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Space-A Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Take a Flight on a Military Hop

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What Are Space-A Flights (AKA, Military Hops)?

Are you eligible for a space-a flight, how does space-a travel work.

1. Identify Your Destination and Possible Routes

2. Follow the Space-A Flight Schedules of the Passenger Terminals You May Use

3. sign up to travel from all possible starting locations, 4. mark yourself present within 24 hours of roll call, 5. listen for your name during roll call, 6. check your luggage and obtain your boarding pass, 7. board the aircraft and pick your seat, what to expect on a space-a flight, pros and cons of flying space-a, the pros: what are the advantages of flying space-a, the cons: what are the disadvantages of space-a, when should you use space-a, what would a seasoned space-a traveler recommend.

Update: On April 22, 2022, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense lifted all restrictions on Space-A travel. These restrictions were put in place in March 2020 to limit the spread of Covid-19. Mask mandates and medical screening protocols may still apply.

Looking for a way to save money on travel ? Flying space-available (Space-A) on a military flight can be a fun and inexpensive way to see the world, as airfare to and from U.S. military bases can cost you next to nothing.

Flying Space-A on military aircraft is very different from using commercial air travel, and you can’t just call a military passenger terminal and book your flight. It’s worth learning how Space-A travel works so you can take advantage of this incredible privilege available to eligible members of the military community.

After military flights accommodate all required passengers and cargo, they often release extra seats to service members, retirees and their families. These eligible passengers can “hop” on the flights on a space-available (Space-A) basis. This is where the term “military hop” comes from.

Because these are military, not commercial, flights, the military mission is always the priority. You may fly on a commercial plane, but you could also be in a cargo plane or fuel tanker.

There are six categories, or “cats,” of eligible Space-A travelers, depending on their duty status and the reason they are traveling.

Those in lower-numbered categories receive higher priority for available seats.

Here is a summary of the Space-A travel categories, according to the Military OneSource website :

Cat 1: Emergency leave unfunded travel

Cat 2: Accompanied environmental and morale leave (EML)

Cat 3: Ordinary leave, service members’ relatives, house-hunting permissive temporary duty (TDY), Medal of Honor holders , and foreign military; also includes unaccompanied dependents of service members deployed for more than 365 consecutive days.

Cat 4: Unaccompanied EML; also includes dependents of service members deployed between 30 and 364 consecutive days

Cat 5: Permissive TDY (non-house-hunting), student travel, and post-deployment/mobilization respite absence; also includes unaccompanied dependents of service members stationed outside the continental U.S. (OCONUS)

Cat 6: Military retirees, their dependents, military reserve, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) members and veterans who are 100% disabled

It is important to know your category when planning your Space-A travel because your category determines when you can sign up, what paperwork you need, and where you are eligible to fly. Table 3 in Section 4.11 of Department of Defense Instruction 4515.13 has more details on eligibility by category and approved geographical travel segments.

Eligibility Note for Veterans with a 100% Disability Rating :

According to the AF.mil website , “veterans with a service-connected, permanent disability rating of 100 percent will be able to travel in the Continental United States or directly between the CONUS and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa (Guam and American Samoa travelers may transit Hawaii or Alaska); or traveling within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands on flights operated by Air Mobility Command.”

Disabled veterans must have a DD Form 2765, Defense Department ID Card (Tan), to fly Space-A.

The better you understand how to fly Space-A, the greater your chances of having a successful trip.

The first step is to learn which bases have regular flights to where you want to travel. This list of worldwide destinations where Space-A travel may be available includes profiles of some of the terminals and information about typical flight destinations. You’ll want to begin following some of their Space-A flight schedules, which we’ll discuss in the next step.

You may find several possible routes to your desired destination. For example, if you are on the East Coast and want to fly to one of the common destinations, including Spain or Germany, you will likely be able to travel from several nearby bases. Travelers from other parts of the U.S. may need to take two or more hops to get there.

The Space-A Travelers Facebook group can help you put together a flight plan to your destination. You can ask questions and find information about flying to and from specific locations.

You may have to combine Space-A travel with other transportation. For example, you may need to fly or drive to a base with regular Space-A flights to your desired destination. Or you may need to take a train or flight from an overseas base to your final destination.

The Air Mobility Command website maintains a list of all the military passenger terminals , as well as their contact info and links to their websites and Facebook pages.

You’ll find a 72-hour flight schedule for most terminals on their Facebook pages or the AMC website. The schedules include trip destinations, the number of Space-A seats and the “roll call” time. The roll call time is when terminal staff announces who has been selected for the flight.

You may also find information about recently departed flights, including how the number of Space-A seats and how many passengers competed for those seats.

Click here for more details on how to read the Space-A schedules on Facebook .

When you monitor the flights that depart from your target passenger over several weeks or months, you’ll notice patterns in the location and frequency of their missions.

Determine all the terminals you could depart from to reach your desired destination. You’ll increase your chances of success by signing up to fly from all of them. Signing up is free and takes only a few minutes.

The AMC website details the sign-up options, including the required information. You can sign up through their website, by email or in person at the terminal. You can also use the Take-A-Hop app (which costs $6.99). If you’re signing up for several terminals, email and the Take-A-Hop app are the easiest ways to do so.

The sooner you can sign up, the better, as priority within each category is based on the sign-up date and time. So sign up as early as possible. At most terminals, your sign-up is valid for up to 60 days.

Keep in mind that your category may affect how early you can sign up for Space-A travel. For example, active-duty service members (Cat 3) must be on leave before they can sign up. Those in Cat 3, however, have precedence over those in Cats 4 through 6, regardless of when they signed up.

You must mark yourself present at the terminal before roll call to let the staff know that you are competing for the flight. You can do so anytime within 24 hours of the scheduled roll call. Note: roll call times can change unexpectedly, so continually monitor the terminal’s 72-hour flight schedule to ensure you get there in time or, better yet, call the terminal to confirm.

Bring your military ID and any necessary documents, such as your passport, your leave form or your EML orders. If you are an unaccompanied dependent, you’ll need a memo from your sponsor’s command. Also bring a copy of your sign-up email as a backup to prove your sign-up date and time.

At roll call, terminal staff will announce how many Space-A seats are available for the flight and then the names of the selected passengers,  beginning with those in the highest-priority category.

If they call your name, go to the desk and confirm that you and any dependents traveling with you are present. You’ll need to show your military ID and any required paperwork, as well as ID cards for passengers older than 10 years old. For younger passengers,  bring their passports or MilConnect printouts that show the Department of Defense ID numbers.

If they don’t call your name, don’t leave the terminal just yet. Sometimes last-minute Space-A seats become available, so stay at the terminal until boarding time.

Once you and all members of your traveling party, along with all your luggage, must be present when the baggage check begins. This may be right after roll call, or it may be several hours later. You will need to stay in the terminal, as boarding times, like roll call times, can change without notice.

The AMC website’s FAQ page includes detailed information on baggage allowances. Because smaller aircraft may have different weight limits for luggage, it’s best to check ahead of time.

You will generally be allowed to check two pieces of luggage weighing up to 70 lbs each. Similar to many commercial flights, you can also bring one piece of carry-on luggage that fits under your seat or in the overhead compartment. You can usually check car seats and strollers, and they won’t count toward your baggage allowance.

AMC terminals follow the Transportation Security Administration’s baggage screening guidelines , so check their website ahead of time to see what you can bring in your carry-on bag, and what you must put in checked luggage.

Check if meals are available on the flight, as you’ll pay for these when you check your luggage. Some locations offer simple box lunches for a nominal cost.

If you are flying Space-A on a Patriot Express flight , your boarding pass will list your assigned seat.

When terminal staff announces boarding, you’ll go through security and wait in a secure area. With most flights, a bus will take you to the aircraft, and you’ll board from the tarmac.

On most Space-A flights, you’ll choose your seat when you board. On Patriot Express flights, your boarding pass will list your assigned seat.

Patriot Express flights offer amenities, including meals and in-flight movies. 

Other Space-A flights do not. Snacks and water may be available, but it’s best to be prepared and bring your own.

Seating depends on the type of aircraft. Some have seats that are comparable to commercial airlines. Others have web seating along the sides of the plane. If this is the case, you can stretch out if there’s room.

Patriot Express flights are climate-controlled, but other military aircraft are not. They are often cold or hot, so dress in layers. They can also be loud. The crew usually provides foam earplugs, but it’s a good idea to bring your own.

There are advantages and disadvantages to Space-A travel.

Space-A flights can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over commercial airlines, which is a clear advantage. The only costs you might incur are a low per-passenger fee on Patriot Express flights, and you may be able to purchase low-cost meals at some terminals that offer meals for purchase.

When you land, you’ll be able to access base resources, including overnight base lodging and the commissary. You may even be able to purchase discount tickets to local events and attractions through the base’s Information, Tickets and Travel office (ITT).

Being able to stretch out on some aircraft can be another advantage over flying economy in a commercial plane. 

If you’re traveling with small children, you may also find that other passengers are more supportive than with a commercial airline.

And, of course, there may be a greater sense of adventure with Space-A travel.

• Free or low-cost air travel
• Access to base amenities (Base Exchange, Commissary, MWR, ITT, etc.)
• Possibly more space to spread out compared to commercial airlines
• It’s an adventure!

Space-A travel is less predictable than flying commercially. Passenger terminals post flight schedules only 72 hours in advance, and you won’t know if you got a seat until the last minute. 

Peak travel times, including summer, winter holidays, and even spring break, are even more competitive. You may need to be more flexible about when you travel and even where you’ll go.

You may incur other costs with Space-A travel, such as transportation to the base you’ll be flying from. You may need to wait for a flight home–possibly for days–and the costs of lodging and meals can quickly add up.

Finally, Space-A travel, unless you’re on a Patriot Express flight, is bare bones. You may find it cold, loud, and uncomfortable. 

• Travel and schedules can vary.
• Seats aren’t guaranteed — you must have flexible travel plans!
• Travel can be difficult during busy times (summer PCS season, holidays, etc.).
• Lodging, meals and transportation costs can add up.
• Military aircraft can be cold and uncomfortable.

If you have the time, flexibility, and patience to wait for a flight, Space-A travel can offer you an adventure while saving you a lot of money. If you’re traveling for an event, such as a wedding, and must arrive by a specific time, Space-A is not the best way to travel, especially if it’s during the peak seasons of summer, winter holidays, and spring break.

Flying Space-A requires planning, patience, and flexibility. Learn as much as you can about the process, and also research desired destinations and passenger terminals so that you can put together a successful flight plan.

When you are ready to leave, make sure you always have a backup plan and ensure you have enough money to pay for commercial transportation if Space-A doesn’t work out. Also, be prepared for a multi-legged journey–several shorter hops that bring you closer to your destination rather than one long direct flight.

About Post Author

Stephanie Montague

Stephanie Montague is the founder of Poppin’ Smoke , a website designed to encourage members of the military community to use their military benefits for travel. Stephanie and her husband have been traveling the world since he retired from the Army in 2015. Through Poppin’ Smoke, Stephanie shares everything they learn about Space-A travel and using military benefits while abroad.

See author's posts

Posted In: Military & Veterans Benefits

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December 29, 2023 at 9:17 am

Thank you for hosting this information. I am a guardsman, retired and are interested in traveling now.

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9 Things to Know About Flying Space-A Via JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

Hawaii is a top destination for Space-A travelers seeking year-round warm weather, beautiful beaches, epic surfing, and world-class golf. But it’s also a frequent stop for travelers en route to and from bases in Japan, Korea, Guam and other U.S territories. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (“JBPHH” or “Hickam”) has the most Space-A flights of any military base in Hawaii and is an extremely busy hub.

Whether Hickam is your destination, or you’re just passing through, here’s what you need to know about flying Space-A via Hawaii, a.k.a. the “gateway to the Pacific.”

If you are new to Space-A flying, read this Quickstart Guide to Space-A Flights first to get a basic understanding of how the process works.

1. Most Space-A flights via Hickam originate in bases in the Pacific or on the West Coast of the United States.

The locations with the most flights to and from JBPHH are Travis AFB (California), Andersen AFB (Guam), Kadena AB (Japan), and NAS North Island (California).

Historically, JBPHH has had regular – but not as frequent – flights to and from Yokota AB (Japan), Fairchild AFB (Washington), JB Lewis-McChord (Washington), NAS Whidbey (Washington), JB Elmendorf (Alaska), and Wright-Patterson AFB (Ohio).

JBPHH has many flights to Kwajalein Atoll, but you must be sponsored by a resident of the island to travel there. Hickam also has regular flights to Eielson AFB (Alaska) and Osan AB (Korea), but return flights from those locations are not as common.

Keep in mind that these are only the most frequent flights based on historical data. All Space-A flights are determined by mission needs, which change constantly. JBPHH generally has several flights per month to and from locations not mentioned above, including bases along the East Coast and in Texas. However, the locations aren’t very consistent month-to-month.

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Space-A Passenger Travel Air Terminal

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Space Available (Space A) Air Terminal is available at MCB Hawaii Kaneohe Bay. Space-A passengers travel only after all mission cargo and passengers have been accommodated. All available space available seats are released, but there is no guaranteed movement in the preferred time frame. Have sufficient funds available to complete travel using commercial transportation if necessary.

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Space A Travel: Everything You Need To Know

Julie Provost

What is Space-A Travel?

Table of Contents

Space-A is being able to travel on DOD aircraft for free or at a limited cost. The flights you take are on a space-available basis, and the number of passengers they take will depend on the flight. Space-A can get you to many different places worldwide, but some locations are more challenging to fly to than others.

When you fly Space-A, you have to do some planning and research. You must know which Space-A category you fall into and what that will mean for flights. You will need to make sure you are eligible and have all the right paperwork. You can travel with children, but you do need to be prepared for the whole trip, and that might be more difficult than flying commercially.

What Are the Different Categories for Space-A Travel?

Those who are eligible for Space-A typically fit into one of six different categories. These categories help determine how likely it is that you can fly.

Category I : Emergency Leave Unfunded Travel- For emergency situations only.

Category II: EML (Environmental Morale Leave) for Active Duty and dependents.

Category III: Active Duty Ordinary Leave- This category also includes those on Terminal Leave as well as their accompanied dependents, those on House Hunting Permissive TDY, Medal of Honor Holders, and dependents of deployed service members as long as they are deployed for 365 consecutive days or more. It is important to note that these dependents will be selected behind active duty members no matter when they sign up.

Category IV: Unaccompanied Dependents on EML or dependents whose sponsor is deployed between and including 30-364 days as well as DODDS teachers on EML during the summer.

Category V: Unaccompanied command-sponsored and non-command-sponsored dependents of active duty, permissive TDY (non-house hunting), and students.

Category VI: 100% disabled veterans.  Retirees as well as their accompanied Dependents, reserve, ROTC, NUPOC, and CEC. The DoD adds, “Surviving Spouses of service members who died while on active duty, inactive duty training, or annual training status. as well as retired military members, and their accompanying dependents.”

Can Retirees Fly Space-A?

Retired military members who are issued DD Form 2 and eligible to receive retired or retainer pay may use Space-A travel according to the Air Mobility Command Space-A official site.

RELATED : Disabled Veterans Can Now Fly Space-A

Are You Able to Travel Without Your Service Member?

Only eligible dependents whose service member is stationed overseas can travel unaccompanied and would do so as CAT-V, with some CONUS restrictions. Those whose service member is deployed for 30 days or more may travel unaccompanied anywhere that Space-A is allowed at a CAT-III, after active duty, or CAT-IV, based on how long they are deployed, as mentioned above. If your spouse is not deployed and stationed in CONUS, you can not use Space-A unless you are with your service member.

What About National Guard or Reserve Members?

At press time, Space-A travel is authorized for National Guard/Reserve components/members of the Ready Reserve and members of the Standby Reserve who are on the Active Status List.

What Do You Have to Do to Get On A Flight?

The first step is get authorized to travel on Space-A. This means starting leave if you are on active duty or getting a travel letter if you are an unaccompanied dependent. If you are a retiree, you should be authorized when you are ready to start the process.

• Sign up and register at the locations you plan to travel to and from. You can do this at some terminals through an online form, in person, by email, or by fax. This signing up doesn’t mean you are on a flight or have an exact flight time. What you will be doing is getting assigned a date and time. This will put you in front of anyone in your category who has a later date and/or time than you do.
• Sign up as soon as possible for as many places as you think you might go. If you are unsure where you will be flying from, sign-up for all potential places. You don’t want to sign-up too far in advance so that your sign-up expires before the date you want to fly. For active duty, you should sign-up as soon as your leave starts, and that sign-up should last until your leave is over. For non-active duty, sign-ups are valid for 60 days.
• Each sign-up location is independent. Call to verify that you are signed up and carry a printed copy of your emails verifying you have done so. That way, you can show that you should be on any list you need to use to travel.

Showing Up for a Flight

• Show up before any potential flight you want to take. Flights will get posted, and you can make your plan from there. You need to mark yourself “Present” for the flight you want to go on. This tells the terminal that you are there and will be ready to fly when the time comes.
• When exactly you are marked “Present” doesn’t matter as far as where you are in line; the date and time of when you signed up does, but you would need to be marked present within 24 hours of flight time.
• It is a good idea to get to the terminal, ready to fly with all of your bags and paperwork, about an hour before what is called “Show Time.” You would then mark yourself “Present” by checking in at the desk and wait until “Show Time.” At this point, you do not want to leave the area, even to grab a bite to eat. Times can change, and you want to be ready if that happens.

Show Time and Roll Call

• “Show Time” is when “Roll Call” can begin, and it is about 2-3 hours before it would be time to fly. You need to be aware of when “Show Time” is supposed to start, as well as what time you would fly if you make it on the flight. Always give yourself extra time.
• “Roll Call” is going to be when the date and time you “signed up” for that location and the category you are in come into play. With “Roll Call,” they start with CAT-I and go through all the way until CAT-VI or until they fill all the seats. For example, someone in CAT-IV, who signed up on June 1st at 10:30 am will be ahead of someone who signed up for CAT-IV, on June 1st, at 11:30 am.  All of CAT-IV would be ahead of all of CAT-5. They might just have 10 seats, or they might have 50 seats, it depends on the flight, aircraft, and how much space they actually have on the flight.
• You will need to be right there during “Roll Call.” If you are somewhere else, and they call your name, and you don’t check-in, you will not make it on the flight. You will need to be travel-ready when this happens.
• Being “Manifested” means you are selected for a flight, and you will be going on this flight unless the flight itself is canceled or you get bumped for cargo. This is where you want to be.
• You can also be “Manifested Through,” which means you won’t have to compete for a seat on your second flight. However, you need to make sure you are “Manifested Through” to your end location. This, however, does not mean you have your round trip covered. You will have to compete for seats on your return trip.

How Much Does Space-A Travel Cost?

Many Space-A flights are free; however, if you take a Patriot Express flight, you may be charged a head tax and inspection fees. Bring cash for this flight, you may not be permitted to pay using a credit card.

You may also need to have extra money for possible stays in hotels, extra food, or even money for transportation. Because some flights get canceled, or it can be hard to get on right away, you might have to wait near the terminal for a few nights.

How Many Bags Can You Bring?

For Space-A, the nature of the mission determines how much baggage can be loaded. On some flights, you may be allowed to bring two pieces of luggage each, not to exceed 70 lbs.  For others, there may be a requirement for the bags to be under 30 lbs.

Where Can You Go For Extra Help?

• The Air Mobility Command website – This is where you can read information about how Space-A works, sign up for flights, and more.
• SpaceA.net – An informational site about the ins and outs of Space-A travel.

Other Tips For Flying Space-A?

The main thing you need to remember is that Space-A is going to require some planning. You will need to spend some time researching where you will go, how many flights they have, and how easy it might be for you to get on a flight. Certain times of the year are busier than others, and you must bring your patience.

Flights can get delayed for days. You might go through the entire process and end up on a flight, only to have to get off and start all over again because there is something going on with the plane. You need to plan for if your first idea doesn’t work out.

There are a lot of benefits to flying Space-A. You can see the world and can do so without having to spend a lot of money, but you have to understand that you will have to work for it. Some flights will be easier than others, and you just never really know what you will find when you attempt to fly Space-A.

If you need to reach your destination by a certain date, Space-A might not be the best way to get there. Unlike a commercial airline, you are not guaranteed a time and a place to fly. Being flexible and understanding is a must. If you can go into Space-A with that mindset, you can enjoy everything Space-A has to offer. 

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Military Space-Available Travel

Space a travel.

Space Available Flight, more commonly referred to as Space-A travel or military hops, is a privilege afforded to military service members, their families, and service retirees. The system accommodates these passengers by letting them fill seats on Air Force air transport flights that would otherwise be left empty. The seats are made available 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. If you want to know where you can travel, check out our Space-A Travel Locations List , complete with contact information

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, Reservists are placed in category VI, which is a rather low priority. (Official duty passengers have priority over Space-A travelers.)

Space required passengers or cargo may require the removal of Space A passengers at any point. If removed en route, you may reregister with your original date and time of registration. Passenger Service will assign a new date and time to any country or destination you change or add on your application.

Always be prepared to purchase onward or return commercial transportation, meals, and lodging. Remember Space A seats are normally identified as early as 2-3 hours and late as 30 minutes prior to departure. It is recommended you check with the passenger service center for the space available show time for the flight you wish to take.

AMC Passenger Terminals

Registration

Passengers must register for travel at Passenger Service Centers in the passenger terminal in person and/or may also sign-up in writing by fax, mail, or E-mail. Sponsors who register in person for family members traveling with them should present all required documents: Identification cards (DD Form 2, Armed Forces Identification Card), passports, immunization records, and visas when required by the DoD Foreign Clearance Guide. Travel documents must be presented when selected for travel. Travelers may select up to five countries. We recommend the “all” choice for the 5th destination so that the traveler may take advantage of unscheduled unique travel opportunities.

Have an iPhone or iPad? Download the premiere Space-a App by Take-A-Hop:

Space-A Eligibility

The following types of travelers are authorized to use Space-A airlift. The regulation DoD 4515.13-R contains a complete listing of eligible passengers by category, and the AMC site lists the majority of information you will need to plan your trip. Required documentation for each traveler is also listed below. Please have those documents ready for review when selected for travel:

• Active Duty Uniformed Services Member (includes National Guard and Reserve members on active duty in excess of 30 days and Cadets and Midshipmen of the U.S. Service Academies): DD Form 2 (Green), US Armed Forces ID Card (Active), Form 2 NOAA (Green), Uniformed Services ID and Privilege Card (Active), or PHS Form 1866-3 (Green), US Public Health Service ID Card (Active), and a valid leave authorization or evidence of pass status.
• Retired Uniformed Service Members: DD Form 2 (Blue), US Armed Forces ID Card (Retired), DD Form 2 (Blue) NOAA, Uniformed Services ID Card (Retired), or PHS Form 1866-3 (Blue), US Public Health Service ID Card (Retired).
• National Guard and Reserve Members: Authorized Reserve Component Members (National Guard and Ready Reserve) and members of the Standby Reserve who are on the Active Status List: DD Form 2 (Red), Armed Forces of the United States ID Card (Reserve) and DD Form 1853, Verification of Reserve Status for Travel Eligibility.
• Retired Reservists Entitled to Retired Pay at Age 60: DD Form 2 (Red) and a notice of retirement eligibility as described in DoD Directive 1200.15. If the automated DD Form 2 (Red) has been issued, the member is registered in his or her service personnel system as a Reserve retiree entitled to retired pay at age 60, and a notice of retirement is not required.
• Retired Reservists Qualified for Retired Pay: DD Form 2 (Blue), US Armed Forces ID Card (Retired), DD Form 2 (Blue) NOAA, Uniformed Services ID Card (Retired), or PHS Form 1866-3 (Blue), US Public Health Service ID Card (Retired).
• On Active Duty for 30 Days or Less: DD Form 2 (Red), orders placing the Reservist on active duty, and a valid leave authorization or evidence of pass status.
• ROTC, Nuclear Power Officer Candidate (NUPOC), and Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) Members: When enrolled in an advanced ROTC, NUPOC, or CEC course or enrolled under the financial assistance program: DD Form 2 (Red) and DD Form 1853.
• Family Members of Uniformed Services Members: DD Form 1173, United States Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card.
• EML Travelers: EML travel orders issued in accordance with Combatant Command procedures.
• Disabled and Widows/Widowers: Currently, 100 percent disabled veterans and widows of service members are not eligible to use Space-A travel. (Visit source website)

Space A Eligibility Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a grey area retiree, where can i fly.

Per the DOD reg , Table 6.1, Item 35, a Grey Area Retiree (Reservist who is eligible for retirement pay at 60 years of age but not yet 60 years old), can fly within the CONUS and directly between the CONUS and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa (Guam and American Samoa travelers may transit Hawaii or Alaska); or traveling within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The DoD reg , Table 6.1 does not authorize Grey Area Dependents to fly Space-A. (Reference PASSENGER SERVICE UPDATE DTG: 261800Z OCT 01 para 1.K)

Can 100% Disabled Veterans Travel Space-A?

Despite rumors to the contrary, 100 percent disabled veterans in possession of DD form 1173 or 2765 identification cards are not entitled to space-a travel aboard DoD aircraft. Any changes to space- a eligibility rules will be published as an immediate change to DoD 4515.13r and advertised accordingly (Reiteration HQ AMC/DONP 091704z Mar 99 and Reference PASSENGER SERVICE UPDATE DTG: 261800Z OCT 01 para 1.H).

Are Widows/Widowers Eligible to Travel Space-A?

Widows/widowers of active duty/retired military personnel are not entitled to space-a travel aboard DoD aircraft. Any changes to space- a eligibility rules will be published as an immediate change to DoD 4515.13r and advertised accordingly (Reiteration HQ AMC/DONP 091704z Mar 99).

Can a ROTC Cadet Fly Space-A?

Yes. When enrolled ( I read “contracted” versus “taking” ROTC) in an advanced ROTC, NUPOC, or CEC course or enrolled under the financial assistance program, on presentation of the following valid: DD Form 2 (Red) and DD Form 1853. Category of Travel is Cat 6 and travel is authorized ONLY within and between the CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii and the US. territories.

Space A Travel Categories

The following is a partial listing of eligible individuals and their category of travel. A complete listing of eligible passengers by category is contained in DoD 4515.13-R, Air Transportation Eligibility.

Emergency Leave Unfunded Travel. Transportation by the most expeditious routing only for bona fide immediate family emergencies, as determined by DOD Directive 1327.5. This travel privilege shall not be used in lieu of a funded travel entitlement.

• Uniformed Services members with emergency status indicated in leave orders.
• U.S .citizen civilians stationed overseas and employees of the Uniformed Services/Non-appropriated Fund (NAF) activities and whose travel from the CONUS, Alaska or Hawaii was incident to a PCS assignment at NAF expense.
• Dependents of members of the Uniformed Services when accompanied by their sponsor.
• U.S. citizen civilian employees of the Uniformed Service, stationed overseas
• U.S. citizen civilian employees of the DoD stationed overseas and paid from NAF, or
• American Red Cross full-time paid personnel serving with a DOD Component overseas.

Sponsors in an Environmental Morale Leave (EML) status and their dependents traveling with them, also in EML status. “Sponsors” includes:

• Uniformed Services Members.
• U.S. citizen civilian employees of the Armed Forces who are eligible for Government-funded transportation to the United States at tour completion (including NAF employees).
• American Red Cross full-time, paid personnel on duty with DOD Component overseas.
• USO professional staff personnel on duty with the Uniformed Services.
• DODDS Teachers during the school year and for Employer-approved training during recess periods.

Ordinary Leave, Close Blood or Affirmative Relatives, House Hunting Permissive TDY, Medal of Honor Holders, Foreign Military, and Others.

• Uniformed Services members in a leave or pass status, other than emergency leave, including members of the reserve components on active duty, in leave or pass status.
• Dependents of a member of the Uniformed Services when accompanied by their sponsor in a leave status.
• Uniformed Services members traveling under permissive TDY orders for house hunting incident to a pending PCS.
• One dependent may accompany a Uniformed Services member.
• Medal of Honor recipients and their dependents (when accompanied by their sponsor). Except for active duty, traveler shall present a copy of the Medal of Honor Award Certificate.
• Foreign cadets and midshipmen attending U.S. Service academies, in a leave status.
• Foreign Exchange Service members on permanent duty with the DoD, when in a leave status.
• Dependents of foreign exchange Service members on permanent duty with the Department of Defense when accompanied by their sponsor.

Unaccompanied Dependents on EML and DODDS Teachers on EML During Summer.

• Dependents traveling under the EML Program, unaccompanied by their sponsor.
• DODDS teachers of dependents accompanied or unaccompanied traveling under the EML Program.

Permissive TDY (Non-House Hunting) Students, Dependents and Others.

• Military personnel traveling on permissive TDY orders other than for househunting.
• Dependents (children) who are college students attending in residence at an overseas branch of an American (U.S) university located in the same overseas area in which they reside, command sponsored, stationed overseas with their sponsor, who is: (1) A member of the Uniformed Services; (2) A U.S. citizen civilian employee of the Department of Defense (paid from either appropriated funds or NAF); or (3) An American Red Cross full-time, paid employee serving with the Department of Defense.
• Dependents, command-sponsored, stationed overseas with their sponsor who is: (1) A member of the Uniformed Services; (2) A U.S. citizen civilian employee of the Department of Defense (paid from either appropriated funds or NAF); or (3) An American Red Cross full-time, paid employee serving with the Department of Defense. Unaccompanied travel is permitted to and from the nearest overseas military academy testing site to take scheduled entrance examinations for entry into any of the U.S. Service Academies
• Command sponsored dependents (18 years of age) of Uniformed Services members who are stationed overseas may travel unaccompanied from the sponsor’s PCS duty location to the CONUS and return. Travel is also authorized within the overseas theater. Travel cannot be between two overseas theaters (i.e., from Germany to Japan). Dependents must have command-sponsored documentation signed by the Commander verifying command sponsorship. Documentation is valid for one round trip.

Retired, Dependents, Reserve, ROTC, NUPOS and CEC

• Retired Uniformed Services members
• Dependents of retired Uniformed Service members, when accompanied by their sponsor.
• Dependents, command sponsored, stationed overseas with their sponsor who is: (1) A member of the Uniformed Services; (2) A U.S. citizen civilian employee of the Department of Defense (paid from either appropriated funds or NAF); or (3) An American Red Cross full-time, paid employee serving with the Department of Defense. Unaccompanied travel is permitted to the U.S. for enlisting in one of the Armed Forces when local enlistment in the overseas area is not authorized. If an applicant for Military Service is rejected, return travel to the overseas area may be provided under this eligibility
• Authorized Reserve component members and authorized Reserve component members entitled to retired pay at age 60 (gray area retirees) traveling in the CONUS and directly between the CONUS and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa (Guam and American Samoa travelers may transit Hawaii or Alaska); or traveling within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Newly commissioned ROTC officers who are awaiting call to extended active duty. Travel is authorized within and between the CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. territories.

Space-A Points:

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.
• You must travel light. Only duty passengers can pay for excess baggage.

Baggage Allowances

Each passenger may check two pieces of checked baggage, 70 pounds each, up to 62 linear inches in size. Family members may pool their baggage allowances. Hand-carried baggage must fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment, if available. Standard issue B-4 duffle bags are authorized to weigh 100 pounds and still considered one piece. Only one of these bags will be allowed.

C9 Baggage: Limited to two pieces at 55 pounds combined weight.

NOTE: Baggage weight may be limited due to type of aircraft or other restrictions. Check with your Passenger Service Center for more information.

Air Force Billeting

If you’re looking for someplace to sleep for the night, check billeting availability through the services lodging list web page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does my name stay on the space a list.

All travelers remain on the register 60 days after registration, for the duration of their leave orders authorization, or until they are selected for travel, whichever occurs first. Revalidation has been eliminated.

What is country sign-up, and how does it affect me?

Under this program, you may sign up for five different countries rather than five different destinations. AMC Passenger Terminals are no longer accepting the option for the “ALL” sign-up – in the past, this would make a passenger eligible for all other destinations served. You now have to sign up for individual countries.

What is remote sign-up?

Remote sign-up allows passengers to enter the backlog by telefaxing copies of proper service documentation along with desired country destinations and family members’ first names to the aerial port of departure. The telefax data header will establish date/time of sign-up; therefore, active duty personnel must ensure the telefax is sent no earlier than the effective date of leave. Terminals are not responsible for faxes not received. Mail entries will also be permitted. Some of terminals now accept e-mail sign-up. The original date and time of sign-up shall be documented and stay with the passenger until his or her destination is reached. On reaching destination, the passenger may again sign-up for space available travel to return to home station.

NOTE: If applicable, a statement that all required border clearance documents are current, is required.

What is self sign-up?

Self sign-up is a program that allows passengers to sign-up at a terminal without waiting in line. Most locations now provide self sign-up counters with easy to follow instructions for registration. Active duty personnel must ensure sign-up takes place no earlier than the effective date of leave. If your travel will take you to a foreign country, ensure border clearance documentation is up to date. If you are unsure, verify it with a passenger service representative on duty.

How can I find where my name is on the Space A register?

Each terminal maintains a Space A register (organized alphabetically, by priority and the date and time of registration for travel) that is updated daily. The register is conveniently located in the terminal and directly accessible to you. Travelers may call the terminal direct to find where they stand travel wise.

What are some guidelines on baggage?

Travel light, take only essentials. Do not place valuables, medicine, or important documents in your check baggage. Be sure your name and current address are on and inside your bags. Terminals have baggage ID tags available for you to use.

Can my pet travel with me on a Space A flight?

No. DoD has reserved pet shipments for passengers in permanent change of station (PCS) status only. Additionally, travel with pets would be difficult at best due to limited aircraft pet spaces, pet import documentation requirements, and the possibility of quarantine in the event of an aircraft divert. The short answe is: if you are on an AMC aircraft traveling as part of a PCS, you may take pets with you, if you are on Space-A Status (Leave, R&, etc.) then you may not.

Will Space A travel cost much?

In general, no. Some terminals must collect a head tax or a federal inspection fee from Space A passengers on commercial contract missions. Meals may be purchased at a nominal fee out of most air terminals while traveling on military aircraft.

What facilities are available at terminals (nursery, Base Exchange, snack bar)?

Facilities at most military terminals are generally the same as commercial facilities. Facilities include exchanges, barber shops, snack bars, pay television (free television lounge in some military terminals), traveler assistance, baggage lockers or rooms, United Services Organization (USO) lounges, and nurseries (at major terminals). The type of facility available will vary according to the terminal size and location.

NOTE: Most passenger terminals close at night. Space A travelers should be prepared to defray billeting expenses.

Tips for Traveling Space-A

• 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.

The following regulations govern AMC travel; please refer to them as the source documents regarding AMC travel.

• Passports, Visas, ID cards, Letters
• AMCI 24-101, Volume 14
• Air Transportation Eligibility DOD 4515.13R
• DTR, Chapter 103 – Passenger Movement
• GSA City Pairs
• Military Sim Cards

Questions?   Contact Us

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[email protected]

• Billeting : (707) 424-8000 (approx 0.5 miles from the Pax Terminal).
• Off-Base Lodging: See AMCGRAM

Long-Term Parking:

• Online Flight Schedules: See Passenger Terminal Page
• Terminal Hours: 0400-2200 (changed from 24 hours in Sep 12)
• Terminal Dining: Pacific Gateway Grill, 0730-1530 M-F, closed on weekends.
• Lockers: None
• Internet/WiFi: WiFi in Terminal and computers at library
• USO : Building 480 behind lodging: 0900-2100 Daily (Call (650) 821-7615 to verify hours
• Base Dining Facility:
• Note: Family room (for day use ONLY) in the terminal may close as early as 2200; make arrangements for overnight lodging.

Avis/Budget is right next to the Main gate/Visitor's center on Parker Road right next to Airbase Pkwy (See Map)

Fitness Center

• As of Sep 12: Multiple Flights Per Week: Hickam AFB, Hawaii Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Charleston AFB, South Carolina Andrews AFB, Virginia Anderson AFB, Guam Yokota AFB, Japan Kadena AFB, Okinawa North Island NAS, California March JARB, California
• Weekly Flights McGuire AFB, New Jersey McChord AFB, Washington Dover AFB, Delaware Norfolk NAS, Virginia Osan AFB, South Korea Scott AFB, Illinois
• Monthly Flights Eielson AFB, Alaska Martinsburg ANG, West Virginia Memphis ANG, Tennessee Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio Stewart ANG, New York Kelly Field Annex, Texas Westover ARG, Massachusetts
• On-Base Shuttle: Duty Pax only (as of Mar 14) but commercial shuttles are avialable (see AMCGRAM).
• Rental Car (In Terminal): None in terminal. Enterprise at the BX mini-mall (707) 437-7300 and maintains a drop box at the terminal. They will shuttle passengers to the BX mini-mall when contacted.
• Rental Car (Off Base):   Avis/Budget is right next to the Main gate/Visitor's center on Parker Road right next to Airbase Pkwy (See Map)
• Taxi/Shuttle: In addition to the companies listed on the AMCGRAM, Stan's Shuttle, (707) 761-4430, services the San Francisco and Sacramento Airports.
• Local Bus: See the "How do I? section below
• Local Rail:  AMTRAK, Fairfield
• How do I travel between Travis AFB and the local area using ground transportation? (Current as of Jul 15)
• Note 1: The following is based on information from the transit websites combined with inputs from several travelers' first-hand experience. Contact the respective transit organizations for current fares and to clarify any contradictory information. FAST routes do not run on Sundays or certain holidays (check with FAST to verify).
• 1. From Oakland Airport take the  AirBART Shuttle  (runs daily) to the Coliseum/Oakland Airport BART Station. Fares can be paid on-board bus with exact change only. Check the  BART Web Site  for schedule, fares and connecting bus service or call (510) 465-BART.
• 2. Take BART to El Cerrito del Norte Station. Travel time is approx 30 minutes.
• 3. Option 1 (Mon-Fri ONLY): Take the  FAST Route 90  bus (this is the Mon to Fri part) from the El Cerrito del Norte BART Station to the FAST Transportation Center (FTC). From the FAST Transportation Center, take the  FAST Route 8  bus to Huntington/Walters (approx 25 minutes). From Huntington/Walters take the  Travis AFB Shuttle  to the Pax Terminal (approx 20 minutes); Travis Inn, BX and hospital are along the route.
• An alternative route exists from the Pleasant Hill Bart Station using  FAST Route 40  to the FTC (Fairfield).
• An alternative from the FTC (Fairfield) is to take  FAST Route 7  or  FAST Route 3A  to the Westfield (Solano) Mall and then the  FAST Route 2  (approx 20 minutes) to Huntington/Walters and then take the Travis AFB Shuttle as in Option 1 above. If you use Route 7 make sure you take it in the correct direction (schedule shows it goes both ways) or else it will take nearly an hour to get from FTC to Westfield (Solano) Mall.
• 4. Option 2: Take the Solano County Transit SolTrans Route 80  Weekday or Weekend/Holiday bus from the El Cerrito del Norte BART Station to York and Marin. Transfer to the SolTrans Route 85  bus (runs daily) and take it to the Westfield (Solano) Mall. From the Westfield (Solano) Mall, take the FAST Route 2 to Huntington/Walters and the Travis AFB Shuttle as in Option 1 above.
• Fairfield and Suisun Transit (FAST) Web Site  - (707) 422-2877 (BUSS)
• SolTrans Web Site  - (707) 648-4666
• Note 2: Previous routes for the FAST Route 2 continued on to Travis AFB Pax terminal but the published schedules for this bus now refer to the "Travis AFB Shuttle" (some drivers may still refer to this as the #2). The swap to the Travis AFB Shuttle occurs at the Huntington/Walters stop.
• How do I travel between Travis AFB and the nearest Amtrak station? (Current as of Aug 15)
• Suisun City Amtrak Station  is the closest train station to Travis AFB. For approx $2 and one transfer at the Westfield (Solano) Mall, you can ride the  FAST Route 5  bus between the Suisun City Amtrak station and the Westfield (Solano) Mall, then use the info/directions posted earlier in this section to get to Travis AFB.  The taxi fare between the Suisun Amtrak station and Travis will be around $40 (2008 dollars)
• Travis AFB's Main Website

Please help keep this information current for your fellow travelers and send any updates or corrections to [email protected]

Main Gate (Travis AFB)

Passenger terminal (travis afb), lodging (travis afb), long-term parking (travis afb), key landmark (avis/budget rental car), key landmark (uso), key landmark (fitness center), typical flight destinations, ground transportation, "how do i...", additional resources, how to provide updates to this page.

Satellite View

Fact Check: Facebook Page Says Company To Launch Submarine Shuttle Service Between Oahu and Maui. Here's What We Know

A company in Hawaii is launching a submarine shuttle service that transports passengers between the islands of Oahu and Maui.

False ( About this rating? )

On March 21, 2024, the Facebook page The State of Hawaii posted an exciting announcement titled "Submarine Shuttle Service Launched Between Oahu and Maui: A Revolutionary Underwater Journey." According to the post , a company named SubSea Transit Inc. was introducing the service:

In an innovative step towards revolutionizing inter-island travel in Hawaii, SubSea Transit Inc. has launched an unprecedented submarine shuttle service between Oahu and Maui. This groundbreaking initiative offers travelers a unique and cost-effective alternative to traditional air and sea travel, while providing an unforgettable underwater experience.

This was not an official communication from Hawaii's actual Facebook page. While this The State of Hawaii page lacks a disclaimer explicitly stating that its output is satirical, it is  listed as an "entertainment website" and entertainment is clearly the page's intent. Most of the posts appear to use AI-generated imagery alongside questionable claims. A March 24, 2024 post , for example, claimed that the ( nonexistent ) "Hawaiian Department of Tourist Services" had introduced an "innovative obesity tax for visitors." 

Among several other things that cast doubt on the authenticity of the page is the fact that the official Seal of Hawaii (below left) does not contain a surfboard (as featured on the Facebook page in question), and the state's motto is not, as it claims, "we go surf." Hawaii's state motto is "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono," a Hawaiian saying that means "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness."

The announcement contained  further details that strain credulity. Snopes finds it unlikely, for example, that the CEO of SubSea Transit Inc would be so perfectly named for the job — Marina Deepwater: 

The CEO of SubSea Transit Inc., Dr. Marina Deepwater, expressed her excitement about the launch. "We're not just offering a ride; we're offering an experience. Passengers can witness the beauty of underwater Hawaii – from coral reefs to marine life – all while traveling comfortably between Oahu and Maui," Dr. Deepwater stated at the inauguration ceremony.

Further, our research uncovered  no company named SubSea Transit Inc. — certainly, at least, there is no company with that name that has successfully launched a submarine shuttle service in Hawaii. 

Because the post comes from an entertainment page pretending to be associated with the state of Hawaii, Snopes rates the announcement "False." 

Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=816705417145191&id=100064172192946&paipv=0&eav=AfZPy7sAvcsEK5tdugOp-b10C2wFXIP5OdxxctFL7BdOH_Lt1s432TrrgbX-fmAr0Co&_rdr . Accessed 26 Mar. 2024.

"Hawaii.Gov." Hawaii.Gov, https://portal.ehawaii.gov . Accessed 26 Mar. 2024.

State Motto. https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/vol01_ch0001-0042f/hrs0005/HRS_0005-0009.htm . Accessed 26 Mar. 2024.

Travel | Space Coast launch schedule

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Upcoming missions from kennedy space center and cape canaveral.

The Space Coast set a new launch record in 2023 with 72 orbital missions from either Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The pace of launches could ramp up by the end of 2024 to a near twice-weekly rate with as many as 111 missions possible.

Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches.

By The Numbers:

2024:  20 Space Coast launches in 2024 (updated March 25) | 14 from Cape Canaveral, 6 from KSC | 19 from SpaceX (19 Falcon 9s), 1 from ULA (1 Vulcan) | 2 human spaceflight ( Ax-3 , Crew-8 )

2023: 72 Space Coast launches in 2023 | 59 from Cape Canaveral, 13 from KSC | 68 from SpaceX (63 Falcon 9s, 5 Falcon Heavy), 3 from United Launch Alliance (1 Delta IV Heavy, 2 Atlas V), 1 from Relativity Space | 3 human spaceflights ( Crew-6 , Ax-2 , Crew-7 )

Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.

TBD (Delayed from March 28): United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37. This is the final Delta IV Heavy rocket launch ever, and last of any Delta rocket, which has been flying for more than 60 years. The Space Force has one more launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket before future missions transition to ULA’s new Vulcan Centaur. Read more .

March 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Eutelsat-36X mission during four-hour window from 5:52-11:50 p.m.

TBD, as early as April 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Read more .

As early as May 1: (Delayed from July 21, 2023; April 22, 2024): Boeing CST-100 Starliner atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station followed by a parachute-and -irbag-assisted ground landing in the desert of the western United States. Read more .

June 25: SpaceX Falcon Heavy on its 10th launch ever with payload of the GOES-U satellite for the NOAA from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A.

No earlier than mid-August 2024: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Crew-9 mission. Crew is NASA astronauts Zena Cardman making her first flight and the 10th of 11 members of the Turtles to fly to space; pilot Nick Hague making his third flight including one mission abort from Russia, mission specialist Stephanie Wilson, who flew three times on Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-121, STS-120, and STS-131 logging 42 days in space, and Roscomos cosmonaut and mission specialist Aleksandr Gorbunov, making his first trip to space.

October 2024: SpaceX Falcon Heavy on the Europe Clipper mission to travel 1.8 billion miles to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine whether there are places below Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. The mission’s detailed investigation of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

No earlier than October 2024: Axiom Space was awarded the right to fly Axiom-4. No crew has been announced, but NASA requires it to be commanded by a former NASA astronaut with experience on the space station such as the Ax-1, Ax-2 and Ax-3 commanders. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay, and will fly up with one of the SpaceX Crew Dragons. The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2024

TBD, early 2024: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on USSF 51 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, Summer 2024 (Delayed from summer 2023): Polaris Dawn mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with the Crew Dragon Resilience from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The private orbital mission will bring billionaire Jared Isaacman to space for a second time after 2021′s Inspiration4 mission. It’s the first of up to three planned Polaris missions, and will feature a tethered spacewalk. Also flying are Scott Poteet, given the title of mission pilot, specialist Sarah Gillis, and specialist and medical officer Anna Menon. Both Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees. Read more .

TBD, 2nd half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on first of four planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Dependent on ULA completing both Certification 1 and Certification 2 flights.

TBD, 2nd half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on second of four planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, 2nd half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on third of four planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, 2nd half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on fourth of four planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD: First launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. On the Space Force manifest for September 2024, according to Space Force officials.

November 2024: SpaceX Falcon Heavy flying Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. It will include NASA’s Artemis lunar rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, which will explore the relatively nearby but extreme environment of the moon in search of ice and other potential resources. This mobile robot will land at the south pole of the moon in late 2024 on a 100-day mission. The critical information it provides will teach us about the origin and distribution of water on the moon and help determine how to harvest the moon’s resources for future human space exploration.

December 2024: Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with the company’s second Nova-C lander featuring NASA’s PRIME-1 drill, to land a drill and mass spectrometer near the south pole of the moon in order to demonstrate the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and measure the volatile content of subsurface samples. Also flying is the Lunar Trailblazer, a mission selected under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, a small satellite designed to provide an understanding of the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the moon, as well as the lunar water cycle.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2025

TBD, no earlier than early 2025: Boeing Starliner-1 on ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 41. NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke will be commander and pilot, respectively. This Starliner previously flew on Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Depending on data from CFT mission, this could become SpaceX Crew-10 mission.

September 2025: NASA Artemis II mission to send four crew on 8-day orbital mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more .

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2026

September 2026: NASA Artemis III mission to send four crew on lunar landing mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more .

LAUNCHED IN 2024

Jan. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Ovzon 3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:04 p.m. This was the first launch of 2024. The 3,968-pound Ovzon 3 satellite is the first privately funded and developed Swedish geostationary satellite ever to be launched, headed for a geostationary transfer orbit where it will then propel itself to its geostationary orbit over 3-4 months at 59.7 degrees east at 22,236 miles altitude. The first-stage booster flew for the 10th time with a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

Jan. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-35 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:35 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 16th flight having previously flown on two crewed and two cargo missions to the International Space Station among others. It managed its recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more .

Jan. 8 (Delayed from May 4, Dec. 24-26): First-ever launch of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Certification-1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:18 a.m. Primary payload was commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander headed to the moon. Also flying will be another human remains payload for Celestis Inc., this time brining the ashes of more than 200 people to space including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan who played “Scotty” on the TV series. Read more .

Jan. 14 (Delayed from Jan. 13): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-37 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 23 Starlink satellites at 8:52 p.m. The first-stage booster flew its 12th mission and with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. This was the fourth launch from the Space Coast in 2024. Read more .

Jan. 18 (Delayed from Jan. 17): SpaceX Falcon 9 with a Crew Dragon Freedom for Axiom Space’s Axiom-3 mission launched at 4:49 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The crew includes one astronaut each from Italy, Turkey and Sweden while the mission is led by Axiom’s chief astronaut Michael López-Alegría who is making his sixth trip to space. The customers are Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, who will act as pilot. In the two mission specialist roles are Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey and ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden. All three have served in their respective nations’ air forces. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay with docking planned for Saturday at 5:15 a.m. The first-stage booster made a landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

Jan. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-38 mission with 23 Starlink satellites at 8:10 p.m. liftoff on a southerly trajectory from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A. The first-stage booster made its 18th flight, with past missions including the crewed flights of Inspiration4 and Ax-1, and had a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more .

Jan. 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on the NG-20 mission to resupply the International Space Station at12:07 p.m.. This was the first ISS launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40, which SpaceX has been redeveloping to support future crewed missions in addition to KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. This was the first of at least three SpaceX flights of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft as part of a deal after its 10-year run of launches atop Antares rockets ended with the Aug. 1 launch from Wallops Island, Virginia because of issues with Russian- and Ukrainian-made rocket engines and first stage parts that are being redeveloped with Firefly Aerospace for a future Antares rocket not expected until at least 2025. Following launch, the space station’s Canadarm2 will grapple Cygnus no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 1, and the spacecraft will attach to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading by the Expedition 70 crew. The first-stage booster made its 10th flight and returned for a touchdown at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

Feb. 8 (Delayed from Feb. 6, 7): NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:33 a.m. PACE will advance the assessment of ocean health by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae that sustain the marine food web, as well as clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere. The first-stage booster flying for the fourth time made a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

Feb. 14: A SpaceX Falcon 9 on the USSF-124 mission launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:30 p.m. Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time with a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2. Read more .

Feb. 15 (Delayed from Nov. 14, Jan. 12, Feb. 14): SpaceX Falcon 9 for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission with the company’s Nova-C lunar lander Odysseus from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 1:05 a.m. This could end up being the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission to land on the moon after the failure of Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander. The IM-1 has a suite of six NASA payloads as part of a CLPS delivery and another six privately organized payloads. Landing would take place Feb. 22. Read more .

Feb. 20: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Merah Putih 2 mission, a communications satellite for Telkom Indonesia, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:11 p.m. into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. This was the 11th launch from the Space Coast in 2023 and 300th successful Falcon 9 launch since its debut in 2010, having only had one mid-launch failure in 2015. This was the 17th launch of the first stage booster, and it made a recovery landing downrange on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

Feb. 25 (delayed from Feb. 24): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-39 mission sending up 24 Starlink satellites launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:06 p.m. This was the 12th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. The first-stage booster for the mission flew for the 13th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more .

Feb. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-40 mission with 23 Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:30 a.m. This was the 13th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. The first-stage booster for the mission flew for the 11h time and made recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. Read more .

March 3 (delayed from Feb. 22, 28, March 1, 2): SpaceX Crew-8 on Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A  at 10:53 p.m. Bad weather on the ascent corridor took the first three launch options on March 1 and 2 off the table. It’s the eighth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Its four crew members are NASA astronauts Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. They flew up in the Crew Dragon Endeavour making its fifth trip to space. The first-stage booster made its first flight. The mission had originally been targeting Feb. 22, but that was the target day for the Intuitive Machines attempt to land on the moon, and NASA chose to move the launch to “deconflict” NASA support operations that day. Read more .

March 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-41 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:56 p.m. The first stage booster flew for the 13th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship  A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more .

March 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-43 mission sent up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:05 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 11th time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 16th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. Read more .

March 15 (Delayed from March 13, 14): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-44 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 8:21 p.m. after scrubbing launches on both Wednesday and Thursday with about 2 minutes on the countdown clock. The booster flew for a record-tying 19th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more .

March 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the CRS-30 resupply mission with a Cargo Dragon to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:54 p.m. This was the first Dragon launch from SLC-40 since the addition of a crew access arm to support Dragon launches from more than one Space Coast pad and augment normal launches from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The first-stage booster made a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

March 23 (delayed from March 22):  SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-42 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 11:09 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for 19th time.

March 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-46 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:42 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the eighth time and landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship.

LAUNCHED IN 2023

Jan. 3: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-6 mission carrying 114 payloads for a variety of customers blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 a.m. Read more .

Jan. 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb at 11:50 p.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more .

Jan. 15: The fifth-ever flight of SpaceX’s powerhouse Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off at 5:56 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A on a mission for the Space Force dubbed USSF-67. Read more .

Jan. 18: A SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission for the Space Force rose through the pink, orange and blue horizon at 7:24 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more .

Jan. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 5-2 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launched at 4:32 a.m. sending up 56 Starlink satellites. Read more .

Feb. 2: Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-3 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 2:43 a.m. 200th successful flight of Falcon 9 on mission to send up 53 Starlink satellites. Read more .

Feb. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Amazonas-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 lifted off at 8:32 p.m. Payload is communications satellite for Hispasat known also as the Amazonas Nexus. Read more .

Feb. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-4 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 launched 55 Starlink satellites at 12:10 a.m. This set a then-record turnaround between launches from the same pad for SpaceX coming just five days, three hours, and 38 minutes since the Feb. 6 launch.  Read more .

Feb. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Inmarsat’s I-6 F2 satellite launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:59 p.m. The second of six planned communication satellite launches, the first of which came in 2021 with the final coming by 2025. Read more .

Feb. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-1 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:13 p.m. carrying 21 of the second-generation Starlink satellites. Read more .

March 2: Crew-6 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching Crew Dragon Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 12:34 a.m. A Feb. 27 attempt was scrubbed with less than three minutes before liftoff. Flying were NASA astronauts mission commander Stephen Bowen and pilot Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, heading to the International Space Station for around a six-month stay. It’s the sixth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Read more .

March 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb launched at 2:13 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

March 14: After arrival of Crew-6 and departure of Crew-5 to make room for a cargo Dragon, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft on CRS-27, the 27th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 8:30 p.m. Read more .

March 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 18 and 19 mission, a pair of communication satellites set to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Set a record for SpaceX mission turnaround with launch only four hours and 17 minutes after a Starlink launch from California. Read more .

March 22: Relativity Space Terran-1, a 3D-printed rocket awaiting company’s first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 16 at 11:25 p.m. While first stage successfully separated, the second stage engine did not get it into orbit. Read more .

March 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:43 a.m. carrying 56 Starlink satellites to orbit. The booster made its 10th flight. Read more .

March 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launched at 4:01 p.m. The booster making its fourth flight landed on Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more .

April 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Intelsat 40e mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:30 a.m. Read more .

April 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Starlink 6-2 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:31 a.m. with 21 Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its eighth flight with a recovery on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

April 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 03b mPOWER-B mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:12 p.m. Read more .

April 30: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch of ViaSat-3 Americas’ communications satellite from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 8:26 p.m. All three boosters were expended, so no sonic boom landings. Also flying were payloads for Astranis Space Technologies and Gravity Space headed for geostationary orbits. It’s the sixth-ever Falcon Heavy launch. The launch pad endured a lightning strike on April 27, but SpaceX said the rocket was healthy for the attempt. Read more .

May 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with 56 Starlink satellites at 3:31 a.m. The first-stage booster making its eighth flight was recovered once again on the droneship called A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

May 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launnched at 1:03 a.m. Read more .

May 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:19 a.m. carrying 22 second-gen Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in Atlantic.  Read more .

May 21: Axiom 2 mission with four private passengers launched to the International Space Station for an eight-day visit flying on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with Crew Dragon Freedom from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 5:37 p.m.  The first-stage booster flew for the first time with a return to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. This is only the second crewed mission from the U.S. in 2023 following March’s Crew-6 mission. The second Axiom Space private mission to the International Space Station following 2022′s Axiom 1 mission. Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. Read more .

May 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ArabSat BADR-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:30 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 14th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more .

June 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-4 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 second-generation Starlink satellites at 8:20 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight and was able to land down range on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch came 13 years to the day since the first Falcon 9 launch in 2010. It was the 229th attempt of a Falcon 9 launch with 228 of the 229 successful. Read more .

June 5 (Delayed from June 3, 4): SpaceX Falcon 9 on CRS-28 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft, the 28th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at at 11:47 a.m. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and SpaceX recovered it downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This is the fourth flight of the crew Dragon, which will be bring up nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies, dock to the station 41 hours after launch and remain on the station for three weeks. Read more .

June 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 53 of the company’s internet satellites at 3:10 a.m.  The first stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

June 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the PSN MSF mission to launch the Satria communications satellite for the Indonesian government and PSN, an Indonesian satellite operator. This satellite will provide broadband internet and communications capability for public use facilities in Indonesia’s rural regions. Liftoff was at 6:21 p.m. with the first-stage booster making its 12th flight and once again landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more .

June 22: United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on NROL-68 for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command and the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37B lifted off at 5:18 a.m. This was the second-to-last Delta IV Heavy launch with the final one expected in 2024. Read more .

June 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 5-12 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 carrying 56 Starlink satellites at 11:35 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time and landed on a droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more .

July 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ESA Euclid space telescope mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:12 a.m. The European Space Agency telescope is designed to make a 3D map of the universe by looking at billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away across one third of the sky. Read more .

July 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:58 p.m. The booster made a record 16th flight and was recovered again downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.  Read more .

July 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-15 mission with 54 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:50 p.m. (early Friday scrubbed 40 seconds before launch, and early Saturday option passed over) Booster made a record-tying 16th fligh landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic.  Read more .

July 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:50 p.m. carrying 22 of its v2 mini Starlink satellites. The booster flew for the sixth time and made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.  Read more .

July 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-7 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:01 a.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. Booster flew for the 15th time including crewed launches Inspiration4 and Ax-1, and made recovery landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The launch set a record for turnaround time for the company from a single launch pad coming four days, three hours, and 11 minutes since the July 23 launch. The previous record was set from Feb. 6-12 at five days, three hours, and 38 minutes.  Read more .

July 28: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A that launched a telecom satellite for Hughes Network Systems called the Jupiter 3 EchoStar XXIV at 11:04 p.m. The two side boosters were recovered at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This was the third Falcon Heavy launch of 2023 and seventh overall. Read more .

Aug. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Intelsat G-37 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1 a.m. The first-stage booster made its sixth flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more .

Aug. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:41 p.m. with 22 Starlink V2 minis. The first-stage booster made its fourth flight with another recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. The turnaround time between the Aug. 3 Intelsat G-37 mission and this mission broke SpaceX’s previous record for time between launches from a single launch pad. Previous record was from July 24-28 with a turnaround of four days, three hours, and 11 minutes. This one came in at three days, 21 hours, 41 minutes. Read more .

Aug. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:17 a.m. Payload is 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. First-stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more .

Aug. 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its 13th flight and SpaceX was able to recover it again on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more .

Aug. 26: SpaceX Crew-7 mission on a Falcon 9 launching the Crew Dragon Endurance from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A lifted off at 3:27 a.m. liftoff. It’s the seventh SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Flying are NASA astronaut and mission commander Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut and pilot Andreas Mogensen, mission specialist JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and mission specialist Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. This will be Endurance’s third spaceflight after having been used on the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. The launch will use a new first-stage booster. The crew will arrive at 8:50 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 27. with hatch opening about two hours later. It will stay docked about 190 days. Read more .

Aug. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:05 p.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. The first stage flew for the third time and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Aug. 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-13 mission carrying 22 of the v2 Starlink minis from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:21 p.m. It was SpaceX’s ninth launch of the calendar month matching the record nine launches it had in May. It was the company’s 60th orbital launch of the year. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more .

Sept. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-12 mission carrying 21 of the v2 Starlink minis from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Launch Complex 39-A at 10:47 p.m. It marked the 62nd SpaceX orbital launch in 2023 besting the 61 launches the company performed in 2022. The first-stage booster on the flight made its 10th launch and was able to make its recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

Sept. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-14 mission carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 took off at 11:12 p.m. The first-stage booster made its seventh flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more .

Sept. 10 (delayed from Aug. 29): United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 for the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 8:47 a.m.. Delayed because of Tropical Storm Idalia. This was the second ULA launch of 2023. SILENTBARKER’s classified mission is to improve space domain awareness to support national security and provide intelligence data to U.S. senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. It will provide the capability to search, detect and track objects from space-based sensors for timely custody and event detection. Read more .

Sept. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-16 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission made its fifth flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. It marked SpaceX’s 65th orbital launch of the year including missions from Canaveral, KSC and California. Read more .

Sept. 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-17 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. This was a record reuse flight for the first-stage booster flying for a 17th time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Short Fall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

Sept.23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-18 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:38 p.m. The first-stage booster made a record-tying 17th flight with a recovery landing down range on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

Sept.29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-19 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10 p.m. The booster on this flight made its 10th launch having flown on CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19 and five Starlink missions. It made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. This was SpaceX’s 69th launch of the year, its 49th from the Space Coast, 39th from Cape Canaveral and the other 10 from KSC. With only three non-SpaceX flights this year, it was the Space Coast’s 52nd overall. Read more .

Oct. 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-21 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:36 a.m.  The booster made its eighth flight with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. This was SpaceX’s 70th launch of the year, its 50th from the Space Coast, 40th from Cape Canaveral. With only three non-SpaceX flights this year, it is the Space Coast’s 53rd overall. Read more .

Oct. 6: United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:06 p.m. Payload was Amazon’s two test Project Kuiper satellites that were set to fly on ULA’s first Vulcan Centaur rocket, but switched to one of the nine Atlas rockets Amazon had previously purchased from ULA as Vulcan had been delayed to no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2023. Read more .

Oct. 13 (Delayed from Oct. 12): A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched NASA’s Psyche probe into space launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A at 10:19 a.m. The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029. Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away. The two side boosters returned for a land landing at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Read more .

Oct. 13 (Delayed from Oct. 8): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-22 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:01 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission is making its 14th flight, and made another recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas down range in the Atlantic. The launch came 8 hours and 42 minutes after the Falcon Heavy launch from nearby KSC earlier in the day. Read more .

Oct. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-23 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:36 p.m. This is the first-stage booster made its 16th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. This marked the Space Coasts’ 57th launch of the year, which matched the total it had in 2022. Read more .

Oct. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-24 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:17 p.m. The first-stage booster made its fourth flight with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This became the record 58th launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more .

Oct. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-25 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:20 p.m. This was the 59th launch from the Space Coast for the year. The first-stage booster flew for the eighth time and made a  recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed down range in the Atlantic. Read more .

Nov. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-26 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:37 p.m. This was the 60th launch from the Space Coast for the year. The first-stage booster flew for a record 18th time and made a  recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed down range in the Atlantic. Read more .

Nov. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-27 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 12:05 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 11th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 61st launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more .

Nov. 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 with cargo Dragon on the CRS-29 mission to carry supplies to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-B at 8:28 p.m. It’s the 29th resupply mission for SpaceX with its cargo Dragon filled with 6,500 pounds of supplies for the Expedition 70 crew with an expected arrival to the ISS about 5:20 a.m. Saturday. It includes NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) science experiment to measure atmospheric gravity waves and how it could affect Earth’s climate and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low-Earth-Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T), a technology demonstration for laser communications among the ISS, an orbiting relay satellite and a ground-based observatory on Earth. The first-stage booster flew for the second time and landed back at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Read more .

Nov. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES O3b mPOWER mission to medium-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40  at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:08 p.m. First stage made its 9th flight with a recovery landing on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more .

Nov. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-28 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:05 a.m. with 23 Starlink satellites. First-stage booster flew for the 11th time and landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions This was the 64th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. This launch came hours ahead of the Starship and Super Heavy launch attempt in Texas. Read more .

Nov. 22: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-29 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:47 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time and landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This marked the 65th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. Read more .

Nov. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-30 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40at 11:20 p.m. This was a southerly trajectory launch. The booster flew for the 17th time (3rd booster to do so) and landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It was the 66th launch of the year from the Space Coast, 62nd from SpaceX in Florida, and 87th orbital launch from SpaceX including California missions. Read more .

Dec. 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-31 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11 p.m. First stage booster flew for the sixth time and landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. It marked the 67th launch of the year from the Space Coast, 63rd from SpaceX in Florida, and 89th orbital launch from SpaceX including California missions.

Dec. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-32 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:07 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 68th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. Read more .

Dec. 18 (Delayed from Dec. 11, 12, 13) SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-34 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:01 p.m. Read more .

Dec. 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-32 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:33 a.m.  This was a record 19th flight for the first-stage booster having flown previously on Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3 and 13 Starlink missions. It made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 70th Space Coast launch of the year. Read more .

Dec. 28 (Delayed from Dec. 10, 11, 13): SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on USSF-52, the third mission for the Space Force, launching the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its seventh trip to space at 8:07 p.m. The side boosters flew for the fifth time, previously used on the Psyche mission, two Space Force missions and one commercial flight with another double land landing at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Read more .

Dec. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-36 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 11:01 p.m. This was the 12th flight for the first-stage booster with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. This was a record turnaround among SpaceX launches from Space Coast launch pads at 2 hours and 54 minutes besting October’s double launch that saw a Falcon 9 launch at CCSFS just eight hours, 42 minutes after a Falcon Heavy launch at KSC. Read more .

Follow Orlando Sentinel space coverage at Facebook.com/goforlaunchsentinel .

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Flying Space-A from Travis AFB: 7 Things You Need to Know

Travis Air Force Base is the biggest hub for Space-A travel on the West Coast. From Travis, you can take a hop in most any direction, but it’s a particularly good starting point if you want to fly to a destination in the Pacific. With three major airports within a 2-hour drive and base lodging only a 15-minute walk from the Travis Air Mobility Command (AMC) passenger terminal, Space-A travel from Travis AFB is also very convenient.

Get ready to plan your trip with these seven things you need to know about flying Space-A from Travis AFB!

If you are new to Space-A flying, read this  Quickstart Guide to Space-A Flights  first to get a basic understanding of how the process works.

Contents (click to expand)

1. Travis is a very active base for Space-A and has flights to and from all regions of the U.S. and OCONUS.

Travis generally has multiple flights per week to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam ; Andersen AFB, Guam; Yokota AB, Japan; and Joint Base Elmendorf/Richardson, Alaska.

Other regular destinations are Osan AB, Korea ; Kadena AB, Okinawa; Ramstein AB, Germany; North Island NAS, CA; March Air Reserve Base, CA; and Kelly Field, TX.

Travis also has relatively frequent missions to and from JB Charleston , Dover AFB , JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst , JB Andrews, and incoming missions from Naval Station Rota, Spain.

Visit the  Travis passenger terminal’s web page  to see their current flight schedules.

2. Most OCONUS flights from Travis are headed to the Pacific . . . but you might get lucky and hop a direct flight to Ramstein AB in Germany.

Travis generally has at least one flight to Ramstein per month. If you’re on the West Coast and want to go anywhere in Europe, hop this flight if you can. You will save a lot of time and money by not competing for flights at multiple locations within CONUS. It’s easy to travel anywhere else in Europe from Ramstein.

3. Travis is the best place to start if you want to fly Space-A to Hawaii.

Historically, Travis has had more than 200 missions per year to and from JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, along with occasional missions to Barber’s Point in Kalaeloa, Oahu (there are no return flights from that location).

Click here for more information about flying Space-A to Hawaii.

Travis also has multiple Patriot Express flights to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam per month.

4. Travis AFB has one lodging option, the Westwind Inn.

The Westwind Inn  is 0.5 miles from the Travis AMC terminal, and you can use one of the terminal’s luggage carts to roll your bags there. Likewise, when staying at the Westwind Inn the night before a flight, ask if they have any luggage carts you can use to bring your luggage to the terminal.

The Westwind Inn has standard rooms as well as family units, which have two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. Business suites are similar to family units, but slightly more upscale. Business suites are usually for O6/E9 but if these suites are available, they may allow you to reserve one.

You can reserve family units up to 30 days in advance, all other rooms up to 120 days out. Maximum reservation for leisure travelers is 3 days at a time, except during holiday season (end of November through December), when you can book your reservation for up to 14 days.

The Westwind Inn is generally full during drill weekends (usually the first weekend of the month). If you plan to fly in or out of Travis Space-A at those times, look for a hotel near the base .

5. The three closest airports to Travis are: San Francisco (SFO), Sacramento (SMF), and Oakland (OAK).

Travis does not have a shuttle to any of those airports, so the best transportation option depends on how much time you have and how many people are traveling. The Travis AMC Gram provides contact information for numerous taxis, shuttles, and other ground transportation companies.

Following are examples of possible routes from each airport. A few things to keep in mind:

• If you take Uber/Lyft, the driver may not have base access, so you will need to find transportation between the gate and the Travis passenger terminal (about 2 miles).
• Some local taxis have base access, but they may cost more than Uber/Lyft.
• The cost of the shuttles varies based on the number of passengers in your group. Contact them for a quote.
• Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station is less than 2 miles from the base. Amtrak offers small discounts for active duty military and seniors 65+.

SFO to Travis

Driving (one to two hours, depending on the route and traffic)

Options include Uber/Lyft, taxi, and various shuttles listed in the AMC Gram.

Train (~2.5 hours)

Take the BART (the Bay area’s metro) to Richmond Station (1 hr 10 minutes). Change to Amtrak, and ride another 50 minutes to the Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the Amtrak station to the base.

SMF to Travis

Driving (~1 hour)

Bus/Train (~90 minutes) Take the 42A or 42B bus from the airport to the Sacramento Valley Station (about 20 minutes). Ride 35 minutes to the Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the station.

OAK to Travis

Driving (60 to 90 minutes)

Train (~3 hours)

Take BART one stop from the Oakland Airport station to Coliseum station, then take Amtrak (1 hr 20 min) to Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the station to Travis.

6. If you are staying at the Westwind Inn and don’t plan to leave the base, you do not need a rental car.

Travis does not have a base shuttle, but all base facilities that you are likely to need during a short stay are within walking distance of the Westwind Inn.

The BX mall and Commissary are about a 20-minute walk. The fitness center (open 24 hours with an access card) is across the street, and the Monarch dining facility is less than a 10-minute walk. Contact Monarch for current eligibility.

If you need a car, your only options are off base. Click here to search for rental cars near Travis AFB.

7. Travis has a free short-term parking lot near the passenger terminal and a paid long-term lot farther away.

You can park in the short-term lot for up to 30 days. If you are selected for a Space-A flight, Travis pax terminal staff will give you a pass to fill out and display in the windshield of your vehicle.

The long-term parking lot is managed by Outdoor Recreation and is located across the street from their office (about 1.6 miles from the Travis passenger terminal). They charge a monthly fee to park in the lot and usually have a wait list. Call their office (707-424-0969) or visit their website for more details or to sign up for the wait list.

Ready to Fly Space-A from Travis AFB?

Travis is accessible and convenient, and it has missions to destinations all over the world. Now that you have the intel you need, it’s time to plan your trip! If you have flexibility and you’re looking for an adventure, you could even make your way to Travis and hop the first flight that has Space-A seats. Either way, Travis is a great place to start your Space-A journey!

Top photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement

Related Reading

UJ Space-A Info has more information and links related to Travis AFB.

If you’re hoping to catch that direct flight to Germany, here are  9 Things To Know About Flying Space-A to Ramstein .

If you’re headed anywhere in Asia, you will most likely travel via Japan; here are  9 Things To Know About Flying Space-A to Japan.

Here’s what you need to know about flying Space-A to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam .

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10 thoughts on “Flying Space-A from Travis AFB: 7 Things You Need to Know”

Good Article, Stephanie. I have flown out of Travis several times both to the East coast and to the Pacific. Let me add, the Passenger Terminal staff is extremely helpful and professional. Travelers, if you sign up for Space-A travel within 3 weeks of your planned departure, your almost assurred of getting your flight. Dont get discouraged, because there are often multiple flights a day departing for our 50th. State.

Thanks Doug! I agree, the Travis terminal staff are great, and they do a really good job of keeping the terminal’s Facebook page up-to-date.

Thanks for the article!

The long-term parking situation is the long pole in the tent if traveling Space-A out of Travis. With all of the vacant space on Travis AFB, I can’t believe that Outdoor Rec cannot create more parking spaces for those who will be gone more than 30 days. I was there last July and they confirmed that there is a LONG waiting list for long-term parking. Are you aware of any other options near Travis?

We want to travel to Hawaii and Guam for more than 30 days and are considering taking the PE from SeaTac to Yokota/Osan and catching a westbound hop from there. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks again!

Chris S. aka CombatCritic

Hi Chris, Unfortunately, I’m not aware of other long-term options near Travis. I’ve heard of folks parking their vehicles in the “lemon lot” with unrealistically-high price tags, but I can’t vouch for that option myself! If you are in the Seattle area, taking the PE to Japan seems like a roundabout route back to Hawaii/Guam (unless you wanted to spend time in Asia anyway). JB Lewis-McChord has regular flights to Travis, and we’ve flown directly from McChord to Hawaii as well. They definitely don’t fly there as frequently as Travis does, but if you can travel on short notice, it’s a good option. I hope that helps, but please let me know if you have other questions! Best, Stephanie

As usual, an excellent article. I have incorporated this page to my site, the Travis AFB page for additional information about Space A out of Travis. I always enjoy reading your articles because they are so informative. That’s why I have subscribed to your site. Keep up the good work.

Thank you John!

If your husband is DAV 100% you as a spouse cannot fly Space A with him. Is this correct and what is Geay Area mean?

You are correct: the spouse of a 100% DAV cannot fly Space-A. Grey Area retirees are retired Guardsmen and Reservists who served 20 years but are not old enough (i.e. under the age of 60) to collect their military pension.

Whoa, whoa! Now there’s an important detail I didn’t know! I’m 61, retired USAF Reserve receiving a pension; my spouse is 54, retired USAF Reserve, think he has the grey card. Does that mean he can’t come along with me if I take a hop? I don’t know what a DAV is..

Your spouse can fly Space-A within the continental U.S. and to U.S. territories (Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, etc.) with or without you. He does not have his own eligibility to fly Space-A to international destinations until he reaches full retirement age. If he accompanies you to international destinations, he travels as your dependent and you are his sponsor. DAV are Disabled Veterans.

Comments are closed.

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Hawaii News

Deals abound as hawaii tourism remains soft.

• By Allison Schaefers [email protected]
• Updated 12:29 a.m.

The only thing robust about Hawaii’s spring break tourist season this year are the discounts. Read more

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The only thing robust about Hawaii’s spring break tourist season this year are the discounts.

Normally, hunting for a kamaaina special at Hawaii hotels during spring break season is challenging. But this year, the Golden Goose isn’t laying as many eggs.

It’s a sign of the softness that the Kahala Hotel &Resort put out an offer for 40% off its best rate for Hawaii residents through March, and other Hawaii hotels also are heavily recruiting visitors and locals to fill empty rooms.

The daily count of visitors in Hawaii and their daily spending dropped in February — the seventh monthly decline in a row since the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

In February, DBEDT reported that on average, there were 236,008 visitors each day in the Hawaiian Islands, down 3.2% from the daily visitor census in February 2023, and a decrease of 4.4% from February 2019. Visitors spent $57.1 million per day on average in February, a 2.4% decline from February 2023 but up 15.2% from February 2019.

Since 2024 is a leap year, the daily comparison is more accurate. Monthly results reflected the loss of a day in 2019 and 2023.

Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance President Jerry Gibson said any way you slice it, the market was soft in February. Gibson said that softness has continued into the spring break season, which spans about three weeks and is the precursor to the peak summer season.

“February definitely wasn’t a month to remember. So far over spring break, the industry is definitely down a few occupancy points and the rates are down a bit. You are going to see more marketing with the hotels,” he said. “Usually there are not a lot of kamaaina specials for spring break. The hotels are trying to fill up a bit. Kauai is doing fairly well and the Kona Coast is doing fairly well, but Maui is down on the south side and the west side and Oahu has a lot of inventory that we still need to fill.”

Gibson said the future booking pace is not doing well either.

“The next 90 days is just very marginal at this point, and it looks to me like July and August are off a few points from the previous year,” he said. “However, we could see some pickup as the booking window is shorter and people are booking as close in as 30 days. They are looking for deals right now and they are getting them. It’s not just hotels; there are discounts for airfare and activities, too.”

Some softness already had emerged in Hawaii’s core domestic tourism source market before the Maui wildfires. After the tragedy, the downturn grew in part because of confusion about whether tourists were welcome in Hawaii and what destinations were open.

Hawaii also is competing with pent-up demand from U.S. travelers for destinations like Japan and Europe that were slower to reopen after the pandemic and where the exchange rates allowed them to stretch their dollars.

Indeed, compared to last year, DBEDT statistics show that the average daily census had decreased in all North American markets. It was down 6% from Hawaii’s core U.S. West; 10.6% from Hawaii’s second-largest visitor source market, the U.S. East; and 9.4% from Canada.

The average daily visitor census in February was up 77.2% from Japan compared to February 2023 and up 18% from the category DBEDT calls “ all other markets,” which includes all international markets outside of Japan and Canada. However, the gains were because most of Hawaii’s international markets have yet to recover from the COVID-19 drop.

Other signs of weakness included a 2.3% year-over-year drop in the average length of stay, which fell to 8.86 days this February. Also, the average visitor spending per day only rose 1% year over year to nearly $242, and the average spending per trip fell 1.3% to nearly $2,144.

DBEDT Director James Tokioka said in a statement, “The visitor statistics indicate that our tourism industry continues to be soft. The main reasons for the weakness include the continued impact of the Maui wildfires and the shift of U.S. and Canadian visitors to other international destinations due to currency appreciation. The currency situation is expected to improve when the Federal Reserve starts to cut interest rates during the second half of 2024.”

Tokioka said a bright spot is the continued recovery of Japan and other international visitor source markets.

“With Gov. Green’s most recent trip to Japan to strengthen tourism opportunities in partnership with the U.S. government, the Japanese government and the private sector, we are optimistic about the outcomes to support travel and economic growth for Hawaii and Japan,” he said.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Board Chair Mufi Hanne­mann, also president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, said Japanese visitors are responding well to Hawai‘i Tourism Japan’s pivot from the Malama (take care of ) Hawaii campaign to the Beautiful Hawaii and Yappari (It’s Got To Be Hawaii) campaigns, which showcase reasons to come to Hawaii.

Hannemann said another success is the Maukaukau (We are ready) Maui campaign, which featured local residents and businesses inviting visitors back to Maui after the wildfires. He said the Hawai‘i Visitors &Convention Bureau, the HTA contractor that markets to U.S. visitors, also is planning to pivot soon from its main malama message.

“The industry is concerned that the spring was soft. They’ve been asking for a more inviting message to welcome people back and let them know that residents want them back,” Hannemann said. “We think this will be a nice push for summer.”

Hannemann said the HTA board gave HVCB an extra $900,000 in January from the tourism emergency special fund to help support Maui’s tourism recovery. He said the HTA board also approved a larger fiscal year budget for HVCB, which will get $15 million in July.

No need for ban on short-term rentals in West Maui, Gov. Green says

Lahaina group seeks phase-out of vacation rentals.

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The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.