NAS Rota, Spain
warningRota runway closure: 25 May - 14 Jul 2026
From the AMC Rota website: We inform all our passengers that the runway will be closed from the 25th of May to the 14th of July. Therefore, no flights will be available during this period. During this time, our Passenger Services Department and the Terminal will continue to operate 24 hours a day in order to address any questions by phone or assist passengers in person. DSN 727-2411 or commercial 011-34-956-822411. https://www.amc.af.mil/AMC-Travel-Site/Terminals/EUCOM-Terminals/Navsta-Rota-Passenger-Terminal/
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 Naval Station Rota, Spain — the U.S. Navy-operated AMC terminal on the Andalusian coast, the "Gateway to the Mediterranean."
Heads up: the Rota runway is closed 25 May through 14 July 2026 for repairs, with no flights operating during that window. The terminal and passenger services stay open 24/7 throughout — confirm the runway's status before planning travel.
Naval Station Rota sits on the Atlantic coast of southern Spain, in Andalusia near Cádiz — the "Gateway to the Mediterranean." Its U.S. Navy-operated AMC air terminal is one of the busiest in Europe by flight count, shuttling around the Mediterranean and Germany and running transatlantic missions to the U.S. East Coast.
For a Space-A traveler, read Rota's flight count carefully. The terminal flies constantly, but the aircraft are small — most flights release only a handful of Space-A seats, and many release none. The high-frequency Mediterranean shuttles to Sigonella, Souda Bay, and Naples move almost no Space-A passengers. The genuine opportunities are the transatlantic runs to the U.S. East Coast and the flights to Ramstein for onward European travel.
The move at Rota: don't count the flight board as opportunity — watch the 72-hour schedule for a transatlantic or Ramstein flight with seats released, and stay flexible. Fill is very low, so once you find a flight going your way, getting on usually isn't the hard part. The terminal runs 24/7, and roll call is three hours before departure — earlier than most terminals.
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.
- Rota is the "Gateway to the Mediterranean" and one of the busiest AMC terminals in Europe by flight count — but read that count carefully. The aircraft are small, and most flights release only a handful of Space-A seats, with many releasing none.
- The genuine opportunities are the transatlantic runs to the U.S. East Coast — which carry the most meaningful seat counts — and the flights to Ramstein for onward travel across Europe. The high-frequency Mediterranean shuttles to Sigonella, Souda Bay, and Naples move almost no Space-A passengers.
- Fill is very low across the board — competition for the seats that exist is minimal. If a flight is headed your way with seats released, getting on usually isn't the hard part; finding one with seats is.
- Cat VI reach is strong — Category VI travelers reach the manifest on the large majority of categorized flights, and tend to board when they compete. On the flights that actually carry seats, Rota is a dependable terminal for a lower-priority traveler.
- Flight volume spreads fairly evenly across the week with no dependable daily rhythm, and the seat counts are small. Rota's flights are mission-driven — plan from the live 72-hour schedule and stay flexible.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival | 2026-05-25 | NAS Rota, Spain | NAS Sigonella, Italy | — | 1130 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-24 | NAS Rota, Spain | NAS Sigonella, Italy | — | 1535 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-23 | NAS Sigonella, Italy | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 1615 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-23 | Gander International Airport | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 0900 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-21 | NSA Souda Bay, Crete, Greece | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 1520 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-21 | Aviano AB, Italy | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 1605 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-20 | NS Norfolk, VA | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 1630 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-20 | NS Norfolk, VA | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 1330 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arrival | 2026-05-12 | Spangdahlem AB, Germany | NAS Rota, Spain | — | 0310 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
- Patriot Express: duty passengers on travel orders may check in 24 hours before departure, and must be in line no later than 3 hours before scheduled departure.
- Roll call is conducted at the terminal 3 hours before departure — earlier than the usual 2-hour-20-minute standard. Plan to arrive about an hour before roll call to allow time for processing.
- 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.
- Open-toed or open-heeled shoes, narrow-based high heels, sandals, and flip-flops are not permitted on military aircraft. Tobacco use is prohibited on all AMC flights.
- Travelers with non-apparent disabilities — hearing impairment, asthma, a pacemaker — should notify a passenger service agent at check-in. Motorized wheelchairs are limited to 100 lbs, and the traveler must provide assistance if the battery needs to be disconnected.
When You Show Up
Parking, lodging, food, and what to do if you don't get on.
Parking
Check-In
Check in at the Air Terminal, Building 2 on Alvaro de Bazan Street. Bring a valid ID, your passport, your leave or travel orders, and a printed copy of your Space-A sign-up email. The terminal is staffed 24 hours a day.
When to Arrive
The terminal runs 24/7. Roll call is three hours before departure — earlier than most terminals — so plan to arrive about an hour before roll call for processing. The terminal cafeteria has a few quick-service options on site.
On-Base Lodging
- Navy Gateway Inns & Suites — RotaDSN 314-727-1871On-base Navy lodging, Building 39. On-base billeting is very limited — book ahead, especially in summer.
- Navy Lodge — RotaDSN 314-727-2643On-base Navy Lodge. Limited capacity; reserve before arrival.
Off-Base Lodging
- Hotel Duque de Nájera — Rota · 956-846-020 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-846-020 (from the U.S.)
- Hotel Playa de la Luz — Rota · 956-810-500 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-810-500 (from the U.S.)
- Hotel Caribe — Rota · 956-810-700 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-810-700 (from the U.S.)
- Hotel Playa Ballena · 956-849-044 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-849-044 (from the U.S.)Off-base hotels run roughly $60–$100 a night on seasonal rates; rooms are hard to find in July, August, and September without booking ahead.
Transportation
- Taxis · 956-840-085 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-840-085 (from the U.S.)Quick and inexpensive; taxis serve the terminal.
- Rental cars — in the Air Terminal · DSN 314-727-2675A rental-car desk is located inside the Air Terminal; other agencies are available off base.
- Bus station — Rota gate · 956-810-499 (from Spain) / 011-34-956-810-499 (from the U.S.)Bus station just outside the Rota gate.
- Train station — El Puerto de Santa María · 902-432-343 (from Spain)Nearest train station, about 25 minutes from base.
Food on Base
Common Destinations
Editorial notes to complement the live counts on the flight tables above.
- By far Rota's most frequent run — a near-daily shuttle to Sicily — but a small-aircraft courier mission that releases almost no Space-A seats. Treat it as a route Rota flies, not as a Space-A option.
- A regular run to Germany — the main AMC gateway for onward travel across Europe and home to the U.S. One of Rota's more useful Space-A connections.
- A transatlantic run to the Navy's main East Coast AMC terminal — one of Rota's better bets for meaningful seat counts on the way home to the U.S.
- A frequent hop to Crete, but on small aircraft that release almost no Space-A seats — another high-count Mediterranean shuttle rather than a real Space-A run.
- An occasional transatlantic run to New Hampshire — an infrequent but real link to the U.S. East Coast when it flies.
- Palma de Mallorca, SpainAn occasional hop to the Balearic Islands, but one that rarely releases Space-A seats. Watch the schedule rather than counting on it.
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.