Planning Travel

All Soldiers and Command Sponsored dependents should coordinate with your losing installation’s Contract Travel Office (CTO) to arrange for airfare. The primary and preferred option is to arrive by the Patriot Express. By exception, Soldiers and families who arrive in country on commercial air will do so through the Incheon Airport.

Patriot Express

Your primary port of arrival into the Republic of Korea will be the Osan Air Base passenger terminal located in Area 5 within the city of Pyeongtaek, via Patriot Express operated by Omni Air International and Atlas Air Worldwide. The Patriot Express is a USTRANSCOM and Air Mobility Command commercial air contracted service from SEATAC, Seattle International Airport.

Per USFK Regulation 55-29, the PATRIOT EXPRESS must be used for OCONUS travel unless there is a documented negative critical mission impact.

Arriving passengers will receive a safety brief from a USAF Air Mobility Squadron (AMS) representative before deplaning the aircraft and will be escorted to the passenger holding area where they will receive a welcome, immigration, customs and processing brief from representatives of USAF Movement Control Team (MCT). Passengers will then begin the immigration process; families with small children will have priority and restrooms are available. Once complete, passengers proceed to baggage claim. Once you collect all your bags you will advance to the customs area. Overall, this process usually takes 3-4 hours from plane arrival to departing to Camp Humphreys.

19 HRC will have buses ready to transport Soldiers and their families to the replacement center and in-processing (Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Maude Hall) at Camp Humphreys, Korea. (35 minute approximate travel time). Once the bus departs Osan, the 138th MCT will hand over responsibilities of the passengers to 19 HRC. 19 HRC Cadre will escort the buses and baggage to Camp Humphreys.

Note: Travelers with pets will be identified and placed at the front of the line in order to complete required pet immigration and not delay bus movement. Personnel travelling with pets must also review traveling with pets, as there are strict pet immigration regulations and requirements.

Commercial Arrivals

For those who arrive by commercial airlines your first port of arrival into the Republic of Korea will be at the Incheon International Airport, located approximately 50km west of Seoul. After securing your baggage and processing through customs, you will to report to the USFK / 8th Army Joint Reception Desk near Exit 1 (Terminal 1) or gate 6 (Terminal 2). You will be taken by bus to Camp Humphreys to in-process before movement to your unit and final duty station.

Other travel planning Considerations

Service member and family travel plans depends on the sponsors orders:

Concurrent Travel Orders means service member and family can travel together. This requires that dependents are Command Sponsored on orders, and they have No-Fee Passport. If these criteria are not met, the Soldier will go to South Korea and dependents will follow within 60 days. If follow on travel is not possible, then the Soldier must get their orders amended to reflect “deferred travel” authorize.

Deferred Travel Orders are when families travel separately and arrive 61+ days after Soldier. This can happen for various reasons such as waiting for command sponsorship approval, no-fee passports to arrive, or to let kids finish a school semester before PCS travel. You would still contact your losing 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 IBA or CBA.

Individually Billed Account (IBA)
With an IBA, your Soldier will use a gov’t travel credit card (GTCC) to pay for flight plans made at the CTO. Your Soldier will then claim reimbursement by filling out a travel voucher during in-processing.

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 then reimbursed after submitting a claim.