‍DALLAS — Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who made us who we are: cheerleaders, counselors, snack makers, and (on occasion) private investigators of missing socks. 

But what happens when mom’s office is at 35,000 feet, and she’s not just guiding you through homework, but guiding an entire Boeing 737 through a cloud bank over Seattle? 

In aviation, moms do way more than just keep their families grounded. They’re taking to the skies, breaking records, passing down legacies, and reminding us that sometimes, the best co-pilot in life is your actual mom. So this Mother’s Day, let’s dive into some sky-high stories proving moms have wings.

Alaska Airlines’ First Mother-Son Pilot Duo

Forget breakfast in bed, how about a flight from Seattle to Maui with your mom as your captain? 

Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines (AS) made history with its first-ever mother-son flight crew: Captain Michelle Miles and her son, First Officer Jeff Miles. This wasn’t your average family road trip. Michelle, a veteran pilot with nearly four decades of experience (and possible infinite patience), had long dreamed of flying with her son. Jeff, who once ran around the house wearing his granddad’s Navy flight helmet, made that dream a reality. 

Their flight was more than a routine takeoff- a full circle moment. Michelle had once flown alongside her father during his last flight as a commercial pilot. With her retirement on the horizon, she passed her son the torch (and the yoke). Cue the emotional turbulence. 

It was a generational passing of the baton, and the entire cabin could feel the gravity, not from altitude, but from legacy. Passengers applauded, colleagues teared up, and Jeff’s childhood aviation posters probably applauded somewhere.

From Baby Bottles to Boeing: The UPS Mother-Son Team

Alaska Airlines isn’t the only airline putting families on the flight deck. UPS Airlines (5X) also saw a mother-son duo take off in 2018 when Captain Debbie Thomas and her son, First Officer Nick Thomas, flew together in an Airbus A300. 

Debbie, who had been with 5X for over two decades, said flying with her son was like “bring your kid to work day,” except your kid is a fully certified pilot, and the workplace is a 250,000-pound aircraft. It's casual, like sipping coffee while managing thrust levels and runway clearances.

It was a proud and surreal moment for both. Nick had grown up watching his mum suit up and head off to work in the early morning hours, often not realizing the scale of what she was doing. To him, she was just mom, master of cereal prep and queen of bedtime stories. But now, he shares the same cockpit with her, fulfilling a dream that had quietly taken root from those kitchen table aviation talks and childhood visits to the tarmac. 

During their flight, passengers and crew members were thrilled to witness the moment, with many saying they had never seen such a unique display of family legacy at 30,000 feet. There was pride in every radio call, alignment in every aircraft maneuver, and, according to insiders, an ongoing debate over who had the better landing technique! 

For Nick, it was more than a flight- a tribute. “My mom taught me discipline, grace under pressure, and how to parallel park a minivan like a boss,” he laughed. “But flying with her? That was a whole new level of cool”. And let’s be honest, any pilot who can handle a school pickup line during rush hour can handle an Airbus just fine. 

Their story reminds us that sometimes the best co-pilots don’t just come from flight school; they come from family. 

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Co-Pilots With Chemistry

Of course, sons don’t get to have all the fun. In another record-setting moment, FedEx (FX) pilots Teri Eidson and her daughter, Nicole McCallister, became the first mother-daughter team to co-pilot an international flight. 

On April 27, 2023, the duo departed from Memphis International Airport and successfully landed in Incheon, South Korea, after a nearly 15-hour journey aboard a Boeing 777F. 

Adding to the family affair, Eidson's husband and McCallister's father served as the relief pilot for the flight. If you’ve ever had a road trip with your mom correcting your GPS skills, imagine her doing it at 38,000 feet, with autopilot, no less. 

While Nicole handled communications with air traffic control, Teri took care of the approach. According to them, the only disagreement was over the in-flight playlist. Some things never change, do they? Their story isn’t just about aviation; it's about mutual respect, mentorship, and the bond that can only be formed over years of shared birthdays, synchronized logbooks, and probably a few shared Netflix accounts. 

This accomplishment underscores the growing presence of family legacies within the industry.

Roses in the Air: Mother’s Day At 30,000 Feet

Take Captain Russ Wayant of American Airlines (AA), who turned a routine flight from Chicago to Dallas into a sky-high bouquet delivery. As the aircraft cruised at 30,000 feet, he strolled through the cabin handing out roses to every mom on board. There were smiles, a few happy tears, and at least one earnest question from a dad in seat 17B: “Does this count as her gift, or do I still need to buy brunch?” (Answer: still brunch.)

Passengers were charmed, tissues were deployed, and the roses? Well, one was tucked behind a passenger’s ear as if they were headed to a luau instead of Love Field. As for the overhead bins, they somehow became the world’s most fragrant flower vases. A flight attendant later joked that it was the only time a rose got upgraded to first class.

American Airlines wasn’t alone in the in-flight festivities. Other carriers got into the Mother’s Day spirit with celebratory cocktails, heart-shaped desserts, and PA announcements that sounded suspiciously like the start of a Hallmark movie. Some crews even handed out handwritten notes with messages like, “You’ve handled turbulence, in the air and at home. We salute you.”

And then there was the kid, bless his brave little heart, who grabbed the intercom and boldly declared, “I love you, Mom!” mid-flight. It wasn’t exactly FAA protocol, but when the plane breaks into applause and tears, you roll with it. The flight attendant said afterward, “I’ve done 23 Mother’s Day flights. That was the first time I saw a grown man in business class openly sob next to a Bloody Mary.”

These mile-high moments are more than just feel-good PR stunts. They remind us that even in the fast-paced, high-pressure world of aviation, there’s always room for human connection and maybe a rose or two. These little gestures go a long way for the hardworking moms traveling to see their kids, the new moms flying for the first time, or the grandmothers on their way to spoil some grandchildren.

United Airlines Celebrates Generations of Flight Attendant Mothers 

Mothers are not just limited to the cockpit. United Airlines (UA) took a moment to celebrate the amazing women who’ve worked as flight attendants and opened doors for the next generation in aviation. Through their hard work, determination, and love for flying, these moms have turned their jobs into legacies that inspire their kids and colleagues.

The tribute also tipped its hat to the sons and daughters who’ve followed their moms into the aviation world, keeping the family legacy alive at 35,000 feet. Their stories are heartwarming; they show how the skies have opened up over the years, welcoming more women (and their kids!) to dream big and fly even higher. 

But this celebration wasn’t just about careers or cockpits. The United MEC honored all moms, whether beside us, cheering from afar, or forever in our hearts. Whether by birth, adoption, or simply by showing up as a guiding light, every kind of mom adds strength, compassion, and lift, not just to airplanes, but to life itself.

Why These Stories Matter

Sure, these stories are adorable. They make great content for in-flight magazines and Instagram reels. But they also show how far aviation and society have come the past few years. A few decades ago, the idea of a woman in the cockpit was rare. Today, she might be your captain, co-pilot, or mom.

These moms show the next generation, especially young girls, that the sky isn’t the limit; it’s just the beginning. They’re flying against outdated expectations and paving runways for others to follow.

So, here’s to the mothers who navigate more than just one flight path. To the moms who know how to do pre-flight checklists and post-bedtime story snuggles; who hold the yoke and a juice box in one hand; who show us that you can be nurturing and powerful, sentimental and skillful, caring and commanding.