Veterans

What is an Honor Flight?

An Honor Flight is a one-day trip of a lifetime to honor and thank our wartime service men and women with a no-cost trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built in the Veteran’s honor.  Wartime WWII, Korea and Vietnam Veterans who served on active duty during the listed service dates are eligible to travel with us.

How long is the trip?

We meet very early on a Saturday morning, fly out to Washington D.C. and return later that same evening.  It is a busy day!

How many Veterans normally go on a flight?

86 Veterans, along with 86 Guardians, one for each Veteran.

Does it cost anything for a Veteran to go on an Honor Flight?

No. The trip is 100% free for the Veteran.

How do I find out if a Veteran is eligible to fly?

Please go to the “Applications” page on our website and review the “Service Dates” listed on the Veteran application.  If the Veteran served any active duty time during these dates, anywhere, he or she is eligible.

How are Veterans selected for the flight?

By service dates and age, the most senior go first.  The waiting list changes as older veterans apply. We have many on our waitlist, so we ask all to be patient.  We will call when your turn comes!

How does a Veteran sign up?

Complete and mail a “Veteran Application” found on our website.

Does a Veteran have to sign up more than once?

No, we keep all eligible applications on file until space is available.

How Do I know when I get to go?

One of our staff will contact you by telephone and ask if you are available to discuss going on the flight.  It is important to keep your contact information with us current, so we can reach you when your turn comes.  Please be patient, we currently have over 900 Veterans on our waitlist.

What if the Veteran needs oxygen?

We work with the family and our medical advisors to make sure oxygen needs are considered for the safety of the Veteran. We will need a prescription for required oxygen from the health care provider in advance.

What about other health issues?

Each Veteran is personally interviewed and evaluated to make certain it is safe for him or her to join us on a flight.  We also consult medical professionals as needed.

I use a wheelchair, is that a problem?

Not at all. We bring our own supply of wheelchairs for each Veteran needing one. You may not bring your own wheelchair or walker due to space and other limitations. Veterans can bring along a cane if needed.

What does the Veteran need to bring on flight day?

All medications, current government-issued photo ID and a camera (if desired).

What about airport security?

All passengers are required to meet normal TSA security requirements and will need to have a current government-issued photo identification. We work closely with TSA to provide a stress-free trip.

What is provided for the Veteran?

We provide all food and drink, a polo shirt, a hat indicating the Veteran’s service era and a day they will never forget.

How does the Veteran get to and from the meeting location?

The Guardian will provide all transportation to and from the Meet and Greet dinner and on flight day.

Are there other Indiana-based Honor Flights?

Yes.  Fort Wayne, Evansville, and Lafayette have Honor Flight Hubs.  We always recommend Veterans fly with the hub closest to where they live.  If you know of Veterans in other States who may be interested, there are over 125 hubs across the United States

Guardians

What is a Guardian?

Each Veteran on the trip is assigned a Guardian to support the Veteran during the trip. The Guardian provides transportation to and from the dinner and on flight day, assists the Veteran throughout the day both physically and emotionally.  A Veteran may only have one Guardian on the flight. No spouses may act as a Guardian.  All Guardians must be healthy and mobile, able to assist us with many tasks during flight day. 

How do I sign up to be a Guardian?

Complete and mail a “Guardian Application” found on our website.

Does the Guardian have to be a family member?

No. If an appropriate family member is not available, we have many volunteers available who will happily escort a Veteran.  The Guardian role is very important; the comfort and support of the Veteran is our primary concern.

We do not have a family member to travel as a Guardian, can our Veteran still go?

Absolutely! We have many volunteers on a waiting list willing to travel with our heroes.

Why does the Guardian have to pay to fly?

Yes.  We are 100% funded by donations. The flights are expensive and in order to provide the trip at no cost to the veteran we require the Guardian to help pay for some of the flight costs.

What is provided for the Guardian?

We provide a polo shirt, the dinner the night before the flight and all food and drink on flight day.

What should the Guardian bring on flight day?

All medications, photo ID, camera (if desired) a cell phone (with spare battery/charger) small backpack to carry both yours and the Veteran’s personal effects.

Trip Info

Where do we meet?

We normally operate from Plainfield High School near Indianapolis International Airport. Your Bus Captain will let you know all the details once you are selected for the flight.

What do you see while in Washington D.C.?

As much as we can squeeze in to a single day! We visit the top 3 veteran memorials; WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, along with the Lincoln memorial. We usually take a driving tour through downtown D.C. to see many historical buildings and sites. We also travel to Arlington National Cemetery to observe the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. Sometimes D.C. events interrupt our normal tour, but we always do our best to see all we can!

What travel needs are provided?

We provide a meal at the “Meet and Greet Dinner” the night before the flight, all food and drink on flight day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks), aircraft and bus transportation on flight day, a small bag for the Veteran to bring along personal items, a polo-type shirt and hat for each Veteran, a polo-type shirt for the Guardian, a professional medic on each bus and photographers who capture as much of the day as possible.

May we access the photos taken by Indy Honor Flight photographers?

Absolutely! All photos are loaded onto our Flikr page and are available for free download after the flight. Please see our Photos page on our website.  This is a service our volunteer photographers provide for our heroes!

Can family members meet the group in Washington, D.C.?

Yes. You will need to work with the Bus Captain to make arrangements, but we cannot provide transportation in D.C. as our buses are full during the trip.

How is the trip organized?

We have coordinators who reserve aircraft and facilities for each flight. Once the trip date is set, eight volunteers serve as “Bus Captains”; they coordinate contacting and interviewing their assigned Veterans and Guardians. Each of the 4 sets of Bus Captain is assisted by a flight medic.

What airports are used?

We fly from Indianapolis International Airport to Ronald Reagan International Airport in D.C. Once on the ground we board four touring buses for transportation in D.C.  The buses have wheelchair lifts.

Is this a regular airline flight?

No, we charter an Airbus 321 aircraft from American Airlines. We are the only passengers on board and we are served by regular American Airlines pilots and staff during the flight.

Indy Honor Flight Info

How is Indy Honor Flight Funded?

We are a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and are completely funded by donations. We recieve no governmental support.  Donations may be made online through our website, or checks may be mailed to our address located at the bottom of this page.  Our EIN is 45-3946329.

Who gets a paycheck from Indy Honor Flight?

No one. All staff and volunteers are unpaid. We donate our time out of love and respect for Indiana’s Veteran heroes.

How can we help Indy Honor Flight?

Help us by telling eligible veterans about us, volunteering your time and by making donations to keep us flying.

How may I volunteer?

Complete a “Volunteer Application” from our website.  We will notify you when the next Safety Training is available and then you will be able to help our heroes!

Where do I send Mail Call for the next Flight?

Indy Honor Flight, PO Box 10, Plainfield IN 46168

I have other questions; how do I contact Indy Honor Flight?

Please email info@indyhonorflight.org or call us at the number shown on each page of our website: 317-559-1600.