Flights
We know that arranging flights can sometimes feel like the most complicated part of planning your trip. To help make this process as smooth as possible, we’ve put together answers to some of the most 'frequently asked questions' about flights:
Despite many studies into this topic, airlines remain experts at ensuring the answer to this question is essentially impossible to predict. Their dynamic pricing is a way of maximizing their profit, but can be frustrating for travelers trying to get the best price. That's why we recommend checking online flight booking websites and confirming your flights once you find something that fits your budget, and don't wait too long as availability is limited and last-minute flights can often be the most expensive. If you have booked on a trip over Christmas/New Years we do recommend you book as far in advance as possible.
Detours can't book your flights between your home and your destination, but we’re happy to provide some guidance and recommendations. Our travelers typically have varying preferences for airlines, departure cities, class of service and loyalty programs, so we encourage you to book flights that best suit your needs. We find Google Flights & Skyscanner to be the most helpful when searching, however we always recommend booking directly through an airline when possible. Sometimes you'll find a better fare through a reputable online travel agent (OTA) like Expedia, but try to avoid any OTAs with bad reviews, they tend to hook you with low prices but are unable to ticket your fare or provide assistance.
Your trip’s starting and ending locations, along with recommended airports, will be included in the detailed ‘welcome’ email that you will recieve when you register for one of our trips. In that email, you'll find our recommended arrival airport at the beginning of the trip, as well as the departure airport at the end of your trip.
You’re free to depart anytime on the last day of your trip. We do not book any activities on the final day of our trips, so you are welcome to book your flight out at any time that day.
Any international flights required to arrive at or depart from the trip destination will need to be booked by you. For example, if your trip starts on Day 1 in Bangkok and ends in Siem Reap, you’ll need to arrange your flights to and from these destinations. However, any flights that occur during the trip are included as part of the itinerary and will be booked by Detours.
Almost all of our trips begin at 4:00pm on "day 1" of the itinerary, so it's a good idea to arrive with time to get settled before meeting your group at this time. The exact meeting time and location for your trip will be shared in your ‘welcome’ email, as well as in the ’90-day’ and ’10-day’ update emails shared with you before your trip begins.
Absolutely! Based on your departure city, we’re happy to recommend airlines or popular routes. Feel free to call or email us, or reach out to your travel agent for additional help.
Arriving a day or more early is always a smart idea! It gives you time to adjust to a new time zone, recover from long flights, mitigate any problems from flight delays/cancellations and helps you to start your trip feeling refreshed. Plus, who doesn’t love a little extra time to explore? We can often help book pre-trip accommodations at our group hotel, and give any advice on transportation and additional activities so don't hesitate to ask us.
Many of our travelers choose to extend their stay to relax and explore more in our destinations. If you’re extending your stay, we'll let you know which hotel the group is staying at and will direct you to where you can book any extra nights there.
Flight delays can certainly happen. If it results in you arriving after the official start of the group trip, please contact us right away and we’ll provide instructions on how to meet the group. Also, if your trip has already begun, your trip group chat (provided in our '10-day email') should be active and you will be able to notify your trip leader and let them know. Your trip leader will be able to help navigate you to meet up with your group, wherever they may be.
While we don’t have specific recommendations for travel agencies to book your flights, your local travel agency should be able to assist you with your flight arrangements.
While only insurance which covers emergency medical care overseas is necessary for your trip with us, we strongly recommend purchasing a more comprehensive policy that covers unexpected flight cancellations, delays, interruptions, baggage issues, and sometimes even pre-trip cancellations for some reasons. This can help protect your trip and provide peace of mind.
Sometimes adding frequent flyer numbers to group bookings in advance can be tricky so we encourage you to add your details to your ticket once you arrive at the airport for your flight. If you're curious whether your loyalty program is a partner of the airline that you're flying on as a group, check out this airline alliances info page.
In most cases, you'll go through customs and immigration after your flight first arrives in a new country, but there are some exceptions. For example, some countries have mutual agreements intended to help speed travelers through the process, so you may go through customs and immigration before you board.
For more detailed information, we suggest checking with your country's travel and immigration site about entry, exit and visa requirements before your trip.
The official time required for a connection varies by airport, but most require anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes between flights. If you’re concerned about having enough time to recheck your bag before your connecting flight, we recommend booking a flight with a connection of at least an hour and a half, but of course, there's no guarantee that the flights will be on time. If you happen to miss your connecting flight, you'll need to make contact with your airline as soon as possible to learn of their next steps to get you back on your way.