How to Get Veteran Travel Discounts

Veterans often qualify for discounts that significantly reduce the costs of travel. (Photo: Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images )

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Items you will need

VA card, VFW card or retired military ID card

Step 1

Inquire about veterans' discounts at any specific hotels where you wish to stay, at any particular attractions you want to visit or with any transportation providers you especially wish to use. Scan listings of travel operators and hotels that provide discounts to veterans on websites such as military.com or hadit.com. Consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs office closest to the city you plan to visit or in your home town for additional region-specific recommendations.

Step 2

Sign up for a special discount card such as the Veterans Advantage card, which offers additional discounts to members for an annual fee. Select an annual, biannual or trial membership, depending on how often you plan to use the savings card. Inform any hotels, car rental agencies, airline carriers, trains, cruise lines, amusement parks or zoos that you have the card before making any bookings.

Use space-available travel, or Space-A , instead of commercial airlines for any air travel plans that are open to flexible scheduling. Identify military bases close to your departure point and your desired destination, as Space-A travel only goes in between bases. Expect less certainty to your travel dates when flying Space-A and check that you have enough funds to cover unforeseeable changes in your itinerary, such as catching a commercial flight back home or spending an extra night or two in a hotel, should a Space-A flight be delayed. Present your identification and register for the flight at the Passenger Service Center of your nearest military base flight terminal. Review the specific conditions of Space-A travel, typically far less comfortable than commercial flying, before finalizing your reservation.

Identify military lodging close to your chosen destination as an alternative to a traditional hotel. Make reservations as early as possible; typically, reservations are accepted up to 60 days in advance. Consult the listing of lodging options offered through the Army, Navy and Air Force through the Department of Defense master list (dodlodging.net). Use the centralized reservation systems to book accommodations with the U.S. Army (866-363-5771), the U.S. Navy (800-628-9466) or the U.S. Air Force (888-235-6343). To stay at a U.S. Marine Corps or a Coast Guard lodge, contact the lodge nearest to you destination directly.