Flying Space-A from Travis AFB: 7 Things You Need to Know

Travis Air Force Base is the biggest hub for Space-A travel on the West Coast. From Travis, you can take a hop in most any direction, but it’s a particularly good starting point if you want to fly to a destination in the Pacific. With three major airports within a 2-hour drive and base lodging only a 15-minute walk from the Travis Air Mobility Command (AMC) passenger terminal, Space-A travel from Travis AFB is also very convenient.

Get ready to plan your trip with these seven things you need to know about flying Space-A from Travis AFB!

If you are new to Space-A flying, read this Quickstart Guide to Space-A Flights first to get a basic understanding of how the process works.

1. Travis is a very active base for Space-A and has flights to and from all regions of the U.S. and OCONUS.

Travis generally has multiple flights per week to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam; Andersen AFB, Guam; Yokota AB, Japan; and Joint Base Elmendorf/Richardson, Alaska.

Other regular destinations are Osan AB, Korea; Kadena AB, Okinawa; Ramstein AB, Germany; North Island NAS, CA; March Air Reserve Base, CA; and Kelly Field, TX.

Travis also has relatively frequent missions to and from JB Charleston, Dover AFB, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, JB Andrews, and incoming missions from Naval Station Rota, Spain.

Visit the Travis passenger terminal’s web page to see their current flight schedules.

2. Most OCONUS flights from Travis are headed to the Pacific . . . but you might get lucky and hop a direct flight to Ramstein AB in Germany.

Travis generally has at least one flight to Ramstein per month. If you’re on the West Coast and want to go anywhere in Europe, hop this flight if you can. You will save a lot of time and money by not competing for flights at multiple locations within CONUS. It’s easy to travel anywhere else in Europe from Ramstein.

Get the full scoop on using Space-A flights and lodging with our free 40+ page Guide to Military Space-A Travel.

3. Travis is the best place to start if you want to fly Space-A to Hawaii.

Historically, Travis has had more than 200 missions per year to and from JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, along with occasional missions to Barber’s Point in Kalaeloa, Oahu.

Click here for more information about flying Space-A to Hawaii.

Travis also has multiple Patriot Express flights to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam per month.

4. Travis AFB has one lodging option, the Westwind Inn.

The Westwind Inn is 0.5 miles from the Travis AMC terminal, and you can use one of the terminal’s luggage carts to roll your bags there. Likewise, when staying at the Westwind Inn the night before a flight, ask if they have any luggage carts you can use to bring your luggage to the terminal.

The Westwind Inn has standard rooms as well as family units, which have two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. Business suites are similar to family units, but slightly more upscale. Business suites are usually for O7/E9 but if these suites are available, they may allow you to reserve one.

You can reserve family units up to 30 days in advance, all other rooms up to 120 days out. Maximum reservation for leisure travelers is 3 days at a time, except during holiday season (end of November through December), when you can book your reservation for up to 14 days.

The Westwind Inn is generally full during drill weekends (usually the first weekend of the month). If you plan to fly in or out of Travis Space-A at those times, look for a hotel near the base.

5. The three closest airports to Travis are: San Francisco (SFO), Sacramento (SMF), and Oakland (OAK).

Travis does not have a shuttle to any of those airports, so the best transportation option depends on how much time you have and how many people are traveling. The Travis AMC Gram provides contact information for numerous taxis, shuttles, and other ground transportation companies.

Following are examples of possible routes from each airport. A few things to keep in mind:

• If you take Uber/Lyft, the driver may not have base access, so you will need to find transportation between the gate and the Travis passenger terminal (about 2 miles).
• Some local taxis have base access, but they may cost more than Uber/Lyft.
• The cost of the shuttles varies based on the number of passengers in your group. Contact them for a quote.
• Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station is less than 2 miles from the base. Amtrak offers small discounts for active duty military and seniors 65+.

SFO to Travis

Driving (one to two hours, depending on the route and traffic)

Options include Uber/Lyft, taxi, and various shuttles listed in the AMC Gram.

Train (~2.5 hours)

Take the BART (the Bay area’s metro) to Richmond Station (1 hr 10 minutes). Change to Amtrak, and ride another 50 minutes to the Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the Amtrak station to the base.

SMF to Travis

Driving (~1 hour)

Options include Uber/Lyft, taxi, and various shuttles listed in the AMC Gram.

Bus/Train (~90 minutes)
Take the 42A or 42B bus from the airport to the Sacramento Valley Station (about 20 minutes). Ride 35 minutes to the Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the station.

OAK to Travis

Driving (60 to 90 minutes)

Options include Uber/Lyft, taxi, and various shuttles listed in the AMC Gram.

Train (~3 hours)

Take BART one stop from the Oakland Airport station to Coliseum station, then take Amtrak (1 hr 20 min) to Fairfield/Vacaville Amtrak station. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the station to Travis.

6. If you are staying at the Westwind Inn and don’t plan to leave the base, you do not need a rental car.

Travis does not have a base shuttle, but all base facilities that you are likely to need during a short stay are within walking distance of the Westwind Inn.

The BX mall and Commissary are about a 20-minute walk. The fitness center (open 24 hours with an access card) is across the street, and the Monarch dining facility is less than a 10-minute walk. Contact Monarch for current eligibility.

If you need a car, your only options are off base. Click here to search for rental cars near Travis AFB.

7. Travis has a free short-term parking lot near the passenger terminal and a paid long-term lot farther away.

You can park in the short-term lot for up to 30 days. If you are selected for a Space-A flight, Travis pax terminal staff will give you a pass to fill out and display in the windshield of your vehicle.

The long-term parking lot is managed by Outdoor Recreation and is located across the street from their office (about 1.6 miles from the Travis passenger terminal). They charge a monthly fee to park in the lot and usually have a wait list. Call their office (707-424-0969) or visit their website for more details or to sign up for the wait list.

Ready to Fly Space-A from Travis AFB?

Travis is accessible and convenient, and it has missions to destinations all over the world. Now that you have the intel you need, it’s time to plan your trip! If you have flexibility and you’re looking for an adventure, you could even make your way to Travis and hop the first flight that has Space-A seats. Either way, Travis is a great place to start your Space-A journey!

Top photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement

Related Reading

If you’re hoping to catch that direct flight to Germany, here are 9 Things To Know About Flying Space-A to Ramstein.

If you’re headed anywhere in Asia, you will most likely travel via Japan; here are 9 Things To Know About Flying Space-A to Japan.

Here’s what you need to know about flying Space-A to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

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