We manage travel so you don’t have to! 

AMIGOS manages all travel arrangements including flight bookings for all volunteers to ensure a safe and efficient travel experience for each of our participants. This section explains the booking process for the upcoming flight to Costa Rica and provides you with important information about timelines and what to expect, so you stay informed throughout every step of the process. 

When do we start purchasing the tickets?

We hold a group reservation with United Airlines several months in advance to secure the best fare. The group reservation tickets are officially purchased approximately two months before the program start date, ensuring that all flights are confirmed well ahead of time.

Travel information

Participants in high school programs to Costa Rica will fly with United Airlines, with a coordinated layover in Houston (IAH). Each volunteer will travel from their feeder city to Houston, where they will connect with the rest of the AMIGOS participants and fly to San José together. 

AMIGOS staff will be available at the airport to assist with connections, answer questions, and provide on the ground support before the international departure.

Additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How does a volunteer indicate their preferred departure airport to AMIGOS for booking?

On the Passport & Travel Information Form completed on the volunteer AMIGOS Dashboard, volunteers will indicate their preferred departure and return airport codes. 

2. What is the estimated cost for a volunteer's flight?

The flight cost estimates are based on actual flight costs from the previous year. These averages are calculated nationwide, so departures from many different airports are taken into account. The estimates listed are averages and the actual cost of a volunteer’s flight may vary.  

3. Is checked baggage included in my reservation?

Flights to Costa Rica do not include a checked bag in the ticket. Participants will need to pay for checked baggage separately, at a cost of $40 per segment.

4. Is a volunteer allowed to opt out of the AMIGOS flight booking?

On rare occasions, volunteers do choose to opt out of our AMIGOS flight booking.  We ask that families email admissions@amigosinternational.org if they are interested in arranging their own travel as it will need to meet all AMIGOS requirements and be approved by the Travel Team.  

5. Can families ask AMIGOS to use their miles to book their volunteer's flight?  

Unfortunately, AMIGOS cannot use a family's miles to book volunteers' flights. However, families can provide AMIGOS with their volunteer's frequent flyer number so that they earn miles for their volunteer's flight. 

6. When should families expect to receive their volunteer's flight itinerary?

Families should expect to receive their volunteer's flight itinerary two weeks ahead of their volunteer's project start date. The flight itinerary will be sent via email along with a travel memo outlining what to expect at the airport and who to contact if they need any support. A volunteer is eligible to receive their itinerary only once all volunteer paperwork and screening, and pre-departure training have been completed. If any of these items are outstanding, AMIGOS will hold the volunteer itinerary until completion. 

7. What if a volunteer would like to depart from and return to two different airports?

AMIGOS is happy to arrange travel that departs from one airport and returns to a different airport. In this event, a volunteer must fill out the Travel Deviation Request Form which is a Part 2 Paperwork item. You can find the Travel Deviation Request Form linked here. Please send the completed form to admissions@amigosinternational.org. Please note that for booking purposes, this form was due on April 15th. If you are requesting an alternate travel path after April 15th, there may be additional costs to changing your flight. 

8. What if a volunteer's family would like to meet the volunteer in-country at the end of their project and have the volunteer return with them at a later date?

In this event, a volunteer must fill out the Travel Deviation Request Form, which is a Part 2 Paperwork item. You can find the Travel Deviation Request Form linked here. Please send the completed form to admissions@amigosinternational.org. Please note that for booking purposes, this form was due on April 15th. If you are requesting an alternate travel path after April 15th, there may be additional costs to changing your flight. 

9. May a volunteer start the program late? Alternatively, may they leave their project early?

No. Our programs take place largely in remote areas, and we cannot accommodate travel dates other than those published for the project.