Being in the military, I am fully aware about all the cons, but there are lots of pros too! My experiences with military discounts and freebies have led me to calling my CAC card my VIP Pass. Okay, maybe its not THAT glorious, but it has definitely saved me hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years. Check back here frequently because I will be updating this guy constantly as I find more and more great deals. And please feel free to leave any comments of great deals you have come across that I can add!

Always be sure to swing by your base ticket office to see what specials they are running, sometimes they have different rates than what are posted on direct sites since the ticket office can buy bulk. They have tickets to places that they may not actually offer a discount for, but a benefit of buying through them is their free financing plans. They offer you monthly payments to breakup the cost of your vacation, this can be a huge perk to those with tighter budgets.

Military National Park Pass – good for one year and valid for everyone in the vehicle. This pass can also give you discounts at other national monuments.

Knotts Berry Farm – when I went, it was 100% free, sometimes its just a discount. I’d call ahead to confirm.

Hilton Hotels – I absolutely LOVE Hilton, especially The Doubletree Hotels, just something about that warm free cookie at check-in. The discounts vary, but they often are huge savings off standard rates, and are always way nicer than what you pay for, which is exactly my style. Be sure to check parking fees, as with ANY hotel booking. You can select the military rate from their website right under your check-in/out dates.

Disney – Disney is always having pretty good promotions, usually on Park hoppers, however if you were just wanting to go for one day, they don’t always offer discounts for those. Also make sure to compare prices with your base ticket office to see if they have a better offer.

Carnival – Carnival is one of my absolute personal favorites. I love cruises. LOVE them. They offer different discounts (be sure to select military rate under special rates when searching for cruises) and on board credits with revolving promotions.

Southwest Airlines- These discounted fares are only available over the phone at 1 (800) 435-9792  aren’t always available, there are certain black out dates that you won’t know until you call. Civilians are allowed two free bags, military are allowed however many and even overweight. These fares can be up to 50% off standard fares!

American Airlines – very similar rates as SouthWest, with equally similar blackout dates, also only available by phone at 1-800-433-7300. Bags also fly free with American.