United soars with generosity: Raises miles for Make-A-Wish this holiday season

Thursday, December 14, 2023

During this season of giving, United is urging its customers to contribute miles to Make-A-Wish America, supporting endeavors to fulfill transformative wishes for children grappling with critical illnesses. According to Make-A-Wish, over 70 percent of wishes involve some form of travel. Each donated United airline mile, which never expires, facilitates children and their families in flying across the country to partake in life-changing experiences.

Throughout December, United will match the initial 2.5 million miles raised for Make-A-Wish America through Miles on a Mission, United’s premier fundraising and crowdsourcing initiative. This provides flyers with an opportunity to utilize their miles for philanthropic purposes. So far, MileagePlus members have donated over 2.3 million miles to Make-A-Wish this month.

Leslie Motter, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish America, expresses enthusiasm about being featured in United’s Miles on a Mission program, enabling wish families to create lasting memories outside of hospital confines. Motter emphasizes the significant need for nearly 3 billion airline miles annually to fulfill travel wishes for children battling critical illnesses, underscoring the critical role of this resource in granting the wishes of eligible children.

Make-A-Wish relies on the support of its advocates and a vast network of over 24,000 volunteers across the U.S. and its territories to fulfill thousands of wishes each year. The realization of these wishes instills strength, hope, and transformation in a child, equipping them to combat and ultimately overcome critical illnesses.

Donations offer wish kids hope for both today and tomorrow. Lindsey, a wish kid who endured cancer treatment for three years, expressed her dream of going to Hawaii. After numerous challenges, Lindsey and her family experienced the joy of a recent United Flight to her wish destination. This journey symbolized the start of a healthy life, free from the constraints of the hospital, allowing Lindsey to embrace a normal student life at college.

United Airlines has been collaborating with Make-A-Wish since 1986, contributing to the realization of life-changing travel wishes. These experiences empower wish kids and their families, replacing fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope.

Helon Hammond, VP of Global Learning, People & Community Impact for United, highlights the substantial financial impact of air travel on an organization like Make-A-Wish and underscores how donated miles enable them to allocate more resources to creating extraordinary experiences for children in need. United’s customers have generously raised over 20 million miles in the past five years alone, showcasing the enduring partnership celebrated once again this holiday season.

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