Veterans Travel Discounts from American Forces Travel
If you have never used American Forces Travel, you’ll find a variety of discounts, special rates, and other options for military members and their families. These official military travel discounts are available thanks to a partnership between the DoD’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation MWR department and the commercial travel company Priceline.
The Department of Defense describes American Forces Travel as a one-stop travel booking site for servicemembers and their families.
Using American Forces Travel for Military & Veteran Travel Discounts
American Forces Travel offers online booking for various travel options for authorized users, including active-duty and retired military members, veterans, their families, and DoD civilians.
You can reserve domestic and international flights without booking fees, plus reduced costs for changing or canceling reservations. You can also book:
- International hotels
- Rental vehicles
- Vacation packages
- Cruises and tours
- No-fee tickets for events
American Forces Travel Authorized Users
You may create an American Forces Travel account if you fall into at least one of the categories below:
- Active-duty military
- Veterans with an Honorable discharge or General Under Honorable Conditions
- All members of the Reserve and National Guard
- Coast Guard Auxiliary Active Duty
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) members
- Current active duty and retired US Public Health Service (USPHS)
- Retired military
- Reservist and National Guard members who are retirement eligible
- All Medal of Honor recipients
- All veterans with service-connected disabilities
- Purple Heart recipients
- Former prisoners of war
- Primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
- Eligible family members who are officially sponsored in any of the above categories
- Full-time, paid employees of the American Red Cross and United Service Organizations (USO) hired in the United States and serving at U.S. DoD installations overseas
This list is not comprehensive; other categories may also apply.
Perks of Using American Forces Travel
24/7 support is one of the major perks of using American Forces Travel, but some enjoy the price match guarantee just as much. According to the official site, customers who find a lower price within 24 hours of booking may be eligible for a refund of the difference they paid.
Exclusions apply, and there are caveats.
The deal must be offered “to the general public for booking on a website in the same currency, using the same form of payment and from the same point of sale as your original reservation when you contact us.”
The lower price must be “an exact match to the itinerary booked on americanforcestravel.com, including offering a comparable cancellation policy.”
Travel Discounts
Typical savings include deals and discounts on cruises, hotels, and rental cars. You may find travel bargains up to half-off for lodging and deals for up to 80% off certain cruise packages.
According to the DoD, Priceline does not charge for bookings or cancellations when using American Forces Travel. Individual airlines, rental agencies, and cruise lines may have cancellation fees, but none are issued by Priceline.
When booking travel, it’s smart to compare options even when using American Forces Travel. Can you find more competitive discounts using other travel resources than the veteran travel savings at AFT?
It’s wise to shop around for travel discounts, especially with the price guarantee mentioned above.
Signing Up
If you are eligible to use MWR programs and services, you are eligible to create an American Forces Travel account.
The day you visit the American Forces Travel site to set up your account, be ready to enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number, your date of birth, and your last name to verify your eligibility to access veteran travel discounts from AFT.
Enter this information and follow the instructions you get.
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About the author
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.