Airline Discount Ticket Military
From LoveToKnow Travel
For an airline discount ticket, military personnel just need to contact the airline directly. Discounts are also available for their spouses and their dependents.
Airline Discount Ticket - Military Offers
Active-duty military personnel can find airline travel to be a very difficult fit with the military lifestyle. They often cannot afford the standard airline rates. Sometimes they don't have enough advance information about the timing of leaves and transfers, so they may not be able to take advantage of lower-cost advance fares.
Military men and women are often forced to take less expensive forms of travel such as busses and trains which take longer to get to their destination and result in less time with their families. The high cost of airline fares also can preclude a military family from flying due to the cost of airline tickets for the spouse and dependents.
Many airlines have always provided some type of discounted tickets to military personnel. The airlines often increase the special offers to military personnel and their families during times of increased military presence and active warfare overseas.
Types of Military Discounts and Offers
It is no longer difficult for military personnel to get less expensive airfare. Most major United States airlines offer special rates and services to military personnel who are active duty members of the Navy, Marines, Army, U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard and the Reserves. Types of special offerings vary by airline, but they often include:
- Discounted airfares for military personnel and their dependents
- Relaxed advance reservation requirements
- Reduced minimum stay requirements
- Preferred boarding privileges
- Use of club facilities during layovers
Making Reservations is Easy
To obtain an airline discount ticket, military personnel only need to contact the airlines central reservation telephone number. The special military fares are not available from the airline's website. Military personnel and their dependents must carry military identification while checking in and during the flight.
American Airlines
American Airlines and American Eagle provide special military offers including discount fares, reduced minimum stay requirements and preferred boarding privileges. They are available to active-duty personnel on leave or furlough and to personnel within seven days of discharge from active service. Special rates are also available to spouses and dependent children of active-duty military personnel. Information and rates can be obtained by contacting American Airlines reservations at 800-433-7300. The special military rates are not available online.
United Airlines
United Airlines offers reduced domestic airline fares to military personnel, their spouses and dependent children. Reservations can be made by calling United Airlines reservations at 800-241-6522.
US Airways
US Airways offers special discounted rates to military personnel on leave and to discharged personnel within seven days of discharge. Special rates are also available for military dependents. For specific information and to make reservations, call the US Airways reservations center at 800-428-4322.
Southwest Airlines
Special ticket offers are available to active duty personnel and their dependents. These offers change frequently and typically are a very low rate. For example, they have offered a $51 ticket to any Southwest destination. Reservation agents can provide information on current military offers by calling 800-435-9792.
Hero Miles Program
Individuals can donate their unused frequent flyer mileage to be converted to free airline tickets that can be used by service members who are undergoing treatment at a military or Veteran's Administration medical center due to their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. The mileage can also be used by their families.
Here's how the eligibility works:
- The service member requests tickets through the social work staff at the medical center. The request is forwarded to the Fisher House Foundation which administers the program. Family members can receive forms from the Foundation’s web site, but a case manager from the medical center must sign off on the form.
- Service men and women with approved leaves of five days or more may be given free round trip airline tickets to fly from the medical center to visit their families.
- Families and close friends of qualified service men and women may receive free round trip airline tickets to visit them at the medical center.
Online Military Travel Deals
It is not possible to obtain the special military discount fares through the major online travel websites such as Booking_Buddy, Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline.
The airlines do make the special military fares available through websites which specialize in special air, hotel and car discounts for military travel and their dependents. Some of the most popular military travel websites include:
This page has been accessed 19 times. This page was last modified 15:32, 29 April 2008.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
