I Flew to Europe for $50 Round Trip (Flying Space Available)

If you are military, your spouse is active duty or if you are retired you most likely can do the same!

My husband was actually a Marine Reservist at the time – which does not rate space available travel.  HOWEVER, if your spouse activates to active duty for even a short amount of time, you may be eligible as a spouse.  My husband was deployed to Europe (Romania) for four months and I found out (he didn’t even know that I was eligible) through a google search that I could travel without him.

My daughter was 10 months at the time.  I packed suitcases, turned off the mail and paper and got a ride to BWI.  The Military Airlift Command operates out of there with daily flights to Europe (usually Germany as well as maybe others).  I got there several hours before the flight as they recommend.  As I checked in the front desk with my military ID and my husband’s orders (you get those from his command) – I was told I had the wrong ID.

LESSON LEARNED – I needed to have a pink/red ID, not a brown.  I begged and pleaded for them to let me on to no avail.  It was after 3 so there was no way I was getting to Fort Meade for a new ID.  I had to go home.

I got on the MAC website and found another flight (always call to confirm) going to Europe – this one to Azores.  At this point I didn’t care where I went, just wanted to get overseas.  I headed to Dover Air Force Base with my 10-month old in tow… ONLY to have the flight canceled one hour before take off.

Third time’s a charm.  I found another flight to Stuttgart, then Aviano through BWI again. We got on!  It was a regular commercial airliner contracted out to the military.  It was a nice flight to Stuttgart then layover to Aviano.  YES, it was a long trip and we were both very jet-lagged.

BUT if you are flexible and enjoy traveling overseas, flying Space-A is a great alternative.