TRAVEL PLANNING

The cost of a supervised flight is separate from the program’s land cost. Ticket costs vary greatly by destination and dates and will be announced to families in the spring. We will also release flight details with the cost of flights in the spring. The confirmation of a flight booking through BBYO Passport is subject to having paid for the flight in your registration account. All flight fees are subject to the same payment schedule confirmed in the terms you accepted for participation, or within two business days of adding the fee. 
 
NOTE: Following the final payment deadline, space and rates on supervised flights can no longer be guaranteed. Contact us for additional details. BBYO reserves the right to adjust the price of the flight by up to 5% based on the exchange rate and airline fuel fee fluctuations beyond our control.

Most supervised flights depart from the New York City area. This may not be the case for all trips, but we will give families plenty of notice and direction on where teens will depart from in the spring.

We strongly recommend participants book their flight to meet the group for the start of the program, and home after the program has concluded, after the supervised flight details are announced.

Our programs fly a range of reputable international air carriers. Airlines vary by year and are selected according to schedule, availability, and cost. In some cases, we will use a combination of airlines for programs that involve multiple countries.

All connecting flights are included in the supervised flight for programs that connect Europe and Israel or connect within Europe. For teens connecting programs within the United States, families are responsible for making their own connecting travel arrangements based on the guidance we will provide in the spring.

BBYO requires all North American participants to fly on the group supervised flight for most programs. We will announce flight details and prices in the spring. Participants are responsible for their transportation to meet the group at the departure location, and home after the program has concluded and the supervised flight has returned.

• During registration, teens can submit a meal request for the airline (this request will not carry over to the program meals). Meal choices, other than kosher, will not have a kosher supervision on most airlines. Airlines are not able to accommodate food allergies.
• Seating is pre-assigned by the airline on our supervised flights, and special requests can be made at check-in but not ahead of time.
• If desired, participants are responsible for obtaining reward points via the airline using the ticket information obtained at check-in.

Detailed airport arrival and departure instructions will be sent well in advance. For the departure day, there is a designated meeting spot for each supervised flight where participants will meet our staff. For participants traveling to the supervised flight airport via a connecting flight, be advised that staff are not able to escort participants from/to their domestic gates.
 
Travel days are long and often tiring for teens. Teens should be prepared to spend time waiting in the airport for the check-in process to begin, wait in line to check-in, etc. On departure and return days, BBYO does not provide any meals for teens. Teens should bring snacks and additional spending money to the airport. Food options may vary between airports and flight times.

Many families choose to modify or extend their return ticket home. Extensions or modifications are done on a first come, first serve basis, and are not guaranteed. To submit a request to modify or extend your teen’s ticket, please refer to your flight document for your teen’s flight extension form.  This form will submit a request to BBYO’s travel agent to modify or extend your teen’s ticket.  
 
If your teen is leaving in June, please expect to hear from our travel agent in early April. If your teen is leaving in July, please expect to hear from our travel agent in early May. Per airline policy, a limited number of families can extend or modify their ticket before the trip. If you do not fall within this limited number, BBYO’s travel agent will begin to work on your flight change after your teen has landed. BBYO is not involved in the flight extension or modification process. Any fees or difference in fare is set by the airline and families will pay BBYO’s travel agent directly.  
 
Extensions and modifications are only permitted on the same airline as the original ticket. Families can only modify their ticket to a route or airport within the same airline as the original ticket. Code sharing flights with other airlines is not permitted on group flights.

BBYO will only provide unaccompanied minor chaperones if is it required by the domestic airline due to the age of your teen. Each airline has its own rules and separate age thresholds for mandatory "unaccompanied minors" and additional fees may apply. Please refer to your airline’s website to determine their age requirements. For families booking a flight, refer to your chosen airline for information and contact us well in advance if special arrangements need to be made with our staff. Last-minute requests for staff supervision of "unaccompanied minors" cannot be guaranteed. Families booking a ticket for an unaccompanied minor must consult with BBYO before booking their domestic flight to ensure BBYO staff can accommodate the teen’s flight timing.

Group bookings are created differently from individual reservations. There are many pros, including additional assistance in the event of a ticketing issue or delay, and the ability to hold our tickets at a stable price while families confirm their travel. Each airline holds a limited number of seats at a group rate and group status.

Choosing flights is a rather complicated process. Our team takes the time throughout the year to carefully plan, evaluate, review, and reassess each of our flight holdings as the year progresses.