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Space-A: How to hop

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lauren Parsons
  • 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  One of the motivating factors to join the Air Force for many service members is the possibility to travel the world.

Whether it be through permanent changes of station, temporary duty assignments or deployments, most Airmen get that opportunity, but another option available for service members is Space-Available flights, or Space-A.

Here is a step-by-step process from Airman 1st Class Aaron Blaylock, 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron passenger service agent at the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Passenger Terminal, on how to travel Space-A:

◾ Step 1: Sign up

Blaylock said if service members are interested in traveling Space-A soon, the best way to get started is by coming to the terminal or calling to get information.

The Passenger terminal is located at 407 S. Frank Luke Dr. and can be contacted by phone at 210-925-8715/8714 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Those wishing to travel must fill out an AMC Form 140, which can be found on the Air Force e-publishing website or the Air Mobility Command website. The form can be submitted in person or by email at 502LRS.LGRDAS.SPACEA@us.af.mil.

Emails do not receive a reply and travelers are encouraged to bring a digital or printed copy of the message to the terminal on the day of the flight, and the documented date and time of sign up will be honored.

“Sign up is good for 60 days, and you can sign up at as many AMC terminals as you’d like,” Blaylock added.

Blaylock said the two most common destinations from the JBSA-Lackland Passenger Terminal are Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and Joint Base Andrews, Md.

If a flier’s final destination is not Travis or Andrews, Blaylock recommends signing up with the respective passenger terminal as well so they are not getting a fresh sign up date upon their arrival.

◾ Step 2: Find a flight

A 72-hour schedule is posted on the JBSA-Lackland Passenger Terminal Facebook page and is updated regularly.

“Let’s say it’s Wednesday and we post a flight for Friday,” Blaylock said. “If you’re looking for that, I’d check our schedule each day and make sure it’s not canceling out or rerouting and show up the morning of the flight.”

A “roll call” time will be posted with the 72-hour schedule on Facebook. Blaylock said show times typically last about 40 minutes, and once it closes out, nobody can mark themselves present for the flight.

◾ Step 3: Selection process

To be considered for a flight, travelers must be on leave, have their Form 988 and Common Access Card. Since Space-A seating is limited, Tech. Sgt. Joseph Bedson, 502nd LRS NCO in charge of passenger services, recommends travelers give themselves some buffer time with leave, and added that lodging is available across the street if they happen to miss a flight.

Kelly Inn is located on 250 Goodrich Dr. and can be contacted at 210-925-1844.

Priority for seating goes by date and time of sign up from categories one to six, beginning with Category 1. Category 3, active duty on ordinary leave, and Category 6, retired military, Reservists and Air National Guard members, are the most popular categories to fly out of the JBSA-Lackland Passenger Terminal.

Blaylock said an important thing to note for military dependents is they cannot travel Space-A without their sponsor unless they receive a letter signed by their sponsor’s command. For more information on dependent Space-A travel and the travel status categories, visit the AMC website.

◾ Step 4: Check-in

Once travelers have been selected for a flight, they will be asked to go through the terminal’s magnetometer and x-ray machine. The terminal follows all of the Transportation Security Administration’s guidelines travel.

During this step, travelers will receive their boarding pass, baggage tags and if it is available, the option to receive a boxed meal. Boxed meals cost $5.55 and must be paid in exact change.

“Depending on what terminal you’re traveling out of and what aircraft you’re going on can limit your baggage,” Blaylock said. “Out of here, you’re good for 2 bags per person at 70 pounds apiece.”

Free long-term parking is also available at the terminal for 60 days. Passengers will receive a slip to place in their front windshield, and if more than the allotted 60 days is needed, Bedson said the passenger can call the terminal to adjust their slip.

Finally, before being taxied out to the aircraft for the flight, travelers will be shown an anti-hijacking slideshow. For more information on Space-A, visit the

JBSA-Lackland Passenger Terminal Facebook page or call 210-925-8715/8714. To find information on other installation’s passenger terminals, visit the Air Mobility Command website.