Priority is based on a system of categories that rank passengers according to their status and the nature of their travel.
To take advantage of space-available flights — a.k.a. “space-A” — eligible passengers need to sign up in advance. Priority for booking is based on a system of categories that rank passengers according to their status and the nature of their 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.
The following is a partial listing of eligible individuals and their category of travel. A complete listing of eligible passengers by category is found on the AMC website.
Category 1: Emergency Leave Unfunded Travel
- U.S. citizen, DoD civilian employees stationed overseas
- Full-time, paid personnel of the American Red Cross serving with the 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 2: Accompanied EML
- Sponsors on environmental morale leave (EML) and accompanied family members
- DoD Education Activity (DoDEA) teachers and their accompanied family members in EML status during school year holiday and vacation periods
Category 3: Ordinary Leave, House Hunting TDY and Others
- 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 4: Unaccompanied Dependents on EML
- Dependents of military members deployed more than 30 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
- DoDEA teachers or family members (accompanied or unaccompanied) in an EML status during summer break
Category 5: Permissive TDY, Students, Dependents, Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence and Others
- Unaccompanied command-sponsored dependents
- Students whose sponsor is stationed in Alaska or Hawaii
- Students enrolled in a CONUS trade school when the sponsor is stationed overseas
- Military personnel traveling on permissive TDY orders for other than house hunting
Category 6: Retirees, Dependents, Reservists, Disabled Veterans and Others
- 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
- Family members (with a valid identification card) of retired members when accompanied by a sponsor
- Surviving spouses of service members who died while on active duty, inactive duty training, or annual training status as well as retired military members, and their accompanying dependents; they must have a DoD USID and privilege card. Dependents younger than 14 must have valid ID.
- Authorized veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rated as total (100% DAV) and their dependents (when accompanied by their sponsor) traveling in CONUS or directly between CONUS and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa (Guam and American Samoa travelers may transit Hawaii or Alaska); or traveling within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands
— Additional reporting by Jim Absher
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