Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks AFB Crashpad — TDY lodging that feels like home
Looking for a Grand Forks AFB crashpad? Grand Forks AFB sits 16 miles west of Grand Forks, North Dakota, on US-2, and it is the Air Force's Global Hawk hub — maintainers, ISR staff, contractors, and PCS families all cycle through. With no on-base lodging left, a furnished crashpad at the $110 government rate beats a hotel on Gateway Drive every night of a long TDY.
Mission
319th Reconnaissance Wing — high-altitude ISR with the RQ-4 Global Hawk, plus the E-11A BACN and the Air Force's HF Global Communications System
Host units
319th Reconnaissance Wing (host, Air Combat Command / 16th Air Force) · 348th Reconnaissance Squadron (E/RQ-4B Global Hawk) · 10th Space Warning Squadron (operates Cavalier Space Force Station's PARCS radar) · U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (MQ-9 and manned aircraft)
Commute
From the south-end and west-side neighborhoods of Grand Forks, take Gateway Drive (US-2) west about 15 miles to the Main Gate — figure 20 to 25 minutes on dry pavement, and add time whenever the wind picks up snow.
Homes near the gate
Crashpads serving Grand Forks AFB
1 fully furnished property positioned for the Grand Forks AFB commute.
Why stay in a crashpad near Grand Forks AFB?
Grand Forks AFB is home to the 319th Reconnaissance Wing under Air Combat Command, flying the E/RQ-4B Global Hawk from the base and supporting the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node and the HF Global Communications System from squadrons around the world. The former SAC bomber-and-tanker base now runs a steady ISR tempo, and the Air Force has said the wing will split into a base-operating unit and a mission unit, which means more staff visits, inspections, and manning surges in the near term. The big lodging reality here is simple: the Warrior Inn is gone, and MilitaryINSTALLATIONS states plainly that the base no longer has an on-base Temporary Lodging Facility. Every TDY traveler and every PCS family in the gap is competing for the same handful of hotels along Gateway Drive and 32nd Avenue in Grand Forks. A crashpad gives you a real kitchen, a garage or plug-in spot for a block heater in winter, and a receipt that clears DTS at the FY2026 rate.
Who we host at Grand Forks AFB
- Global Hawk maintainers and mission-systems techs on TDY for aircraft-generation surges and depot support
- ISR and cyber staff from 16th Air Force and ACC on inspections, staff visits, and exercise support
- Contractors and engineers supporting the RQ-4 and E-11A fleets and the Grand Sky UAS park next door
- Space Force and Space Development Agency personnel transiting to Cavalier SFS and the on-base SDA detachment
- PCS families waiting on Balfour Beatty housing or a lease in Grand Forks, with no on-base TLF to fall back on
Per diem, DTS, and your wallet
Every Grand Forks AFB stay is priced at or below the Grand Forks 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 use the same rates DTS does. PCSing here instead? Check BAH for Grand Forks AFB.
Local intel
Grand Forks AFB crashpad FAQs
Is there on-base lodging at Grand Forks AFB?
No. The Warrior Inn was placed on the Air Force's 2022 inn-closure list, and MilitaryINSTALLATIONS now states the base no longer has an on-base Temporary Lodging Facility. Older directories still list the old inn number, so do not count on it — plan on commercial lodging or a crashpad from day one and confirm with your sponsor or the Military & Family Readiness Center.
What is the per diem rate for Grand Forks AFB?
Grand Forks is a standard-CONUS locality for FY2026: $110 lodging and $68 M&IE, with first and last travel days at $51. There is no seasonal rate. Re-check GSA before you book, since rates reset each October 1.
How far is the base from Grand Forks and the airport?
The Main Gate is about 16 miles west of Grand Forks on US-2 (Gateway Drive). Grand Forks International (GFK) sits on the west edge of town, roughly 12 miles and about 20 minutes from the gate, and it is the airport to fly into for a TDY here.
Calculators
Plan your Grand Forks AFB TDY budget
Mission-ready lodging
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Send your dates and reason for stay — we'll match you with a furnished crashpad near Grand Forks Air Force Base at the government rate.