Eligibility for Space Available flights

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 IN CONUS 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.