When to Book Flight

Check your Soldier’s orders to know when/where to fly:

  • Travel can start as of “Availability Date”
  • From Port of Debarkation (departure airport)
  • To Port of Embarkation (arrival airport)

Concurrent Travel Orders

Your family and Soldier can travel together if the criteria below are met. Otherwise, your Soldier will go to Camp Darby and dependents will follow within 60 days (if not possible, get orders amended to “deferred travel” ASAP).

Deferred Travel Orders

Families are issued deferred travel orders (arriving 61+ days after Soldier) for various reasons, such as an overseas housing shortage or to let kids finish a semester or school year before PCSing.

However, once the above criteria are met, your Soldier will receive orders authorizing dependent travel from the closest military installation on or within 60 days of “availability date” on orders. Contact that installation’s Contract Travel Office (CTO) to arrange family travel.

Paying for Flights

For the Army to pay for travel, flights must be booked via the CTO on a U.S. Flag Carrier, as required by the Fly America Act, and orders must indicate either:

Individually Billed Account (IBA)

With an IBA, your Soldier will use a gov’t travel credit card (GTCC) to pay for flights made at the CTO. Your Soldier will then claim reimbursement by filling out a travel voucher during in-processing in Italy.
NOTE: CTO can book flights to/from alternate ports but you must pay any costs above your travel entitlement.

Centrally Billed Account (CBA)

With a CBA, the CTO is responsible for paying for the airfare. The CTO charges the cost of airfare to a CBA and the CTO is reimbursed after submitting a claim.
NOTE: CTO can book flights to/from alternate ports only if the cost is less than your gov’t travel entitlement.

Government Travel Entitlement

Use GSA City Pairs Search Tool  to find your gov’t travel entitlement which is the YCA Fare (gov’t negotiated, fully refundable, one-way fare) on a contracted U.S. Flag Carrier based on your departure/arrival ports on orders. 

Flight Reservations

Booking Flight & Ticketing Process

IMPORTANT: Make sure the Arrival Airport on your orders is Pisa, Florence or Rome - NOT Venice!

Soldiers are to schedule flights to Pisa International Airport (PSA) which is the nearest airport to Camp Darby (approx. 10 mins away) or Florence International Airport (FLR) (approx. 1hr. 5mins away).  Rome International Airport (FCO) is approximately 3 1/2hrs away from Camp Darby.  If you have pets, please refer to the section of the PSC guide titled Travelling with pets. All travel arrangements must be made through the Contract Travel Office (CTO) at your losing duty station.

  1. Determine your desired travel date. Travel can begin as of “Availability Date” on orders. Travel is from airport nearest your losing duty station (or location on orders) to the port of embarkation (arrival airport) on orders.

TIP: Traveling with Pets? CTO cannot book pet travel,  you will need to pre-plan before your travel.

  1. Visit or contact your CTO, e.g. CWT SatoTravel Travel, and bring:
    - 3 copies of orders
    - Dependent no-fee passports with visas
    - Date of Birth (DOB) for each passenger

NOTE: To get tickets, dependents’ names on no-fee passports and PCS orders must be an exact match.
NOTE: Infants will be given their own seat.

  1. Provide CTO with an email and point of contact. CTO will email your reservation to the email provided. (The reservation email is not a ticket!)
  2. Once your Soldier clears post then a few days before traveling, the CTO will send him or her an email with the electronic ticket number for your flights.

Preparing for Flight Day

Be sure to ask your airline if you can carry certain childcare items onto the plane (and if they’ll count as checked bags), like strollers, pack-n-plays, and car seats.

Definitely bring snacks on your flight, and also bring:

  • Medical, dental, and school records
  • Important family documents, esp. birth & marriage
  • Pet documentation, pet food and supplies
  • Contact info for your overseas sponsor, hotel, etc.
  • Free call/message apps on phone/tablet
  • International adapters (great for overseas layovers)
  • Kids’ favorite pjs, clothes, toys, games, books

Arriving in Italy

There are no shuttle or bus routes to/from Camp Darby.  You will need to pre-arrange transportation from your  arrival airport to your on/off-post hotel. Ask your sponsor for the best way to travel to your hotel.

 

NOTE: Keep receipts for travel reimbursement.