Family in Flight is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting military significant others with their service members. Recognizing the unique challenges of military life, as an organization, we offer travel grants to alleviate the financial burden of expenses such as flights, gas, train or bus tickets. Founded by a military spouse and led by a team of military spouses, veterans and supporters, Family in Flight aims to strengthen military families by facilitating reunions during deployments, relocations, training or medical needs. Through donations, partnerships and community support, we strive to build a network of care, ensuring that loved ones can share precious moments together, no matter the distance.
Family in Flight emerged out of the real-life challenges our founder, Chelsea Thomas, faced in navigating her own relationship, highlighting the struggles many military significant others endure.
Chelsea’s Story
“In August 2024, I found myself once again faced with the never-ending logistical nightmare of traveling to see my husband. We had been living apart since March 2022 — I reside in Florida, and he is stationed in Mississippi. The distance had always been a challenge, but that month, flight prices surged by an extra $100 per ticket, making an already expensive situation even worse.
Frustrated and annoyed, I had to make the tough decision to drive the 10+ hours each way instead. While this saved money on flights, it added wear and tear to my car. Before the trip, I had to replace a tire and get an oil change — yet another unexpected expense. It felt like there was no easy or affordable way to travel back and forth without sacrificing either my time, my budget or my vehicle.
That night, scrolling through Facebook, I came across multiple posts in various military spouse groups. So many people were sharing similar struggles. Some expressed they weren’t on their spouse’s orders and were desperate to figure out how to make their long-distance marriages work. Others were trying to figure out how to spend much-needed quality time with their military service members. The more I read, the more I realized how widespread this issue was, yet there were no dedicated support groups for those of us living this truth.”
The reality is that long-distance military relationships are incredibly tough. The constant travel, the financial burden and the emotional strain are overwhelming. And yet, many feel like they’re navigating this journey alone. It’s time to bring more awareness to these struggles and create a support system for those doing whatever it takes to make things work. This is where Family in Flight comes in.
How We Help Military Loved Ones
- Travel assistance: We offer grants to military significant others who wish to reunite with their military members away from home. These grants can be used to cover various travel expenses, including but not limited to:
- Flights
- Gas and mileage for car travel
- Train tickets
- Bus fares
- And more
- Compassion: We understand that everyone’s situation is different. Whether the separation is due to deployment, relocation, training or medical needs, we are here to help. We provide support for a range of circumstances to ensure that no family or relationship is left without the opportunity to reunite.
- A sense of community: We strive to be a continuous resource for military families. We collaborate with other military-focused organizations to build a sense of encouragement and solidarity.
By providing relief during difficult times, we strive to ease the burdens military significant others and families often carry alone.
How You Can Give
Supporting military families is a collective effort. There are several ways you can make a difference:
- Donate online: Your contributions allow us to provide critical assistance to those in need. Every donation, big or small, helps ease the burden for military significant others and families. To learn more, visit our website.
- Participate in our virtual 5K on April 5, 2025: Join our (first!) virtual 5K event, Strides For Service, to raise awareness and funds for Family in Flight. Whether you run, walk or sponsor a participant, your involvement helps strengthen our mission. Check out the full event details here.
- Purchase merchandise from our online store: All proceeds will help fund the military significant others applying for our grant program. Shop here.
By giving, you become a part of a community dedicated to lifting up military loved ones and ensuring they receive the resources they deserve.
At Family in Flight, we are committed to honoring and assisting those who sacrifice so much for our country. With your support, we can be a lifeline for those navigating long-distance marriages and relationships in the military.
Together, we can make a lasting impact — one travel grant at a time.
You can watch Chelsea talk about how this non-profit came to be and more about the upcoming 5K here!
Meet Chelsea
Chelsea, Founder and dedicated military spouse – My personal experience of being separated from my husband, who serves in the U.S. Air Force, inspired the creation of Family in Flight. As a mom to four children and three fur babies, my journey fuels our mission to reunite military families.
