American Airlines Raises $4 Million For The Fight Against Cancer

Since launching its annual fundraising campaign to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) in August, American Airlines has raised a record-breaking $4 million for the charity.

Let good take flight

In the latest round of fundraising for SU2C, American Airlines has smashed previous records, donating $4 million to the charity to support life-saving collaborative research for cancer treatments. The most recent efforts saw the carrier offer 25 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for each $25 donation, with AAdvantage Mastercard credit card holders receiving 50 bonus miles per dollar until it hit the $3 million mark.

In a statement shared by the airline, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Ron DeFeo celebrated the carrier and its customers’ achievement in raising funds for groundbreaking cancer research. DeFeo explained,

“Thanks to the tremendous support from our generous team members and customers, American was able to make its largest contribution in a single campaign to Stand Up To Cancer to date. The impact we can make when we unite in the fight against cancer is humbling and American is honored to be a part of that fight.”

Alongside its fundraising campaign, American Airlines has also backed the carrier during its televised fundraising special and spotlighted employees impacted by cancer at Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers baseball games throughout the year.

Since partnering with the charity in 2016, American Airlines has raised a total of $20 million, with previous campaigns featuring A Walk to Remember actress Mandy Moore, Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet, and country musician Tim McGraw.

SU2C co-founder Rusty Robertson praised the support of American Airlines, noting the importance of fundraising for cancer research.

“We are so grateful for the support of American Airlines and their customers, who’ve played a major role in propelling our mission forward. Through our donors’ generosity, we can save more lives now and keep moving critical cancer research forward – to make every patient a long-term survivor. Stand Up To Cancer looks forward to reaching more milestones together.”

Giving back

With one of the largest platforms in the United States, American Airlines has been using its position as a carrier to uplift charities, NGOs, and other humanitarian campaigns and boost funding as part of its Let Good Take Flight initiative.

Photo: Santi Rodriguez I Shutterstock.

Within its global health and wellbeing targets, national partners of the airline include St. Jude’s Research Hospital and Make-A-Wish, both supported through AAdvantage Donations and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which American Airlines backs with its annual Celebrity Ski event.

American Airlines’ 2023 Celebrity Ski gathering in Beaver Creek, Colorado, raised $1.1 million for the charity, expanding its total donated since 1985 to an eyewatering $45 million.

The carrier has also thrown its support behind disaster relief NGO Red Cross, UNICEF, and Feeding America to uplift people living in poverty across the United States and the world under its social good banner.

American Airlines heroes objective has seen the carrier support America’s military heroes, with an Airbus A321 “Flagship Valor” serving as a flying tribute to the US Armed Forces and Medal of Honor recipients.

What are your thoughts on American Airlines’ recent fundraising campaign? What other charities would you like to see the carrier spotlight? Let us know in the comments.