Honor Flight

What Honor Flight does

Honor Flight Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides all-expense-paid trips for senior U.S. veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and other memorials built in their honor. Founded in May 2005 by retired Air Force Captain Earl Morse in Springfield, Ohio, and later expanded nationwide with businessman Jeff Miller, the network now operates through 135+ semi-autonomous regional hubs across 46 states, bringing approximately 22,000 veterans to the capital each year and serving a waitlist of nearly 40,000. Two specialized sub-programs extend coverage: the Lone Eagle Program serves veterans who do not live within a 2-hour drive of an existing hub, while the TLC (Their Last Chance) Program gives top scheduling priority to terminally ill veterans with 12 months or less to live.

The organization's core technology is a WordPress-based Hub Portal (hubportal.honorflight.org) that gives the 135+ hub leaders 24/7 access to coordinate veteran applications, flight scheduling, and operational logistics. There is no proprietary software IP, no mobile application, and no disclosed AI or machine-learning capabilities; coordination is human-driven through local volunteers, guardian escorts, and D.C. greeters. The Lone Eagle website and a separate merchandise storefront (honorflightnetwork.companygear.store) round out the digital footprint, along with active social channels on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

The business model is donation- and sponsorship-driven rather than commercial. Revenue streams include individual donations (including through the Combined Federal Campaign, CFC #67307), corporate sponsorships from Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, AARP, Veteran United Home Loans, Mission BBQ, Caymus, AZEK, and 4 Patriots, foundation grants (notably from the PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes), community fundraising events (picnics, car shows, breakfasts), and merchandise sales. Veterans pay nothing; guardians typically self-fund $400 or more to accompany a veteran. Customer segments are senior veterans of WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War eras, with priority given to WWII, Korean War, and terminally ill veterans of any era.

Name

Honor Flight

Legal name

The Honor Flight Network, Inc.

Website

https://honorflight.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Honor Flight Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides all-expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C. for senior veterans to visit war memorials. Operating through 135+ regional hubs in 46 states, it serves roughly 22,000 veterans annually via donations, sponsorships, and volunteer guardians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The primary revenue stream comes from individual donors who contribute to support veteran flights. The organization participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #67307) for federal employee donations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, AARP, Veteran United Home Loans, Mission BBQ, Caymus Wine, AZEK, and others provide financial support, in-kind services, and travel partnerships.
3. Merchandise Sales: The network operates an online merchandise store (honorflightnetwork.companygear.store) selling branded items to supporters.
4. Foundation Grants: The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes and other foundations provide grants to sponsor specific flights and veteran populations, such as the Puerto Rico Honor Flight.
5. Community Fundraising Events: Local communities organize fundraisers such as picnics, car shows, breakfast events, and raffles to fund regional hub flights. Last year, the West Fargo Honor Flight Picnic funded trips for 19 Fargo-Moorhead veterans with a goal of 30+ this year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Honor Flight Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that transports U.S. veterans to Washington, D.C. for free all-expense-paid visits to the war memorials built in their honor. The network operates through 135+ regional hubs across 46 states and Puerto Rico, coordinating flights, ground transportation, meals, guardian escorts, and memorial tours for eligible veterans who served through May 1975. Specialized sub-programs include the Lone Eagle program for veterans in areas without a nearby hub and the TLC (Their Last Chance) program for terminally ill veterans.

Product overview

Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization offering a single core service: free all-expense-paid flights for veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials honoring their service. The main Honor Flight Network is coordinated through over 135 regional hub organizations across 46 states. Two specialized sub-programs extend access: Lone Eagle serves veterans in areas without nearby hubs, while the TLC (Their Last Chance) Program prioritizes terminally ill veterans. An internal Hub Portal enables hub leaders to manage operations. All services are provided at no cost to eligible veterans who served through May 1975.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lone Eagle Honor Flight: Program serving veterans who do not live near an existing hub
• TLC Program

Products and services

• Honor Flight Network Program The main nonprofit program that coordinates free all-expense-paid flights, ground transportation, meals, and guided memorial visits in Washington, D.C. for eligible U.S. veterans (those who served through May 1975), with priority given to WWII, Korean War, and terminally ill veterans. Operated through 135+ regional hubs across 46 states.
• Lone Eagle Honor Flight Program A specialized sub-program for veterans who do not live within 2 hours of an existing Honor Flight hub, offering centralized trip coordination, veteran applications, guardian matching, and access to free memorial trips in Washington, D.C.
• TLC (Their Last Chance) Program A terminal illness program for critically ill veterans of all service eras with a prognosis of 12 months or less, providing top scheduling priority for Honor Flight trips and requiring the veteran to be accompanied by a trained caregiver guardian.
• Honor Flight Network Merchandise An online store selling branded Honor Flight merchandise (apparel and accessories) to supporters, with proceeds helping fund veteran flights.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000 veterans honored annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PenFed Foundation for Military HeroescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026The PenFed Foundation sponsors Honor Flights for Puerto Rico's veteran community. The second Honor Flight from Puerto Rico is scheduled for June 12-14, 2026, traveling from San Juan to Washington D.C. The foundation has provided over $55 million in financial support to veterans and military families. This partnership reflects shared commitment to recognizing veterans regardless of geography.
• National Guard Educational Foundation (NGEF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026The George and Charlotte Demetriades Guardian Program, administered by NGEF in conjunction with Honor Flight Network, covers the cost for NGAUS members to serve as Honor Flight Guardians. This enables National Guard members to escort veterans on trips to Washington D.C., strengthening bonds between service generations.
• Southwest AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthwest Airlines is a key airline partner providing flights for the Lone Eagle program and various hub missions. The airline's support enables veterans to travel to Washington D.C. for their Honor Flight experience.
• American AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Airlines provides chartered flights for Honor Flight missions, including serving the Badger Honor Flight Network which brought 79 veterans to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Veterans Day 2025.
• Alaska AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlaska Airlines supports Honor Flight missions as an airline partner for regional hubs.
• Military Women's MemorialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Lone Eagle program's Servicewoman Recognition and Registration Program. Donations of $35 provide commemorative certificates and register servicewomen with the Memorial to preserve their stories.
• Corporate Sponsors (Caymus, AZEK, Anheuser-Busch, AARP, Veteran United Home Loans, Mission BBQ, 4 Patriots)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple corporate sponsors support the Honor Flight Network through financial contributions, in-kind services, and promotional support. These include wine producers, building materials companies, beverage companies, veteran-focused organizations, and restaurant chains.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Operation Homefront: Military family support nonprofit providing financial assistance, housing, and recurring programs, with similar national reach, corporate partnerships, and donor-funded service model.
• Gary Sinise Foundation: Veteran-services nonprofit funding programs including entertainment, retreats, and recognition initiatives for wounded and post-9/11 veterans, with similar corporate sponsor base and major-donor fundraising model.
• Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation: Large veteran- and first-responder-focused nonprofit funding mortgage-free homes and family support, with comparable national fundraising campaigns and corporate sponsorship partnerships.
• Travis Manion Foundation: Veteran character-development nonprofit operating community programs and challenges nationwide, similar in scale, chapter network, and veteran-mission donor base.
• Wreaths Across America: National nonprofit that coordinates volunteer-led veteran memorial placements at cemeteries and Arlington, with comparable hub-and-spoke volunteer infrastructure, corporate sponsorships, and donor-funded scale.
• Team Red White & Blue: Veteran community nonprofit connecting post-9/11 veterans through physical and social activities, with analogous chapter-based volunteer model and donor-supported programming for veteran reintegration.

Broad incumbents

• USO (United Service Organizations): The largest U.S. military support nonprofit, serving active-duty troops and families globally with a much broader scope; comparable in nonprofit scale, corporate partnerships, and volunteer-driven service delivery.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Major congressionally chartered veteran service organization with nationwide posts, analogous in scale, veteran-mission focus, and grassroots fundraising capacity.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Established congressionally chartered veteran service organization providing benefits assistance and transportation; comparable in mission scope, scale, and veteran-focused donor base.
• American Legion: Largest U.S. wartime veterans service organization with local posts nationwide; comparable in chapter network scale, mission to serve veterans, and community fundraising model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HonorFlightNet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeH02et5g5wdYOlv4mz7ZMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/HonorFlightNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/honor-flight-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/honorflightnetwork

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Honor Flight