Are you a member of the military community looking for affordable travel options? American Forces Travel (AFT), powered by Priceline, is the official online leisure travel platform dedicated to providing exclusive travel discounts to military service members, their families, and other eligible individuals. Unlike unofficial websites, AFT is the only joint service-owned leisure travel service, ensuring that you receive legitimate and valuable deals on your vacations and getaways.
Established through a collaboration between the five military branches and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, American Forces Travel was created to modernize and simplify the process of booking leisure travel for the military community. Historically, military personnel relied on base ticket and tour offices for non-official travel arrangements. AFT changes this by offering a user-friendly online platform where you can easily search for and book discounted travel deals from the comfort of your home. Priceline, a renowned company with over two decades of experience in online travel, was selected through a competitive bidding process to power AFT, guaranteeing a robust and reliable service.
What Advantages Does American Forces Travel Offer Over Other Discount Travel Sites?
American Forces Travel stands out from other travel discount sites due to several key advantages, specifically tailored to the needs of the armed forces community:
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Significant Savings: AFT boasts impressive savings of up to 60% on over a million hotel deals across more than 76,000 destinations globally. This vast inventory ensures that you can find accommodations that fit your budget and travel preferences, whether you’re planning a weekend escape or a longer vacation.
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Flexible Booking Policies: Understanding the unpredictable nature of military life, AFT offers more flexible booking options. You can enjoy reduced fees for reservation changes and cancel flights within 24 hours of booking without penalty. Additionally, AFT provides free cancellation on post-paid car rentals and discounted cancellation rates for pre-paid options, giving you peace of mind when making travel plans.
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Dedicated 24/7 Customer Support: Travel plans can sometimes encounter unexpected hiccups. AFT provides round-the-clock customer support to assist you with any issues or questions that may arise before, during, or after your trip. This dedicated support ensures a smoother and less stressful travel experience.
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Supporting Military Morale and Welfare: A portion of the commission from every transaction made through the AFT site directly contributes to military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) services and various military quality of life programs. By using AFT, you are not only saving money on your travel but also contributing to the well-being of the broader military community.
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Priceline’s Expertise, Military Focus: While Priceline.com offers similar discounts to the general public, AFT benefits from a dedicated Priceline team specifically focused on securing the best possible prices for military members and their families. This specialized approach ensures that the deals offered on AFT are truly optimized for the military community’s needs.
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Lowest Price Guarantee: AFT extends Priceline’s lowest price guarantee. If you find a better price for the same travel arrangements within 24 hours of booking on AFT, Priceline will refund 100% of the price difference. This guarantee provides confidence that you are indeed getting the best available deal when booking through American Forces Travel.
Who Qualifies for Armed Forces Travel Discounts with American Forces Travel?
A wide range of individuals connected to the US Armed Forces are eligible to take advantage of the discounts offered by American Forces Travel. Eligibility extends beyond active duty personnel to include:
- Active duty service members and their dependents
- Full-benefit retirees and their dependents
- 100% disabled veterans and their dependents
- Medal of Honor recipients and their dependents
- American Red Cross and USA-paid personnel serving outside of the US and their dependents
- Department of Defense (DOD) civilians and non-appropriated fund employees
This broad eligibility ensures that many within the military family can benefit from these exclusive travel discounts.
How to Access Armed Forces Travel Discounts: Signing Up with AFT
Getting started with American Forces Travel and accessing these valuable discounts is a straightforward process:
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Visit the American Forces Travel Website: Go to the official American Forces Travel site.
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Click “Get Started”: Locate and select the “Get Started” link prominently displayed on the main page.
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Verify Military Status: You will be prompted to verify your military affiliation. This is done by providing your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number.
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DOD Database Verification: It’s important to note that this verification process is secure. The information you provide is checked against a Department of Defense database and does not go through Priceline directly.
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Privacy Assurance: Login information is not captured or stored in any way, ensuring your personal data remains private and secure.
Once your eligibility is verified, you can start exploring the vast array of travel discounts available on hotels, flights, rental cars, travel packages, and cruises.
What Types of Travel Discounts Can You Find on American Forces Travel?
American Forces Travel is designed to be your one-stop shop for various types of discounted travel arrangements, including:
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Hotels: Access significant savings on a vast selection of hotels worldwide, ranging from budget-friendly options to luxurious accommodations.
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Flights: Find discounted airfare on numerous airlines, making air travel more affordable for military families.
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Rental Cars: Secure deals on car rentals from major providers, simplifying transportation at your destination.
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Travel Packages: Save time and money by booking bundled travel packages that combine flights, hotels, and sometimes car rentals, often at even greater discounts.
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Cruises: Explore discounted cruise options to a variety of destinations, offering relaxing and enjoyable vacations at reduced prices.
AFT also has plans to expand its offerings to include discounts on theme park tickets and other attractions in the future, further enhancing its value as a comprehensive travel resource for the military community.
Does American Forces Travel Really Deliver on its Promise of Discounts?
While American Forces Travel promises significant savings, it’s natural to wonder if it truly delivers. Initial reviews and comparisons suggest that AFT can indeed offer valuable discounts, although the extent of savings can vary depending on several factors.
A review by Military.com in 2019 tested the site and found hotel deals in San Diego that were $20-$50 less expensive compared to regular travel discount sites. They also found car rental discounts of $10-$18 per day. In another example, a round-trip Alaska Airlines flight from Washington, D.C. to San Diego was priced at $323 on AFT, while the same flight cost $354 on other platforms.
However, the review also highlighted that for some specific flights, alternative travel discount sites might offer even lower prices. This underscores the importance of comparing prices across multiple platforms to ensure you are getting the absolute best deal for your specific travel needs.
Hotel discounts on AFT can also fluctuate based on factors like seasonality and room type. A quick search for Seattle hotels in August showed that AFT prices could be sometimes slightly higher, sometimes lower, compared to other discount sites, with variations ranging from $10-$20 higher to $10-$30 lower. Interestingly, the review noted that better discounts seemed to be available for double occupancy rooms compared to rooms for larger groups, potentially indicating greater savings for couples or smaller families.
Car rental and cruise discounts also appear to vary based on factors like vehicle type, rental duration, season, and cabin category.
In Conclusion: A Valuable Tool in Your Travel Planning Toolkit
While thorough research and price comparison remain essential for savvy travelers, American Forces Travel provides a valuable and legitimate resource for military members and their families seeking travel discounts. It offers a wide range of deals and exclusive benefits, and with its continued growth and development, it is poised to become an even more powerful tool for securing affordable leisure travel.
American Forces Travel adds another strong option to your arsenal when planning your next vacation or getaway. It is definitely worth exploring to see if you can unlock exclusive Armed Forces Travel Discounts and make your travel budget go further.
