Eielson AFB, AK
infoDAF Privatizing On-Base Lodging Beginning Fall 2027 (US & Territories)
The DAF has selected IHG Hotels and Resorts and Centinel Public Partnerships, LLC to execute a 50-year lease, starting Fall 2027. The first 23 installations scheduled for transition are: • Altus Air Force Base, Okla. • Barksdale AFB, La. • Beale AFB, Calif. • Buckley Space Force Base, Colo. • Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. • Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. • Edwards AFB, Calif. • Eglin AFB, Fla. • Goodfellow AFB, Texas • Hurlburt Field, Fla. • Joint Base Andrews, Md. • JB Charleston, S.C. • JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska • JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. • Little Rock AFB, Ark. • MacDill AFB, Fla. • Maxwell AFB, Ala. • Nellis AFB, Nev. • Robins AFB, Ga. • Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. • Shaw AFB, S.C. • Sheppard AFB, Texas • Travis AFB, Calif. See the full story here: https://www.afimsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4487502/daf-selects-partner-for-commercialized-on-base-lodging/
Space-Available travel through Eielson AFB, Alaska — the AMC passenger terminal in Alaska's interior near Fairbanks, with irregular missions across Alaska, the U.S., and the Pacific.
Eielson Air Force Base sits in Alaska's interior, about 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks and home to the 354th Fighter Wing. Its AMC passenger terminal — a contracted operation inside the base's Joint Mobility Complex — handles whatever airlift passes through.
For a Space-A traveler, Eielson is a low-volume, unpredictable board. It has no regularly scheduled flights: departures are irregular, and destinations vary widely from one mission to the next. This is a terminal you watch and wait at, not one you plan a firm date around.
The move at Eielson: the one semi-dependable run is the short hop to JB Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage — Alaska's busier terminal and the natural first step toward the lower 48. Beyond that, watch the 72-hour schedule, stay flexible, and dress for the interior — winter clothing is a necessity from October through March.
Terminal Information
Flight Schedule PDFs
AMC's official scheduling PDFs, opened in a new tab.
At a Glance
Editorial summary of the live numbers below.
- Eielson has no regularly scheduled flights. Departures are irregular and the destinations are unpredictable — a mission may go almost anywhere, or there may be none for days. This is a terminal you watch and wait at, not one you plan a firm date around.
- The one semi-regular run is the short hop to JB Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage — the most dependable way off Eielson, and the connection into Alaska's busier terminal.
- Beyond the Anchorage run, Eielson's flights scatter — occasional one-off missions to destinations across the U.S. and the Pacific. Patience and flexibility matter more here than at almost any other terminal.
- When a flight does run, the aircraft tend to be large and fill is low — so if you catch one headed your way, getting a seat is rarely the problem. The constraint is entirely whether a flight exists.
- Cat VI reach is strong — Category VI travelers reach the manifest on the large majority of flights and board when they compete. The low demand works in a lower-priority traveler's favor.
- April 2026 saw an unusually high spike in flight volume across many AMC terminals — probably driven by real-world operations rather than typical cadence. Weight the other months more heavily when planning your trip.
| Type | Date | Departure | Destination | Roll call | Arrival | Code | Released | Claimed | Fill % | Sel cat | Sel signup | Comp | Comp cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-03 | Eielson AFB, AK | Fairchild AFB, WA | 0740 | — | TBD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-03 | Eielson AFB, AK | JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK | 1341 | — | TBD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-03 | Eielson AFB, AK | Westover ARB, MA | 2012 | — | F | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-23 | Eielson AFB, AK | Kadena AB, Japan | — | 0340-0440 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-02 | JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK | Eielson AFB, AK | 1600 | — | F | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Patterns Over the Past 12 Months
See the past 12 months of patterns at this terminal — busiest months, day-of-week cadence, fill rates, and top destinations.
Pattern charts — flight cadence, fill rates, and top destinations — are a premium feature. Upgrade to plan trips against real history for this terminal.
See pricingHow to Sign Up
Methods, contacts, and terminal-specific quirks.
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Plan Your TripQuirks Worth Flagging
- Eielson has no regularly scheduled flights — departures are irregular, and destinations vary widely from one mission to the next. Check the 72-hour schedule often, or call the terminal, and stay flexible.
- Active-duty members must be on leave status to sign up for Space-A.
- Roll call is conducted at the AMC passenger service counter 2 hours 20 minutes before departure. Arrive 30 minutes before roll call to mark yourself present for the flight.
- Winter clothing: from October through March, flying within Alaska on smaller aircraft, military personnel on duty must carry cold-weather gear — parka, mittens, thermal undergarments, cold-weather boots, and head gear. Space-A travelers and civilians aren't required to carry the military items but should have suitable commercial cold-weather equivalents.
- Dependents under 10 must travel with the sponsor or an eligible parent and carry a government-issued ID — a raised-seal birth certificate or a passport, not a hospital certificate or a local school ID. The sponsor must carry proof of sponsorship (a DD Form 1172-2 DEERS printout). Leisure travel to Guam requires every traveler to carry a passport or birth certificate as proof of citizenship.
- Baggage allowance is 2 checked bags per traveler (up to 70 lbs and 62 linear inches each), plus 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item that fits under an aircraft seat.
When You Show Up
Parking, lodging, food, and what to do if you don't get on.
Parking
The passenger terminal offers long-term parking for Space-A and Space-R passengers flying out of Eielson — display a placard from a Passenger Service Agent; RVs and trailers are not allowed. The short-term lot has a 12-hour limit. Vehicles must meet all state and base registration, licensing, and insurance requirements, and you park at your own risk.
Check-In
Check in at the Eielson AFB Passenger Terminal, inside the Joint Mobility Complex at 2939 Flightline Avenue. Bring a valid ID, your leave or travel orders (with enough copies — a copy machine isn't always available), and a printed copy of your Space-A sign-up email.
When to Arrive
The terminal is open 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday–Friday, plus evenings on departure nights. Roll call is 2 hours 20 minutes before departure — arrive 30 minutes before roll call to mark present. Eielson sits about 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks in Alaska's interior; winter clothing is a necessity from October through March. In-flight meals cannot currently be ordered, so bring your own food for longer flights.
On-Base Lodging
- Gold Rush Inn — Eielson AFB(907) 377-1844On-base lodging, Bldg. 2720. Book ahead; rates vary by season.
Off-Base Lodging
- Hotel North Pole · (907) 488-4800
- Pike's Waterfront Lodge — Fairbanks · (907) 456-4500
- River's Edge Resort — Fairbanks · (907) 474-0286
- Sophie Station Hotel — Fairbanks · (907) 479-3650
- Westmark Fairbanks Hotel · (907) 456-7722Off-base hotels are in the Fairbanks area, about 25 miles from base; all rates vary by season.
Transportation
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car — Fairbanks · (907) 456-1412
- Avis Rental — Fairbanks · (907) 474-0900
- Alaska Cab · (907) 456-3355Taxi service in the Fairbanks area.
- Arctic Taxi · (907) 455-0000
Common Destinations
Editorial notes to complement the live counts on the flight tables above.
- Eielson's most frequent run — a short hop down to the Anchorage area, the most dependable way off Eielson and the gateway into Alaska's busier terminal.
- An occasional long-haul run across the Pacific to Guam — infrequent, but it carries seats when it flies. Beyond runs like this, Eielson's destinations are unpredictable.
Related Terminals
Geographic and functional alternatives.
FAQ
Travelers ask these about this terminal specifically.
I know flights are based on mission requirements. Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of making the flight?
Sign up early, and show up early to mark present. If only a few Space-A passengers have marked present shortly before roll call, terminal staff will tell mission planners that cargo can be added to the pallet positions that would have held seats. On certain aircraft, that means fewer Space-A seats than there are travelers waiting. The fix is to mark present as early as you can — don't wait until just before roll call.
Do I really need to bring a copy of my sign-up email?
Yes — always bring a hard copy of your sign-up email, and make sure it shows a date and time stamp. Terminal staff use that stamp to confirm your priority on the manifest at roll call.
Will they let me on the flight if my ID is expired?
No. Check every ID before you travel, and if any will expire during your trip, renew them now. Expired IDs (including your CAC, dependent ID, and passport) will keep you off the flight.
Helpful Links
AMC PDFs, terminal-specific guides, and external resources.
Guide last reviewed . Sources: AMC Travel and Space-A+ historical data.