Who Is Eligible for Space-A Flights?

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Airman 1st Class John Virgin, a passenger service agent from the 3rd Aerial Port Squadron, explains Air Mobility Command's Space-A travel options available at Pope Army Airfield to a customer. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)
Airman 1st Class John Virgin, a passenger service agent from the 3rd Aerial Port Squadron, explains Air Mobility Command's Space-A travel options available at Pope Army Airfield to a customer. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

The following is a partial listing of eligible individuals and their category of travel. In Space A terms, your "category" of travel is your priority. The numerical order of space-available categories indicates who gets to board the plane first. Travelers in lower numbered categories move first.

You are placed in one of these six categories based on a combination of two criteria: your status (for example, active duty member, DoDDS teacher, etc.), and your situation (for example, emergency leave, and ordinary leave, etc.).

Once accepted for movement, a space-available passenger may not be "bumped" by another space-available passenger, regardless of category.

A complete listing of eligible passengers by category is found on the AMC website.

Category I - Emergency leave travel

  • US citizen, DOD Civilian Employees stationed overseas
  • Full-time, paid personnel of the American Red Cross serving with U.S. military overseas
  • Military family members whose sponsors are stationed within the Continental United States (CONUS) and the emergency exists overseas
  • Family members of U.S. citizen civilian DOD employees when both sponsor and dependents are stationed at the same location overseas

Category II - Accompanied Environmental & Morale Leave (EML)

  • Sponsors on EML and accompanied family members.
  • DoD Dependent School (DoDDS) teachers and their accompanied family members in EML status during school year holiday, vacation periods.

Category III - Ordinary Leave, House Hunting TDY

  • Military members on ordinary leave and military patients on convalescent leave. 
  • Military members on permissive temporary duty (TDY) orders for house hunting in conjunction with PCS orders. Military member can be accompanied by one family member
  • Dependents of military members deployed for more than 365 consecutive days
  • Military family members (up to age 23 with a valid ID card) of a military member when accompanied by their sponsor who is in an ordinary leave status between overseas and CONUS

Category IV - Unaccompanied dependents on EML

  • Dependents of military members deployed more than 120 consecutive days
  • Unaccompanied family members (18 years or older) traveling on EML orders. Family members under 18 must be accompanied by an adult family member who is traveling EML
  • DoDDS teachers or family members (accompanied or unaccompanied) in an EML status during summer break

Category V - Permissive TDY, Students, Dependents, Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence

  • Unaccompanied command-sponsored dependents
  • Students whose sponsor is stationed in Alaska or Hawaii
  • Students enrolled in school INCONUS when the sponsor is stationed overseas
  • Military personnel traveling on permissive TDY orders for other than house hunting

Category VI - Retirees, Dependents, Reservists & Disabled Veterans

  • National Guard/Reserve components/members of the Ready Reserve and members of the Standby Reserve who are on the Active Status List.
  • Retired military members who are issued DD Form 2 and eligible to receive retired or retainer pay & their family members, family members are only eligible if they have an ID card and travel with retired service member.
  • Veterans with a VA rated permanent 100% disability and their dependents. Dependents must be accompanied by the sponsor and travel must be in CONUS or directly between the CONUS and Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories
  • Surviving spouses of retirees or of service members who died on active duty or training status. Their dependents may also travel if accompanied by the surviving spouse.

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