Early Saturday morning, a crowd of almost 100 kids was buzzing with excitement as they waited to board their "North Pole"-bound flight out of Dulles International Airport.
Some of the kids wore masks. Others used in wheelchairs, walked with crutches or had lost their hair. Many are patients with Alexandria nonprofit Children's Hospice International (CHI). It's a sobering fact that seems at odds with the joy and enthusiasm aboard the Boeing 777 airplane. But as United Airlines said, that's exactly the point of the flight.
"Come join us as we fly some magic into the lives of children who need it most this holiday season," a news release from United said.
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And magic was provided. Flight attendants and pilots took their jobs very seriously as they guided passengers to their seats for the flight to NTP — North Pole International, of course.
"Did we already write our letters to Santa?" asked one flight attendant, as she walked a family through the tinsel-decorated tunnel to the plane.
"Yes," a tiny voice replied.
The annual flight, which took off from Dulles for the first time 34 years ago in 1990, provides an incredible journey for children battling life-threatening illnesses, and their families. While passengers don't fly to the real-life North Pole, they do actually take off, flying for about 30 minutes before landing back at Dulles.
It's the first time that some of the kids have ever been on a plane.
"San-ta! San-ta! San-ta!" families chanted as the Boeing began to roll down the tarmac.
After some impromptu in-flight caroling, the VIP passengers landed at the "North Pole."
That's where they got to experience some extra-special holiday wonder. Goody bags galore, arts and crafts, and all the most beloved superheroes and Disney princesses awaited the kids when they disembarked their flight.
And, of course, they got to meet the man in red himself: Santa Claus, along with Mrs. Claus, could be seen making the rounds at the North Pole gate, greeting kids and bringing joy to families whose holiday season is feeling heavier than most.
"What events like this really bring to the families, and the children themselves, is the chance to truly live life to its fullest right at that moment," said CHI's Patricia Dailey. That chance is something Dailey says matters, even to the kids themselves.
Dailey understands it on a personal level, too. She's the daughter of Ann Armstrong-Dailey, the founding director of CHI, who spent more than 40 years showing compassion to children in hospice and their families. News4 interviewed her during last year's fantasy flight.
"You cannot overexaggerate the meaning of this event for the kids and their families," she said in 2023. "For many of the kids, it's the last Christmas with their family, to have this experience with their entire family, and to be with them."
Armstrong-Dailey herself passed away in May, leaving her daughter to take over her mission.
Asked if her mom is looking down and smiling on Saturday's event, Dailey said emotionally, "Oh, absolutely."
As the sounds of "Frozen" sing-alongs and jingling bells filled the air, and flight attendants donning elf ears guided families around the Dulles gate, plenty of kids were smiling, too. Despite the hard times, it's one day of almost-normal that will create lasting memories for them and their families, Dailey said.
