Patriot Express to begin routine flights to, from Guam

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Richard P. Ebensberger
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs

The Patriot Express (PE) will start flying passengers between Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Mar. 7, 2020. The route will now include a servicing stop in Anchorage, Alaska instead of Honolulu. The change was made by the carrier to better accommodate pets.

The PE, also known as the “Rotator” or “Cat B flight”, is a Department of Defense contracted commercial charter flight which provides international support to travelers on official duty and their families. The PE also provides Space-Available travel opportunities for eligible members. Flights between Andersen and Seattle will take place twice a month during a six-month Proof-of-Principle scheduled to begin in March.

“The Patriot Express will provide a much-needed service to the military families on Guam,” said Mrs. Cindi Boswell, spouse to the 36th Wing commander. “Relying on commercial airfare during a PCS to Guam can be extremely expensive, especially if the family is going to be moving with pets.”  This commercial charter flight is expected to help defray both government costs associated with PCS travel and personal costs of transporting pets.

Military members and their dependents in PCS or TDY status will make travel reservations through their installation Transportation Office. 

Families in PCS status are authorized to transport their pets (cats and dogs only) on the PE for a nominal fee but are limited to two pets per family.  Additionally, pet capacity will be limited based on the carrier’s cargo configuration.  Pet reservations are made through the passenger’s installation Transportation Office, and passengers are responsible for obtaining and meeting all pet shipment requirements, quarantine, and fees associated with the shipment of their pet(s). Pet transportation is not authorized for Space-A travel.  Additional information can be found on the AMC Pet Travel Site: https://www.amc.af.mil/Home/AMC-Travel-Site/AMC-Pet-Travel-Page/

“Flying back to the states from Guam can be very expensive,” said Boswell. “For our junior Airmen, the cost can sometimes be too high to make a trip home for holidays or special events but with the rotator coming through on a consistent basis, we hope that the increased Space-A travel opportunity will open that door for our Airmen and their families to make it home more easily.”

Per the Defense Travel Regulation, PE flights will be available for booking 90 days prior to the month in which travel will begin.  For example, flights departing in June will be available for booking in March. In the event a flight is not yet available for booking, the dates for PE flights arriving in and departing from Guam are below for your planning purposes.

  • Mar. 07, 21
  • Apr. 04, 18
  • May 02, 16, 30
  • June  13, 27
  • July  11, 25
  • Aug.  08, 22

Those looking to fly Space-Available can make reservations by completing a reservation request form on the AMC Space-A Travel page: https://www.amc.af.mil/Home/AMC-Travel-Site/AMC-Space-Available-Travel-Page/Space-Available-Email-Sign-up-Form/ 

Flight schedules will be advertised on the Andersen Passenger Terminal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AndersenPassengerTerminal/ 

Additional PE travel information can be found on https://www.andersen.af.mil/Units/Wing-Tenant-Units/AMC-Passenger-Terminal/Patriot-Express/