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Joint Base Charleston, SC

Charleston International Airport, South Carolina
East Coast's Highest-Volume AMC Hub — Patriot Express to Ramstein
Terminal Guide
info

DAF 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/

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Charles L. Shaub Passenger Terminal at Joint Base Charleston, SC.
Charles L. Shaub Passenger Terminal — JB CharlestonU.S. Air Force courtesy photo (VIRIN 230110-F-XY111-1001)

East Coast's Highest-Volume AMC Hub — Patriot Express to Ramstein

JB Charleston runs about 28 flights a month with 54 average seats released — the highest total volume on the East Coast. Cat VI reaches the manifest on 93% of categorized flights, the East Coast's best reach rate. Ramstein is the most popular Space-A destination from here, but Charleston is also a strong launch point for the West Coast and Alaska — Travis (15 flights, 5% fill) and JB Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska (19 flights, 2% fill) both run with low Space-A demand, so seats commonly go empty for travelers headed that way.

Ramstein leads the Space-A boarding tally with 13 flights at 32% fill. The other high-count Charleston destinations — Pope AAF NC, Dover, JB Andrews, Elmendorf AK, Travis — see far less Space-A demand, which makes them easy boards for anyone whose travel matches. Pope alone releases ~93 seats per flight across 34 flights, and almost all of those seats commonly sit empty.

Terminal Information

IATA / ICAO
CHS / KCHS
Address
AMC Charleston Passenger Terminal
437th Aerial Port Squadron
Charles L. Shaub Passenger Terminal
Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404
Hours
6am-10pm, 7 days a week.
Commercial
(843) 963-3083 — Passenger Service Center (also (843) 963-3048).
24-hr flight recording
(843) 963-0114 — 24-hour flight recording.
Email
437APS.SpaceA@us.af.mil
Official AMC page
AMC Terminal - Joint Base Charleston, SC

Flight Schedule PDFs

AMC's official scheduling PDFs, opened in a new tab.

72-Hour ScheduleConfirmed departures, next 3 days12h agoRoll Call ReportYesterday’s seats released + categories12h ago
What the data shows

At a Glance

Editorial summary of the live numbers below.

  • Charleston is one of the East Coast's highest-volume AMC hubs, with large seat releases. Overall Space-A fill across all destinations is very low — Charleston releases far more seats than there are Space-A travelers competing for them — and Cat VI reaches the manifest on the great majority of categorized flights, among the highest reach rates on the East Coast.
  • Ramstein leads Charleston's Space-A boarding count, but its volume crown comes from high-cadence CONUS routes — Pope AAF, Dover, JB Andrews, Elmendorf, and Travis. Those CONUS routes run with very low Space-A fill: lots of empty seats waiting for travelers heading those directions.
  • 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.
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Legend— Code column valuesFFirmTTentativeTBDTo Be DeterminedDODuty OnlyOFOrganic FlightSOSOFA OnlyCCRCountry Clearance RequiredPEPatriot ExpressPRPassport RequiredRRefueling Mission
TypeDateDepartureDestinationRoll callArrivalCodeReleasedClaimedFill %Sel catSel signupCompComp cat
72-Hour2026-06-04Joint Base Charleston, SCSoto Cano AB, Honduras0755—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-04Joint Base Charleston, SCRamstein AB, Germany0925—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-04Joint Base Charleston, SCJoint Base Andrews, MD1115—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03Joint Base Charleston, SCEastern WV Regional Airport/Shepherd Field1015—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03Joint Base Charleston, SCJoint Base Andrews, MD0345—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03Joint Base Charleston, SCJoint Base Andrews, MD1645—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03Joint Base Charleston, SCRamstein AB, Germany0650—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-04Spangdahlem AB, Germany
Pittsburgh ARS, PA
Joint Base Charleston, SC
0940—T53——————
72-Hour2026-06-04Ramstein AB, GermanyJoint Base Charleston, SC1500—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03NS Guantanamo Bay, CubaJoint Base Charleston, SC1200—TBD———————
72-Hour2026-06-03Travis AFB, CAJoint Base Charleston, SC0850—T53——————
72-Hour2026-06-02JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HIJoint Base Charleston, SC2215—F19——————
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Premium

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.

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Before travel day

How to Sign Up

Methods, contacts, and terminal-specific quirks.

Skip the emails. Plan a trip on Space-A+ and we'll submit your sign-up at this terminal automatically — and refresh it every 60 days so it never expires.

Plan Your Trip
Sign-up methods
Email · Online sign-up form
Confirmation
Print a copy of your sign-up email and bring it with you for roll call.

Quirks Worth Flagging

  • Email sign-ups must include: name(s) (sponsor and all dependents), phone number, email, rank and service affiliation, number of seats required, and a list of five desired countries. Do not include Social Security numbers, passport numbers, or dates of birth — those are protected privacy information.
  • Roll calls run at the AMC ticket counter only 2 hours 20 minutes prior to departure — tighter than most East Coast hubs (Ramstein runs at 4h 20m, Dover at 4h). AMC recommends arriving 30 minutes before roll call to verify travel documents.
  • Duty (Space-R) check-in counters open 6 hours prior to departure. Duty passengers must be in line NLT 3 hours 20 minutes prior — late arrivals get re-booked through Customer Service.
  • Baggage: 2 bags per traveler, 70 lb max per bag, 62 linear inches max. 1 carry-on that must fit under any aircraft seat.
  • No reservations for Space-A travel. Per DoDI 4515.13 §4.1.a, the DoW is not obligated to continue an individual's travel or return them to point of origin. Carry enough personal funds for commercial transportation, lodging, and other expenses in case Space-A doesn't pan out.
  • Dependents under 14 must travel with the sponsor or eligible parent and carry a federal, state, local, or tribal government-issued ID (valid passport or raised-seal birth certificate from the city, county, or state — not a hospital certificate of birth). USID sponsors need documentation proving sponsorship for dependents under 14 — available through the installation's Military Personnel Office or via milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil.
  • Open-toe, open-heel, or five-finger shoes are prohibited inside the terminal. Wear closed-toe shoes.
  • Pets must remain in their kennel or carrier at all times inside the building. Service animals are the exception. You're responsible for all required documentation (microchip, immunizations, border clearance, DD Form 2208 Rabies Vaccination Certificate or civilian equivalent, DD Form 2209 Veterinary Health Certificate or civilian equivalent, bi-lingual certificates, proof of ownership).
Travel day

When You Show Up

Parking, lodging, food, and what to do if you don't get on.

Parking

JB Charleston does not publish on-base parking rates online — long-term parking requires registration (see the Long-Term Parking Registration PDF in helpful_links). Plan to register in advance if leaving a vehicle for a Space-A trip.

Check-In

Check in at the Charles L. Shaub Passenger Terminal on Joint Base Charleston. Duty (Space-R) counters open 6 hours prior to departure; duty pax must be in line NLT 3 hours 20 minutes prior. Space-A roll call runs at the AMC ticket counter 2 hours 20 minutes prior — arrive 30 minutes before roll call for document verification.

When to Arrive

Plan to be at the terminal at least 30 minutes before the 2-hour-20-minute roll call so the passenger service agent can verify your travel documents. Wear closed-toe shoes — open-toe, open-heel, and five-finger footwear are prohibited inside the terminal. If traveling with a pet, keep it inside its kennel at all times (service animals excepted) and bring all required documentation: microchip, immunizations, border clearance, DD Form 2208 rabies and DD Form 2209 health certificates, plus proof of ownership.

On-Base Lodging

  • Inns of Charleston(843) 963-8000
    On-base lodging, open 24/7.

Off-Base Lodging

  • Wingate by Wyndham · (843) 554-7154
  • Courtyard by Marriott · (843) 572-7490
  • TownePlace Suites · (843) 990-7777
  • Sleep Inn · (843) 572-8400
  • SpringHill Suites by Marriott · (843) 572-8866
  • Country Inn & Suites by Radisson · (843) 203-8665
  • Suburban Studios · (843) 747-7500
  • DoubleTree by Hilton · (843) 518-6200
    Contact for availability per AMC Gram.

Transportation

  • AMTRAK · 1-800-872-7245
    Charleston has an Amtrak station (CHS) about 10 miles north of the base.
  • Greyhound Bus Lines · 1-800-231-2222
  • Nandu Cab · (843) 330-6021
  • Hello Say When Taxi · (843) 709-8953
  • Most Wanted Transportation · (843) 478-5959
  • Uber
    Uber operates at JB Charleston; use the app.
  • Enterprise (rental car — CHS) · (843) 767-1109
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • Budget (rental car — CHS) · (843) 552-1771
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • National (rental car — CHS) · (843) 767-3078
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • Thrifty (rental car — CHS) · (843) 552-1400
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • Avis (rental car — CHS) · (843) 767-7030
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • Hertz (rental car — CHS) · (843) 767-4554
    Available at Charleston International Airport (CHS), 10-15 minutes from JB Charleston.
  • Base Transportation (Active Duty only — U-drive-it) · (843) 963-4236
    JB Charleston does not run a base shuttle. Active Duty traveling on orders may set up U-drive-it service. Groups of 20 or more may call for rides to or from Charleston International Airport.

Food on Base

Gaylor Dining FacilityWrenwoods Golf Globemaster GrillStarlifter Lanes Snack Bar and GrillInns of Charleston — Ra Coffee CompanyCharleston Club
Where it goes

Common Destinations

Editorial notes to complement the live counts on the flight tables above.

  • Ramstein AB, Germany
    Charleston's most popular Space-A destination — 13 flights over 8 months (~1.5/month), averaging 62 seats released and 32% fill. Smaller cadence than Dover's Europe run (102 flights) or BWI's (48), but a useful eastbound option when those dates don't fit.
  • Pope Field, NC
    34 flights over 8 months at 93 average seats released and 0.1% Space-A fill — ~3,000 unused seats over the data window. Pope is next to Fort Liberty NC; seats here almost always go empty.
  • Dover AFB, DE
    30 flights over 8 months at 50 average seats and 2% Space-A fill — about 1,470 seats sit empty over the data window. Easy boards for anyone wanting to reach Dover, the East Coast's #1 Europe-corridor hub (102 Ramstein flights / 24% fill).
  • Joint Base Andrews, MD
    22 flights over 8 months, averaging 44 seats released and 0.8% Space-A fill — about 950 seats sit empty across the data window. AMC names Andrews as a primary Charleston destination, and the seat availability is consistent with that. Andrews itself runs a small Europe corridor (33 flights at 31% fill) — a useful follow-on if you can get there.
  • JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
    19 flights over 8 months at 46 average seats and 2% Space-A fill — about 850 unused seats across the data window. Alaska is a long-haul play with low Space-A demand, so seats are usually available if you can use Anchorage as your destination.
  • Travis AFB, CA
    15 flights over 8 months at 46 average seats and 5% Space-A fill — about 660 unused seats across the data window. The cross-country option to the Pacific gateway; seats are commonly available for travelers continuing west to Hawaii or Asia from Travis.
If you need an alternate terminal

Related Terminals

Geographic and functional alternatives.

Ramstein AB, Germany
Charleston's most-competed Space-A destination (13 outbound flights at 32% fill). Ramstein's reciprocal corridor back to Charleston runs much heavier — 89 flights inbound per Ramstein's data, making Charleston a high-cadence return-leg option for Europe trips.
Dover AFB, DE
Sister East Coast hub, about 10 hours north by car. Dover runs the real Europe volume (102 Europe flights vs Charleston's 13) at 24% Europe fill. If you want a Ramstein flight on a specific date, Dover is the higher-cadence option.
Baltimore-Washington Int'l (BWI), MD
Mid-Atlantic Patriot Express hub with the tightest East Coast Europe-corridor competition (50% fill on 48 Ramstein flights). Higher cadence than Charleston for Ramstein.
Questions we hear

FAQ

Travelers ask these about this terminal specifically.

Is there long-term parking available?

Yes. Fill out the Long-Term Parking Registration form before leaving your vehicle. Per the form: "Parking is limited to passenger vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs) and motorcycles. Absolutely no boats, travel trailers, storage trailers, recreational vehicles or campers are allowed. This form must be placed on the dashboard of automobiles or in a visible location on a motorcycle. Ticketing and towing will be strictly and routinely enforced. Long term parking will not exceed 179 days. Personnel requiring parking longer than 179 days should make other arrangements."

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.

References

Helpful Links

AMC PDFs, terminal-specific guides, and external resources.

Guide last reviewed . Sources: AMC Travel and Space-A+ historical data.

Related reading