Colorado Springs, Colorado
USAF Academy Crashpad — TDY lodging that feels like home
Looking for a USAF Academy crashpad? The Academy sits at 7,258 feet on the north edge of Colorado Springs, and the people who TDY here — instructors, 306th Flying Training Group cadre, summer-program staff, inspectors — compete with graduation-week and football-weekend crowds for a limited number of rooms. A furnished crashpad priced inside the government rate, with a kitchen and a place to park, beats a hotel off I-25 every time.
Mission
10th Air Base Wing — host wing for the Academy, supporting the development of roughly 4,000 cadets into Air Force and Space Force officers
Host units
10th Air Base Wing (host wing) · Cadet Wing (approx. 4,095 cadets) · 306th Flying Training Group (soaring, parachuting, powered flight, Initial Flight Screening) · 10th Medical Group · Dean of the Faculty / Academy faculty and staff
Commute
From Northgate, Briargate, or Monument it is about 10-20 minutes to the North Gate at I-25 Exit 156 or the South Gate at Exit 150, with I-25 and Voyager Parkway or Highway 83 doing most of the work.
Homes near the gate
Crashpads serving USAF Academy
2 fully furnished properties positioned for the USAF Academy commute.
Why stay in a crashpad near USAF Academy?
The 10th Air Base Wing runs the installation that trains about 4,095 cadets, supported by roughly 2,700 active-duty members and 1,660 civilians on 18,500 acres of foothills. The 306th Flying Training Group flies gliders, powered trainers, and parachute operations off what the Air Force calls its busiest daylight-only VFR airfield, and the summer months stack Basic Cadet Training, airmanship courses, and Initial Flight Screening on top of the normal faculty turnover. On-base lodging is the 77-room Rampart Lodge plus 20 TLFs, which fills fast around graduation, parents' weekend, home football games, and summer PCS season. Colorado Springs also hosts Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, Fort Carson, and Cheyenne Mountain, so the civilian hotel market is shared with four other installations. A crashpad gives you a real bed, a kitchen, and a consistent nightly rate that fits under per diem, with receipts your finance office will accept.
Who we host at USAF Academy
- Instructors and faculty arriving on TDY-to-PCS or short-term teaching assignments
- 306th Flying Training Group instructors, evaluators, and Initial Flight Screening cadre
- Summer-program cadre and support staff (Basic Cadet Training, airmanship, summer seminars)
- Staff, inspectors, and conference attendees supporting the 10th ABW and Academy headquarters
- Aircrew and space operators on TDY to Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, or Fort Carson who want to stay on the north side
Per diem, DTS, and your wallet
Every USAF Academy stay is priced at or below the Colorado Springs government lodging rate. You'll receive itemized, DTS-ready receipts for your travel voucher — for a typical TDY that means zero out-of-pocket lodging cost. Read the full breakdown in our TDY per diem guide, or run your own numbers: the per diem calculator and the on-base lodging calculator use the same rates DTS does. PCSing here instead? Check BAH for USAF Academy.
Local intel
USAF Academy crashpad FAQs
Can I be reimbursed for a crashpad near the Air Force Academy?
Yes. If Rampart Lodge cannot house you, you receive a non-availability number and lodge commercially at the FY2026 Colorado Springs rate — $123 per night most of the year and $168 in June through August — plus $86 M&IE. A crashpad priced inside that rate with an itemized receipt clears DTS like any hotel.
Which gate should I use, and are the gates open around the clock?
The South Gate at I-25 Exit 150 is the installation's 24/7 gate per Military OneSource; the North Gate at Exit 156 runs 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Pass and Registration Office is at the South Gate. Confirm current hours on the Academy's Getting On Base page before an odd-hour arrival.
Is the Air Force Academy a good place to stay if my TDY is really at Peterson or Schriever?
It can be. The Academy is on the north side of town while Peterson is east and Schriever is well east of the city, so a north-side crashpad works best if you also want quick access to Denver or the mountains. Expect 25-35 minutes to Peterson and 45 minutes or more to Schriever in normal traffic.
Calculators
Plan your USAF Academy TDY budget
Mission-ready lodging
TDY to USAF Academy? Lock in your lodging.
Send your dates and reason for stay — we'll match you with a furnished crashpad near United States Air Force Academy at the government rate.