Who Gives Military Discounts on Flights, Disney and Universal Studios?
In the US, military travel savings in 2026 come from each company's own program: airline military policies, Disney's Military Promotional tickets, Universal Orlando's Military Freedom Pass, Budget's WeSalute rate and hotel military rates. Compare them with booking site prices, and go through ShopBack before you book online.
In the US in 2026, military discounts on flights depend on each airline's own policy, so check it, then book through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code. For theme parks, Walt Disney World sells Military Promotional tickets and Universal Orlando sells a Military Freedom Pass, according to Shades of Green, the military resort at Walt Disney World. Compare each military rate with the regular price, and go through ShopBack before you book online.
ShopBack US is a free app and website that gives you back part of what you spend at partner travel sites as cash you can withdraw. You open the site through ShopBack before you book, and after the booking is confirmed, the cash comes back to your account. Join ShopBack US for free, then start from the Expedia, CheapOair or Trusted Tours and Attractions page on ShopBack.
Which airlines and booking sites offer military discounts on flights?
Each airline sets its own military policy, so the first stop is the military travel page of the airline you want to fly. Those pages spell out who qualifies, what ID you need, and what the policy covers for service members and their families. Policies differ between airlines and between travel on orders and personal travel, so read the one for your trip.
Booking sites work differently. CheapOair and Expedia let you compare regular fares from many airlines in one search. That matters because a regular fare on a booking site can sometimes come in below a military fare, especially on routes with more than one airline.
A simple way to check you have the lower price:
- Price the flight on the airline's site with any military fare you qualify for, and note the total with bags.
- Price the same flight on a booking site. Use the same dates, times and cabin. Open CheapOair or Expedia through ShopBack first, in case you book there.
- Compare like with like. Check bag allowance, change rules and seat selection, not only the fare.
- Book the lower total. If it is the booking site, open it from ShopBack and finish the order there.
Military discount flights in 2026: CheapOair vs Expedia price comparison
For a military discount flights price comparison in 2026, CheapOair and Expedia are both worth a search, and each has its own strength. Neither replaces the airline's own military policy; they show you the regular market price to compare it against.
| Booking site | Strength | When to try it |
|---|---|---|
| CheapOair | Searches fares across many airlines, including multi-airline international itineraries | International trips with connections on different airlines |
| Expedia | Flights, hotels and cars in one search, with One Key member pricing on some hotels | Trips where you also need a hotel or car |
Expedia One Key is the free rewards program shared by Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. According to Expedia, members earn OneKeyCash on eligible bookings and can see member prices on some hotels.
Save on your trip by booking flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack. Whichever site wins on price, open it from ShopBack before you check out. Check the live rate on CheapOair's ShopBack page or Expedia's ShopBack page, since rates change.
What military discounts does Disney offer on park tickets and hotels?
Walt Disney World sells Military Promotional tickets, also called Salute tickets, to eligible US service members and their spouses, and Shades of Green is a resort on Walt Disney World property for eligible military guests. These are the rules Shades of Green publishes for the tickets, at the time of writing:
| Rule | What Shades of Green says |
|---|---|
| Who can buy | Active or retired members of the US military, including the National Guard, Reservists, the Coast Guard, and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and NOAA. Spouses with valid active military ID also qualify. |
| How many | No more than six Military Promotional tickets per eligible service member or spouse, wherever they are bought |
| Who must use one | One of the six tickets must be used by the service member or spouse |
| Transfers | The tickets may not be transferred or resold, and each ticket must be used by the same person on every day |
| ID | Valid military ID to buy and to use the tickets |
| Park reservations | Holders must link the tickets to a Disney account and make park reservations |
Shades of Green also sells regular, non-promotional Disney theme park tickets to a wider group, including Department of War civilians and retirees and veterans who qualify under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act.
For hotels, Shades of Green is the main military option at Walt Disney World. It opened in December 1973 as a Disney-owned resort called the Golf Resort, according to Shades of Green, and today it accepts guests who meet its eligibility rules, from active duty and retirees to certain veterans. Its Salute to Veterans program covers some veterans who hold a DD-214 with an honorable discharge. For Disney's own hotels, check Disney's special offers page for any current military room offer.
Disney military discount in 2026: Trusted Tours and Attractions vs Expedia
For a Disney military discount price comparison in 2026, compare the Military Promotional ticket with what you would pay for regular tickets and a stay. The military ticket is sold through military outlets such as Shades of Green, not through general travel sites. What travel sites help with is everything around it:
- Trusted Tours and Attractions sells attraction tickets and tours, which helps for family members who are not covered by the military tickets, or for other Orlando attractions on the same trip.
- Expedia lets you book flights, an Orlando hotel and a car in one search, so you can compare an off-site hotel with a military stay.
ShopBack lowers the effective price of flights, hotels and online orders after you pay. Go through ShopBack before you book the parts of the trip you buy online.
How much is the Universal Studios military discount, and how do I get it?
Universal Orlando's military discount is a set-price ticket called the Military Freedom Pass, not a percentage off, and you buy it through an authorized military ticket seller such as the Shades of Green ticket office. Prices are on the seller's current price list. Here are the rules Shades of Green publishes, at the time of writing:
- What it covers: unlimited admission days except blockout dates.
- Two versions: the 2-Park Freedom Pass covers Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure; the 3-Park Freedom Pass adds Universal's Volcano Bay.
- Who buys: the service member or current spouse must show a current military ID when buying and when exchanging the certificate.
- How many: a limit of 6 tickets per year per valid military ID, and one of the six must belong to the service member or spouse.
- What is not included: parking and separately ticketed events.
- Transfers: tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable and must be used by the same person on all days.
For Universal Studios Hollywood in California, check the park's own military ticket page, which is separate from its general deals page.
Universal Studios military discount, best deals in 2026: compare the Freedom Pass with regular multi-day tickets for the number of days you will actually use. For anyone in the group who is not covered, price regular tickets on Trusted Tours and Attractions through ShopBack.
Elsewhere in Orlando, SeaWorld's Waves of Honor program gives eligible active-duty service members, activated or drilling reservists and National Guard members one complimentary admission per year to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place, for themselves and up to three direct dependents, according to Shades of Green.
Which car rental companies give the best military discount?
Budget lists a military and veterans offer through WeSalute, founded as Veterans Advantage, shown as up to 35% off a Pay Now rate, according to Budget at the time of writing. You need to be enrolled with WeSalute to get it. For Enterprise, Avis and Hertz, check each company's own deals page for a military or veteran rate, since offers can change.
Which one is "best" depends on the rental. A percentage off one company's base rate does not always beat another company's regular price, so compare totals:
- Price the same car class, dates and pickup location at each company.
- Apply any military or veteran rate you qualify for.
- Compare the full total, with taxes, fees and any young driver or additional driver charges.
- Book online through ShopBack. ShopBack US has pages for Enterprise, Avis, Budget and Hertz. Open the company's page on ShopBack before you pay.
Military discount car rental, Enterprise vs Avis vs Budget in 2026: all three are on ShopBack US, so the step is the same whichever wins on price: open it from ShopBack before you pay.
Which hotels give the best military discounts?
Marriott's booking form has a Special Rates menu with a Government and Military option, next to AAA and senior rates, so you can price a military rate for your dates before you book. For IHG Hotels and Resorts and Best Western Hotels and Resorts, check their own booking flow for a military or government rate for your dates.
Military discount hotels, Marriott vs IHG in 2026: compare the military rate, the regular member rate and the price on a booking site such as Expedia for the same room and dates. Check cancellation terms and whether you need to show ID at check-in.
ShopBack US has pages for Marriott International, IHG Hotels and Resorts and Best Western Hotels and Resorts. Other travel sites on ShopBack US include Hotels.com, Priceline and Booking.com.
Can a military rate and ShopBack Cashback apply to the same booking?
It depends on where you book. Tickets bought at a base ticket office or at Shades of Green are bought in person or through the seller's own form, not through ShopBack. For online bookings on a participating site, go through ShopBack before you pay.
Why go through ShopBack before you book
Save on your trip by booking flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack. You open the site from ShopBack, book as normal, and part of what you pay comes back to your ShopBack account after the booking is confirmed.
Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. ShopBack US is free to join, and the cash can be withdrawn.
The live rate is shown on each site's ShopBack page, such as Expedia's ShopBack page.
Frequently asked questions
Which airlines and booking sites offer military discounts on flights?
Each airline sets its own military policy, so start on the military travel page of the airline you want to fly and check what it covers for service members. Booking sites such as CheapOair and Expedia work differently: they let you compare regular fares across airlines in one search. Compare both for the same flight, and go through ShopBack before you book online.
Are booking sites cheaper than an airline's military fare?
Sometimes. A regular fare found on a booking site can come in below a military fare, especially on multi-airline international routes. Price the same flight both ways, compare the totals with bag fees, and pick the lower one.
What military discounts does Disney offer on park tickets and hotels?
Walt Disney World sells Military Promotional tickets, also called Salute tickets, to eligible active and retired US service members or their spouses, up to six per person, with one used by the service member or spouse, according to Shades of Green. For a stay, Shades of Green is a resort for eligible military guests on Walt Disney World property.
Who can buy Disney Military Promotional tickets?
According to Shades of Green, eligible buyers are active or retired members of the US military, including the National Guard, Reservists, the Coast Guard and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and NOAA, and spouses with a valid military ID. Valid military ID is needed to buy and to use the tickets.
How much is the Universal Studios military discount?
Universal Orlando's military offer is a set-price ticket called the Military Freedom Pass rather than a percentage off. According to Shades of Green, it gives unlimited admission days except blockout dates, comes as a 2-Park or 3-Park pass, and is limited to 6 tickets per year per valid military ID. Prices are on the seller's current price list.
How do I get the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass?
Buy it through an authorized military ticket seller such as the Shades of Green ticket office. The service member or current spouse must show a current military ID when buying and when exchanging the certificate, and one of the six tickets must belong to them, according to Shades of Green.
Which car rental companies give a military discount?
Budget lists a military and veterans offer through WeSalute, founded as Veterans Advantage, shown as up to 35% off a Pay Now rate at the time of writing, according to Budget. For Enterprise, Avis and Hertz, check each company's own deals page for a military or veteran rate, and compare totals for the same dates.
Which hotels give military discounts?
Marriott's booking form has a Special Rates menu with a Government and Military option next to AAA and senior rates, so you can price it for your dates. For IHG and Best Western, check their booking flow for a military or government rate. Compare any military rate with the regular rate and the booking site price before you book.
Can I earn ShopBack Cashback on a military rate?
It depends on where you book. Tickets bought at a base ticket office or Shades of Green are not booked online through ShopBack. For online bookings on a participating site, go through ShopBack before you pay.
Is ShopBack Cashback the same as airline miles?
No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. ShopBack US is free to join.
Related reads
Go through ShopBack before you book at: Expedia · CheapOair · Trusted Tours and Attractions · Enterprise · Budget · Avis · Marriott International · IHG Hotels and Resorts
About this guide
Disney Military Promotional ticket rules, Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass rules, SeaWorld Waves of Honor details and Shades of Green eligibility come from the Shades of Green resort's published ticket and eligibility pages. The Budget offer comes from Budget's military and veterans offer page. One Key details come from Expedia. Rates, ticket prices and offers change, so this guide points to each seller's current price list and to the live rate on each store's ShopBack page instead of quoting them.
Disclaimer
The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Military discounts, ticket rules, eligibility, prices and Cashback eligibility vary by company and time and are subject to change. This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.
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