What Angel Flight West does

Angel Flight West is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Santa Monica, California, that arranges free non-emergency air transportation for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling humanitarian needs. The organization coordinates donated flights through a network of more than 1,800 volunteer pilots organized into 14 regional Wings, serving 12 Western U.S. states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming) plus a newly added New Mexico territory. In 2025, the network completed 5,394 flights for 1,196 unique passengers, with pilot in-kind flight contributions valued at over $5.3 million annually.

The organization's core product is the Angel Flight West Medical Transportation Service, supported by the Earth Angels ground-transport program (volunteer drivers in 9 metropolitan areas) and AFIDS (Angel Flight Information Database System), a proprietary mission-coordination platform released as open-source in 2012 that allows pilots to view and sign up for flight requests. Commercial airline capacity is primarily provided by Alaska Airlines (900+ donated tickets annually) with Advanced Air as a secondary partner for weather-disrupted or inaccessible routes. Additional partnerships include Arcadia Jets (major corporate donor), Phillips 66 (avgas rebate), and healthcare systems such as Virginia Mason Franciscan Health for patient navigation.

The business model is a nonprofit donation-and-grant model: all passenger services are free, and revenue is generated through individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, annual events (AFW Golf Classic, Run for the Angels 5K, Endeavor Awards gala), stock gifts, in-kind flight donations, and cause-marketing partnerships (e.g., Flying Lady, Bondolio Olive Oil). The organization states every dollar donated is matched 4x by pilot and airline partner in-kind contributions. Operational scale is delivered by a small core staff (1-10 employees per firmographic data, 16+ named staff) coordinating a volunteer-driven network.

Name

Angel Flight West

Legal name

Angel Flight West Inc.

Website

https://angelflightwest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Angel Flight West is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1983, that arranges free air transportation for medical and humanitarian needs across 12+ Western U.S. states through a network of 1,800+ volunteer pilots, using its AFIDS coordination platform and Alaska Airlines commercial partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Aviation / Nonprofit Medical Transportation Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Ambulance & Medical Passenger Charter Operators (THABADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD), Emergency, Evacuation & Repatriation Charter Operators (THABADAH), Helicopter Pilgrimage & Special-Route Passenger Services (TLAFACAK)

Keywords

• Charitable aviation services
• Free medical transportation
• Volunteer pilot network
• Nonprofit patient transport
• Humanitarian flight services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors supporting the organization's mission to provide free medical transportation.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from foundations and community organizations as part of a balanced revenue strategy.
3. Annual Events and Campaigns: Revenue from events such as the AFW Golf Classic, Run for the Angels 5K, and Endeavor Awards gala, as well as annual crowdfunding campaigns.
4. Stock Donations: Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds provides an impactful way to help patients access essential care through gifted flights while saving donors on taxes.
5. In-Kind Flight Donations: Volunteer pilots donate their time, aircraft, fuel, and all flight-related expenses. Commercial airline partners, primarily Alaska Airlines, donate hundreds of tickets annually. These in-kind contributions are valued at over $5 million per year in pilot donations alone.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Angel Flight West arranges free non-emergency air transportation for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other humanitarian needs across 12 Western U.S. states, using a network of 1,800+ volunteer pilots who donate their time, aircraft, and fuel. Passengers are connected to medical care and other essential services at no cost, with companion ground transportation provided through the Earth Angels volunteer driver program and supplemental donated commercial flights from airline partners such as Alaska Airlines and Advanced Air.

Product overview

Angel Flight West is a nonprofit organization that provides free medical transportation through two interconnected services: (1) The core Angel Flight West Medical Transportation Service, which arranges donated flights via a network of volunteer pilots for passengers needing healthcare access across 12 Western states; and (2) The Earth Angels Ground Transportation Program, which provides volunteer drivers to transport passengers between airports and medical facilities. The organization operates AFIDS, an internal mission coordination platform that manages volunteer pilot assignments and mission logistics. All services are provided at no cost to passengers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Earth Angels: Volunteer driver program that provides ground transportation to and from airports for Angel Flight West passengers traveling to medical appointments.

Products and services

• Angel Flight West Medical Transportation Service Free non-emergency air transportation for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling humanitarian needs, arranged through a network of volunteer pilots across 12 Western U.S. states. Provided at no cost to passengers.
• Earth Angels Ground Transportation Program Free volunteer-driver ground transportation to and from airports and medical facilities in 9 metropolitan areas across the Western states for Angel Flight West passengers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every dollar donated is matched 4X by volunteer pilots and airline partners who donate the cost of flight
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alaska AirlinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Alaska Airlines is a major airline partner providing hundreds of donated tickets annually for transportation within Alaska and Hawaii, as well as flights for Alaska residents needing treatment on the mainland and Hawaii patients seeking care on the continent. This partnership enables AFW to serve remote island and mainland destinations beyond the range of private aircraft.
• Phillips 66minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhillips 66 provides a $1-per-gallon avgas rebate to AFW pilots during missions, helping offset fuel costs and making volunteer flying more affordable.
• Flying LadyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlying Lady donates $1 to Angel Flight West for every bottle sold, providing ongoing revenue support through product sales.
• Bondolio Olive OilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBondolio Olive Oil hosts annual events to support AFW, generating donations through community fundraising activities.
• Sporty'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAFW Members receive 20% off premium aviation gear at Sporty's, providing discounts that support volunteer pilot participation.
• Arcadia JetscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArcadia Jets donates a percentage of profits from aircraft transactions to AFW. The company also made a groundbreaking commitment to AFW in 2025 and sponsored the Endeavor Awards.
• The Pink JetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAFW partners with The Pink Jet to support patients battling breast cancer through dedicated transportation services.
• Fourth Front AviationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFourth Front Aviation offers a 10% discount on labor for aircraft on ground (AOG) and scheduled maintenance for active pilots with Angel Flight West.
• Advanced AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdvanced Air is listed as a commercial airline partner providing donated flights for patients when weather or other circumstances prevent volunteer pilots from flying.
• Air Care AllianceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFor passengers originating from states outside AFW's service area, referrals are made to other organizations in the Air Care Alliance network, an automated referral system for volunteer-flown long-distance transportation.
• Dogs for Better LivesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing service animals with special transportation support through collaboration.
• Virginia Mason Franciscan HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized in 2026 for Patient Navigation Partnership, working with AFW to help patients access medical transportation through coordinated navigation services.
• Los Angeles Wound Care InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide advanced wound care to rural patients in Oregon, with AFW providing transportation to specialized treatment.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Miracle Flights: Provides free commercial airline tickets for children with serious medical conditions needing distant care; mirrors AFW's Alaska Airlines ticket-donation partnership model and shares the pediatric medical transport use case.
• LifeLine Pilots: Midwest-based volunteer pilot organization providing free medical flights for patients needing distant care; uses a near-identical donated-flight model and serves a complementary geographic footprint to AFW's Western states.
• Air Care Alliance: Umbrella network of volunteer pilot organizations (including AFW) that provides automated referrals when a patient originates outside a member's service area; AFW lists Air Care Alliance as a key referral partner, making it both a peer and a channel.
• Veterans Airlift Command: Free air transportation for wounded warriors, veterans, and their families via a network of volunteer pilots; operates the same volunteer-pilot, mission-coordination model as AFW, with an overlapping 'compassionate travel' use case.
• Mercy Medical Angels: National nonprofit that provides free non-emergency medical air transportation through commercial airline ticket donations and a volunteer pilot network — directly comparable in mission, model, and patient population to Angel Flight West.
• AeroAngel: Volunteer pilot nonprofit providing free non-emergency air transport for critically ill children and adults; uses a similar donated-flight and family-focused model in a smaller regional footprint.
• Angel Flight (national network): National coordinating organization for the regional Angel Flight affiliated groups (including AFW); operates the same medical-flight mission with shared branding and complementary East/Midwest geographic coverage.
• Corporate Angel Network: Arranges free flights for cancer patients on board corporate jets using empty-leg capacity; shares AFW's free medical-transport mission and target patient population but uses a corporate aviation model instead of volunteer private pilots.
• Patient AirLift Services (PALS): Free non-emergency air transport for medical patients using volunteer pilots across the Northeast U.S.; operates the same volunteer-pilot, mission-coordination model as AFW, making it a direct functional peer in the charitable aviation sector.

Broad incumbents

• Air Charity Network: Largest charitable aviation network in the U.S., coordinating free transport for medical and other compelling needs; serves as a broader umbrella that includes many of AFW's direct peers and overlaps in mission and volunteer-pilot model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@angelflightwest
• Facebookfacebook.com/AngelFlightWest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/angel-flight-west
• Instagraminstagram.com/angelflightwest
• Xx.com/AngelFlightWest

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Angel Flight West