United Airlines offered a special charter flight to the North Pole for a group children in the New York area.

It was the trip of a lifetime as airline employee volunteers and retirees hosted a "Fantasy Flight" for children fighting or recovering from deadly diseases.  Parents and kids had the boarding passes and passports ready for the flight to the capital of Christmas.

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After the one hour flight from Newark, the passengers are greeted by Santa Claus.  The terminal decorated as a stand-in for Santa's hometown.

The Fantasy Flight program has been making the holidays brighter for sick children for over twenty years.  United provides the aircraft and location and more than 1500 employees volunteer each year.

A Fantasy Flight also took off from Chicago last week.

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Credit: Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta

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