Thanksgiving/Christmas

recon4ds

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2013
Messages
10
Does anyone know how Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations work? At in-processing, the AOG information sheet stated that Thanksgiving vacation starts on the 20th of November, whereas, the calendar states the 23rd. The AOG sheet and the calendar do agree that Christmas vacation starts the 21st. Additionally, the calendar uses the acronym "LMD" which I am not familiar with, what does that mean?

The reason that I ask is for scheduling of flights. I want to be as accurate as possible so that we don't have to have the possibility of paying for a change in flight. Thanks.:confused:
 
I'm sure others will give more details, but here are a few notes:

1. Talk to your cadet before booking travel or planning - the dates usually are reliable but times of release can vary and change. Combined with the travel time to Denver Airport you can have expensive mistakes.

2. If your cadet is an IC (on an inter-collegiate team), and they are in-season during the break you are wondering about, be aware that their team schedule/obligation may be different than the rest of the cadet wing. So make sure to check that too.
 
LMD stands for Last Military Duty. At Christmas break (for non-athletes) it will be when each individual cadet's last final is, which they will not know when that is until later in the semester. At Thanksgiving, it will be each individual cadet's last class that day, or if it is on the schedule as a non-class day (i.e.training day) then they will announce later in the semester what time they cadets can leave.
 
Does anyone know how Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations work? At in-processing, the AOG information sheet stated that Thanksgiving vacation starts on the 20th of November, whereas, the calendar states the 23rd. The AOG sheet and the calendar do agree that Christmas vacation starts the 21st. Additionally, the calendar uses the acronym "LMD" which I am not familiar with, what does that mean?

The reason that I ask is for scheduling of flights. I want to be as accurate as possible so that we don't have to have the possibility of paying for a change in flight. Thanks.:confused:

I have always said that it is best to leave it up to your cadet to make their own airline reservations for breaks. Whether that involves having them pay for the ticket and then you reimburse them, or giving them your log-in info for Orbitz, airline websites, etc. Our son always made his own reservations, and even then he had to pay for change fees when something came up.

The cadets will be given the information regarding when they will be able to leave. They will even be told how long after their LMD they will be allowed to make reservations. (ie: Flight time no earlier than 4 hours after they are released. Return flight arrive back in Denver/COS airport no later than 4 hours before return deadline.) They will be told this information when it is available and they will be responsible for making sure their flights adhere to the rules. If you make the reservations for them, you may not know all of the criteria.

Stealth_81
 
I thought I remembered you saying something like this in the past. Thanks for reposting it:)

Great advice! I am happy to pay for DD to come home but she will have a much better idea how to schedule than I will.

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app.
 
I may get flamed but last year I booked all the air tickets based on input from my DS. I am paying for him to come home and I know that I can do a better job getting the best airfare. He is responsible for booking and paying for any other tickets to where ever he may desire to travel. We pretty much just use Southwest which flies into Denver but does not charge for changes which happen all the time. For instance, last year Thanksgiving break LMD was scheduled for Saturday afternoon after training. A time was announced but later the training was cancelled and they were released first thing in the morning. Change, change, change. So I book based on the best available information to get the low fare and direct flight if possible and then I accept that I may have to change multiple times. I think I booked his summer flight 3 different times (he changed summer sessions). With Southwest any canceled tickets get credited in his name and can be used for another ticket for him. I have already booked the return for the Sunday after Thanksgiving which is one of the most traveled days of the year. Cadets must be back by 1900 and return times did not change, at least last year.
 
I may get flamed but last year I booked all the air tickets based on input from my DS. I am paying for him to come home and I know that I can do a better job getting the best airfare. He is responsible for booking and paying for any other tickets to where ever he may desire to travel. We pretty much just use Southwest which flies into Denver but does not charge for changes which happen all the time. For instance, last year Thanksgiving break LMD was scheduled for Saturday afternoon after training. A time was announced but later the training was cancelled and they were released first thing in the morning. Change, change, change. So I book based on the best available information to get the low fare and direct flight if possible and then I accept that I may have to change multiple times. I think I booked his summer flight 3 different times (he changed summer sessions). With Southwest any canceled tickets get credited in his name and can be used for another ticket for him. I have already booked the return for the Sunday after Thanksgiving which is one of the most traveled days of the year. Cadets must be back by 1900 and return times did not change, at least last year.

Don't forget to ask for military discount. :shake:
 
Don't forget to ask for military discount. :shake:

Love the military discount but usually I can find an online fare that is less expensive than the military discount which can only be received over the phone. But thanks for the reminder.
 
I may get flamed but last year I booked all the air tickets based on input from my DS. I am paying for him to come home and I know that I can do a better job getting the best airfare. He is responsible for booking and paying for any other tickets to where ever he may desire to travel. We pretty much just use Southwest which flies into Denver but does not charge for changes which happen all the time. For instance, last year Thanksgiving break LMD was scheduled for Saturday afternoon after training. A time was announced but later the training was cancelled and they were released first thing in the morning. Change, change, change. So I book based on the best available information to get the low fare and direct flight if possible and then I accept that I may have to change multiple times. I think I booked his summer flight 3 different times (he changed summer sessions). With Southwest any canceled tickets get credited in his name and can be used for another ticket for him. I have already booked the return for the Sunday after Thanksgiving which is one of the most traveled days of the year. Cadets must be back by 1900 and return times did not change, at least last year.

This is exactly what I did. The return date rarely changes so I would book the return flight first and I would always use Southwest ( no change fees). DS never had the time to search for discount fares so I purchase all travel tickets home. He would purchase tickets for trips he would take elsewhere. Also USAFA will send out schedule for shuttle service to Denver and Colorado Springs. Once those schedules are release the release date and time is usually set.
 
Love the military discount but usually I can find an online fare that is less expensive than the military discount which can only be received over the phone. But thanks for the reminder.

Remember to mention military for baggage fees. United is very good about honoring cadets. American not consistent with their baggage policy with cadets.
 
Hi, is there a shuttle for both dropping off and picking the cadets up at the Denver or Colorado Springs airport? I was wondering how my son would be able to get back to the Academy. Does it matter which airport? Thank you
 
For Christmas and Thanksgiving there is a bus that will drop off and pickup at both Denver and COS. A schedule will be provided in the Fall.
 
Is there a Cost

to the Cadet for the Shuttle for one way, or round trip riders?
 
I may get flamed but last year I booked all the air tickets based on input from my DS.

I can't believe you're a helicopter parent! Buying tickets for your cadet? How are cadets ever going to learn how to do this for themselves? Oh, wait. I do the same thing. Never mind. :wink:
 
Just some input from a former cadet. My mom booked all my tickets (with input from me) because she was much better at finding the best times and deals (and had a lot more time than me to do so, it is one of the few things she could really help me out with when my weekend to do list hours totaled > hours in a weekend, which was almost every weekend...). Also, booking the return is a pretty safe bet early on as return times pretty much never change, but the departure, we always waited until times were released because it really varies a lot. I usually flew frontier and I think I only ever had to change my flight once in all 4 years I was there.

I would not put buying tickets for your cadet in the helicopter parent category. I would put it in the awesome and supportive parent category :)
 
There will be squadmates that can help get your sons/daughters to the airport.
 
There will be squadmates that can help get your sons/daughters to the airport.

Also civilian friends, sponsor family, drive themselves ( C2C, C1C years). DS found a inexpensive parking lot at DEN. DS only used the shuttle service his 4degree year.
 
Just some input from a former cadet. My mom booked all my tickets (with input from me) because she was much better at finding the best times and deals (and had a lot more time than me to do so, it is one of the few things she could really help me out with when my weekend to do list hours totaled > hours in a weekend, which was almost every weekend...). Also, booking the return is a pretty safe bet early on as return times pretty much never change, but the departure, we always waited until times were released because it really varies a lot. I usually flew frontier and I think I only ever had to change my flight once in all 4 years I was there.

I would not put buying tickets for your cadet in the helicopter parent category. I would put it in the awesome and supportive parent category :)

So nice to have insight on this from a former cadet! Also great to have your thoughts on what does/does not include helicopter parenting:wink:
 
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