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Space-A flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Kadena AB

By Luke Connally, USMC, Retired · Updated October 2026 · Built from 77 roll calls the terminal itself published

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Kadena AB run came up 77 times in the year ending October 2026, about once a week. On the 71 of those where the terminal reported who made the cut, Category VI travelers, the retirees and veterans at the back of the line, got a seat 51 percent of the time.

Want today's picture instead of the record? The free live boards show what is posted from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport right now, and a free watch will email you when Kadena AB comes up. No account needed to look.

How often this route flew

By raw volume, October and April saw the most departures on this route in the year ending October 2026, and December the fewest. The route was active in 14 of the 14 months on record.

Thursday is the day to watch: 43 of the 77 roll calls for this route, 56 percent, fell on a Thursday.

Your odds as a retiree

Category VI is the last group called at roll call. On this route, 51 percent of the 71 reported flights still had room by the time Cat VI was called. This is one of the tougher routes for retirees, so flexibility and a backup plan matter more here than most places.

The lowest category that made each reported flight, in the year ending October 2026:

Category II7 flights
Category III18 flights
Category IV7 flights
Category V3 flights
Category VI36 flights

Seats are the other half of the picture. On the 76 flights that reported both numbers, the terminal released an average of 19 seats and 14 were taken, so a typical flight on this route left with about 5 Space-A seats empty. Some room most days, but not so much that showing up late is safe.

How much the posted schedule moved

A schedule on the 72-hour board is a plan, not a promise, and on this route the record says how much of a plan. Of the 16 flights posted to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's board for Kadena AB in the last 120 days, 0 (0 percent) disappeared from the board more than twelve hours before they were due to fly, 1 (6 percent) changed their roll-call time after first posting, and 2 (13 percent) changed their seat count. Unusually steady for Space-A, which makes this a good route to plan around.

How to sign up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Sign-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is free and does not commit you to anything. You can email the terminal at seattle.gateway@us.af.mil (the email doubles as your dated proof of sign-up), use the AMC online sign-up portal and call (253) 982-3504 / (253) 982-0555 to confirm anything time-sensitive. Do it 45 to 60 days before you want to travel, because your place in line at roll call is your sign-up date, and a sign-up is good for 60 days.

Questions people ask

How often are there Space-A flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Kadena AB?

In the year ending October 2026, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recorded 77 Space-A flights to Kadena AB, which works out to about once a week. Firm schedules only appear about 72 hours ahead; the free live boards at spaceascout.com show what is posted now.

What are a retiree's odds on the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Kadena AB route?

In the year ending October 2026, Category VI travelers, which covers retirees and eligible veterans, made the cut on 51 percent of the 71 flights where Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reported a category for this route.

How do I sign up for a Space-A flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport?

Email seattle.gateway@us.af.mil with your name, category, number of travelers and desired destinations, or use the AMC online portal. Sign up 45 to 60 days before you want to fly. It is free and the email gives you a dated record.

One caution worth passing on. These counts cover the roll calls that get published. Terminals miss days and some flights never make the public boards, so the true number is higher than any tracker can see. And the terminal always has the final word: call before you drive.

Related

Coming back: Kadena AB to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport · Everything Seattle-Tacoma International Airport flies · Everything Kadena AB flies

Open the live boards for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Space-A Scout collects 72-hour schedules, Patriot Express calendars and roll-call results from more than a hundred passenger terminals, refreshed every twenty minutes. It is free and no account is required. Built by Luke Connally, USMC, Retired, who flies Space-A himself. See every route we hold records for, every base, or start with the five-minute primer.