How do the travel days work on our summer programs?
Our domestic and international travel programs for teens are full of exciting new experiences. From trying new adventurous activities for the first time, to helping with new service work projects, teens on RLT trips will have a wide range of first time experiences on our programs.
For a lot of the middle and high schoolers that join us, they will have traveled with parents before, but not all will have traveled alone before. This is a new experience in itself, and can often be a daunting thought for first time travelers.
Here at RLT we have lots of options for those travel days, depending on what your teen and family feel most comfortable with. This blog will highlight some of the options for teens and will hopefully give you some more information about what travel can look like with The Road Less Traveled.
Where does my child have to get to?
Each RLT trip starts and ends at a designated airport. This could be Athens for our Greece trip, Bangkok for our Thailand trip or Denver for our Colorado programs. For some students that choose, they can fly alone and meet the trip leader at the airport at a prearranged time and place. This could be as they de-board the plane, immediately outside security, or occasionally at baggage claim. Ahead of these travel days, your teen will have spoken to the trip leader, have their cell number, and very clear instructions as to where to meet. Our leaders track flights and will be in regular communication with students to ensure a smooth meet up.
Do you offer escorted flights if my child isn't comfortable flying alone?
Yes! For some of our trips we have leader escorted flights leaving from major US airports. Your child can meet the leader on arrival and then go through security, find the gate, and enjoy the flight knowing they have a leader, and other students with them. This is also a great way to start to get to know your group and to make those new friends!
Are there other options for teen travel?
Some families prefer to travel with their teen and hand them over in person to the leader at the airport (this can be a great way for parents to tack on a vacation for a few days too). We can also connect families coming from a similar area if they would like to coordinate travel plans and arrange for the kids to fly together. We are happy to help facilitate this.
What is flying as an Unaccompanied Minor?
For some tweens and teens traveling alone, you can choose for them to fly as an “Unaccompanied Minor”. This in short, allows them to travel alone, but with a bit of extra support from the airline.
A parent or guardian will be allowed to go through security and get your child to the gate. At the gate, a member of the airline staff will meet you and take them onto the plane and get them settled. During the flight, airline staff will check in with your child and make sure they are happy and comfortable. Upon arrival, one of our trip leaders will be able to meet your child at the gate and take over from the airline staff. We will provide details of who will be collecting your child ahead of time, so you can fill out the necessary paperwork and receive the child from the airline's care. This can be a great option if your child is traveling alone, but you want a bit of extra support for them.
How and when do I arrange travel for my child’s trip?
The detailed information that we send out in the spring will explain when to book flights. It will also explain the meeting places and communication procedures on arrival days. The leader for your child’s trip will be easy to spot because of their RLT t-shirt, and they will also have their cell phones and all the essential information about the program participants with them.
If you’re unsure about anything – ask us!
To learn more about the arrangements for getting to and from the destination on our travel programs for teens, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions page. You are also welcome to schedule a call with a member of our team, if you require any further information about any aspect of your child’s upcoming adventure trip with us.
