Originally Posted by zski1

They do still offer (occasionally) what they used to call "ThAAnk you" fares for military members. They're not really advertised or promoted any more but I can still sometimes find them. I use the travel agency that you can link to via the Norfolk airport website to find out if there is a military fare available for the route I want on the dates I want. Presumably they can find military (leave) fares on other airlines as well. You can book the fare on that site (costs $8), or you can find out what's available, go on AA.com, put the reservation on hold, and then call and ask for it to be priced as a military fare. Most of the time the agents know how to do this. I find it more convenient to just pay the agency $8. Usually, but not always, if I book one of these fares when I go to the airport to check in, I'm asked to show my military ID at the check in counter.

These fares usually book into "N" but I've had them book into "O" and "Q" before. Never "G".

Usually the fare basis starts with something like NEMIL1.

Advantages of these fares:
* moderately to heavily discounted, sometimes cheaper than the cheapest fare available to the general public
* no change fees
* sometimes available even the day before you want to travel
* earn mileage just like any other published fare
* are upgradeable, at least w/ 500-mile "stickers" and miles plus copay

Drawbacks:
* hard to find & not always available, either due to capacity restrictions or sometimes the fare is just not offered on the route you want. You can do a lot of hunting only to discover you've wasted your time
* fares don't always result in a great discount
* usually can't check in online or at a kiosk, so you need to allow for a little extra time time to check in with an agent

Hope that helps.

-z