Space Available Flight, better known as Space A or military hops, is a unique privilege provided to servicemembers, retirees and their families. Under the Space-Available (Space A) program, eligible passengers can fill unused seats on DoD-owned or controlled aircraft once all the space-required (duty) passengers and cargo have been accommodated.
Space A Travel has undergone a great deal of change in the past few years. What was once an easy and economical, if not always predictable, way for personnel to travel around the world has now become less prevalent and much harder to access. Previously, mission schedules were available on the web and you could even sign-up online. In post 9/11 world, however, flight information has been removed from the public domain, making travel planning more challenging. There are increasingly fewer Space A seats, and that may become even scarcer in the near future due to planned reductions in Space A gateways.
In stark contrast to civilian air travel, there is no centralized process yet for booking seats on Space A flights. It is a fragmented system that requires extra diligence on the part Space A travelers.
That having been said, if you have the time and flexibility, Space A travel offers incredible discounts. We have gathered valuable resources to help you better understand the Space A system and prepare you for what to expect.
