Priorities on Space A Travel are determined by which of five categories you fall into and is then first come, first served within each category. All active duty personnel (including midshipmen) traveling on regular leave are Cat 3 passengers (Cat 5 is lowest of five categories), regardless of rank. A Midshipman on leave will have priority over a retired admiral on leave. Getting on the plane at one location does not guarantee a seat to one's final destination if there are multiple stops enroute. Anybody can be bumped at any location. While anybody can sign up for Space A travel, active duty personnel must have approved leave papers to do so. (See USAF Air Mobility Command Web Site)
The earliest one can sign up is 60 days prior to anticipated travel. Doing so puts one ahead of anybody that signs up at 59 days or less prior to a given date. After 60 days your name is removed from the list and you must sign up again - going to the bottom of the list once again. It's generally a good idea to sign up less than 60 days out to allow some flexibility when traveling and so that your name remains on the list for a few days after your initial departure date in case you don't get a flight on the first day.
When signing up, don't forget to sign up on the Space A list for a return flight once you are within the 60 day window of your anticipated return. Because of the peculiarities of Space A travel, the best piece of advice when traveling Space A is to have enough money in your pocket to buy a commercial ticket if needed to get you back before leave expires and you are declared UA.
I've done very little Space A travel, but since arriving at Scott AFB in
1991, have worked with many of the people that maintain the DOD's Space
A travel policy at Air Mobility Command and US Transportation Command.
Refer to the following website for lots of answers and terminal
information (including flight information and Space A sign-up):
Space A List Scroll to bottom for Contact Info for all terminals.
Please note on the website that those terminals listed with links
generally have regularly scheduled AMC channel service (e.g. Norfolk -
Sigonella 2x/week or Dover - Ramstein 5x/week). Those without links are
hit and miss with no regularly scheduled channel service.
GO NAVY!
Mike Carnes '74
Commander, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Naval Academy Information Officer
Area Coordinator – Eastern Missouri
Brian '07/18
O'Fallon, IL