US carrier 
American Airlines
celebrated the holidays by flying over 2,500 people to “The Happiest Place On Earth” for the third consecutive year. The airline is the official partner of the Snowball Express program, hosted by the Gary Sinise Foundation, which brings families of fallen first responders and military servicemembers to Disney for some quality family time over the festive season.
All aboard for Disney World
The 
oneworld
Alliance carrier teamed up with the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) forces for two weeks this month to make dreams of a Disney vacation come true for more than 2,500 participants this year during GSF’s annual Snowball Express program. The initiative brings together families who have lost a loved one during military service and the families of fallen first responders to Orlando, Florida, for an all-expenses paid experience at Walt Disney World Resort.
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The airline expects to carry more than 12 million passengers over the busy holiday period.
The program looks to provide the families with a week of “hope, healing, and camaraderie” during the holiday season, which can be especially difficult for grieving families. In a LinkedIn post, David Seymour, American Airlines’ Chief Operating Officer, noted how meaningful the event is for families and the local communities:
“Snowball Express continues to be a highlight of the holiday season for myself and so many on the #AATeam. Every December, American is privileged to join the Gary Sinise Foundation in honoring the families of fallen military and first responder heroes.
“This year, we donated 11 charter aircraft to transport these special passengers to Orlando for their retreat at Walt Disney World. I was honored to join the DFW team in sending off some of the Gold Star family members with a ceremony and parade through the terminal.
“A big thank you to our longtime partner, Gary Sinise, our team member volunteers and most of all, to the participating families who flew with us to Orlando. American will never forget the service and sacrifice of their loved ones, or the sacrifice they continue to bear.”
To make this year’s Snowball Express a reality, more than a thousand American Airlines team members volunteered at more than 90 airports and on 17 charter planes to bring people to Orlando International Airport
(MCO) to visit the famous theme park. The volunteers set up and hosted meaningful ceremonies at each departure airport nationwide and prepared themed inflight experiences for participating families.
Inside the Snowball Express
The program is open to children of fallen heroes and their surviving parents or guardians. While the Gary Sinise Foundation offers programs throughout the year, the Winter Snowball Express event is specifically designed for families with children from age 5 through high school seniors. Spots on the in-person December event are offered on a rotating basis to maximize the number of families that can experience this event.
According to the foundation, the first Snowball Express took place in 2006 and continued annually until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on the tradition. The Snowball Express landed again in 2022, with American Airlines chartering eleven aircraft and sponsoring over 700 tickets on commercial flights to bring families from over 500 cities in the US and international locations from Japan to West Africa.
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Snowball Express: American Airlines Honors Families Of Fallen First Responders
This year, for the first time, the charity event also includes families of fallen first responders.
Last year, the program carried around 3,000 family members of fallen military heroes and first responders to Disney for the event. Over one thousand volunteers nationwide made the trips memorable both at the originating airport and along the way. Once in Florida, the Foundation takes care of the Disney Park access and other relevant expenses.
Captain and Chief Pilot Keith Firmin was one of the crewmembers on a recent Snowball flight heading to Florida from Washington, D.C., this year. The trip was especially meaningful to Firmin, who has served as a volunteer firefighter for longer than he has been flying for the airline. Firmin, who has dedicated time to giving back and has flown Honor Flights and previous Snowball Express services during his flying career, noted how significant the program is in flying families of fallen heroes to Disney in the ultimate act of service.
The program is also open to eligible families in the local area. Families that live within a 5-hour drive of the event were reimbursed for their mileage.