You may have a few questions about how you will travel to your destination. There are two ways to begin your journey—traveling on a supervised flight or unsupervised travel. Learn more below about how travel planning works with BBYO.
BBYO PASSPORT SUPERVISED FLIGHTS
Required for all BBYO Passport programs except Eastern Trek. Not applicable for CLTC, ILTC, or Kallah.
The cost of a supervised flight is separate from the program’s land cost. Ticket costs vary greatly by destination and dates, and details will be announced to families in the spring. The confirmation of a flight booking through BBYO Passport is subject to having paid for the flight in your registration account on or before the payment deadline. All flight fees are subject to the same payment schedule confirmed in the terms you accepted for participation, or within two business days of BBYO staff adding the fee to your account.
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 do not recommend booking domestic flights to meet the group for the start of the program, or depart from the group after the program has concluded, until 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/Africa and Israel or connect within Europe/Africa.
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 to their home after the program has concluded and the supervised flight has returned. Please see the section below for more details about opting out of the supervised flight or deviating from your teen’s return ticket.
MEALS
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 certification on most airlines. Airlines are not able to accommodate food allergies.
PLEASE NOTE: It is impossible for group flights to be “nut free” because other passengers can/may bring their own snacks including any kind of nuts. The catering kitchens that are used to provide food for the airlines are shared. There is always a chance that there may be a residue of peanuts or peanut products left behind. Teens with nut allergies must take all precautions to be safe, including packing medication and EpiPens in their carry-on so it is with them.
SEATING
Seating is pre-assigned by the airline on our supervised flights, and special requests can be made at airport check-in but not ahead of time. BBYO does not share seat assignments in advance.
POINTS
If desired, participants are responsible for obtaining reward points via the airline using the ticket information obtained at check-in. Ticket information is not provided in advance for check-in or rewards points. Your teen will receive their ticket information once checked in at the airport, and we recommend that teens take a photo of their ticket to add to their airline loyalty account to collect points at a later time. BBYO may not be able to provide ticket details after the trip for teens to collect their airline points.
Detailed airport arrival and departure instructions will be emailed well in advance. On the day of departure, there is a designated meeting spot for each supervised flight where participants will meet BBYO staff. For participants traveling to meet the group for their supervised flight via a connecting domestic 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 teen’s 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 their flight document to fill out 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.
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 teen’s flight change after they have landed. BBYO is not involved in the flight extension or modification process, and all communication regarding extension and modifications should be done directly with the travel agent. Any fees or difference in fare is set by the airline and families will pay BBYO’s travel agent directly.
Extensions and modifications are at the discretion of the airline and subject to the airline’s rules and regulations. 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 is unable to provide additional airport transportation or staff coverage for your teen if their flight extension does not align with the group flight. Please see the section below for more details about extensions and modifications.
BBYO will only provide unaccompanied minors a chaperone 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 to the airline may apply. Please refer to your airline’s website to determine their age requirements for unaccompanied minors. 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.
BBYO groups are booked with the group’s safety and itinerary in mind. This may not always align with personal travel plans made before or after the BBYO trip. Choosing flights is a 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.
Per airline policy, group tickets are not eligible for any refunds, vouchers, or credits. If your teen is unable to join the group flight after the ticket has been booked, no refund will be issued. This includes if you withdraw from the program or cannot join due to medical reasons. Families may incur “No Show” fees if your teen cannot join the group flight and BBYO is not informed in advance.
BBYO does not recommend checking your teen’s luggage to their final destination, as it often results in lost luggage. If your teen’s domestic flight is booked on the same airline as the international flight, they may ask the agent at airport check-in if they can check luggage to the traveler’s final destination. BBYO and/or the travel agency is not able to facilitate checking luggage all the way through a teen’s itinerary.
Yes. Your teen is welcome to add their TSA pre-check and global entry information when they check-in at the airport. BBYO does not collect TSA pre-check or global entry information in advance.
Group tickets are reserved well in advance at a different class fare than online. In most cases, BBYO books roundtrip tickets to get the lowest price for group tickets.
No. BBYO does not book domestic flights and cannot associate domestic flights with international flights as they are booked on separate tickets. Group flights are booked on one code and not shared before the trip.
Booking the group flight guarantees that your teen will have staff supervision from the time they depart the United States to the time they land back in the United States. It also means our travel agent will automatically rebook the group if the originally scheduled international flight is cancelled.
Please keep in mind that group flights have limitations including, but not limited to the following
- If your teen misses the group departure flight for any reason, including but not limited to domestic travel delays, missing passport, medical event, etc., you must rebook a departure ticket before the group departs the United States or the return ticket will be cancelled. Summer flights are often fully booked well in advance. This means rebooking has a short window, additional cost, and your teen may need to meet the group a few days into the trip.
- Domestic flights are not linked to the group ticket, and therefore airlines will not provide credit in the event of a domestic flight delay or cancellation, even if it is the same airline as the group flight. Please arrive at the departure city as early as possible.
Please be sure to pack all medications, EpiPens, glasses/contact lenses, and at least one extra set of clothes in your teen’s carry-on in the event that their luggage is lost or delayed.
FLIGHT DEVIATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
Yes. While BBYO highly recommends that all teens fly on the group supervised flight provided by BBYO, we recognize that group flight comes with limitations that might not work for your family’s summer and travel plans. You will have the option to opt out of the group flight or modify your teens group ticket with our travel agent.
Please note that BBYO cannot guarantee the benefits that come with booking the group supervised flight should you choose to opt out of the group flight or modify your ticket. If you choose to modify your ticket through our travel agent, please understand that there will be additional costs, slower turnaround time for your ticket confirmation, and a limited window of time for requesting your modification.
If you would like your teen to meet the group at their international destination, you will need to opt out of BBYO booking your teen on the group flight and purchase all airfare on your own. Please note that if the group flight is delayed, BBYO will not provide supervision at the international airport as our staff will be traveling on the supervised group flight.
If your teen is meeting the group at the international destination, they will need to meet the group at the airport based on the group flight’s arrival information. A staff member will reach out to your teen one to two weeks before the trip to provide them with contact information for meeting at the airport. Should your teen arrive after the group has left the airport, your teen will be responsible for their own transportation to meet the group.
Group flights can change at the last minute due to circumstances out of BBYO’s control. Should the group flight change, you will be responsible for changing your teen’s flight to the new group flight and will assume any expenses related to the change in ticket. BBYO cannot guarantee availability on the group flight if you are not booked on the group ticket.
If you have booked your teen’s ticket outside of BBYO, we cannot link your teen’s ticket to the group. Groups are often seated towards the back of the plane, and we recommend choosing a seat in that area.
If you would like to deviate your teen’s return ticket and keep the benefits of being on the group flight, we recommend deviating your teen’s ticket through our travel agent. Deviations to the group ticket include a change fee and/or change in fare. The change fee and change in fare are at the sole discretion of the airline and have a wide range in price. Please note that the deviation process will begin in April. Confirmation of deviations begins in May and may not occur until after the trip departs.
Not all deviation requests can be met. Deviations are subject to the limitations provided by the airline, including—but not limited to—availability, flight routes provided by the airline, etc. You cannot deviate your teen’s ticket on another airline or through code sharing.
In some cases, if their deviation request cannot be met, the travel agent may recommend canceling your teen’s return ticket and booking their return travel arrangements separately. You will not receive a refund for the unused portion of the ticket.
No. All flights booked by BBYO are non-refundable.
No. BBYO staff members are responsible for the safety and security of the group and are booked on the group flight. Should you choose to make alternative arrangements, your teen will be responsible for getting to their own flight and BBYO will not be able to provide assistance should they experience a travel interruption on their flight.
We highly recommend booking a flight that departs at the same time as the group flight so that your teen can take the bus to the airport with the group. If your teen books a flight earlier than the group flight, they will be responsible for their own transportation to the airport.
In the event that your travel is interrupted (e.g., flight delays or cancellation, passport issues, etc.) BBYO will have staff supervision for 24 hours and will assist in booking a hotel at the family’s expense. Hotel costs resulting from travel interruptions can be submitted to insurance. If travel is not rearranged within 24 hours, we will ask that supervision and lodging arrangements be coordinated by the family.
If your teen is not landing with the group flight, they should plan to meet the BBYO group at the airport in their arrival city. Please track the group flight information so that they can meet the group at baggage claim on their arrival. BBYO will share this information with their trip staff. They should also let their trip staff know their flight information during their welcome call.
Please be sure to pack all medications, EpiPens, glasses/contact lenses, and at least one extra set of clothes in your teen’s carry-on in the event that their luggage is lost or delayed.
DEVIATING IN ISRAEL
Many families choose to extend their time in Israel to visit family. BBYO strongly recommends teens visit family after the program so teens can fly to Israel on the group flight with staff. If you extend your teen’s ticket to depart on a later day, you will work directly with the BBYO travel agent to arrange their new ticket. Families will be responsible for paying any change fees or differences in fares directly to the travel agent. Families can only modify the date of departure from Israel, families cannot modify the city of departure. Teens will still need to depart from Tel Aviv.
DEVIATING IN EUROPE
If your teen is vacationing in Europe before the BBYO trip, in most cases you will need to opt out of the group supervised flight. Because group flights are roundtrip tickets, we are unable to add a one-way ticket to the group booking.
If your teen is vacationing in Europe after the BBYO trip and would like to return from a different country than the group, you may not be able to deviate the group ticket depending on the airline policy. In this case, you can opt out of the group flight and book individually, or you can work with our travel agent to cancel the return portion of the group flight and book a different ticket home at your expense. No credit will be given for the cancelled portion of the flight.
DEVIATING FOR WESTERN USA TREK AND AMERICAS TREK
Please note that deviations for Western USA Trek can be complicated as many airlines consider children 14 and under to be unaccompanied minors. Unaccompanied minors can only deviate on direct flights. Airlines can also place an embargo on unaccompanied minors, meaning that your teen may not be able to board their flight in the event of inclement weather if they are flying as an unaccompanied minor.
