Leave (EML)
Military members and Department of Defense civilian employees on moral leave due to job circumstances fall under this category such as a DoD teacher on summer leave. Again, this category has little to do with vacation travels.
Category III: Ordinary Leave
This is the category most vacationers fall under. The regulation goes into great detail on this but the crux is that a military member and their family may travel on a Space A basis under category III.
Category IV: Unaccompanied Dependents Under EML status
Family members of category II traveling without their sponsor drop down to category IV.
Category V: Permissive Temporary Duty and Students
If a member is not on leave but on permissive TDY orders, or students enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps fall under this category.
Category VI: Retirees
Yes, retirees fall under the last category. The good news is that dozens of flights take off from military bases all over the world with empty seats. So even if you fall under the last category, chances are good that you'll be able to find a seat.
A complete list of rules and regulations can be found on the Air Mobility Command website.
Gateways
There are hundreds of gateways offering Space A travel. Nearly any military installation, and many commercial airports can offer Space A travel as long as there is a military aircraft with empty seats taking off.
Websites
These websites are dedicated to Space A travel.
Military Hops
Space A
Space A Travel
Tips and Tricks
Some friendly advice on traveling Space A will make the trip much easier. As in most things, word-of-mouth is the best avenue for tips. Many travelers have developed their own tips for travel.
The category system means somebody in category III could lose their seat to someone on emergency leave, so flexibility is key.
"I always make sure I either have a few weeks extra leave available or the money to buy a commercial ticket," said Kristine Dreyer, a staff sergeant and single mother who takes advantage of Space A to visit family in New Mexico and Norway. "I've had mostly positive experiences but there aren't that many flights flying out of Norway. If the plane breaks, I'd be stuck there."
Another good tip is to be open for multiple flights. If you're trying to get from Detroit to London, you may need to take a tanker from Selfridge AFB, Mich, to Charleston AFB, N.C., and then a C-17 to Baltimore-Washington International Airport before you can get to London.
Some destinations have a more static schedule than others. For instance, according to the passenger terminal at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., the tankers assigned there travel in cycles often flying to Hickam AFB, Hawaii or Morone, Spain multiple times per week. Baltimore-Washington International Airport is a major hub with military flights leaving for Europe every day. Other gateways have more chaotic schedules with flights leaving for different locations every day. For getaways like these, it is sometimes harder to get back since aircraft don't make routine trips to one location.
Space available travel isn't without its peculiarities; yet, it remains a major perk to military and DoD civilians. So much so, that it is often at the top of the list of benefits for recruiting.
By applying a few tips and knowing what category you fall into, you and your family may be able to see the world. And it won't cost you a dime.
