North Star Honor Flight is preparing to take off from Rochester International Airport (RST) on its
third trip to Washington, D.C., with a plane of veterans on April 27, 2026. Mission 3 of North Star Honor Flight will
transport 86 veterans and 79 guardians to accompany them for the day.
The goal of Honor Flight is to take Korean, Vietnam Era, and terminally ill veterans on all-expense-paid trips
to Washington, D.C., where they can reflect, connect, and experience their nation’s gratitude firsthand.
Veterans will arrive at RST between 4:15 and 5:00 a.m. on Monday, April 27. A short program honoring the
veterans and guardians will begin at 5:10 a.m., followed by security screening before boarding a chartered Sun
Country Airlines flight to Washington, D.C.
Upon arrival in the nation’s capital, the group will embark on a guided bus tour that includes visits to several
landmarks. Planned stops include Arlington National Cemetery, the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial,
the Vietnam Memorial, and the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps memorials.
The group will return to Rochester International Airport at 9:25 p.m., to be greeted by a large gathering of family
and friends.
North Star Honor Flight is a member of the Honor Flight® Network and is a 100% volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This local Honor Flight hub launched officially in August 2024. Donations can be made through the website or by sending a check to North Star Honor Flight, P.O. Box 321, Adams, MN 55909. More information about the program and applications for involvement as an honored veteran or guardian can be found at www.northstarhonorflight.org.
North Star Honor Flight serves ten counties in Minnesota and five counties in Iowa, covering an area that stretches from Mason City, Iowa, to Rochester, Minn., and beyond. The Minnesota counties are: Blue Earth, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Steele and Waseca. The Iowa counties are: Cerro Gordo, Howard, Mitchell, Worth and Winnebago.
