FAQs

Any Kansas Veteran who served during WWII, Korea, or Vietnam–regardless of whether they served overseas, on a combat tour, or state-side.

Qualified dates of service are:

December 7th, 1941 – December 31st, 1946 (World War II)

June 25th, 1950 – January 31st, 1955 (Korean War)

February 28th, 1961 – May 7th, 1975 (Vietnam War)

Veterans requiring physical assistance must have a guardian accompany them for their trip. A guardian can be any friend or family member, with the exception of spouses. It is national Honor Flight policy that spouses are ineligible to accompany veterans as guardians, unless the spouse is also a qualified veteran (fitting the same qualifications for time and service period as the veteran going on the flight).

Guardians play a significant role on every Kansas Honor Flight, ensuring that every veteran has a safe and memorable experience. Duties include, but are not limited to, physically assisting the veterans at the airport, during the flight and at the memorials.

Guardians must be between the ages of 18 and 70 and, most importantly, able bodied.  Guardians make a tax-deductible contribution to cover their expenses. Currently, that amount is $900.00 and it is not paid until the guardian is confirmed for a specific flight.

We have a number of qualified individuals who have volunteered to travel as a guardian and pay their own way. We refer to these guardians as “unattached guardians” meaning they are not related to the veteran they are helping. Most have been on several trips and understand the importance of their role.

We call the veterans in the order we receive their applications, giving priority to the WWII veterans, then the Korean War veterans, and then the Vietnam War veterans. Any qualified veteran deemed to be terminally ill is called for the next available flight.

All funds to make this memorable trip possible for our Kansas veterans come from a grateful public. There are no federal, state, or local funds involved. Since we are a totally volunteer 501 © 3 non-profit, virtually all contributions benefit our veterans. Please consider donating!

We provide wheelchairs from the time you get to the Wichita airport until you return. Only portable oxygen concentrators are allowed on the trip, but we will help you with arrangements.

We fly a charter plane that normally departs on a Monday from Wichita and returns shortly after noon on a Wednesday. We spend 2 nights at a Hilton hotel in Baltimore.

Once the attendees depart the Wichita airport, all expenses are covered. There are a few opportunities to purchase souvenirs, soft drinks, snacks, etc. Also, a small tip ($5-10) for our bus drivers is appreciated!

For attendees arriving in Wichita on the night before departure, those attendees are responsible for their lodging and meals that evening. We have a block of rooms reserved at the Doubletree Hotel. We will make the attendee’s reservation for them, and they do not need to pay until check-in.

Currently our wait time is about one year except in cases of terminally ill veterans. After you have submitted a veteran application, feel free to call us at 620-546-2400 to see how our scheduling is proceeding and to answer any questions.