Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
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 flights from Joint Base Lewis-McChord — the AMC passenger terminal at McChord Field near Tacoma, Washington, with cross-country, Alaska, and Hawaii runs.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord's AMC passenger terminal sits at McChord Field, just south of Tacoma, Washington, and is run by the 62d Aerial Port Squadron. It flies a moderate, mostly domestic schedule — cross-country hops to Travis, Andrews, and Dover, regular runs up to Alaska and over to Hawaii, and the occasional flight to Ramstein.
For a Space-A traveler, JBLM is about as easy a board as the network offers. Seats sit almost entirely empty — fill is near zero across the schedule — and Cat VI travelers reach the manifest on nearly every categorized flight. If a flight is going your way, you are very likely on it. The constraint is reach, not competition: JBLM's flights stay overwhelmingly domestic, so it works best as a CONUS connector or a first leg toward Alaska or Hawaii.
The move at JBLM: sign up early — you can list up to five destinations on a single email — and treat any flight headed your direction as a near-certain board. The schedule leans toward winter and toward the start of the week, so a Sunday or Monday in the colder months gives you the most options. Check the live 72-hour schedule before you commit; the month-to-month pace is uneven.
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.
- JB Lewis-McChord is one of the most wide-open terminals in the network — nearly every seat released flies empty, and fill sits close to zero across the board. If a flight is headed where you want, a seat is essentially guaranteed; the only real question at JBLM is whether something is going your direction.
- Cat VI reach is excellent — retirees and other Category VI travelers reach the manifest on nearly every categorized flight, and have boarded on every flight where they competed. Paired with the wide-open seat counts, JBLM is one of the easiest terminals in the network for a Cat VI traveler to count on.
- JBLM's schedule runs against the usual rhythm — its busiest stretch has been in winter, around December and January, with flights thinning out toward spring. Overall volume is moderate, so plan from the live 72-hour schedule rather than assuming a steady monthly pace.
- Sunday and Monday are JBLM's busiest flying days. If your schedule is flexible, the start of the week gives you the most departures to choose from.
- JBLM's flights run almost entirely domestic — cross-country hops to Travis, Andrews, and Dover, plus regular runs up to Alaska and over to Hawaii. Overseas service is rare; a Ramstein run turns up occasionally, but JBLM works best as a CONUS and Pacific-gateway connector, not a one-stop ticket abroad.
- 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 | Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA | Keesler AFB, MS | 0530 | — | TBD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-03 | Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA | Great Falls, MT | 0700 | — | TBD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-28 | Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA | JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI | — | 1110-1210 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-04 | JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK | Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA | 0030 | — | TBD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 72-Hour | 2026-06-03 | JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI | Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA | 2335 | — | T | 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.
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 TripQuirks Worth Flagging
- To sign up by email, send the terminal a copy of your travel documentation along with your rank, full name, service branch, military status, any dependent travelers' names, total seats required, eligibility status, leave dates, your overseas-ready status, and up to five destinations. Don't include Social Security numbers or dates of birth in the email.
- Baggage allowance is 2 checked bags per traveler, up to 70 lbs and 62 linear inches each, plus 1 carry-on bag that fits under an aircraft seat.
- Dependents under 14 must travel with the sponsor or an eligible parent and carry their own government-issued ID — a current passport or a raised-seal birth certificate (not a hospital certificate of birth). The sponsor must have proof of sponsorship showing the dependent's DoD ID number, available through the installation's Military Personnel Office or MilConnect. Veterans with a permanent total service-connected disability need a USID card marked "100% DAV"; retirees need one marked "Retired."
- Open-toe and open-heel footwear — sandals, flip-flops, crocs, high heels — is prohibited on military aircraft. Travel in closed, practical shoes.
- Tobacco use is not allowed on AMC flights.
When You Show Up
Parking, lodging, food, and what to do if you don't get on.
Parking
Long-term parking is available near the passenger terminal for stays up to 60 days — get a parking pass from the passenger service counter. Use the long-term lot behind the trees, not the 24-hour lot in front of the terminal.
Check-In
Check in at the JB Lewis-McChord Passenger Terminal, 1422 Union Ave, Bldg. 1179, McChord Field. Bring a valid ID, your leave or travel orders, and a printed copy of your Space-A sign-up email.
When to Arrive
The terminal is open 6 am to 6 pm daily, and opens 30 minutes before a roll call that falls outside those hours. Sunday and Monday are the busiest flying days. Mark present as early as you can and check the 72-hour schedule for posted roll-call times. The terminal has Wi-Fi, charging stations, a business center, Special Category and family lounges, a children's play room, and a nursery; the USO lounge is open weekdays 9 am to 2 pm.
On-Base Lodging
- Candlewood Suites — McChord Field(253) 300-9200On-base lodging on the McChord Field side. Alternate line (253) 300-9202.
- The Rainier Inn (Fort Lewis Lodging)(253) 964-0211On-base billeting on the Fort Lewis side of JBLM.
Off-Base Lodging
- Candlewood Suites — Lakewood · (253) 584-0868
- Best Western Lakewood Motor Inn · (253) 584-2212
- Holiday Inn Express · (253) 582-7000
- La Quinta · (253) 383-0146
- King Oscar's Motel · (253) 539-1153
- Home Motel · (253) 584-1717
Transportation
- JBLM Runner (base shuttle) · (253) 377-4380Free on-base shuttle, Mon–Fri 6:30–9:30 am and 4–6 pm. Go to a posted stop — including the McChord Exchange and the JBLM Commissary — and call to be picked up. Riders need an approved DoD ID.
- WinGate Travel · (253) 442-2313Commercial travel office, Bldg. 100 Suite 1001S.
- National Car RentalOff-site car rental.
Food on Base
Common Destinations
Editorial notes to complement the live counts on the flight tables above.
- JBLM's busiest destination — a frequent cross-country run to Northern California and the main West Coast airlift hub. A natural first hop toward Hawaii or the Far East.
- A regular cross-country run to the Washington, DC area — JBLM's main link to the capital region.
- A regular run up to Anchorage, Alaska — and an exceptionally easy board, with almost none of its seats claimed.
- JBLM's link to Hawaii and the central-Pacific transit hub — a useful waypoint for travel deeper into the Pacific.
- An occasional run to Nellis AFB outside Las Vegas, Nevada.
- A short in-state hop to the Navy air station on Puget Sound, north of Seattle.
- An occasional long cross-country run to Delaware — Dover is a major East Coast AMC hub and a strong onward connection toward Europe.
- JBLM's rare overseas run — an occasional direct flight to Germany. Infrequent, but a valuable catch when one appears.
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.
- JBLM McChord Field AMC Gram (PDF)JBLM-specific traveler info from AMC — lodging, transportation, and dining listings. Current as of October 2025.
- AMC Pet Travel Page
Guide last reviewed . Sources: AMC Travel and Space-A+ historical data.
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