Delta Honors Veterans, Service Members with Matching SkyMiles Offer

Airline to match customers' mileage donations up to 10 million miles in November to support Fisher House Foundation and Luke's Wings

News provided by

Delta Air Lines

Oct 30, 2015, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is supporting veterans, active service members and their families by matching customer-donated miles to Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles Program and Luke's Wings in November. For the second consecutive year, Delta will match donations up to an aggregate total of 10 million miles.

SkyWish is the charitable arm of Delta's SkyMiles frequent flyer program and allows Delta and its SkyMiles members to donate miles to 30 charitable organizations worldwide.

Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles Program and Luke's Wings are able to use the miles donated through SkyWish to provide air travel to wounded, injured or ill service members and veterans as well as their families, connecting military members with their loved ones for support while they undergo treatment and recovery.

"Delta is proud to partner with our customers to impact American heroes and make a difference in the lives of men and women who have sacrificed so much for others," said Tad Hutcheson, Vice President of Community Affairs for Delta. "Through this partnership, we are able to aid in the healing process, reuniting injured veterans and service members with their biggest support system – their loved ones."

Fisher House Foundation's program offers military and veteran families a place to stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment at a military or VA medical center. Delta is one of the chief financial supporters of VA Long Beach Fisher House in Long Beach, Calif., which began construction earlier this month. In 2014, the airline also contributed significantly toward the construction of a second Fisher House facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Seattle.

Luke's Wings provides families with the means to travel to be with their loved one during the service member's hospitalization and rehabilitation. Since its inception in 2008, Luke's Wings has booked one-third of its flights using miles donated from Delta's SkyWish program. In April of 2015, Luke's Wings awarded Delta with its first-ever Community Impact Award during its 4th annual Heroes Gala for its commitment to the community and generosity during the 2014 Veteran's Day promotion, which generated 5 million SkyMiles for Luke's Wings.

Delta is committed to supporting active military and veterans throughout the U.S. In addition to Fisher House Foundation and Luke's Wings, Delta's support of the military also includes the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, Marine Toys for Tots, Serving Our Troops, the USO and airport military lounges, including the Freedom Center in Detroit and the Minnesota Armed Forces Service Center.

Delta and its employees believe they have a civic obligation to give back to the communities where its employees live, work and serve. As part of this commitment, Delta, the Delta Air Lines Foundation and its employees contribute time, energy and millions of dollars to a host of philanthropic causes.

To review the SkyWish program terms and conditions and to donate miles, go to delta.com/veterans.

About Fisher House
Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans' families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans' families an estimated $282 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.

Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. fisherhouse.org

About Luke's Wings
Luke's Wings is an organization dedicated to the support of service members who have been wounded in battle. Recognizing the immediate need for families to be with their loved ones at such a difficult time, Luke's Wings provides families with the means to visit during the service member's hospitalization and rehabilitation. By purchasing travel agency services and travel tickets for loved ones, Luke's Wings provides an immediate and invaluable service to the families of our men and women at arms while also helping to encourage and motivate the service member's recovery.

In 2011, Luke's Wings expanded the mission to also include Texas Veterans and all Veterans in Hospice Care. As such; a Veteran in Hospice Care may be surrounded by loved ones as they pass away. Today, the majority of requests are for World War II Veterans, Korean War Veterans, and Vietnam War Veterans in elderly care facilities or long term inpatient care facilities. Luke's Wings regards the Veterans in Hospice Care Program as a "final salute" to the greatest generation that ever lived. lukeswings.org/

About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines serves more than 170 million customers each year. Delta was named to FORTUNE magazine's top 50 World's Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fourth time in five years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for four consecutive years, a first for any airline. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 318 destinations in 58 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta's blog takingoff.delta.com.