The gift of travel: Alaska’s Maui CARE Flights program sends wildfire-impacted families to Disneyland Resort

Before Kaleo and Miriam Keo knew it, their children were entering their teenage years when they realized they’d never traveled outside their home of Hawai‘i.

That changed for the entire family last Thursday.

The Keos, along with 36 other Maui families, boarded a special charter flight sponsored by Alaska Airlines and Marriott International from Kahului, Maui to Los Angeles. Their destination: the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.

In partnership with Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green, M.D., Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the flight kicked off Alaska’s Maui CARE Flights program to provide hope and much-needed mental health breaks for families and individuals affected by the Aug. 8, 2023 Maui wildfires. Following this special charter flight, Alaska Airlines will donate up to 180 roundtrip tickets (equivalent to one airplane) every month from August 2024 through December 2025. Last year, Alaska donated 32 million CARE Miles (many donated by employees and guests) to help over 650 impacted Maui residents with travel support as they began the rebuilding process.

The resilience of the Maui community since last year’s wildfires has truly been inspiring,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. “All of us at Alaska Airlines are humbled to continue building on our support for the people of Maui with this new Maui CARE Flights program. Alaska is all about people and care, and we know that travel can offer a break from the mental toll of recovery. We hope that this gift of flight provides a bright spot for Maui families as they navigate the rebuilding of this incredible community.”

Kaleo Cabreros and his family lost their home, cars and their two pets in the devastating wildfire that leveled the community of Lahaina. He and his wife told their four children they were going to Oʻahu before surprising them with the truth that they were one of the families chosen to go on the trip to Disneyland.

“They didn’t know how to respond! I’m just grateful for everybody involved and all the hard work put in to organize an event like this; mahalo, mahalo, mahalo,” said Kaleo Cabreros. “This was the perfect opportunity to unplug and put a pause on the daily routines and spend time with my family. The number one thing I really wanted was just to see the smile on their faces and their joy.”

“The ability to travel is important to Hawai‘i residents—travel connects us. It has continuously afforded me the opportunity to travel to Maui to grieve with wildfire survivors and provide them support,” said Gov. Green. “Yet the Maui CARE Flights program is about more than travel—it’s about healing. By giving our wildfire-impacted families opportunities to joyfully bond through these shared experiences together, we’re fostering recovery and resilience. This initiative, made possible by the generosity of Alaska Airlines and our partners, embodies the spirit of aloha and our commitment to supporting the well-being of our community.”

There were many other firsts on the Maui CARE Flights inaugural trip to Disneyland last week. For some, this was their first time flying. For others, their first visit to Disneyland.  

For Lono Cabanilla and Janel Pagdilao-Bala, the trip marked a new beginning in their lives after the fires when Lono surprised Janel by getting down on one knee at the theme park and asking her to marry him.

“After everything, I figured now is the time to seize every opportunity that comes our way,” said Lono who’d been holding onto the ring since Mother’s Day. “I was waiting for the right opportunity and this trip came up spontaneously.”

This gift of travel will give our survivors, who have gone through so much, a chance to reconnect with loved ones, see new places and create new memories together,” said Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “The generosity of Alaska Airlines and partners is a wonderful example of the compassion that our residents need as they continue to recover from the devastation of the wildfires.”