Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois completed it's 16th mission on Monday, May 18, 2026. Planning has already begun for Mission 17 which will fly on Monday, September 14, 2026. Applications for Mission 17 closed on April 30, 2026, although Veterans and Guardians may still apply for future missions. As is always the case, Veterans are chosen for Honor Flight based on age, with the oldest Veterans going first. Mission 16 served Veterans born in late 1948 and earlier. For complete information, see our how it works page, or our video update on flight selection for Mission 16. Mission 17 will take approximately 88 Veterans to DC to visit the memorials built in their honor. Each Veteran will be accompanied by a trained Guardian to ensure safety and the best day possible. [...Read more]

Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois is calling on the entire community to come out and celebrate 88 local veterans at the Flight #16 Welcome Home Celebration on Monday, May 18, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will be held outdoors in front of the airline terminal at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois. After spending the day touring memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C., the veterans will return home to a hero's welcome — complete with food trucks, live entertainment, a kids' zone, and hundreds of flag-waving neighbors lining the Freedom Path. “The community support for the previous Honor Flight Welcome Home events has been overwhelming. There is no better way to celebrate our veterans and honor them than by giving them a hero’s welcome home.†[...Read more]

[embed]https://youtu.be/uxR6LZ1FqS8[/embed] Board member Evan shares an update regarding Veteran selection for Mission 16. [...Read more]