A mission trip is usually planned months ahead, funded by many people, and held together by one coordinator. Flights are the part with the hardest deadlines, so it helps to know the timeline before you start. This guide walks through it for a team of 10 or more.
Start with a headcount range and a date window
You don’t need final numbers to ask for a quote. Give a range (for example 12 to 15) and a date window. Group fares start at 10 travelers, and the headcount you give shapes the pricing, so be honest about how firm it is. If you are under 10, you can still get a specialist quote. It just won’t be a group fare.
Request a group quote
Use the group request form. It asks the questions an airline’s group desk needs: your group, the number of travelers, budget per person, whether you are flexible, whether you already hold space or have other quotes, and whether names are ready. A specialist replies with options, usually the same day.
Hold the seats with a deposit
To hold group seats, a deposit is due: $50 per person on domestic trips and $200 per person on international trips, as confirmed in your quote. Once the group fare is booked, the price doesn’t change for anyone in the group.
Know the deadline that matters most
Final payment, the official passenger name list and ticketing are due 45 to 75 days before departure, depending on the airline. Work backward from that date: it’s the date by which fundraising, passports and names all need to be settled. Your quote shows the exact date for your trip.
Passports, visas and health, early
- Passports. Many countries require validity well beyond your return date. Check every traveler’s passport as soon as the team is set.
- Visas. Requirements depend on the destination and each traveler’s passport. Check official government sources.
- Health. Some countries require proof of certain vaccinations, and a travel clinic can advise on others. Start early, because some courses take weeks.
- Insurance. Ask about travel and medical cover for the team.
Names must match passports
Names on tickets must match passports exactly. Adding, removing or correcting names after the group is booked follows airline rules, which can limit changes or add fees, so send names as soon as you are confident of them.
Let each traveler pay their own seat
Fundraising rarely lands all at once. Each traveler can pay for their own seat rather than the coordinator carrying everyone’s cost. Group payments can be made by ACH bank transfer or Zelle, arranged with your specialist, and on eligible bookings individual travelers can also choose to pay over time. Everything must be paid by the final-payment date.
When someone wants to extend or fly separately
Some members may want to stay longer or travel on a different day. Tell your specialist early. If the airline can’t offer an acceptable fare for the change, we work to accommodate everyone at a fair price. Changes and cancellations follow the airline’s group rules, and we handle them for you.
Coordinator’s checklist
- Agree dates and a headcount range.
- Send the group request and compare the quote.
- Pay the deposit to hold the seats.
- Collect passport details and check validity and visas.
- Confirm final names, and finish payments before the deadline.
- Send travelers their itineraries and baggage rules.
Ready to begin? Start with the group request form, or read how mission travel works.
