Space-A Travel Glossary

Also called: Patriot Express schedule; 30 Day tab

Common traveler term

A longer-look schedule some passenger terminals publish for Patriot Express or other channel missions, often covering about a month. Pop’s terminal pages label the matching tab 30 Day when that product exists for the terminal. It is a planning board, not a ticket, and it can change.

See also: Patriot Express, 72-Hour Schedule, Flight History.

Also called: 72h PDF; 72-hour flight schedule

Official military term

The short-look flight board a passenger terminal publishes, often as a PDF on the official AMC terminal page. AMC tells travelers to use this board for dates, roll-call times, destinations, and seat notes. Pop’s “Open 72h PDF” link points to that official file when one is available. Published flights are still tentative.

See also: Roll Call, Scheduled Departure, Seats Tentative.

Also called: accompanied family member

Official military term

A family member traveling Space-A with the eligible sponsor, when category rules and ID documents allow it. Age, ID, and command-sponsorship rules vary. Confirm dependent travel with the departure terminal; Pop’s cannot approve a dependent to fly.

See also: Unaccompanied Dependent, Command Sponsored, Sponsor.

Also called: AD

Official military term

A uniformed-service member serving in an active-duty status. Active-duty Space-A travel usually also requires a current leave or other travel authorization. Category placement still depends on the type of travel, not the phrase “active duty” alone.

See also: Leave Status, Travel Category, Official Travel.

Also called: AMC

Official military term

The U.S. Air Force command that operates most of the passenger terminals and Space-Available program Pop’s travelers use. AMC publishes terminal directories, Space-A eligibility summaries, signup tools, and 72-hour boards. Pop’s is unofficial and is not part of AMC.

See also: AMC, Passenger Terminal, Space-Available Travel.

Also called: Air Mobility Command

Official military term

Abbreviation for Air Mobility Command. See Air Mobility Command.

See also: Air Mobility Command.

Also called: Space-A signup form

Official military term

A common AMC Space-Available registration form some terminals still accept by email, fax, mail, or in person. Other locations now use the HQ AMC email signup form or GATES. Ask the departure terminal which method it wants. Remote signup is not the same as being marked present.

See also: GATES, Sign-Up Date and Time, Mark Present.

Also called: passenger terminal gram

Common traveler term

A local information sheet some terminals publish with parking, lodging, hours, or other traveler notes. Grams can lag the live AMC HTML page. Use the current terminal page first, then the Gram if the page links it.

See also: Passenger Terminal, Terminal FAQ.

Also called: checked bags; carry-on

Common traveler term

How many bags you may check or carry, plus weight and size limits. AMC pages often list two checked bags at 70 lb and 62 linear inches each, plus one carry-on and one personal item, unless orders say otherwise. Patriot Express fees, pet rules, and “carry-on only after a seat count” limits vary by terminal and mission. Confirm the current rule for that tail.

See also: Patriot Express, Mission.

Also called: installation map

Pop’s website feature

An optional public map Pop’s shows on a terminal page when an approved file exists. Opening a Base Map does not use your location. Missing maps are omitted; they are not a broken button.

See also: Passenger Terminal.

Also called: Common Access Card; DoD ID

Official military term

The Common Access Card used as DoD identification. Many gates and terminals expect a CAC, dependent ID, or other approved credential. Visitors without a CAC often need REAL ID or a passport and Visitor Control Center processing. ID rules are installation-specific.

See also: Sponsor, Passenger Terminal.

Also called: Cat I; emergency leave unfunded travel

Official military term

Highest Space-A boarding priority: emergency leave unfunded travel for bona fide immediate-family emergencies, as determined under DoDI 1327.06 and service rules. It is not a substitute for funded travel. See Pop’s Eligibility page for the current summary and confirm with a passenger terminal.

See also: Travel Category, Unfunded Travel, Leave Status.

Also called: Cat II; accompanied EML

Official military term

Accompanied environmental and morale leave (EML), including sponsors on EML with accompanied family members, and DoD dependent school teachers with accompanied family on EML during school holidays. Full rules are in DoDI 4515.13. See Eligibility.

See also: Environmental and Morale Leave, Accompanied Dependent, Travel Category.

Also called: Cat III; ordinary leave

Official military term

Ordinary or re-enlistment leave, some house-hunting permissive TDY, certain accompanied family travel with a sponsor on ordinary leave, dependents of members deployed more than 365 consecutive days, Medal of Honor-related travel as published, and some foreign exchange members on leave. See Eligibility for the live summary.

See also: Leave Status, PCS, Travel Category.

Also called: Cat IV; unaccompanied EML

Official military term

Unaccompanied environmental and morale leave (EML). AMC and DoDI 4515.13 set the details; the live Eligibility page points travelers to the official AMC Space-A page rather than reprinting a long table. Confirm with the terminal.

See also: Environmental and Morale Leave, Unaccompanied Dependent, Travel Category.

Also called: Cat V; students and unaccompanied dependents

Official military term

Includes unaccompanied command-sponsored dependents, certain students, and military members on permissive TDY other than house hunting, plus other groups listed in DoDI 4515.13. Command-sponsorship letters are often required. See Eligibility.

See also: Command Sponsored, Unaccompanied Dependent, Travel Category.

Also called: Cat VI; retirees, Reserve, 100% DAV, surviving spouses

Official military term

Lowest Space-A priority among the six categories. Common groups include eligible Guard/Reserve members, retirees with DD Form 2, accompanied retired family, certain surviving spouses with a DoD USID, and veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rated as total (100% DAV) within published geographic limits. See Eligibility.

See also: Travel Category, CONUS, OCONUS.

Also called: Before You Travel

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s optional interactive checklist for planning items such as eligibility, documents, and backup travel. Checking boxes is a reminder stored in this browser on the website, or on the device in the app. It is not AMC approval and does not prove you are ready to fly.

See also: Eligibility, One-Stop Sign-Up.

Also called: command sponsorship

Official military term

A dependent whose overseas presence is approved on the sponsor’s orders. Unaccompanied command-sponsored travel often needs a commander’s letter. Non-command-sponsored dependents follow different, usually tighter, rules.

See also: Non-Command Sponsored, Category V, Sponsor.

Also called: continental United States

Official military term

The contiguous United States. Space-A category rules, 100% DAV limits, and some dependent travel privileges treat CONUS differently from Alaska, Hawaii, territories, and overseas locations.

See also: OCONUS, Category VI.

Also called: My Destinations

Pop’s website feature

A Pop’s browser-local watch for a place you want to arrive at, optionally limited by origin region. It can include live-feed cities that are not AMC passenger terminals. It is not a Route Watch and not a saved flight. The website does not send push or email alerts after you leave the page.

See also: Route Watch, Saved Flights, Travel Alerts.

Also called: Department of Defense

Official military term

The U.S. Department of Defense. Space-A rules come from DoD issuances such as DoDI 4515.13, plus service and AMC procedures. Pop’s does not speak for DoD.

See also: DoDI 4515.13, Air Mobility Command.

Also called: Department of Defense Education Activity

Official military term

The Department of Defense Education Activity, which operates DoD schools. Category II includes DoD dependent school teachers and accompanied family members in EML status during school holidays. That is an eligibility group, not a Pop’s feature.

See also: Category II, Environmental and Morale Leave.

Also called: Air Transportation Eligibility

Official military term

The current DoD instruction that sets much of Space-Available eligibility and category placement. AMC reprints a traveler summary on the official Space-A page. This glossary does not replace that instruction. Read Eligibility for Pop’s short guide, then confirm with a terminal.

See also: Travel Category, Space-Available Travel.

Also called: DoD Self-Service Logon

Official military term

A DoD account some official tools, including AMC GATES signup, require. Pop’s website does not collect DS Logon credentials.

See also: GATES.

Also called: Defense Switched Network

Official military term

The military phone network. DSN numbers are not the same as commercial numbers. Pop’s terminal pages list both when the official source prints them. Do not dial a DSN prefix such as 312 as if it were a U.S. area code.

See also: Passenger Terminal.

Also called: space-required passenger; official traveler

Official military term

A traveler moving on funded orders or other space-required status. Duty passengers and cargo are accommodated before Space-A. Duty check-in clocks are often earlier and stricter than Space-A roll call.

See also: Space-Required Travel, Official Travel, Roll Call.

Also called: Space-A eligibility

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s Eligibility page summarizes who may compete for Space-A and the six boarding-priority categories. It is a planning aid. Only current regulations and the passenger terminal determine whether you may travel.

See also: Travel Category, DoDI 4515.13.

Also called: Environmental and Morale Leave

Official military term

Abbreviation for environmental and morale leave. See Environmental and Morale Leave.

See also: Environmental and Morale Leave.

Also called: EML

Official military term

A leave program used in designated overseas areas. Accompanied EML is typically Category II; unaccompanied EML is typically Category IV. Theater rules and command policies still apply.

See also: EML, Category II, Category IV.

Also called: starred terminals

Pop’s website feature

A Pop’s browser-local star list of terminals you use often. Favorites are not a reservation and are not shared across devices.

See also: Passenger Terminal, Quick View.

Also called: F; 0F

Common traveler term

On Pop’s tables, F means firm seats as published in the current feed. 0F means zero firm seats listed. Firm is still not a boarding pass; the terminal can change the number until departure.

See also: Seats Tentative, Seats Released.

Also called: utilization; seats used

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s terminal tab that shows recently published past roll-call or utilization rows when that data exists, including seats released, seats used, and lowest category selected when the source prints them. History is not a promise of the next mission.

See also: Seats Released, Roll Call, 30-Day Schedule.

Also called: Global Air Transportation Execution System

Official military term

AMC’s air-transportation system. The AMC Travel Site offers a GATES-based self-signup option that requires a DS Logon and may not work for every traveler. Pop’s “New GATES Sign-Up” card only opens the official AMC page.

See also: AMC Form 140, One-Stop Sign-Up, DS Logon.

Also called: AMC gateway; PE gateway

Common traveler term

A passenger terminal that regularly handles channel or Patriot Express missions, or a commercial-airport AMC operation such as BWI. “Gateway” is traveler shorthand; the official page still controls whether PE or 30-day products run this month.

See also: Patriot Express, Passenger Terminal.

Also called: Space-A Travel Glossary

Pop’s website feature

This page: Pop’s traveler dictionary of military terms, schedule labels, and website features. It does not replace AMC, DoD, or terminal instructions.

See also: Terminal FAQ, Eligibility.

Also called: DoD air transportation

Official military term

Movement on DoD aircraft or other government lift. Space-A uses leftover seats after mission and space-required needs. It is a privilege, not an entitlement, and AMC reminds travelers to keep a commercial backup.

See also: Space-Available Travel, Space-Required Travel, Mission.

Also called: arrivals

Common traveler term

Flights arriving at the terminal you are viewing. Pop’s Arrivals tab uses the live feed. Arrival times can change; use the official 72-hour board to confirm.

See also: Outbound, 72-Hour Schedule.

Also called: ordinary leave; emergency leave

Official military term

The approved absence that often makes an active-duty member eligible to compete for Space-A. Ordinary leave, emergency leave, EML, and permissive TDY are different statuses and map to different categories. Sign-up usually cannot start before leave is effective.

See also: Category I, Category III, Present for Duty.

Also called: passenger manifest

Official military term

The terminal’s list of people booked or selected for a mission. You are not on the Space-A manifest until passenger service selects you at roll call and processes you. Email signup alone does not put you on the aircraft.

See also: Roll Call, Mark Present, No-Show.

Also called: present at roll call

Common traveler term

Telling the passenger terminal, in person unless that location publishes another method, that you are ready to compete for a specific roll call. AMC guidance is that you must be marked present to be included. Remote signup is not presence. Some locations may allow present-marking up to about 24 hours before roll call; local procedure wins.

See also: Roll Call, Virtual Roll Call, No-Show.

Also called: tail; aircraft mission

Official military term

The official purpose of the aircraft movement. Space-A exists only after that mission, duty passengers, and cargo are covered. A canceled or re-missioned tail can erase Space-A seats with little notice.

See also: Space-Required Travel, Scheduled Departure.

Also called: failed to report

Common traveler term

A selected traveler who is not present when passenger service needs them. Terminals may drop no-shows and call the next eligible passenger. Protect your selection by staying nearby with documents and bags.

See also: Roll Call, Mark Present, Manifest.

Also called: not command sponsored

Official military term

A dependent who is not on the sponsor’s command-sponsored orders. Space-A options are usually narrower than for command-sponsored family. Confirm with the terminal before planning unaccompanied travel.

See also: Command Sponsored, Unaccompanied Dependent.

Also called: outside the continental United States

Official military term

Locations outside the contiguous United States, including overseas stations and often Alaska, Hawaii, and territories depending on the rule set. Category and dependent rules frequently split CONUS from OCONUS travel.

See also: CONUS, Environmental and Morale Leave.

Also called: funded travel; space-required

Official military term

Duty, PCS, or other funded movement the mission must accommodate before leftover seats become Space-A. Official travelers use transportation offices and duty counters, not the Space-A category list, for their entitlement.

See also: Space-Required Travel, PCS, Duty Passenger.

Also called: Pop’s signup helper

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s local helper that prepares a Space-A signup email in your own mail app. It is not official AMC signup and not proof a terminal accepted you. Official paths remain the AMC email form, GATES, Form 140, or the desk.

See also: GATES, AMC Form 140, Sign-Up Date and Time.

Also called: departures

Common traveler term

Flights leaving the terminal you are viewing. Pop’s Departures tab shows the current published outbound list. Always re-check the official 72-hour schedule before you travel.

See also: Inbound, 72-Hour Schedule, Scheduled Departure.

Also called: AMC passenger terminal; PAX terminal

Official military term

The place that processes Space-A and duty passengers for a location. AMC publishes a terminal directory with hours, phones, and 72-hour links. Pop’s terminal pages collect public schedules and contacts; the desk still controls selection.

See also: Terminal, Roll Call, Air Mobility Command.

Also called: PE; Category B channel

Official military term

AMC’s regularly scheduled passenger channel, often using contracted aircraft, between selected gateways. Leftover seats may be offered Space-A after duty passengers. Head tax, pet rules, and show times are PE-specific. Not every terminal is a PE gateway.

See also: 30-Day Schedule, Gateway, Baggage Allowance.

Also called: permanent change of station

Official military term

Abbreviation for permanent change of station. See Permanent Change of Station.

See also: Permanent Change of Station.

Also called: PCS

Official military term

A funded move to a new duty station. PCS travelers are space-required when on orders. Some Space-A categories cover related leave or house-hunting permissive TDY, which is not the same as the funded PCS move itself.

See also: PCS, Official Travel, Category III.

Also called: available for duty

Official military term

A military status meaning the member is available for duty, not on leave. Do not confuse it with being marked present at a Space-A roll call. Active-duty Space-A travel normally requires an approved leave or other absence, not “present for duty” in the unit.

See also: Leave Status, Mark Present, Active Duty.

Also called: Space-A Flight Quick View

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s combined list of recently published departures and arrivals. Filters and Saved Flights stay in this browser. Quick View does not reserve a seat; verify the official 72-hour board.

See also: Saved Flights, 72-Hour Schedule.

Also called: Space-A selection; show time

Official military term

When passenger service selects Space-A travelers, usually by category and sign-up date/time among people marked present. Roll-call time is printed on the 72-hour schedule when known. Selection can continue until the aircraft is ready. Being signed up is not the same as being selected.

See also: Mark Present, Travel Category, Sign-Up Date and Time.

Also called: Flight Watch

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s name for a saved origin → destination pair. The website labels this feature Route Watches, previously called Flight Watches. It is not Destination Watch. Matches appear when you open the Route Watches page; there is no push notification after you leave.

See also: Route Watches, Destination Watch.

Also called: Flight Watches

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s name for saving a specific origin-to-destination pair in this browser. Matching current flights highlight when you open Route Watches. Reverse routes are stored separately. The website does not push alerts after you leave.

See also: Route Watch, Destination Watch, Saved Flights.

Also called: My Flights

Pop’s website feature

Flight cards you save in this browser from Quick View. My Flights in the menu unlocks after you save one. Saved Flights are not AMC reservations and can disappear if you clear site data.

See also: Quick View, Route Watches.

Also called: published departure time

Common traveler term

The departure time printed on the current 72-hour board or Pop’s table. AMC treats published times as tentative. Roll call is often several hours earlier. Always re-check the official PDF the day you travel.

See also: 72-Hour Schedule, Roll Call, Seats Tentative.

Also called: seats available; seats used

Common traveler term

How many Space-A seats the terminal reported as released or used on a mission. Pop’s Flight History and live tables show these numbers when the feed includes them. Released seats can fall to zero before boarding.

See also: Flight History, Firm Seats, Seats Tentative.

Also called: T; tentative

Common traveler term

On Pop’s tables, T means tentative seats. AMC and Pop’s both warn that destinations, times, and seat counts can change or vanish. Plan a commercial backup.

See also: Firm Seats, 72-Hour Schedule, Space-Available Travel.

Also called: signup timestamp; date/time of sign-up

Official military term

The stamp the terminal records when your Space-A registration is accepted. Within the same category, earlier sign-up usually goes before later sign-up, but you still must be marked present. Forms often remain on file about 60 days or until you fly, unless local rules differ.

See also: Roll Call, AMC Form 140, Mark Present.

Also called: Space-Available

Official military term

Short name for Space-Available travel. See Space-Available Travel.

See also: Space-Available Travel.

Also called: Space-A

Official military term

Using leftover seats on DoD aircraft after mission requirements, cargo, and space-required passengers are covered. Eligible travelers sign up, mark present, and compete by category at roll call. AMC states there is no guarantee of selection. DoDI 4515.13 tells travelers to be ready to buy commercial tickets if Space-A disappears.

See also: Space-A, Space-Required Travel, Roll Call.

Also called: duty travel; space-R

Official military term

Funded or otherwise mandatory passenger movement the aircraft must take before Space-A. Duty, PCS, and other official travelers process as space-required, not in Categories I–VI.

See also: Duty Passenger, Official Travel, Space-Available Travel.

Also called: service member sponsor

Official military term

The eligible service member, retiree, or other principal whose status lets dependents compete for Space-A when the category allows accompanied or unaccompanied travel. Dependent documents must match the sponsor’s current eligibility.

See also: Accompanied Dependent, Command Sponsored.

Also called: to be determined

Common traveler term

A placeholder on some schedules meaning the time, seat count, or other detail is not published yet. Treat TBD as unknown, not as a promise that a number is coming.

See also: Seats Tentative, 72-Hour Schedule.

Also called: TAD; temporary duty

Official military term

Temporary duty (Navy/Marine Corps often say TAD). Funded TDY is official travel. Permissive TDY for house hunting or other published reasons can create Space-A eligibility in Category III or V. Those are different from funded TDY.

See also: Category III, Category V, Official Travel.

Also called: passenger terminal

Common traveler term

In Pop’s pages, “terminal” means the AMC or host-service passenger terminal, not a civilian airline concourse unless that location is an AMC gateway inside a commercial airport.

See also: Passenger Terminal, Gateway.

Also called: per-terminal FAQ

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s verified question-and-answer block on a generated terminal page when a mapped FAQ source exists. It is unofficial. Mildenhall, Naples, and Sigonella currently have no mapped FAQ, so those pages omit the Terminal FAQ button.

See also: Glossary, Passenger Terminal.

Also called: terminal notices; country advisories

Pop’s website feature

Pop’s collection of terminal notices and official State Department country advisories that may affect planning. Travel Alerts are not a substitute for 72-hour flight schedule changes.

See also: 72-Hour Schedule, Destination Watch.

Also called: Space-A category; Cat I–VI

Official military term

The six Space-A boarding-priority groups in DoDI 4515.13, summarized on the AMC Space-A page. Category I is highest priority and Category VI is lowest. Your category depends on current rules and your circumstances. This glossary does not decide your category. Use Eligibility, then confirm with a passenger terminal.

See also: Category I, Category VI, DoDI 4515.13.

Also called: unaccompanied family member

Official military term

A family member traveling Space-A without the sponsor. Command-sponsored unaccompanied travel is often Category V and may need a commander’s letter. Unaccompanied EML is typically Category IV. Terminals enforce documents strictly.

See also: Accompanied Dependent, Category IV, Category V.

Also called: no transportation entitlement

Official military term

Travel the government is not required to buy. Space-A is unfunded leftover lift. Category I covers certain emergency unfunded travel and must not replace a funded emergency-leave entitlement.

See also: Category I, Space-Available Travel, Official Travel.

Also called: VRC; remote presence

Common traveler term

A local procedure some terminals have used to let travelers compete without standing in the lobby, often by phone, app, or remote check-in. It is not universal AMC policy. If a terminal does not publish a virtual process, assume you must be physically marked present.

See also: Roll Call, Mark Present.