Home Overland Stories Independence & Self-Reliance Flying To An Overland Trip

December 1st, 2021

While backyard adventures are fun, sometimes it takes a flight across the country, or around the world, to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. What is a typical Overland travel experience like?  

 

The Arrival Experience

Overland trips are designed to encourage kids to step out of their comfort zone. As your child’s plane takes off, they lift off into the sky where they quickly realize the world is larger than they imagined. 

After a few hours, the plane lands. It’s hard to contain their excitement about this new experience. What will the group be like? Where are they going to stay tonight? Who are the leaders? They know that their leaders have all of their information and are eagerly waiting for them to land. They follow the signs that say “Baggage Claim.” A sea of similarly-aged kids with Overland navy T-shirts also follow the signs to the specific meeting place near baggage claim. 

Together, they find a larger group of kids and leaders all wearing matching Overland shirts.

“Welcome!” the leaders say. “We’re so excited you’re here. Let’s find your group.” The leaders invite your child to join in the activities while waiting for other flights to arrive. Though this is a new situation, there is an element of belonging and companionship already forming.

Once the whole group has arrived, the leaders call the Overland office to let them know they have all of their students and are ready to go. The group gathers together and their adventures begin! 

 

In Preparation

All of the travel information you need is located in your Overland Family Portal. The information is unique to your child’s trip and a great resource. 

Here are a few handy tips for your child’s Overland travel experience!

1. Write your phone number and the Overland office phone number (413-458-9672) on a notecard for your child. 
2. Know the meeting locations and write them down for your child to hold on to. 
3. Answer any questions your child might have before they embark on their flight. How long are they in the air for? What is security like?  

 

The Departure Experience

Waking up one last time this summer in a tent with their friends, your child reflects on the fantastic trip they just had. The ride to the airport has a sentimental ambiance attached to the conversations with new camp friends. “Will you come to visit me this summer before school starts?” “We have to become pen pals; I’ll miss you so much.” 

They are tired from the trip. Home sounds so lovely, but it’s hard to imagine not being surrounded by camp friends anymore.

The airport does not seem as nerve-wracking as it once was when your child had butterflies in their stomach that arrival day. They walk confidently to their gate and wave to other Overland students they see passing by. As the plane takes off, the views of the mountains your child hiked, roads they biked, and rivers they rafted become smaller from the sky. They are running through which story they want to share with you first when they step off from the plane. 

 

Unaccompanied Minors

What is an Unaccompanied Minor?

When booking flights for a child traveling alone, many airlines have an option to register them in an unaccompanied minor program. When you sign your child up, you’ll register yourself and Overland as the guardian escorts. 

The ‘hand-off’ from parent to flight attendant happens at the departure gate. From there, you hug and send your child off on their adventure. Assigned leaders are at the arrival gate ready to greet your child. The details of each unaccompanied minor program depend on each airline. Check out the links below for more specific airline information. 

Unaccompanied Minor Airline Information 

Delta (DAL), American (AAL), Jet Blue (JBU), Alaska Air (ASA), Southwest (SWA), United (UAL), IcelandAir (ICE), Air Canada (ACA), Air Europa (AEA), Air France (AFR), Aer Lingus (EIN), Austrian Airlines (AUA), Avianca Airlines (AVA), British Airways (BAW), Cape Air (KAP), Condor Airlines (CIB), Copa Airlines (CMP), Easy Jet (EZY), Frontier (FFT), Hawaiian Air (HAL), Iberia (IBE), KLM Airlines (KLM), Latam Air (LAN), Lufthansa (DLH), Norwegian Air (NAX), Scandinavian Air (SAS), Sun Country (SCX), Spirit (NKS), Swiss Air (SWR), TAP Portugal (TAP), Virgin Atlantic (VIR), Vueling (VLG), WestJet (WJA)