12:18 PM PT -- Kim was just greeted at a residence in Memphis by Alice, who gave her a giant hug.

Kim Kardashian West and Alice Marie Johnson are only hours away from meeting face-to-face for the very first time after months of letters and phone calls.

Sources tell us Kim and her attorney, Shawn Holley, are currently on a private plane from L.A. to Memphis. We're told Kim will meet with Alice and her family at what's sure to be an emotional gathering to talk about Kim and Shawn's efforts that eventually got Alice out of prison.

As we reported -- Kim and her legal team have been in talks for months with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump about Alice's situation. She traveled to the White House last month to meet with President Trump to talk prison reform and Alice's case, and a week later 45 commuted her sentence.

TMZ broke the story, Johnson -- who was sentenced in the '90s to life without parole for her involvement in a drug ring -- wrote Kardashian a heartfelt thank-you letter after learning she was working to set her free late last year.

We spoke with Alice last week, just a day after her release, who told us she's more than prepared to help Kim with cases just like hers in the future.