’Twas two weeks before Christmas at Denver International Airport, and a huge Boeing 777 plane had taxied down one of the runways. From the outside, the jumbo jet looked like any other about to take off. But inside, silver tinsel and strings of colored lights hung from the overhead luggage compartments. Glittery paper snowflakes and curls of red ribbon dangled over the seats. Puffs of cottony “snow” adorned each headrest. And giant sparkling candy canes graced the back of the cabin.
The flight crew was similarly decked out in holiday gear—Santa hats, pointy elf ears, reindeer sweaters. One jokester had donned a Grinch costume. And the plane’s passengers—about 100 local children ages 3 to 10 and their family members—were wearing matching T-shirts adorned with the words “Fantasy Flight.” The kids also wore big smiles as they munched on snacks and chattered excitedly. For some, this was the first airplane trip they’d ever taken. But for all, their destination promised to be unforgettable: They were headed to the “North Pole” to visit Santa’s workshop.
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Creating a whole lot of Christmas joy
This was one of 13 flights in December 2024 organized by United Airlines as part of its 30-plus-year Fantasy Flights program, which gives children with serious medical conditions or other challenges a unique holiday experience. The participating airport locations—including Los Angeles, Houston, Cleveland, Fort Lauderdale, Newark, London and more—partner with local hospitals and nonprofits that serve children facing cancer, disability or homelessness.
“The kids really deserve this day away from the daily challenges that they have, and it brings some magic into their lives,” says Jonna McGrath, vice president of airport operations for United’s Denver hub and a longtime Fantasy Flight volunteer. In Denver, the children and their chaperones are greeted by Santa’s helpers as soon as they arrive at the airport, says McGrath, who donned pointy elf ears, glittery face paint and a whole lot of jingle bells at last year’s event. Then the kids go through security, just as all air travelers do, and receive official boarding passes with “The North Pole” printed on them.
It’s easy to tell which departure gate is theirs: It’s the one with the Christmas trees and giant inflatable teddy bears. As a crowd of youngsters surrounds a uniformed captain kneeling to pin small gold pilot’s wings onto their shirts, other travelers passing through the concourse can’t help but stop to take photos. After a sing-along and some dancing, it’s time to board the wide-body aircraft and take to the skies.
“Who’s ready to go to the North Pole?” the captain asks over the PA system once all the passengers are in their seats. The answer is a chorus of cheers. The plane then takes off and circles the city for about 30 minutes. In the air, flight attendants sing holiday tunes and hand out snacks. “It’s basically a party in the sky,” says McGrath.
Then comes another announcement: “Kids, this is your captain speaking. We’ve been given clearance from Santa Claus to visit the North Pole. If everyone could please lower their window shades. Once we arrive, I’ll let you know when you can open them. Santa is very excited to meet you all!” The captain lands the plane back at the airport and drives into a giant hangar. The wide-eyed passengers descend the jet’s stairs into a winter wonderland.
Going all-out for a special day
Pulling off this daylong celebration takes hundreds of United employees and other volunteers who decorate, staff the event (perhaps in costume as Frosty the Snowman, or Princess Elsa from Frozen) and clean up afterward. Though there’s a lot of work involved, it’s one of employees’ favorite days of the year. There’s usually a waitlist to help out.
“Once you see it, you can’t not be involved,” McGrath says. For the next few hours, the kids are treated to special holiday activities. In Honolulu last year, the kids attended hula performances on “Christmas Island.” In Chicago, they met real live reindeer. Other fun surprises usually include games, an ice cream truck, a magician, face painting and, of course, the most exciting moment: meeting Santa Claus. Each child gets a photo with the big man himself and then receives a bag of gifts from their own personal wish list—maybe roller skates, a cozy hat and gloves, or even a bike—carefully shopped for and wrapped by yet more volunteers.
Delivering happiness in tough times
Scott Rogers spent 25 years working for United as a zone controller and supervisor of airport operations in Denver. He’s also been playing Santa for the city’s Fantasy Flights since 1993. Rogers continues to volunteer well into his retirement because he knows how much the Fantasy Flight experience means to kids. One of his favorite moments is when the children emerge from the plane and first catch sight of him in his jolly red suit.
“They go racing to Santa, and you can’t even walk because they’re all clinging to your legs,” he says. His wife, Patricia Rogers, plays Mrs. Claus alongside him. Both say they love giving the kids their gifts. “Sometimes the bag is so big, they can’t hardly carry it,” Scott says, chuckling. But the interactions they have with the kids warm their hearts even more. Scott remembers taking a photo with one little girl a few years ago. She was about 8 years old and fighting cancer. After meeting him, she made him a candy cane at an arts and crafts station and came back to give it to him, saying, “Santa, this is for you.”
As the event wound down, Scott was in a dressing room changing out of his red suit when a soft knock came on the door. “There’s a little girl out here who wants to talk to you,” a woman told him. “So I’m throwing everything back on, and it was that same girl,” he recalls. “She came in and said, ‘I know I’m not going to be here next year.’ And she sat on my lap, and we talked for 40 minutes about what was going on and how happy this day had made her,” he says. “That was a tough one for me.”
Giving true meaning to the season
Embracing both the hard and happy moments, he and Patricia plan to keep volunteering as long as they can. “It’s the best part of Christmas,” Patricia says. Scott adds, “The joy you get with these kids—it is just a hoot.” Kayla Garcia, CEO of Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, can attest that the young attendees have just as much fun as the volunteers. The nonprofit mentors girls throughout the city and was a local partner for last year’s Fantasy Flight. Garcia chaperoned a group of girls in first, second and third grades.
“Every part of the day was thought out to ensure that kids felt the magic of the season, and the look in their eyes is something that I will remember forever,” Garcia says. “We all left believing in the love of others.”
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