DCA General Instructions
Greeters at the airport is a fulfilling opportunity for those living in the greater BWI/DCA/IAD area. Many of us assume that our veterans had a warm welcome when they arrived home from the battle front. That may have been the case for returning GIs from World War II. It certainly was not the case for Vietnam veterans. Many have told us that they didn’t receive ANY welcome home and thus thought that they have been forgotten and were not appreciated.
After a fulfilling and tiring day, greeting the Veterans as they come back to the airport is also appreciated and rewarding.
Greeters’ basic role is to meet, greet, and thank our Veterans. The more smiling faces in the crowd to let them know — WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOUR SACRIFICE — the better! With over 130+ scheduled trips arriving at DCA this year, there are plenty of opportunities to be a greeter. The time commitment for a greeting can vary from 2-4 hours; as some days there are multiple flights arriving during the same time period. Greeters are asked to wear patriotic clothing, and are welcome to bring banners, flags, and smiles.
Depending on the flight, there may be two options for greeting a flight.
Greetings outside security – greeters are always welcome to greet our Heroes outside security as the arrive at DCA or depart from DCA. Please note these times can be influenced by unexpected travel delays or early arrivals. Please take this into consideration when planning your trip to DCA. The schedule of arrival times into DCA, and the time the hubs are due back at the airport, are on our scheduling page <click here.>
To greet outside security, just show up at the Terminal number listed on the scheduling page. There is no limit to the number of people that can greet outside security! If driving, park in the corresponding terminal parking garage. (For more information on parking ,click on the url for the parking information page). For arrivals, please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the estimated time of arrival. You should also be able to track the flight # on a smartphone app such as Flight Aware of Flight Tracker. For departures, please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled return time to the airport to allow for early arrivals back to the airport.
Specific greeting information outside security:
If greeting a flight arriving in Terminal 1 (Southwest Airlines or Sun Country), come into Door 1 on the right side closest to the SWA ticket counter. The greeting line is typically held past the SWA ticket counter in the hallway where the Veterans will come out of security. See map <click here> with arrow pointing to door and red square for greeting location. Look for the Honor Flight pop-up banners!
If greeting a flight departing in Terminal 1 (Southwest Airline or Sun Country), you can either line up outside where the buses return, or line up inside across from the SWA ticket counter and baggage claim area. See map <click here>. Please keep the sidewalks and passageways clear for other traveling passengers.
If greeting a flight arriving in Terminal 2 South (Alaska and Delta) – the Veterans will exit security on the lower level by Door 1 and 2. This is the best greeting spot outside security along this short corridor. Greeters can continue outside to wave them off after they load the buses. See map <click here>.
If greeting a flight departing in Terminal 2 South (Alaska and Delta) you can either line up outside on the upper level Door 1-2 where the buses park, or line up inside Door 1 – 2 as they make their way down the escalators or elevators to TSA. Another option is to greet them as they exit the elevators or escalators on level 2 on their way to the TSA checkpoint. See map <click here>.
If greeting a flight arriving in Terminal 2 North (American Airlines), the Veterans will exit security on the lower level Door 9. This is the best greeting spot outside security along this short corridor. Greeters can continue outside to wave the Veterans off after they load the buses. See map <click here>.
If greeting a flight departing in Terminal 2 – North (American Airlines), you can either line up outside on the upper level door 6 where the buses park, or line up inside Door 6 on the upper level as they make their way down the escalators or elevators to TSA. Another option is to line up on level two by the north TSA security checkpoint. See map <click here>.
Greeting at the gate inside security – non-escort gate passes are provided at the discretion of airlines. Therefore, gate passes will not be available for all flight arrivals and / or departures. In order to determine if gate passes are available for a particular flight, go to the scheduling page <click here> and look for “request a GAP here” link associated with the flight you wish to greet.
If gate passes are available, fill out the form for the flight name / date / time to request a gate pass, keeping in mind that due to circumstances beyond Honor Flight’s control, gate passes are never guaranteed. The request form will typically close down 24 hours prior to the arrival date.
A gate pass must be filled out for everyone, even minors and babes-in-arms (they won’t have to show ID, however). Once you fill out the form, you will be notified approximately 36 hours before the flight with a confirmation and details related to that flight greeting (where to pick up gate passes, gate information) and parking options. Keep in mind if requesting a gate pass, you will need to arrive at the airport at least one to one and a half-hour prior to the flight arrival to clear security. Total time commitment for a greeting inside security – 3-4 hours. CLEAR members can use the CLEAR lanes to pass through TSA with their gate pass (upon presentation of your active CLEAR card).
A gate pass allows greeters to be at the gate upon arrival. While at the gate, please keep an open and clear walkway for the Veterans, and follow the instructions of the DCA Terminal Support Crew in bright yellow shirts to maintain a clear footpath for Veterans. As the Veterans come off the jet-bridge and travel down the concourse to the buses, you are welcome to follow them and stay to wave them off after they have loaded their buses.
If you are part of a group that would like to greet a flight at the gate, please.