Booking and Travel Information: Paraguay

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 Paraguay 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?

Flight ticket purchases typically begin around mid-March. At that time, our team starts booking  flights for participants, ensuring that each traveler has a confirmed seat well in advance of the program start date.

Travel Information

For travel to Paraguay, we work with two airlines: Copa Airlines and United Airlines. Whenever a route with Copa is available, it will be prioritized. With Copa, the participant travels from their feeder city to Panama City, and then takes a direct flight to Asunción. In contrast, with United, the route involves traveling from the feeder city to Houston, then to Panama, and finally to Asunción.

In Panama a dedicated support staff member will be available on site to assist volunteers if needed. Volunteers will navigate the airport and their connection independently, but will do so together as a group with guidance available from our team.

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.  

The cost of airfare may vary depending on how far in advance the ticket is purchased. Booking earlier often helps secure lower fares.

3. Is checked baggage included in my reservation?

For flights to Paraguay, one checked bag is included in the ticket price, whether the ticket is purchased with Copa Airlines or United Airlines.  

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.