American Airlines Teams Up With Make-A-Wish, The Points Guy and Walt Disney Company for the Best Flight Ever
- The companies joined forces to grant the wishes of 26 children battling critical illnesses with a trip of a lifetime.
- American chartered an aircraft and provided a special gate celebration and inflight experience onboard the Best Flight Ever from New York (JFK) to Orlando, Florida (MCO).
- In honor of World Wish Day on April 29, American will direct all AAdvantage® miles donated to Miles for Global Health and Well-Being to benefit Make-A-Wish, up to 50 million miles, now through the end of April.
FORT WORTH, Texas, April 27, 2023 /3BL Media/ — On April 12, American Airlines, in collaboration with Make-A-Wish, The Points Guy and The Walt Disney Company, flew 26 critically ill children and their families from New York (JFK) to Orlando, Florida (MCO) on the Best Flight Ever to grant their wish of visiting Walt Disney World Resort.
“At American, we know firsthand how the magic of travel can inspire hope, promote relaxation and create lifelong happy memories — and that’s our wish for these special kids and their families,” said Caroline Clayton, American’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing. “As the longest-standing airline partner of Make-A-Wish, we are especially proud to celebrate World Wish Day this year with a donation that ensures more families can have their own best flights for years to come.”
American chartered an aircraft for the first Best Flight Ever, staffed by an all-volunteer crew, and planned a one-of-a-kind gate celebration and inflight experience. Upon arriving to the airport, a crowd of volunteers and supporters cheered for the families as they walked the red carpet to a pre-flight party, complete with face painting, music, treats and fun.
“The Best Flight Ever is part of the celebration of hope and community as we look forward to World Wish Day on April 29, the anniversary of the wish that inspired the founding of the organization more than 40 years ago,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “From the very first wish until now, Make-A-Wish has been built and shaped by everyday people - like the supporters of this event. It’s been incredible to see American Airlines, Disney, and The Points Guy come together to create this unique experience for our wish kids to inspire the hope, strength, and joy we want our families to feel.”
Onboard the Best Flight Ever, families enjoyed live entertainment from actor and recording artist Michael James Scott, currently starring as Genie in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway. The flight, emceed by Brian Kelly of The Points Guy, also featured interactive games, a special inflight menu and other surprises. The aircraft received a water cannon salute on both legs of the trip and a VIP welcome at MCO.
“After years of planning, it was such a dream to finally take 26 Make-A-Wish kids and their families on the Best Flight Ever to Walt Disney World,” Kelly said. “I’m so grateful to Make-A-Wish, American Airlines and all of our partners and volunteers for helping bring this magical experience to life. Travel has the power to change lives, and having the opportunity to share this joy with so many deserving children and families was one of the most memorable experiences of my lifetime.”
Now through April 30, American will direct all AAdvantage® miles donated to Miles for Global Health and Well-Being to Make-A-Wish, up to 50 million miles. Customers and team members can support Make-A-Wish and help transform the lives of children with critical illnesses by donating AAdvantage® miles today.
The AAdvantage® miles promotion is in honor of World Wish Day on April 29, which signifies the anniversary of the first wish that inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish more than 40 years ago. Learn more at wish.com/worldwishday.
About American Airlines
To Care for People on Life's Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company's stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what's happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.
About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff, and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes in nearly 50 countries worldwide; more than 360,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.
About Disney
At The Walt Disney Company, we inspire a better world through the power of stories. A world filled with hope and promise, especially for children. As part of these efforts, Disney is committed to delivering joy and comfort to children facing serious illness, and to the people who care for them.
This includes Disney's efforts with Make-A-Wish® and nearly 100 other wish-granting organizations around the world. Through Disney's collaboration with Make-A-Wish, we've helped grant more than 145,000 life-changing wishes since the first wish was granted more than 40 years ago at Disneyland Resort. Wishes range from theme park visits to movie premieres, character meet-and-greets to sports events. All with the goal of helping kids feel like kids, while creating special memories with their families.
Learn more about our commitment to delivering joy and comfort through the power of stories at joy.disney.com.
About The Points Guy
The Points Guy (TPG) is a trusted travel media platform that focuses on maximizing travel experiences while minimizing spending. Through an informative, clever point of view, TPG has become the leading online site for all things points, miles and resourceful travel experiences. The site's editorial content, newsletter, and app consists of firsthand flight, hotel and airplane reviews, curated travel guides and immersive video components, as well as global event activations. Since its launch in 2010, founder Brian Kelly has expanded the team to include a distinguished editorial staff and extensive network of freelancers around the globe. Today, TPG reaches 11 million unique monthly visitors and more than 3.8 million followers across social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok), and is committed to using travel as a positive force to bring people together, educate communities, and support initiatives to promote equality and opportunity around the globe through TPG Gives Back.
