How Much House Hunting Leave Air Force Members Get for a PCS
Short answer: The Air Force typically gives you up to 10 days of permissive TDY (PTDY) to house hunt for a PCS, and those days are not charged against your leave. Your unit has to approve it, so it isn't automatic. It also isn't a paid trip: the Temporary Lodging Expense allowance (TLE) does not cover house hunting, so plan to pay for the travel yourself. If you want more time, you can ask to add regular leave, which does come out of your balance.
Jennifer Rodriguez is a Realtor® and Military Relocation Professional (MRP®) in Northwest Las Vegas helping military families PCSing to Nellis Air Force Base.
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Ten days sounds like plenty until you try to pick a neighborhood, tour homes, write an offer, and schedule an inspection in a city you've never lived in. Here's how house-hunting leave works in the Air Force, and how to make those days count.
How much house-hunting leave does the Air Force give you?
The official Air Force benefits site describes permissive TDY for a PCS as "typically up to 10 days," where leave is not charged, granted by your unit for the purpose of relocating. That's what most Airmen mean when they say "house-hunting leave."
Notice the word typically. The 10 days is the usual ceiling, not a guarantee. Your unit decides how many days you actually get, based on the mission and your situation.
The Air Force's leave rules live in DAFI 36-3003, the Department of the Air Force's Military Leave Program instruction. Your unit and your Military Personnel Flight (MPF) apply it, so they're the ones to ask about your exact case.
If you're in another branch, the rules are similar but not identical. The Army's official benefits site describes PCS permissive TDY the same way: typically up to 10 days, not charged as leave. Always check your own branch's current guidance.
Is house-hunting PTDY the same as regular leave?
No, and the difference matters.
- Permissive TDY is time away from duty that is not charged against your leave balance. For a PCS, it's granted for relocating, which includes finding a place to live.
- Regular leave is chargeable. It comes out of the days you've earned.
The Air Force benefits site notes you can submit a leave request if you want to combine leave with your PCS move. Some families use that to stretch a house-hunting trip to two weeks: the PTDY days plus some regular leave on top. That's a real option, but the extra days are yours, not free ones.
Who approves Air Force house-hunting leave?
Your unit grants it. That means two practical things:
- Ask early. Once you have orders, find out what your unit and MPF need from you and how far ahead they want the request.
- Don't book anything until it's approved. Flights, lodging, and home tours built around days you don't have yet are the fastest way to lose money on this trip.
Does the Air Force pay for your house-hunting trip?
Plan on paying for it yourself. The word "permissive" is the clue: the time off is authorized, but that doesn't make it funded travel.
The one allowance people often assume covers it doesn't. The official Air Force benefits site says TLE is only authorized in the vicinity of your old or new duty station, and it is not authorized for house hunting. For a move within the continental U.S., TLE covers up to 21 days (up from 14, effective November 27, 2024), and it's meant for temporary lodging while you move, not for scouting homes.
If you're unsure what your orders cover, ask your finance office before you book. It's a two-minute question that can save you a surprise.
How do you make 10 days of house-hunting leave count?
Here's what most people don't realize. The families who come home with a contract usually did most of the work before the trip started. The days on the ground go to decisions, not discovery.
Here's the order I'd tell a friend to follow:
- Get your VA Certificate of Eligibility and a pre-approval before you leave. A pre-approval letter tells you your price range and lets you write an offer the day you find the right home. If you've used your VA loan before, check your entitlement too. My guides on full VA entitlement and using your VA loan again walk through both.
- Know your full budget, not just the price. Count your cash to close and the VA funding fee if you aren't exempt.
- Narrow your communities remotely. Decide what matters most to your family first: commute, school setup, yard, HOA, room to grow. Then match communities to that list before you land.
- Test the commute at the hours you'll drive it. A map estimate at noon isn't the drive at 6:30 in the morning.
- Line up tours in clusters. Group homes by area so you're not crossing the valley three times a day.
- Leave room for the offer. Don't schedule every day full of tours. Keep time to write an offer, negotiate, and set up the inspection while you're still in town.
Common mistakes with Air Force house-hunting leave
- Assuming the 10 days are automatic. Your unit approves them. Ask before you plan around them.
- Assuming TLE pays for the trip. The official benefits site says TLE is not authorized for house hunting.
- Spending the first days figuring out where to look. Narrow communities before you arrive.
- Arriving without a pre-approval. You can find the right home and still lose it while a lender catches up.
- Forgetting that extra leave is charged. Adding regular leave is fine. Just count it.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of house-hunting leave do you get in the Air Force?
The official Air Force benefits site says PCS permissive TDY is typically up to 10 days, not charged as leave, and granted by your unit.
Is house-hunting leave charged against my leave balance?
Permissive TDY is not charged. Any regular leave you add to extend the trip is charged.
Does TLE cover a house-hunting trip?
No. The official Air Force benefits site says TLE is only authorized near your old or new duty station and is not authorized for house hunting.
Who approves house-hunting PTDY?
Your unit grants it. Ask your unit and MPF what they need and how early they want the request.
Can I combine house-hunting PTDY with regular leave?
The Air Force benefits site says you can submit a leave request to combine leave with your PCS move. Your unit approves it, and those extra days come out of your balance.
PCSing to Nellis? Send me your report date and what matters most to your family. We'll build the plan before you land, so your house-hunting leave goes to decisions, not discovery. You can find me at homesbyjrod.com.
The Air Force information in this article comes from the official Air Force benefits site (myairforcebenefits.us.af.mil, PCS CONUS page, reviewed January 6, 2025), and the Army comparison from the official Army benefits site (reviewed December 18, 2025), both checked September 23, 2026. Leave rules can change and your unit makes the final call, so confirm with your unit, MPF, and finance office. This is general education, not legal or financial advice.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against these official sources on 2026-09-23.
