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Home » United Airlines » JOY: United Airlines Announces New “Seasonal Hub”
NewsUnited Airlines

JOY: United Airlines Announces New “Seasonal Hub”

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 7, 2024December 7, 2024 24 Comments

United Airlines has announced a new “seasonal hub” at the North Pole, with airport code JOY…part of its multi-year commitment to “Fantasy Flights” every holiday season. This is “Good Leads The Way” on full display.

New United Airlines “Seasonal Hub” To North Pole (JOY) – 2024 Fantasy Flights

This month, United is transporting deserving children and their families to the North Pole with direct “Fantasy Flights” from 13 cities around the globe.

  • Honolulu (HNL) – December 5
  • Washington-Dulles (IAD) – December 7
  • Houston Bush (IAH) – December 7
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – December 7
  • London (LHR) – December 7
  • Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) -December 7
  • San Francisco (SFO) – December 7
  • Tokyo (NRT) – December 8
  • Cleveland (CLE) – December 10
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – December 10
  • Guam (GUM) – December 13
  • Denver (DEN) – December 14
  • Newark (EWR) – December 14

Of course, when speaking of new hubs, people pick up on Fort Lauderdale being part of the list…the South Florida airport has long been rumored to be a future hub for United…but I would not read too much into this beyond FLL being an enthusiastic station.

As Kate Gebo, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations explained the new JOY hub:

“The team made a list, I checked it twice and the answer was clear – with so many deserving children on the nice list this year, it only made sense to launch a seasonal hub in the North Pole. We’ve stocked up on de-icing fluid to fly from even more cities. United is honored to uplift children and their families through the joy of the holiday season. Making the North Pole closer than ever is one of the many ways we can show support for the communities where we live, work and fly.”

Ok, so what is this exactly?

United’s Fantasy Flights are local, customized experiences for pre-selected children and their families to board a United aircraft headed for Santa’s hometown to make joy-filled memories. After a short trip, either in the air or on the ground, children arrive at the North Pole – a winter wonderland elf-iciently created by United airport employees and local volunteers who transform an average airport gate or maintenance hangar into a sea of twinkling lights, sparkling Christmas trees and Santa himself – along with his elves.

Santa and his elves, led by United team members, volunteer every year to build and staff Fantasy Flights across United‘s global network, partnering with local nonprofits and hospitals in each city to create these special memories for kids and their families.

Two other things to note:

  • For those looking for ways to support children in need this season, this Giving Tuesday, United is partnering with Make-A-Wish to bring joy and hope to children facing critical illnesses. Donate miles or money through December 31, 2024, and United will match up to 5 million miles total and match monetary donations of up to $500,000 total through travel certificates, doubling the impact and helping grant even more life-changing wishes.
  • In addition, illy coffee is offering a donation to Make-A-Wish on sales of cold brew throughout the month of December. Illy will donate $1 for each cold brew sold on United flights, up to $25,000, in support of the organization.

As I passed through Chicago last night, I saw employee volunteers busily preparing the C-Concourse for today’s event.

a group of people in a room with christmas trees and lights

a group of people in a room with christmas decorations

What a beautiful sight. All these workers volunteered their own time…they are not paid for this..and it beautifully exemplifies this season of giving. This is “Good Leads The Way” on display.

Well done, United.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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24 Comments

  1. Chi Hsuan Reply
    December 7, 2024 at 1:31 pm

    Oh “good leads the way” my ass. If they believed that then they wouldn’t be constantly devaluing MileagePlus. This is just a PR stunt for gullible bloggers and mouth breathers.

    • Alert Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 1:55 pm

      @Chi … +1 . Public Relations also writes fake letters in Kirby’s name .

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 4:55 pm

      They’ve been doing this for as long as I’ve been blogging.

      I’m not justifying any cutbacks to MileagePlus, but this is a good thing.

      • Chi Hsuan Reply
        December 7, 2024 at 5:57 pm

        It’s good and those employees are good people for doing it, but let’s not pretend that United is anything but a soulless corporation and “good leads the way” is a meaningless slogan designed to hide that fact.

        • Alert Reply
          December 7, 2024 at 8:46 pm

          @Chi … +1 . I do object strongly to the possibility they would take the children “in the air” , which is inherently unsafe. The entire charade can be done whilst the aircraft is “on the ground” .

        • emercycrite Reply
          December 7, 2024 at 8:55 pm

          Could not agree more with Chi.

    • DJT Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 5:21 pm

      Stop yelling

    • CT Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 8:59 pm

      Wow!…someone’s got a “bah-humbug” up their ass!”

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        December 8, 2024 at 8:55 am

        Could be worse….

    • O'Hare Is My Second Home Reply
      December 9, 2024 at 12:09 pm

      What a bunch of pewling and whining from someone who almost certainly has no MileagePlus miles or status on UA. I have a load of miles and status on UA and the devaluation hasn’t affected me one bit. This is a wonderful gesture by my Hometown Airline, despite the fact that I hate children and would like to them to disappear from every airport on Earth.

      By the way, David Dao deserved it, before someone brings that up.

  2. CJ99 Reply
    December 7, 2024 at 4:17 pm

    Great story, but you left out the one paragraph in the UA press release that explains how the thing works:

    “United’s Fantasy Flights are local, customized experiences for pre-selected children and their families to board a United aircraft headed for Santa’s hometown to make joy-filled memories. After a short trip, either in the air or on the ground, children arrive at the North Pole – a winter wonderland elf-iciently created by United airport employees and local volunteers who transform an average airport gate or maintenance hangar into a sea of twinkling lights, sparkling Christmas trees and Santa himself – along with his elves.”

    • Jet Interceptor Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 4:29 pm

      Wow, dude…can you stop being butthurt for two minutes and just appreciate that sick kids will have something joyful in their lives? And for their parents/caregivers a rare, good memory. What the hell is wrong with you?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 4:54 pm

      Added. Thank you!

    • Alert Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 8:47 pm

      The children ought never be taken “in the air” , which is inherently unsafe . Best to keep the children “on the ground”.

      • Maryland Reply
        December 7, 2024 at 9:49 pm

        Twaddle alert. Why do you imagine children should be not in the air? This is a program for disadvantaged/ ill children. You are the worst of the worst.

  3. bossa Reply
    December 7, 2024 at 5:51 pm

    Wonder if some stations actually have airborne flights, versus a short, taxi excursion…. The PR release seems to imply
    so…Wishing all pax & staff Happy Holidays..

    “Good” may lead the Way, but maybe a mediator can help UA find its way back to an agreement with its F/A’s …

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 7, 2024 at 6:22 pm

      I’m convinced the AFA screwed its FAs…we can discuss that next week.

      • Marik Reply
        December 8, 2024 at 10:31 am

        I am looking forward to how YOU think AFA screwed the FAs, when United is asking for concessions when they are making record profits. Lest us not forget Krossdress Kirby’s among the highest-paid airline executives in the US, earned a salary and compensation of $18.6 million in 2023. By the way the North Pole fantasy flights started at Continental.

        • WD Reply
          December 8, 2024 at 5:33 pm

          You are not correct. They started with United at Washington Dulles 35 years ago. I read about the creator in the Hemispheres magazine when they did a feature story.

          • Matthew Klint
            December 9, 2024 at 1:16 am

            Correct. Not an ex-CON thing, but a PMUA thing.

  4. Maryland Reply
    December 7, 2024 at 7:53 pm

    Merry Christmas fun. May the children enjoy!

  5. Dave S Reply
    December 8, 2024 at 12:13 pm

    In Europe they have flights that ACTUALLY go up to the Artic Circle – at least a little closer to the North pole than a local flight or never leaving the ground. And with some real snow too! Usually Rovanemi was used but other places up there have joined in. Whether you view this as a good or bad thing I guess depends on your view point. Almost surprised given the commercialisation of the US that something similar isn’t done here up to some random spot in Canada. Maybe it is and I just never heard about it

  6. Tony N Reply
    December 8, 2024 at 5:18 pm

    Alright, some like it Hot some like it Cold. Personally, I’ll stay with the tropical beaches.

  7. Jason Reply
    December 9, 2024 at 12:57 am

    Why so many negative comments? This should be a joyous occasion. Hence the city code JOY. Can’t we just have some joy this season!

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