Q: Can my wife (husband) go with me? 
A: No. At the present time, we have over 300 World War II veterans on our waiting list and many more will apply this year. It is doubtful that we will get to every deserving veteran in time. Our limitation is the number of seats on the tour bus. Any seat not filled with a veteran will be used by a volunteer who will assist our veterans by handling luggage and wheelchairs and ensuring our veterans’ safety. The only spouses who are permitted to go are those who are veterans themselves.
Q: I am the widow of a veteran, can I go?
A: Sadly, the answer is “no”. Again, we simply do not have the resources or seating available to transport all the veterans who are presently on our Arizona waiting list. Adding spouses and widows simply isn’t an option for our program at this time.
Q: How much money does it cost? How much cash do I need to bring?
A: The cost is FREE for all WWII Veterans. You do not need to bring any money, unless you intend to purchase souvenirs.
Q: Can my son, daughter, grandson, etc. go as a guardian?
A: This is usually not a problem. Our TOP priority is the safe travel of ALL the veterans. Guardians are volunteers who physically assist the veterans with wheelchairs and their baggage during our trip. Who will or will not serve as a guardian, and how many guardians will be needed, is the sole responsibility of the Hub Coordinator. That decision is based upon many factors, such as:
- How many disabled veterans are scheduled to go
- Of the disabled veterans going, how many will have to be physically assisted getting on and off the bus
- Which guardian applicants are most qualified? Medically trained, veterans, active duty military personnel and volunteers who have previously participated in a flight are given top priority and serve as leadership members. The applicants physically capable of assisting in the lifting of veterans are also a top priority
- How many seats we have available on the bus
Q: Can I make a donation to Honor Flight Arizona?
A: Honor Flight Network gratefully accepts all donations! However, no WWII veteran may donate prior to his/her trip or pay his/her way to go. We believe that these veterans have given enough. This is our way of saying “Thank You”!
Q: How are you funded?
A: Honor Flight Arizona receives no national or government sponsorship. Our funding comes primarily from individuals, community and military groups and organizations across the state who recognize the great accomplishments and sacrifices of our WWII veterans and understands them wanting to see their memorial before it is too late. Significant contributors have been fraternal organizations like local American Legion, VFW, DAV posts and chapters, as well as various corporations on a local level.
Q: Are Honor Flight Arizona and Honor Flight Southern Arizona the same?
A: The Arizona and Southern Arizona hubs are two separate entities. Each hub keeps its own waiting list and flies on its own schedule. Honor Flight S AZ primarily serves WWII veterans in the Tucson and Yuma regions. Honor Flight AZ serves the remainder of the state. If you are unsure about which hub to apply to, please contact info@honorflightaz.org.
Q: I am a Korean/Viet Nam veteran. Can I go to on this trip as a veteran?
A: Unfortunately, not at this time. While other states have begun flying Korean and Viet Nam veterans, Honor Flight AZ has not. The reason for this is many states with smaller populations of WWII veterans have taken all of their vets to Washington, D.C. already. As Arizona is a retirement state with 50,000 WWII vets still residing here, (and 300 of them currently on our waiting list) we do not anticipate being able to expand our list in the foreseeable future. That being said, if you fit the health requirements of joining us as a guardian, we would love to have you! (Sadly, we cannot pay your way to do this.)
Q: What if a veteran is on oxygen or requires a wheelchair?
A: Due to the age of our veterans and the extensive walking required at many sites (including the airports), we supply wheelchairs to those that may need them. We also have many volunteers (guardians) available to help push them. Our buses are equipped with motorized wheel chair lifts, if needed.
Oxygen usage also does not automatically eliminate a veteran from joining us on our trips. Please let us know if you require oxygen as the requirements of the airlines has changed and some paperwork and special equipment is required to board an aircraft. We can also assist in making oxygen available while touring, and in your hotel room.
I live in another state that does not have an Honor Flight hub. Can I come with you?
Sadly, no. Due to our large population of veterans here in Arizona, we are unable to expand our list to include veterans from other states at this time. Contact our national Honor Flight office at www.honorflight.org as they will arrange to fly veterans from states without a hub.
