Welcome to the Honor Flight Chicago Greeter signup page!  Volunteers are needed to greet our Honor Flight Chicago flights at Dulles Airport! We encourage people to bring their families and friends and to greet our flights as the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans arrive in the morning or when they return to Dulles in the evening. This is a very emotional and uplifting experience for all involved and the Veterans are usually so stunned and appreciative.  All our flights arrive at approximately 9:25 AM and we return to the airport around 6 PM.  Our arrival greetings take place in the Main Terminal outside security as the Veterans exit the mobile lounges.  Our departure greetings take place in the Main Terminal lower level as the Veterans go to the security checkpoint.

This season we are pleased to be partnering with the IAD “Heroes Welcome” process to provide consistency in the greeter process, a broader reach across the volunteer base, and to ensure parking vouchers for all who need one.

PARKING: Free parking at Dulles Airport remains in place until further notice. The airport is NO LONGER providing free parking in Garage #1 and Garage #2. They are directing us to a separate parking lot not too much farther of a walk than from the garages. When you sign up for a flight, the location of the lot, the procedure for entering the lot, and a placard to place on your car’s dashboard will be sent to you in an email 24-to-48 hours before the arrival time for the flight.

In order to receive the parking information mentioned above, ALL volunteers are reminded to sign up in advance. Make SURE when you sign up that you answer the required question “Parking for Individual Signup?”   Volunteers who did not sign up in advance will have to pay for parking in Garage #1 or Garage #2 ($6.00 per hour to a maximum of $21.00). Parking in the Terminal lot (in front of the main terminal) is more expensive ($6.00 per hour to a maximum of $32.00). **Prices are subject to change by the airport.

Any questions regarding the Honor Flight Chicago flights only should be directed to dcgreeters@honorflightchicago.org.

Please do not direct any questions regarding Honor Flight Chicago greetings to the Heroes Welcome email.

2024 Flight Dates and Sign-Up Links

(Please do not make this schedule public in any place other than this page out of respect for our partners at Chicago Midway Airport, where we are asked to limit our crowd size.)

**Greeters must follow all applicable TSA requirements. Click on the date below to sign up for that flight**

For all IAD greeting opportunities, including with other Honor Flight Hubs, click this link.

(NOTE you are still welcome to come greet without signing up but free parking will not be guaranteed): Please note these links are for the arrival and departure at Dulles, VA, only.  This does not apply to the homecoming greeting at Chicago Midway.)

For more information about bringing a group to greet, please feel free to contact us at dcgreeters@honorflightchicago.org.  If your group is arriving by bus, please let us know so we can provide offloading and parking information for buses.  Otherwise, the drivers of the group caravans can sign up, indicating the need for free parking information, and list the group name in the comment section of the signup form.  This way we know your group is coming and can work with you to get a strategic place to greet.

If you are interested in providing musical entertainment at the departure, please email dcgreeters@honorflightchicago.org.  We cannot accept offers for musical entertainment at the arrival.

Sign-up forms will close approximately 48 hours prior to every scheduled date. After the form is closed, Honor Flight Chicago cannot process any additional sign-ups for free parking.  You are more than welcome to come greet, however.

DAY OF FLIGHT: After signing up, you will receive a confirmation email from dcgreeters@honorflightchicago.org prior to the flight date with details about parking, and when and where you should meet the group at IAD.

For both arrival and departure greetings, reasonable sized banners/signs and U.S. flags are allowed (remember, you will likely have to hold them while clapping). Please do NOT bring balloons. Political, religious, or corporate materials are strictly prohibited from distribution. 

More information about an arrival greeting:

As the Veterans disembark, the greeters will be lined up to clap and cheer.  Veterans love it when active duty military come to greet in uniform.  For this reason, we flank both sides of the receiving line in this order (from mobile lounge exit to buses):  World War II Heroes, Active Duty Military, Retired Military/Veterans, and greeters/groups from all over!  As each Veteran passes by, please keep a physical distance, thank them for their service (WWII and Korean Veterans), welcome them home (Vietnam Veterans)  and/or wish them well in their day along with many a heartfelt “Thank You!”

Feel free to stay to help wave the buses off around 10:45 AM as the Veterans depart for their day.

Typical time commitment for an arrival greeting is up to 2 hours (but you are free to leave at any time).

More information about a departure greeting:

Coming to greet the Veterans at IAD after their day in Washington DC can be as rewarding if not MORE rewarding than greeting them when they arrive. Please make sure you sign up for a departure greeting so you can get instructions about when to return to greet the veterans at the airport. Time commitment for a departure greeting is about 2 hours.

For additional volunteer opportunities on other Honor Flights from other hubs arriving at IAD, please click here:  https://heroeswelcomeiad.com/.