Travel by Military Space-A requires passengers to both do their homework before their trip and be very flexible with their travel itinerary and timelines. But for Service Members and their families who have flexible plans and a desire or need to keep their travel costs low, Space-A travel can be the gateway to a world of travel options.
First and foremost, Space-A travelers need to know that they are not going to be flying on commercial flights. These flights are military missions, and for the crew, the mission is always going to come first and foremost – as it should. That being said in our experience the crews are professionals who will work to the best of their ability to make your flight as comfortable as they can while you are a guest on their aircraft.
Planning your Trip:
There are many informative and helpful websites out there to help you understand Space-A travel. But to plan your Space-A trip, your first stop should be the official Air Mobility Command (AMC) web page: Link
AMC’s web page is the one-stop shop for everything you will need to know. There you will find the important topics, forms, rules, and regulations you will need to make yourself familiar with prior to your trip: Travel Eligibility, AMC Passenger Terminal Locations, Necessary Travel Documents, Registration Procedures, Flight Schedules and Flight Check-in. If you find the website leaves you with unanswered questions, don’t hesitate to call, email, or go in person to your nearest AMC Passenger Terminal to talk to the experts.
In recent years, AMC has also moved to social media to provide their customers with the most up to date information about flight schedules and procedures. The link to each AMC Passenger Terminal’s Facebook page can be found on the AMC webpage and provides invaluable and up-to-date information to travelers.
If you don’t have a Facebook account, I strongly suggest you get one before your Space-A trip. The ease with which you can find flight schedules and communicate with AMC personnel before and during your trip is vital. From anywhere in the world, all you will need is your smart phone, tablet, or computer and an internet connection to have the most current information from the nearest passenger terminal at your fingertips. Information for three-day flight schedules, roll-call times and information, and any delays are routinely updated and posted.
For my own Facebook account I have taken the time to “like” all the AMC Passenger Terminal pages so they routinely appear in my news feed. While traveling, I make sure updates to any terminal pages in the region where I am visiting default to appear at the top of my news feed each time I login to Facebook during our travels. When we are not actively traveling I only default the Joint Base Charleston Passenger Terminal page to top of my news feed, as it is the closest terminal to our home. Each morning I enjoy seeing the upcoming flights and dreaming about where we might go next.
Tips and Things to Know about Space-A Travel:
- If you are traveling as a retired service member you are going to be traveling in the lowest priority category. Frankly, most of us don’t have the time to take advantage of Space-A Travel before retirement. During the busiest times of the year from the busiest terminals and along the busiest routes, it is going to be very difficult for you to secure a seat on a Space-A flight. Summertime and the holidays are notoriously difficult times to secure a seat(s). It is best to plan your trip around off-season times of the year. For more information about Passenger Categories see: link.
- You will not be traveling in first class luxury on Space-A aircraft. If flying with amenities is important to you, Space-A may not be a good fit. The flight mission will dictate the type of aircraft you will be flying on and will also dictate your comforts. Many aircraft do have standard commercial aircraft seating installed for passengers, however, that doesn’t mean that you should expect even the usual commercial coach class comforts. The seats may be old and worn and depending on the aircraft you may have to climb a vertical ladder from the cargo bay to get up to them. Many aircraft will not have traditional commercial seating, instead employing “jump seats” along the sides of the fuselage.
But at the same time jump seats can be very comfortable especially if the flight is not full:
- Flights can be very cold. Dress comfortably and make sure you bring along plenty of layers to stay warm. If you have the space in your carry-on bag, I’ve seen many folks pull out sleeping bags to snuggle in during overnight flights. The crew will typically pass out pillows and blankets to the passengers to use during the flight which will help with your comfort.
- You will have the option to purchase an inexpensive sack meal during check-in which usually include sandwiches, chips, cookies, fruit, and drinks. I recommend you purchase them. They are tasty enough, and a snack along the way can be very welcome even if you don’t want to eat the whole thing. It can also be a good idea to pack a few snacks of your own to take along with you. On one leg of a journey, we were able to stop at a local market on the way to the passenger terminal and packed a picnic of fresh crusty bread, cheeses, meats, and olives to eat on the flight. A delicious treat!
- You will go through a TSA style security screening prior to boarding the plane. All of the same rules and regulations are in effect: shoes will come off; you will pass through a metal detector; only 3 oz bottles of liquids are allowed; etc. Once on board the flight crew will conduct a safety briefing prior to take- off much like you would expect on a commercial flight.
- Customers are allowed to register for travel as early as 60 days in advance of their trip window and you should register as early as possible. Active duty service members must be on leave status before they may register and special conditions are in place for guard and reserve service members. You should review the AMC website for complete regulations and protocols.
- Your registration can be completed several different ways: in person at any AMC terminal by talking directly to a passenger terminal agent, or the forms can be faxed or emailed, which is usually much easier. We have always chosen to email our forms to the passenger terminals. When you arrive at the terminal for flight check in, make sure you have access to your registration email or fax confirmation page. If for some reason the service agent is unable to find your registration in the system, you will want to have access to the email or fax. You can find information about the registration form and contact information for all passenger terminals on the AMC website.
- Ensure when you arrive for flight check-in you have all the necessary documentation such as your passport and any necessary visas. Additionally ,you will also naturally need your military ID card and any necessary leave forms or copies of your orders. Once again see the AMC website for the complete list of required documentation.
- Flexibility in your travel plans is necessary for Space-A travel. We have at times been lucky enough to secure seats on a plane on our first try and on other trips we have traveled between passenger terminals in Delaware, Baltimore, and New Jersey over a three-day period before finally securing seats on a flight headed to Europe. You need to bring patience along with you on your travels OR extra money to purchase commercial tickets for one or more legs of your journey if you become constrained for time.
- Unless you have the luxury of endless time you will sometimes also have to be flexible with your travel locations. On our last trip, our “plan” was to catch a flight to Rota, Spain, then work our way by train through Madrid, Barcelona, and Florence to meet our niece in Rome. We were prepared to be flexible in choosing a departure terminal. But during the week we planned to travel, flights to Europe were scarce. Only one flight went to Rota that week and it did not take passengers due to hazardous material cargo. Eventually, we changed course and targeted flights to Germany, and we finally secured seats on a flight to Ramstein that remained overnight in Mildenhall, England en route. While we had “planned” to be eating tapas in Barcelona, we were actually eating fish and chips while spending a day touring London, which had been no where on our radar for that trip. The detour turned into a wonderful treat of a day! Eventually, we made our way to Rome via a commercial flight and met up with our niece in time to continue our travels together.
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions and speak up. While trying to get on a flight home from Rota, Spain, we arrived at the terminal before roll-call only to hear an unwelcome announcement. The plane’s load master had called to say the flight would not be taking any passengers due to lack of cargo space for baggage. Todd and I just looked at each other and let those words sink in for a minute. We had risen early with the usual hustle and bustle needed to make the hike to the terminal in time for roll-call with our backpacks in tow. It was disappointing to say the least. From across the room I heard a gentleman speak up and ask, “What about those of us with only carry-on bags?” I wanted to yell, “Yes! What he said!!!” The staff in the terminal called out to the plane and the load master agreed to take on those of us with only carry-on bags. I was never so happy to have been living out of a backpack for the previous three weeks. The lesson I learned that day was it never hurts to ask the question. You just might get the answer you are looking for.
For Service Members and their families flying Military Space-A is a wonderful opportunity . With some careful planning, a generous block of available time, some flexibility, and a dash of adventure a world full of travel is waiting for you. You only have to get ready, get set and go do it!