--- title: 'PCS to Travis AFB: A 2026 Guide for Military Families' slug: pcs-to-travis-afb-fairfield-2026-guide description: >- Planning a PCS to Travis AFB in 2026? Get a plain-language guide to housing, BAH, schools, healthcare, and where to live near Fairfield, California. Start here. publishedAt: '2025-08-27T09:00:00.000Z' updatedAt: '2026-06-20T00:00:00.000Z' author: VeteranPCS categories: - PCS Help - US Military Bases canonical: 'https://www.veteranpcs.com/blog/pcs-to-travis-afb-fairfield-2026-guide' componentSlug: pcs-help stateSlug: california --- # PCS to Travis AFB: A 2026 Guide for Military Families If you have orders for a PCS to Travis AFB, welcome to Northern California. PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station, the military term for moving from one duty station to another. AFB stands for Air Force Base. Travis is known as the "Gateway to the Pacific," and it sits in Fairfield, in Solano County, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento. This 2026 guide walks you through what to expect when you move here. We will cover where to live, how housing pay works, schools, healthcare, the local climate, and a few things to do once you are settled. A move is a lot to manage at once. Our goal is to make the Travis part feel a little smaller and a lot clearer. ## What and Where Is Travis AFB? Travis Air Force Base is in Fairfield, California, in Solano County, off Interstate 80 between the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. It is the home of the 60th Air Mobility Wing, known as AMW, which is part of Air Mobility Command, or AMC. AMC is the Air Force command that runs airlift and air refueling for the military. According to the [60th Air Mobility Wing fact sheet](https://www.travis.af.mil/Units/Fact-Sheets/Article/855903/60th-air-mobility-wing/), the 60th AMW is the largest air mobility organization in terms of personnel in the Air Force, flying an all-jet fleet of C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft. The wing handles more cargo and passengers than any other military air terminal in the United States, and much of its work is focused on the Pacific and Indian Ocean area. Travis is also the West Coast hub for aeromedical evacuation flights bringing sick or injured patients back from the Pacific. In plain terms, this is a large, busy installation with a strong community and an easy drive to both the Bay Area and the mountains. ## Where to Live When PCSing to Travis AFB Some families who move to Travis AFB live in on-base housing, so ask your sponsor and the housing office about current options and wait times. Many others settle in one of the surrounding Solano County communities. Your choice usually comes down to commute, schools, budget, and the feel you want. ![Approximate one-way drive times from Solano County communities to Travis AFB, including Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, and beyond.](/images/blog/pcs-to-travis-afb-fairfield-2026-guide/where-to-live.png) *Approximate one-way drive times to Travis AFB. Times vary with traffic and which gate you use.* ### Fairfield Fairfield is the city that surrounds the base, so it is the closest and most popular choice. Most neighborhoods are about 12 minutes from the main gate. You will find everything from older established homes to newer subdivisions, plus shopping, restaurants, and parks. If a short commute is your top priority, start here. ### Suisun City Suisun City sits right next to Fairfield, just south and east, about 12 minutes from the base. It has a walkable waterfront downtown along Suisun Slough and a quieter, small-town feel. Many families like the mix of a short commute and a relaxed pace. ### Vacaville Vacaville is the next city up Interstate 80, roughly 18 minutes from the base. It has grown steadily and offers newer neighborhoods, good schools, and plenty of shopping, including the well-known outlet stores. The slightly longer drive buys you more housing choices. ### Vallejo Vallejo sits to the southwest along Interstate 80, toward the bay, about 25 minutes from the base. It tends to offer more affordable housing and easy access to the wider Bay Area. Weigh the longer commute against the savings and the extra options. ### Dixon Dixon is a smaller farming town northeast of the base, about 25 minutes away off Interstate 80. It offers a rural, slower feel and, for some families, more home and land for the money. The trade-off is fewer big-box stores nearby and a longer drive. ### Benicia Benicia is a historic waterfront city on the Carquinez Strait, about 30 minutes southwest of the base. It has charm, good schools, and bay access, though housing can run higher. It is worth a look if you want a small city near the water and do not mind the commute. ## Travis AFB BAH and the Cost of Living If you live off base, the military helps cover your housing through BAH, which stands for Basic Allowance for Housing. BAH is a monthly, tax-free payment. The amount depends on three things: your rank, whether you have dependents, and your duty station's Military Housing Area, or MHA. An MHA is the geographic zone the Defense Department uses to set local housing pay. Travis AFB falls within the Fairfield and Vacaville (Solano County) Military Housing Area. Because rates change each year and vary by rank and dependent status, we do not publish a rate table here. To find your exact figure, use the official DoD calculator: [travel.dod.mil BAH Rate Lookup](https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/BAH-Rate-Lookup/). Enter your rank and ZIP code to see the current rate. Exact BAH rates are verified separately, so always confirm yours before signing a lease or making an offer. For a sense of buying costs, the typical home value in Fairfield was about $607,000 in June 2026, according to [Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/home-values/18053/fairfield-ca/). That is a typical value, not a median sale price. As of the week of June 18, 2026, [Freddie Mac](https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms) reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.47 percent. California housing runs higher than much of the country, so whether buying or renting makes more sense depends on how long you expect to be stationed here. Run the numbers for your own situation. ## Schools Near Travis AFB The schools your children attend depend on where you live. A couple of districts serve the Travis area. The [Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District](https://www.fsusd.org/) covers Fairfield, Suisun City, and the base itself, with elementary, middle, and high schools plus choice and magnet programs. To the northeast, the [Vacaville Unified School District](https://www.vacavilleusd.org/) serves Vacaville and the surrounding area. Families who settle in Vallejo, Benicia, or Dixon will look at the Vallejo City Unified, Benicia Unified, or Dixon Unified districts instead. Boundaries and attendance zones can shift, so confirm the assigned school for any specific address before you commit. ## Healthcare: David Grant USAF Medical Center On-base medical care at Travis runs through [David Grant USAF Medical Center](https://travis.tricare.mil/), known as DGMC. According to the [60th Air Mobility Wing fact sheet](https://www.travis.af.mil/Units/Fact-Sheets/Article/855903/60th-air-mobility-wing/), DGMC is the flagship of the Air Force Medical Service and provides a full spectrum of care, from primary care to specialty clinics and surgery, for eligible patients across the region. Your military health coverage runs through TRICARE, the military health program. Set up your TRICARE plan early in your PCS. Update your information in DEERS, which is the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, choose or transfer your plan, and request any referrals before you arrive so there is no gap in care. You can review options and clinic details on the [David Grant USAF Medical Center site](https://travis.tricare.mil/). Getting this squared away early is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress after you land. ## Climate and Things to Do Travis sits in a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. According to the [National Weather Service](https://www.weather.gov/media/sto/pdf/CLISAC2010.pdf), the wider Sacramento Valley sees most of its rain from November through March, while summers stay warm, sunny, and dry. A cooling afternoon "Delta breeze" often pushes in from the bay, and dense fog can settle into the valley on winter mornings. If you are coming from a wetter part of the country, expect long stretches of clear skies from late spring through early fall. The payoff is easy access to the outdoors. Just south of the base, the [Grizzly Island Wildlife Area](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Grizzly-Island-WA) sits in the Suisun Marsh, one of the largest tidal marshes on the West Coast and a key stop on the Pacific Flyway for migrating birds. To the southwest, [Benicia State Recreation Area](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=476) offers 720 acres of marsh, grassy hills, and rocky shoreline along the Carquinez Strait, with miles of trails for walking and biking. And with the base sitting between San Francisco and Sacramento, weekend trips to the coast, the wine country, or the Sierra are all within reach. ## Plan Your PCS to Travis AFB A smooth move comes down to good information and the right people. If you are still mapping out the basics, start with our overview of [what military bases are in California](/blog/what-military-bases-are-in-california). To keep your timeline on track, use [the ultimate PCS checklist and timeline for active-duty military personnel](/blog/the-ultimate-pcs-checklist-and-timeline-for-active-duty-military-personnel). When you are ready to choose your team, read [how to choose the right real estate agent for your military PCS move](/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-real-estate-agent-for-your-military-pcs-move). And if you are thinking about buying, read our [complete guide to buying your first home with a VA loan](/blog/complete-guide-to-buying-your-first-home-with-a-va-loan) and [what are the benefits of a VA loan](/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-va-loan). When you want a local read on a specific Fairfield or Vacaville neighborhood and its Travis commute, you can ask Teresa Rollins, a VeteranPCS agent in Fairfield, for current listings and prices. If you plan to use your VA loan (a home loan backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs), you can also [connect with a VeteranPCS lender](https://www.veteranpcs.com/contact-lender). Know another family with orders to Travis AFB? Share this guide with your military network so they can plan their move too. For agents and lenders across the state, [connect with our VeteranPCS network in California](https://www.veteranpcs.com/california). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What MHA or area is Travis AFB in for BAH? Travis AFB falls within the Fairfield and Vacaville (Solano County) Military Housing Area for BAH purposes. Your rate depends on your rank and whether you have dependents. Look up your exact figure with the official [DoD BAH calculator](https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/BAH-Rate-Lookup/) using your rank and ZIP code. ### Where do military families live near Travis AFB? Common choices include Fairfield and Suisun City, which are closest to the base; Vacaville for newer neighborhoods and schools; and Vallejo, Dixon, or Benicia for more value or a different feel, usually with a longer commute. On-base housing is also an option, so ask your sponsor and the housing office. ### Which school district will my children attend near Travis AFB? It depends on your address. The [Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District](https://www.fsusd.org/) serves Fairfield, Suisun City, and the base, while the [Vacaville Unified School District](https://www.vacavilleusd.org/) covers Vacaville. Families in Vallejo, Benicia, or Dixon fall under separate districts. Confirm the assigned school for any specific home before you commit. ### Where do I get healthcare at Travis AFB? On-base care runs through [David Grant USAF Medical Center](https://travis.tricare.mil/), the flagship of the Air Force Medical Service. Set up your TRICARE plan early, update DEERS, and arrange referrals before you arrive so your care continues without a gap. ### What is the weather like at Travis AFB? Travis has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The [National Weather Service](https://www.weather.gov/media/sto/pdf/CLISAC2010.pdf) notes that most rain in the Sacramento Valley falls from November through March. Summers are sunny and dry, often cooled by an afternoon breeze off the bay, and winter mornings can bring dense valley fog. ### What is there to do outdoors near Travis AFB? Plenty. The [Grizzly Island Wildlife Area](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Grizzly-Island-WA) in the Suisun Marsh offers wildlife viewing and birding just south of the base, and [Benicia State Recreation Area](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=476) has trails along the Carquinez Strait. The base also sits within easy reach of San Francisco, Sacramento, the wine country, and the Sierra for weekend trips. This content is for informational purposes. Consult a professional for personal financial decisions.