transportation to airports - Thanksgiving etc.

lstader

5-Year Member
Joined
May 17, 2012
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6
Can anyone give me more details on transportation to and from airports for Thanksgiving break? I am wondering what time is transportation being offered? How much will it cost? What dates is transportation available? How does one reserve a spot?
I want to go ahead a book a flight but I am not sure how my cadet it getting to and from the airports.
Thanks
 
In Arnold Hall during PW there will be a booth regarding the travel. They posted in Parent's group emails back in 2010, but not in 2011. Basically they have a bus that is available to transport, for a fee, to and from Colorado Springs Airport and Denver Airport. To Denver, 2 yrs ago, roundtrip was $45 and one way $30. To CoS airport it was $30 roundtrip, and $20 one way. They must have at least 12 cadets sign up for a particular time to ensure that it goes. Cadet wing returns by 1900 on November 25th. They recommend giving at least two hours for the return from DIA and an hour from CoS. My DD used the bus for the first few trips her C4C year, but by Spring Break had made her own arrangements for transportation from the airports.
 
The busses are always a decent option, since it is nice to know for sure you have a ride there and back. I used it 2 or 3 times during my first two years.

The other option is riding with an upperclass cadet. It's easier to get a ride from USAFA to the airport, but I've always been able to find a ride back, though sometimes that doesn't happen until the night before or morning of the return. The key is to ask around - worst case scenario, arrive into DEN, find random cadets and inquire if they have an extra room. We're pretty easy to spot.
 
The key is to ask around - worst case scenario, arrive into DEN, find random cadets and inquire if they have an extra room. We're pretty easy to spot.

It works...

lstader, I recommend you either talk with your son/daughter or just let them arrange the flight.
 
thanks

Thanks for the info. I won't worry about it, it sounds like it works out in the end. I'll just book the flight, send my cadet the itinerary and let him figure it out. :thumb:
 
My sons took the van one time in four years, at our insistence (very bad weather expected after long flights with 2 stop overs). I do believe it was in their 4* year; after that they made their own arrangements and several times flew into both DEN and COS w/o rides arranged.

A couple times, the kids' sponsor family would drive them to COS from DEN, if they were working in Denver and could arrange a suitable pick up time.

It is a little nerve racking for parents though since we do not tend to be "fly by the seat of your pants" parents.
 
Columbus Day Break

My cadet is hoping to travel on the Columbus Day break. Does anyone know if travel is allowed on that weekend? Also, are busses available to/from the airport?
 
Busses are not available on the Columbus Day weekend. Travel may be, however to be safe they should submit a SSS form through the proper channels. It will usually be up to the discretion of the squadron powers that be. It is not a guaranteed thing that they will get to travel, so before arrangements are made and paid for, they should check. Note, USAFA does not really care if you already have airline tickets already purchased.
 
My cadet is hoping to travel on the Columbus Day break. Does anyone know if travel is allowed on that weekend?

That weekend is the Navy game, which is mandatory attendance by the cadet wing. Game is early -- 0930 local, so if SSS approved they could leave earlier than last week.

If the travel is for a "once in lifetime event" (like sibling's wedding) they may be approved to miss the game.

Won't know til they do the SSS asking, but like kdc said, USAFA won't care if plane tickets are already purchased.
 
My cadet is hoping to travel on the Columbus Day break. Does anyone know if travel is allowed on that weekend? Also, are busses available to/from the airport?

This is the reply I was asked to pass on from the USAFA Parent's Liason:

Hi! My name is Marie Nikovits and I am the USAFA Parent Liaison. Yes the cadets are off from academics for those two days; however, there is other training that will be done and a AF vs Navy football game that weekend. Cadets will be very busy that weekend so I don't know if they will be released for Columbus Day itself (Monday). If so they can contact their sponsor family who are local. Hope this helps in your planning.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. (719) 333-3828. rose.nikovits@usafa.edu.

Marie
 
My daughter, a CIC, was able to get a SSS approved for travel over Navy game weekend -- but she submitted her paperwork weeks ago. This is squadron dependent, class dependent, etc. Navy game is considered a big deal. If your cadet wants to travel -- they need to submit that paperwork ASAP.
 
Another interesting fact I learned at Parents' Weekend related to football games, passes, etc. They squadrons are now required to march on in an 8 X 8 formation (64 cadets). For some number of previous years (don't know how many) the required formation was 7 X 7 (49 cadets). Some squadrons were having trouble getting the required 64 at last weekend's game which is understandable with some cadets out ill, some excused for other reasons, some on sports teams, or cheer, Drill team, etc. Don't know if that need to hit 64 at each home game may also affect passes granted -- but it was interesting to watch squadron Accountability Clerks in the area of the tailgate I attended counting and recounting to hit that 64 number.
 
Don't know if that need to hit 64 at each home game may also affect passes granted -- but it was interesting to watch squadron Accountability Clerks in the area of the tailgate I attended counting and recounting to hit that 64 number.

Now I understand why my son, whose is in CS-31, was asked by an AOC to march in CS-28.
 
Another interesting fact I learned at Parents' Weekend related to football games, passes, etc. They squadrons are now required to march on in an 8 X 8 formation (64 cadets). For some number of previous years (don't know how many) the required formation was 7 X 7 (49 cadets). Some squadrons were having trouble getting the required 64 at last weekend's game which is understandable with some cadets out ill, some excused for other reasons, some on sports teams, or cheer, Drill team, etc. Don't know if that need to hit 64 at each home game may also affect passes granted -- but it was interesting to watch squadron Accountability Clerks in the area of the tailgate I attended counting and recounting to hit that 64 number.

Getting a pass during a home football game isn't the "norm". Just because you put it in weeks in advance doesn't mean you'll get it. You'll have to have a good reason and an AOC who agrees with it. The norm is: Home football games and training weekends mean you'll be at the academy.
 
When their grandmother died last year the Wednesday before a big football weekend, both of my sons were granted passes and arrived on Thursday night for the funeral, etc. They returned to USAFA on Sunday morning on a 6 a.m flight. Both were told it was unlikely, even as Firsties, that they would have been excused from that game had there not been a death or other significant event. Obviously, they didn't turn in requests early.

I will admit that we watched the last half of the game on TV after the funeral. It was a great stress reliever for our whole family.
 
Thanksgiving Break Question

I have another Thanksgiving break question. What time will the cadets most likely be allowed to leave the Academy? Would it be possible to make a 7:00PM flight from Denver??
Thanks to anyone who might have info.
Candace
 
I have another Thanksgiving break question. What time will the cadets most likely be allowed to leave the Academy? Would it be possible to make a 7:00PM flight from Denver??
Thanks to anyone who might have info.
Candace

What did your cadet say when you asked them the question? They are the only one with the answer. They know when their last class for the day is. They're the only one that knows what rules/policies their squadron has in place. Ask them, and what they don't know they can ask and find out for you.
 
Thanksgiving Break

My cadet's squad is not allowed to use cell phones right now, so we haven't been able to talk since parent weekend, and we didn't iron out the details. I will send him an email to make sure. I was just wondering what others had heard about the leaving time for Thanksgiving. We don't have the luxury of phone calls right now. I do understand that asking the cadets is the best option, when that is possible.
 
I have another Thanksgiving break question. What time will the cadets most likely be allowed to leave the Academy? Would it be possible to make a 7:00PM flight from Denver??
Thanks to anyone who might have info.
Candace

We are not allowed to leave until we have our rooms checked by our AOC/AMT on Saturday the 17th, that check begins a little after 0600. However, we also have a mandatory breakfast formation that day. My squad's AMT advised us that we shouldn't buy tickets for departure prior to 1100, and he said that was the absolute earliest we should even consider. I would aim for around 1400 and after to be safe in terms of departure times. To answer your question about the 1900 departure time, yes that is very possible.
 
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