Many people join the Air Force with the goal of traveling, especially if they’ve grown up and lived in one place their whole lives. One of the benefits of serving in the Air Force is the travel, whether it’s through official orders or by taking advantage of the perks offered to Airmen. There’s plenty of work you’ll have to do while you’re in the Air Force, but you’ll also have plenty of opportunities to travel on your days off and when you take leave.

Below, we’ll cover some of the benefits of traveling while you’re in the Air Force and why you should take advantage of opportunities you get to travel when you can. With the knowledge below, you’ll be better equipped to start planning and preparing for your next trip, whether you’re going on a solo adventure or taking the whole family.

Why You Should Take Advantage of Traveling While You’re in the Air Force

Traveling is a great way to explore other cultures, meet new people, and bond with your loved ones, and just because you’re in the Air Force doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Spending time traveling with your family and loved ones can increase your overall happiness and decrease some of the stress you experience in your life.

Beyond the cultural and mental benefits of travel, Airmen have additional benefits to take advantage of during their travels. One of the most notable benefits of travel for Airmen is their financial savings since they’ll have access to benefits and discounts that civilians won’t. As a result, many Airmen may be able to take trips they otherwise wouldn’t, creating the opportunity for more exciting and fulfilling experiences. Keep reading to learn more about these impressive benefits.

Airline Discounts and Benefits for Traveling Airmen

If you have to fly to your desired destination, many airlines will offer Airmen discounts and checked baggage for free while they’re traveling. While not all airlines will offer these benefits, most well-known airlines do, such as United, Frontier, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines.

The exact discounts and benefits will depend on the airline. For example, some airlines may let you check in additional bags at no additional cost while others may also discount the price of airfare. Airmen on official travel orders may be able to benefit from additional discounts or services.

Something to remember when you’re booking your flights is that many of these discounts won’t be shared publicly online. Instead, you may need to take the incentive to call the airline and ask about their rates, discounts, and benefits, for Airmen and their families.

Apart from discounts, Airmen will also have benefits within the airport itself. For example, active duty personnel are often allowed to board flights first with their families, and some airports have members-only lounges that service members can access if they have their ID handy.

Lodging Benefits for Airmen

On top of the airfare benefits Airmen can receive, they can also receive benefits and discounts for their lodging. Many resorts and hotels will offer discounts to active-duty Airmen and their families, including Hilton Hotels, LaQuinta Hotels, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

When you go to book your lodging, consider using American Forces Travel. This website offers plenty of discounts for your stay, with some savings reaching as high as 60%. The money you save on booking your hotel or resort stay can be used for other experiences for you and your family, such as local restaurants, events, ticketed experiences, and more.

Additional Travel Benefits for Airmen

While lodging and airfare are some of the most costly parts of your travel, there are a few other travel benefits you can take advantage of as a member of the Air Force. Using American Forces Travel, you can find discounts on things like events and cruises to really make the most of your travel experience. The savings you get from your airfare and lodging can go towards tickets and other fun travel experiences for you and your family.  

Benefits of Space-A Travel

Something unique that Airmen have access to that civilians don’t is Space-A travel. This military program allows Airmen and their families to hitch a ride on an official military aircraft from the Air Mobility Command when there is extra space.

The one caveat behind these flights is that they’re usually unpredictable, but they make an excellent travel option for Air Force families on a budget and with some flexibility in the travel plans. The reason Space-A travel relies on flexibility is that some flights may not end up at your exact destination, you may not be able to catch the first flight you want, and flights can be rerouted. If you’re taking one of these flights, remain as flexible as possible and prepare for everything, such as needing to find additional transportation to reach your destination or weather conditions different from what you expected.

Before you can get on these flights, you will need to sign up for Space-A travel first. To do this, you will need to contact the terminals you’d be interested in traveling from and make sure to sign up as quickly as possible. Signing up in advance will make it more likely for you to get access to your desired flight.

Tips and Tricks for Traveling While You’re in the Air Force

Airmen have some unique differences in their travels than their civilian counterparts, so it’s important to be prepared beforehand to ensure you’re ready. Below, we’ll go over some of the most important tips and tricks for traveling in the Air Force, whether you’re traveling on official orders or taking a fun vacation with family.

1. Thoroughly Research Your Discounts and Benefits

Don’t just start booking flights and hotels the moment you decide you want to travel. Instead, you want to research your benefits and discounts as an Airman to make sure you’re getting the best deal and saving the most for other experiences on your trip. Some of your benefits can even make travel more comfortable and convenient for you and your family, such as getting the chance to be one of the first to board many airlines.

2. Travel With the Proper Luggage

As a member of the Air Force, you know how important it is to have the right gear, and travel is no exception. If you’re traveling with luggage that doesn’t have the capability to withstand travel, it’s more likely to fail you on long trips, which can throw a wrench in your plans.

Before you even start your trip, you should invest in a bag that has the quality and durability needed to protect your travel supplies and essentials. The better the bag, the longer it will last on your trips. You’ll be able to keep using your bags for future trips, which will help you save in the long run since you won’t have to buy a new bag as soon.

3. Remain Flexible

Being in the Air Force, you need to stay a little flexible with your travel plans. As an Airman, you’re aware of how busy life can get in the Air Force, and any of your personal travel plans will need to be planned enough in advance for you to take leave. Your leave will need to be approved before you can go on your trip, so it’s unlikely you’ll be able to plan a spontaneous trip for the next day like you might do in the civilian world. The approval process for leave requires several signatures, so it’s important to start this process as soon as possible before you even book your accommodations or flights.

Something else to remember is that plans tend to change in the Air Force, and there’s always a chance that something can happen that can affect your travel plans, even if you’ve planned for them well in advance. You may receive sudden orders to deploy, have to attend training, or have your leave revoked.

It’s important to stay flexible with your travels knowing you may have to cancel or reschedule trips. If you’re using Space-A travel or something similar, you will need to be even more flexible as plans can change at any time, even if everything works out on your end.

4. Seriously Consider Travel Insurance

Due to some uncertainty in your schedule in the Air Force, it would be a good idea to invest in something like travel insurance anytime you plan to take a trip. If something happens and the Air Force requires you to stay, travel insurance will prevent you from losing money you’ve spent on your trip by giving you a refund or credit for a future trip. Traveler’s insurance also covers more than just work. You will also be covered if you suddenly get sick, break down on the way to your flight, or due to poor weather. If you’re spending a lot of money on airfare and accommodations, you will want to add travel insurance in case something happens to prevent you from losing all your money.

5. Have a Back-Up Plan

You never know what can happen when you travel, especially if you’re using Space-A to get where you want to go. Your flight home through Space-A may be canceled or you may not be allowed to board. If you don’t plan ahead for these circumstances, you could end up stuck at your travel destination for longer than intended, which can cause complications back home with your command.

You don’t want to leave anything to chance on your trip and should have a backup plan or two if something goes wrong with your initial travel plans. For example, if you can’t take the Space-A flight you were planning for, you should have a plan to make it to an airport so you can fly home on the next available flight. You may even be able to make a later Space-A flight if one is available, but you should have a backup plan to get home in case this doesn’t work out.

Get Back to Work on the Right Foot With AUSI

After you return home from your travels, you will likely need to start getting ready to get back to work. Make sure you show up to work looking your best and within Air Force regulations when you use American Uniform Sales. We offer AFI-compliant uniforms, footwear, and accessories to ensure you’re in compliance with strict Air Force standards at all times. You can check out our website to get started, or contact us directly with any questions or concerns.