MARCH 11, 2025 – In a world of commercial airlines, why not fly military style for a fraction of the cost? Active duty, reserve, guard, disabled veterans, retirees and their dependents have the privilege to hop from base to base all around the world with Space Available.
At the 436th Aerial Port Squadron Passenger Terminal, Space A is for overseas travel on the C-5M Super Galaxy and the C-17 Globemaster III, at a low cost. Department of Defense employees can travel to a large number of locations in the United States or overseas for vacations, holidays or just to visit family.
“Space A is a congressionally mandated program,” said Amanda Asprion, 436th Aerial Port Squadron Passenger Terminal lead passenger operations specialist. “[It’s] where you get to utilize the extra leftover space on military aircraft to travel around the world.”
There are six categories that personnel may fall into while planning to travel with Space A:
- Category I is for emergency leave and travel in connection with serious illness, death or impending death of a member of the immediate family as determined by DoDI 1327.06 and military service regulations.
- Category II is for sponsors on environmental and morale leave and accompanied family members.
- Category III is for military members’ ordinary leave, dependents, house hunting permissive temporary duty travel and foreign exchange service members on permanent duty with the DoD.
- Category IV is for dependents traveling on orders, along with DoD teachers or family members (accompanied or unaccompanied) in an environmental and morale leave status during summer break.
- Category V is for permissive TDY (non-house hunting), students, dependents, post-deployment/mobilization respite absence & others.
- Category VI is for retirees, dependents, reservists, reserve officers’ training corps, nuclear propulsion officer candidates, Civil Engineer Corps, veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rated as total and surviving spouses of service members who died in active duty, inactive duty training or annual training status.
The Passenger Terminal and Space A operating instructions align with the Transportation Security Administration’s guidance on baggage checks and screening policies. However, Space A allows for two bags at 70 pounds each per passenger, unlike the 50-pound limit on commercial airlines.
While commercial airlines may be more reliable, it is possible for Space A flights to be canceled or pushed to a later time. When a delay or cancellation does occur, Asprion explained, those passengers are moved to the next flight and put at a higher priority so they can have a seat even if there are already passengers set for the next flight.
For any questions or concerns, Senior Airman Ashley Spoon-Roth, 436th Aerial Port Squadron Passenger Terminal passenger service agent, encouraged DoD members to call the service desk.
“It makes it a lot easier to be able to explain it over the phone,” said Spoon-Roth. “If you have questions on how it works, don’t be afraid to ask us. We tend to get a lot of people that are hesitant to call and ask their questions and they become anxious about flying through us. To take some of that fear away would be a little bit of a relief because it makes the travel process easier in the long term.”
“The priority is always the mission,” said Master Sgt. Heather Pagan, 436th APS Passenger Terminal section chief. “If we have space left on the aircraft, that space is going to waste. So, to better utilize taxpayer dollars, the resources that we have at our disposal, we fill those spaces with our Space A’s.”
To contact the Passenger Terminal, call (302) 677-4088 and (302) 677-2854 for current flight schedules. Their website is www.amc.af.mil/AMC-Travel-Site.
Story by Airman 1st Class Liberty Matthews
436th Airlift Wing