Discounts and services offered by ITT may vary by military installation. Check in with your local ITT office or visit the following options to learn more:
Tips for Military Families to Save Money on Travel
Whether your military family loves travel or finds it a necessity since you’re always moving, resources are available to defray costs and add value while you’re on the go. Here are some travel resources for military families.
Travel Tips for Military Families to Save Money
USO AIRPORT LOUNGES
Long airport layovers (with or without kids) can be tiresome and challenging. It’s easy to spend far too much money on food, sometimes you have to pay for wifi, and all you want is a quiet place to grab a bite to eat and unwind. Good news — USO airport locations provide a relaxing lounge atmosphere for active duty military and their families. Here’s what you need to know.
- It costs nothing to enter an airport USO lounge. Bring your valid military ID and sign in with one of the volunteers at the front desk.
- Dependents are granted access without their primary service member, as long as an ID is provided.
- The USO provides vouchers for free food and offers coffee, free Wi-Fi, TVs, comfortable chairs, outlets to recharge your devices, luggage storage, playrooms with toys, and sometimes even sleep rooms for a quick nap (depending on location).
Instead of roughing it in a food court or paying for an expensive lounge, take your milfam to the nearest airport USO during your next trip. To learn more, click here.
Pro Tip: Dependents may still use the lounge, even if the service member isn’t with them
As they say, time is money. If you invest just a little bit of time and effort into locating and securing travel discounts and benefits for your military family, it can pay off in a big way. Hopefully, you found at least one of these travel tips for military families helpful.
CWTSatoTravel
CWTSatoTravel is the nation’s leading provider of travel management and fulfillment services to the U.S. Government. Located on military bases, SATO provides discounted travel arrangements for military members and their families. SATO offers you and your military family:
- Negotiated rates on domestic and international airfare
- Negotiated rates on hotel stays, both domestically and abroad
- Travel Insurance
- The “CWTSato To Go” travel app
To learn more about how SATO can save your military family money, and to locate your nearest office, please click here.
ITT Tickets and Tours
According to MilitaryOneSource, ITT offers “travel and recreational services to military personnel, including travel planning assistance, information about local attractions and discounted tickets to a wide range of attractions and events. ” You can save money by using ITT to help you find “recreational activities, travel and lodging at a lower cost.”
Discounted rates are available for active-duty, reserve and retired military personnel. Discounts may also apply to qualifying Defense Department civilians and their families.
Space A Travel
Military members and their families may be eligible for free DoD flights via Space A, short for Space Available. Military flights occur every day, and to maximize efficiency, they are often filled to capacity. If a surplus exists after seats and cargo are filled, those on standby in various categories are eligible for FREE air travel. Here is how Space A can work for you and your military family.
- Explore worldwide destinations. The most common destinations are across the US (including Hawaii and Alaska), Germany, England, Spain, Italy, Japan, and South Korea. Less frequent destinations include South and Central America, Africa, and Australia. The best time of year to travel is when children are in school, as it is more difficult to find a seat during summer break. Schedules of available flights, days and times are posted online.
- Establish which category you fall into. If you’re traveling as a family and your servicemember is with you, you are in category three. If your service member is deployed, you can still take advantage of travel as a dependent; you will just be bumped into category four. Full category information is available online.
Space A Categories (these determine the order of selection)
- Category 1 – Emergency Leave
- Category 2 – Environmental Morale Leave (EML)
- Category 3 – Ordinary Leave, Relatives, House Hunting, Permissive TDY, MoH Holders & Foreign Military
- Category 4 – Unaccompanied Dependents on EML
- Category 5 – Permissive Temporary Duty and Students
- Category 6 – Retired, Dependents, Reserve, ROTC, NUPOC, CEC, Veterans w/ a Permanent Service-connected Disability Rated as Total, & Surviving Spouses of Service Members who Died in Active Duty, Inactive Duty Training, or Annual Training Status
- Bring required IDs and paperwork (passports, visas, immunizations if applicable). Active-duty members may sign up for flights once their leave pass is signed, and unaccompanied dependents require a signed and dated Space-A letter. Keep in mind that you may not secure a flight on your first or even second attempt. However, if your travel plans are flexible, this can make a very cost-effective option. Required paperwork is outlined online.
- Other need-to-know tips. If you score a flight, know that a Patriot Express flight is a traditional commercial option and will have food available. On military cargo flights, you may be seated in jump seats and have the option to purchase a box lunch for approximately $5.00. It is also recommended that if on a military flight, you pack earplugs as the flight can be noisy.
What is EML? This program is designed to provide environmental relief from a duty station which has some “drawbacks” and to offer a source of affordable recreation otherwise not available. A large portion of this travel occurs in the Middle and Far East areas.
If you’re willing to be patient and jump through some hoops, Space A can get you and your military family where you need to be for next to nothing, saving hundreds or thousands of dollars. Learn more here.
Pro Tip: If your service member is deployed, you can still use Space A Travel.
For other ways for veteran students or military families to Save Time and Money please go here.
