Service members spend years prioritizing others, defending the nation and often living far from loved ones.
They rise before dawn, endure intense drills in extreme conditions and may be sent to active combat zones. Some choose the military as a lifelong career, dedicating decades of service.
Given these sacrifices, it’s fitting that businesses offer military discounts. After active duty personnel retire, travel discounts can be a meaningful perk for them and their immediate families to acknowledge their service.
From reduced rates on car rentals and event admissions to savings at hotels, theme parks and even cruises, military travel offers cover a wide variety of travel needs.
6 Ways Active Duty and Retired Military Can Cut Travel Costs
1. Veterans Holidays
Veterans Holidays, a program tied to the Wyndham hospitality family, provides veterans with resort stays for $409 per week on a space-available basis. That works out to under $100 a night for a roomy condo that typically includes a kitchen, living area and often access to a pool and other resort amenities.
The organization links retired service members and their families with more than 4,000 resort units across 100-plus countries. All U.S. veterans can join Veterans Holidays for free, making trips to the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia more budget-friendly.
Although only veterans may place bookings through Veterans Holidays, the program allows guests, so veterans can bring family along. Also, while the Armed Forces Vacation Club functions as a club, membership is free to veterans who simply sign up online to unlock these discounted travel opportunities.
2. Wounded Warriors Family Support Retreats
The nonprofit Wounded Warriors Family Support offers numerous forms of assistance to service members and their families, including the Wounded Warriors Family Support Retreat.
Through the retreat program, families may apply to spend four nights at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, at no lodging cost — though applicants are responsible for airfare, ground transit and personal expenses.
Alternatively, families can request a no-cost local “staycation,” where the organization covers expenses for a family to explore a nearby hotel, concert or restaurant.
WWFS describes both the Florida option and the staycation as opportunities to unwind, decompress and strengthen family connections for military households.
3. Disney Resorts and Theme Parks
The “happiest place on earth” provides generous deals for veterans and service members.
This season, military guests can choose a Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Ticket for $349 plus tax or a 5-Day Military Promotional Ticket for $369 plus tax; both include the park-hopper option to visit multiple Orlando parks in one trip.
That’s roughly a $60 discount compared with typical ticket prices and grants access to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom during the visit.
Active and retired service members and their spouses are eligible for this discount. Military buyers can purchase up to six reduced-price tickets to share with family and friends.
Disney also runs a military-only resort called Shades of Green, which features attractive rates depending on room choice. Standard rooms can start as low as $163 per night, while family suites begin near $409 per night and can sleep up to eight guests. The resort additionally offers seasonal discounts up to 15%.
Guests at Shades of Green may also be eligible for up to 12% off full-price tickets (tax-exempt) to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, Busch Gardens and other central Florida attractions.
4. Travel Companies
Many carriers and cruise lines provide military pricing, but these offers are often not clearly featured online. Calling customer service directly is usually the best way to learn about available discounts.
Some companies offer deals through membership programs such as Veterans Advantage, which delivers discounts, insurance and financial services to members of the five military branches for $10/month billed monthly or $60 annually when paid up front.
Major hotel chains — including Marriott, IHG, Hilton and Embassy Suites — frequently maintain military discount policies. Because these programs differ by brand and location, confirm the specifics with the hotel where you’re booking.
Companies Offering Military Discounts
Below are examples of travel providers that extend discounts to veterans and service members:
Air Travel
- United Airlines provides up to a 5% airfare discount to veterans, active service members and their families in the U.S. and Canada.
- Delta supplies a free checked bag for active-duty members plus special pricing on vacation packages (call for details on reserving these packages).
- American Airlines offers up to a 10% reduction on domestic and international flights and multiple free checked bags for active-duty personnel.
- JetBlue gives veterans a 5% discount and provides special fares for active-duty travelers not on official orders, as well as waived baggage fees for active-duty members and usually their dependents.
Train Travel
- Amtrak extends a 10% discount to veterans and their family members traveling by rail.
- Veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area can qualify for a BART discount card, valid for five years to ride the regional rapid transit system.
Bus Travel
- Trailways maintains a standing 15% discount for veterans and active-duty military, including spouses and dependents.
Cruise Travel
- Carnival and Royal Caribbean provide special military pricing — call to confirm dates and availability for the best offers.
- Disney Cruises also publish discounted rates for military members; calling a representative will yield the most current details.
- Princess Cruises may include onboard spending credits up to $50 for cruises of six days or fewer, $100 for seven-to-13-day sailings, and $250 for voyages of 14 days or longer.
Car Rentals
- Hertz provides up to a 10% discount on base daily rates for active-duty and veteran customers.
- Enterprise offers at least a 5% off the base rate for leisure rentals used by government and military customers.
- Budget provides substantial savings — up to 35% off base rates when U.S. service members sign up for a free Budget Veterans account.
- Avis offers the military community up to 35% off base rates via its complimentary Veterans Advantage program.
5. “Space A” (Space-Available) Flights
For eligible active-duty or retired service members with flexible travel plans, “Space A” — or space-available — flights can offer major savings.
How it functions: eligible travelers submit a booking request at participating military terminals. When a Department of Defense flight has open seats, eligible passengers are notified. Terminals typically post flight schedules about 72 hours in advance, so travelers must be ready to depart with little notice.
Space A passengers generally pay a modest terminal fee, but aside from that, the flights are essentially free and available to service members and their immediate families.
One Navy veteran reported saving $8,000 on two round-trip flights from Norfolk to Seattle for a family of four using Space A.
Remember: this is similar to flying standby on a commercial carrier. You might wait for flights or be placed on cargo-configured aircraft without the comforts of commercial services.
“Military Space-A flights have been a central part of our approach to cutting travel costs since my spouse retired from the Army in 2015,” wrote a military partner on the Poppin’ Smoke travel blog. “Over the past six-plus years of worldwide travel, I estimate we saved more than $20,000 using Space-A.”
6. Discounts on Travel Gear and Supplies
Once Space A is booked and that complimentary resort stay is within reach, you’ll still need to pack — and veterans can get savings on travel gear too.
One way to trim costs by around 10% or more on travel essentials is shopping at Shop My Exchange. Anyone can browse the site, but purchasing requires an account verifying military status.
Shop My Exchange carries a broad assortment, from jewelry and watches to furniture and small appliances — and travel items such as luggage and swimwear.
Products are heavily discounted for veterans and active-duty buyers. For instance, a Piel leather carry-on that retails for $464 may be available for $194 through Shop My Exchange when you’re logged in.
Also explore their men’s and women’s swimwear selections so you’re ready for that next family trip to Disney without overspending.
For additional savings, don’t forget to look into discounts at military-specific retailers and outlets, and consider shopping through a military exchange when possible to maximize member-only pricing.
Colorado-based lifestyle and wellness reporter Emma Harris contributes regularly to Savinly. This report also includes reporting previously provided by a former contributor and has been updated by senior editor Michael Rivers.
