Panama City, Florida
Tyndall AFB Crashpad — TDY lodging that feels like home
Looking for a Tyndall AFB crashpad? Tyndall sits on a peninsula 12 miles east of Panama City, Florida, and it's the busiest rebuild in the Air Force: three F-35A squadrons standing up, Checkered Flag and WSEP exercises pulling in fighters from across the country, and a construction workforce that never leaves. A furnished crashpad at the government rate beats a beachfront hotel that doubles its price every June.
Mission
325th Fighter Wing — ACC's rebuilt F-35A combat wing, the Air Force's "Installation of the Future" on the Gulf Coast
Host units
325th Fighter Wing (F-35A Lightning II) · 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group (QF-16 drones, Gulf ranges, WSEP) · First Air Force / Air Forces Northern (CONR-1AF) · 601st Air Operations Center
Commute
From Callaway and Parker it's about 10 minutes down US-98 (Tyndall Parkway) to the Sabre Gate; from downtown Panama City plan 20 minutes, and from Panama City Beach 35-45 minutes across the Hathaway Bridge and through town.
Homes near the gate
Crashpads serving Tyndall AFB
2 fully furnished properties positioned for the Tyndall AFB commute.
Why stay in a crashpad near Tyndall AFB?
Tyndall was nearly wiped off the map by Hurricane Michael in October 2018, and the Air Force chose to rebuild it as a $4.7 billion "Installation of the Future" built around the F-35A. The 325th Fighter Wing received its full first squadron of 26 jets in early 2026, with two more squadrons to follow, while the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group runs the QF-16 target drones and live-fire Weapons System Evaluation Program over the Gulf of Mexico. Add First Air Force and the 601st Air Operations Center, plus twice-a-year Checkered Flag large-force exercises that fill the ramp with visiting fighters, and you get a base whose lodging is booked solid for weeks at a time. The Sand Dollar Inn is still recovering its capacity, and off-base rooms in Panama City Beach swing hard with tourist season. A crashpad gives you a real kitchen, a quiet bedroom, and a DTS-ready receipt for the whole stay.
Who we host at Tyndall AFB
- F-35A pilots and maintainers arriving with the new squadrons
- Fighter units flying in for Checkered Flag large-force exercises
- WSEP crews shooting live missiles over the Gulf ranges
- Construction, contracting, and civil-engineer staff on the rebuild
- First Air Force and 601st AOC staff and exercise augmentees
Per diem, DTS, and your wallet
Every Tyndall AFB stay is priced at or below the Panama City 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 Tyndall AFB.
Local intel
Tyndall AFB crashpad FAQs
Can I stay off base at Tyndall on TDY?
Yes, when the Sand Dollar Inn is full. Call lodging at 850-283-4211 first; if no room is available you'll get a non-availability number and can lodge commercially at the FY2026 Panama City rate ($110 lodging October through May and in September, $147 June through August, plus $80 M&IE).
Which gate should I use at Tyndall?
The Sabre Gate off US-98 is the main gate and is open 24/7. The Visitor Control Center is just outside it at 2580 Hwy 98 (850-283-4070), open weekdays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; get DBIDS or a visitor pass there before you try to drive on.
Is there a hospital on Tyndall?
No. The 325th Medical Group is an outpatient clinic (appointments 850-283-2778) with no emergency room. For emergencies go to Ascension Sacred Heart Bay (formerly Bay Medical Center) at 615 N. Bonita Avenue in Panama City, or HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital on 23rd Street.
Mission-ready lodging
TDY to Tyndall AFB? Lock in your lodging.
Send your dates and reason for stay — we'll match you with a furnished crashpad near Tyndall Air Force Base at the government rate.