Christmas is still a week away but some Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta patients have already been to see Santa.

All photos by Chris Rank/ Rank Studios. Courtesy of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

A group of 43 battling childhood cancers and blood disorders at the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta "flew" to the North Pole on a Delta charter flight Saturday.

Off to the North Pole!

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

A special police escort accompanied the patients to the Hartsfield-Jackson's international terminal (since the North Pole is far away, of course). Once inside the terminal helpful elves walked the young travelers through the check-in process.

Here we go!

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Before the flight "took off" children got to meet with Delta pilots:

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

The "flight" to the North Pole only took 45 minutes. Those planes move fast! And the flight was so smooth that it *might* have felt like the plane was just taxiing around the runway..

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

When the flight arrived at the "North Pole," guess who was there to greet the passengers. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

It's really cold at the North Pole, you know. In fact it was snowing, even inside!

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

Children danced and made crafts with Santa's elves. A few made snowballs.

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

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