The Polar Express is a train that gets you to the North Pole but United Airlines is taking to the skies with its holiday tradition, sending kids and their families on a flight to Santa’s workshop. The airline hosted its annual Holiday Fantasy Flight for children in local hospitals on

The holiday season is a time for giving, and this year, local families facing tough times were given the opportunity to take a magical flight to the North Pole.

Santa had some help making it all happen, so we want to give a special shoutout to United Airlines and the Alexandria nonprofit Children's Hospice International for helping to create beautiful, lasting memories for these kids and their loved ones.

Dozens of kids cheered on a festively decked-out plane in Denver on Saturday when the pilot announced their destination for the day: the North Pole. (AP video by Thomas Peipert)