khart

Hi everyone! My husband just left for basic a few days ago and I'm working on booking flights for his parents and I to his graduation in October and I was wondering if anyone knew of any airlines that may offer discounts for military families? I know it's a long shot but it can't hurt to ask! Thanks!

Moderator2

As this forum is related to board administration, I'll move your query to TravelBuzz to ensure it get's attention.

rwoman

khart,

I just saw this and not sure if you've checked back for a response or not. As it's late October, it may be too late.

Anyhow, while some airlines do offer military fares, they are not necessarily a better deal than regular fares. At times, they may offer some flexibility.

Where are you and his parents flying from/to? Knowing the airlines that serve your market can help FTers provide advice.

cmn.jcs

Also, airlines might require military ID. Unless the parents have their own IDs, they might be out of luck. Additionally, if your husband went recently, I'd guess that you haven't gotten your ID yet?

TMOliver

No. That's the basic answer, but to provide some background, 50 years ago, the military had millions in uniform, large reserve components the members of which spent brief periods on active duty, even more millions of veterans of WWII and Korea, and the US had a culture in which military participation approached almost "universal" (Well, at least hard to avoid...) for young males. The major domestic airlines offered "stand by" fares (half-price) to uniformed personnel traveling, a nice benefit which filled a lot of seats in a aviation world in which a lot of seats went unsold. With so many young men going to "Basic Training", the idea that Moms and Dads might travel to "graduation" was almost unknown (and given the pay scales of the day, wives were unlikely appendages for recruits, and even those who existed were unlikely to show up for graduation). I was commissioned in June, 1962. There must have been 400 or so new Ensigns in my class. I don't remember many civilian parents showing up, although there were a few wives. They must have had jobs, since for $221.00 plus quarters and subsistence each month, we couldn't afford unemployed wives.

Since, the airlines have been able to sell more seats in the ensuing decades, as you may have noticed when you fly. Stand-by fares went the way of the draft and large uniformed services.

Unless it's close enough to comfortable drive, avoid graduation from Basic. It ain't a big deal, and likely he's going off to some training facility to learn a military skill. Now, graduation from Cooks' and Bakers', that's a better deal, and they'll have snacks.

FlyDeltaJets87

AA:
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/...ryDiscount.jsp

Delta:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...discounts.html

Those are the two I looked up. Basically, you have to call reservations for assistance. Military fares can't be booked online. You'll probably be required to show ID when you check-in. If you don't have a military ID yet, *maybe* a copy of your husband's orders and proof that your married will suffice.

EDIT: Also, as pointed out above, military fares may not be cheaper than regular published fares so be sure to check around. Since your husband just left a few days ago, graduation is still several weeks away, so you have plenty of time to get cheaper advanced purchased fares.

TravelerMSY

These fares tend to be the same price or maybe slightly less, but with better rules.