Military Space A Travel: Is it Worth It?

My husband originally joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard. In 2001, he went off to basic training and AIT. When 9/11 happened, he was at basic training in the woods of Fort Benning. He didn’t find out about the atrocities that had happened until later.

As you can imagine, he was fired up and ready to deploy. After training, he went back home where he worked multiple civilian jobs, including as a beekeeper and fitness instructor in addition to his National Guard responsibilities.

At one drill weekend, they asked for volunteers to deploy. He immediately signed up. Young and ready to fight, he immediately thought he was going into the thick of war. Instead, he was assigned to a security mission for three years at an air base just 50 minutes from his hometown.

This turned out to be a turning point in his career. It’s where he learned about the Active Guard Reserve program (which he has been a part of for 15 years), and it’s where he was introduced to the Space A program.

What is Space A?

It stands for Space Availability, and it’s the program the military uses to offer extra passenger seating on flights. It’s variable and unpredictable. It can be a headache. But, it also can be exciting and enjoyable and can help stretch your vacation budget.

Most often, these flights are free. Occasionally, there is a small fee if the plane is a contracted flight (once we had to pay $7 per person, but that can vary).

Active-duty personnel and retirees are both eligible to fly. There is a ranking system, so people who are on emergency leave have top priority. You can read details on the tiered structure here. We’ve always flown in Category III because my husband is still active duty. Some National Guard and Reserve members are eligible, but I’m not as familiar with how it works.

I have never flown on my own, as a dependent without my spouse, because I just haven’t been in the position to need to travel Space A without him. If I’m flying on my own, it’s usually to visit my sisters in Florida and I set up google flight tracker to get the best price. If you have experience here, we’d love to hear it!

Why Try Space A?

We’ve flown Space A many times. The air base nearest to us is a National Guard base, so honestly, not many people are familiar with their flights. They generally have a flight that goes to Hawaii that fits in our schedule every few years. We always aim for that flight! We try to share this perk with our local military friends, because it’s too good to miss out on.

Real seats on this flight!

In addition to being free, a perk of flying Space A includes a more relaxed atmosphere than flying commercial airlines.

Yes, you still have to abide by the TSA rules and go through some form of security check. But, you experience travel like none other. Often you ride a bus across the tarmac, climb up steps, you might have to sit in cargo jump seats, or if there’s enough space, they put in the real seats. That’s always a treat!

We’ve always flown out of Milwaukee on a KC-135 refueling plane. They’re huge. We’ve played catch in the open space, driven matchbox cars for hours, played silly games—all of which make traveling Space A with children a major positive.

Plus, you have to wear ear protection, so for an introvert, hours of white noise is a vacation within itself!

Sometimes when there’s space, they let us stretch out on the cots or even check out the view from the Boom Operator’s spot. We have a special place in our hearts for the Milwaukee Air National Guard flight crews; they always treat us well.

Space A Travel gave my son the chance to look through the boom operators window.
Best view on a KC-135!

We’re always looking for ways to use Space A Travel. Once, we hopped a flight from Milwaukee to Travis Air Force Base. From there, we planned on hopping a flight to Hawaii (I know, we have a problem, but we really love Hawaii!). The flight we were on ended up with a maintenance issue, delaying our flight by one day.

We could have easily hopped that flight the next day, but after weighing our options, we decided we wanted to maximize our vacation time. Instead, we passed on the Hawaii flight and toured Napa, Sonoma Valley, and San Francisco with our son who was about 2 at the time.

Was it what we had planned? No. Was it still a fantastic vacation? Yes! It’s why I recommend Space A. Travel, in my mind, should be a little about the actual adventure and Space A gives us the confidence to try something a little risky and through the risk, gives us confidence to really explore.

We always build in two or three days at the end of our trip so we can be sure to catch a flight home. If we catch one the first day, then we just enjoy getting back early enough to catch up on laundry and get back into our routine. If we don’t catch a flight that first day, we take that extra day of vacation and spend it well (being at the air terminal so early means you usually have a full day ahead of you!).

We’ve experienced the frustration of showing up at 5 a.m., only to not catch a flight that day. We’ve also experienced getting stuck in a waiting room for many, many hours while they attempt to fix a plane. It tests your hurry-up-and-wait game, but if you’re up for an adventure, it’s worth it every time.

I think that’s the attitude you need to take when flying Space A. I realize it can be more stressful when you’re PCSing. However, if you’re using Space A for vacation, take on an adventurer mindset.

Among the tips we’ve picked up over the years, one of the top tips is to follow air terminals on Facebook. Watching their flight schedules over time will help you have an idea of where their flights go on a regular basis and approximately how many spaces are usually available. Here’s a link to Travis Passenger Terminal to get you started. Once you start liking pages, more similar pages should show up.

This travel isn’t for everyone. But I believe military families, overall, possess a spirit to which no civilians can compare, so we’re afforded opportunities that civilians might not take.

My son has flown on a KC-135! None of his classmates have had that experience. He’s a great traveler, and I’d take him anywhere, in large part because of the patience he’s developed from traveling Space A. He’s a more well-rounded kid because of the military.

When I have tough days, I try to remind myself of the good things that the military has brought into our lives.

A few more Space A tips:

• Be patient. Like everything military-connected, there’s a lot of hurry up and wait.

• Bring some warm clothes or a blanket. Sometimes the flights are very chilly.

• Wear tennis shoes or closed-toe shoes. Safety first! Pack the cute shoes in your luggage.

• Take snacks and pack a lunch.

• Pack empty water bottles to fill after passing through security

• Bring your own ear protection. It may be more comfortable than foam ear plugs.

 

 

Still not convinced? Just give it a try! Watch the postings, ask your spouse to get his leave forms together, call to sign up, and set your alarm early.

Have you traveled Space A? I’d love to hear more. Where are you headed? What’s your favorite passenger terminal? Any tips or tricks you can share? Comment below or start the conversation on Facebook! We want to hear your experiences!

 

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Jolene McNutt

Jolene McNutt

Jolene McNutt is a writer, editor, and graphic designer. She co-owns a business with her retired teacher dad creating hands-on resources for elementary and middle school teachers. Jolene has been married to her extroverted husband, Phil, for more than 11 years! Phil recently jumped ship as an AGR soldier in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and re-enlisted in the Big Army with 17 years of active duty service. Jolene and Phil have an elementary-aged son, Finn, who loves legos, math, and reading. Jolene enjoys traveling, reading, and making allergy friendly recipes for Finn. Despite her introverted nature, Jolene loves hosting friends and family. You can find her volunteering or playing with a pup or two during her spare time. Find her on Instagram @jolenemichelle1.

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