American Airlines Offers WWII Veterans Honor Flight to Europe
Dallas, December 28, 2023 - American Airlines is proud to offer an opportunity for World War II veterans to be a part of the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. This historic 9-day trip will take them to Dallas/Fort Worth for a kickoff celebration, then a flight on a chartered Boeing 787 to Paris where they’ll spend two nights, and then a bus ride to the Normandy region, where we will honor those who have served and sacrificed as part of our Greatest Generation.
They are humbled to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to these heroes from across our great nation to thank them for their service and sacrifice. The basic schedule for this historic trip is as follows:
- May 30 Individual flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth. WWII-themed kickoff dinner.
- May 31 Charter flight to Paris, France
- June 1 Arrive Paris
- June 2 Tour of Paris
- June 3-5 Various tours/events in the Normandy region
- June 6 D-Day commemoration at the American Cemetery
- June 7 Return charter flight to Dallas/Fort Worth followed by individual flights to your home
We are currently canvassing our different community engagement teams to solicit applicants. A few things to consider before someone applies:
1. While we would love for all WWII veterans to join us, the health/welfare of the veterans is our top priority. Each veteran’s health will be evaluated by our doctor initially and monitored before the trip to ensure the team feels that they are healthy enough to travel. Medical personnel will accompany the veterans on the trip in case of emergency and to ensure their health is maintained.
2. Seats are limited, so priority will go to veterans who were a part of the D-Day landings and European theater, but all veterans of World War II, WASP, home front workers, holocaust survivors, and others will be considered.
3. Each veteran will be allowed one person to join them as their “guardian escort” and caregiver. The guardian will be evaluated to ensure they are well-suited to provide basic care for the veteran. Priority goes to a family member of the veteran, but more importantly, the guardian must also be healthy as they’ll be responsible for their veteran’s immediate care and must be able to assist with medications, bathing, toileting, personal hygiene, pushing wheelchairs, etc... The two people will also be sharing hotel rooms, so both parties need to be comfortable with one another.
4. The trip is free to the veterans and their guardian, with a few exceptions. American Airlines will fly invited participants from their home airport to DFW and then on to France, and in reverse on their way home. Hotel accommodations, airfare, ground transportation, and meals will be covered during the trip once you arrive at Dallas/Ft. Worth. Expenses that are the responsibility of the participants include ground transportation from their home to their local airport, parking at the airport, passports, medical insurance, souvenirs, and other incidental costs along the way.
5. Per U.S. Customs requirements, all passengers must have valid passports for at least six months after the end of the trip (at least Dec. 7, 2024). No exceptions.
If you know of a World War II veteran who is healthy enough to travel for a rigorous 9-day trip, Please invite them to apply at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AA80thDDayTrip. Please enter “CAF” in the remarks for tracking purposes. Our friends at Old Glory Honor Flight have graciously agreed to partner with us on this mission and will begin the vetting process soon.
