Transportation: Air
Disclaimer: These resources are regularly reviewed to ensure that links still work correctly and the resources listed continue to be helpful to our visitors. If you find that a link isn't working or information is incorrect or if you'd like to have your own organization listed here, please email thedirectory@lls.org.
Because we want to be sure that our visitors find the most relevant resources, we've listed these organizations in order of relevancy from most specifically relevant to most generally relevant to the topic of this page.
Air Care Alliance (ACA)
Contact: (888) 260-9707
Population served: Patients needing air transport to treatment in the United States; limited international assistance
ACA promotes, supports and represents public benefit flying through communication and cooperation among organizations facilitating flights for health, compassion and community service.
- Acts as a clearinghouse for humanitarian organizations assisting in the transport of needy patients to treatment facilities
- Provides listing of all nonprofit flying groups
LifeLine Pilots
Contact: 800-822-7972
Population served: The potential flight recipient and support passengers, in the United States, must meet medical and financial eligibility criteria. Patient must be medically stable without the need for medical assistance or life support equipment
Here are examples of flight recipients who have used LifeLine Pilots service in the past:
- An ambulatory and medically stable patient going to a medical center for diagnosis and/or treatment
- Necessary support caregivers needing to be with individuals undergoing long-term medical treatment
- Children with special needs attending specialized camps
- Having a final wish to see family
Andrew McDonough B Foundation
Website Only
Population served: Pediatric cancer patients (under the age of 21) and their families in the United States. Assistance is available to families who are experiencing financial hardship brought on by the diagnosis.
The B Foundation is committed to helping the families of critically ill children with financial assistance so they can focus on helping their child get well.
- Provides financial support to eligible patients once a year for a maximum of 2 years
- Grants typically can range from $250 - $750
- Application available on the website
Air Charity Network (ACN)
Contact: (877) 621-7177
Population served: Patients needing air transport and air ambulance to treatment in the United States
ACN is a collaborative organization comprising independent member organizations identified by specific geographical service area. It coordinates volunteer pilot missions in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.
- Helps arrange volunteer pilot missions
- Coordinates free airline tickets for missions over 1,000 miles
- Negotiates lower-cost air-ambulance service for individuals and families
Corporate Angel Network, Inc. (CAN)
Contact: (866) 328-1313
Population served: Ambulatory cancer patients and bone marrow donors needing travel to and from an approved treatment center in the United States
CAN arranges free air transportation for patients traveling to treatment using empty seats on corporate jets.
- Provides arrangements for free air transport for patients who are ambulatory and do not require oxygen, IV or other life-sustaining equipment; needs three weeks advance notice
- Provides arrangements for free air transport for bone marrow donors
- Prospective passengers must make back-up travel plans as there is no guarantee that a flight can be found
National Patient Travel Center (NPTC)
Contact: (800) 296-1217
Population served: Patients needing transportation by air in the United States
NPTC strives to ensure that no financially needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment for lack of air transportation.
- Provides a call center (available 24/7)
- Facilitates patient access to appropriate charitable medical air transportation resources, including air-ambulance coordination
- Develops, administers and consolidates airline patient ticket programs
- Operates various Special-Lift and Child-Lift programs on behalf of special disease organizations and/or clinical research centers
Operation Liftoff, Inc.
Contact: (314) 298-9770
Population served: Children in the United States, infancy to age 18, with a life-threatening illness
Operation Liftoff arranges air transportation for children and their parent(s) for a treatment trip when specialized treatment is not available in their geographical area.
- Provides air transport on commercial flights for treatment purposes
