Monthly Update - May 2025 - Travel For Teens

Home Monthly Update – May 2025

Update From TFT Headquarters

Happy first week of May!! How is it May already? We’re asking ourselves the same–time flies!! We are closer than ever to departure and we’re back with another Monthly Update! This penultimate update will include what to pack, some important reminders, and a quick timeline between now and departure. We’re so excited for the summer!

You can find the accompanying update video here

The goal of our monthly updates is to share key information relevant to the time of the year and a centralized place for general information that will help you and your teen prepare for their program.

These are the key items for our spring update:

Timeline from now to Departure
Flight Booking and Confirmations
Packing and Luggage
Order Your TFT Traveler Tees
Trip Items
How to Reach Us

From Departure to Return

Preparation is the key to smooth travel! Here is a quick timeline of what to expect from us between now, departure, and after your teen returns home.

Trip Directors will introduce themselves by June 15. Your teen will be invited to a trip WhatsApp group and begin to meet other travelers one to two weeks before departure.
The TFT Office will send detailed, pre-departure instructions two weeks before the trip takes off.
Airport day-specific instructions including who to contact, where to drop off, and how to find the group will be sent one week before departure.
Information for setting up an Unaccompanied Minor Service or record locators to tie a traveler to a chaperone will be sent one week to three days before departure.
Once the group has arrived safely, the Trip Director will email to confirm and kick off the trip!
Every 24-48 hours, the Trip Director will email a travel update including what the group did, learned, and saw, along with accompanying photos.
Within 24 hours of return, the TFT Office will email families with some wrap-up information such as surveys and guidelines to tip staff if they so choose.
After the program, the Trip Director will send one last email highlighting the amazing experience had by all
In August, the TFT Office will mail out certificates for travelers who completed community service or language learning in their program.

And that’s just the next few months! Click here for a glimpse of our year-round timeline.

Transportation Details

Between now and departure, our Logistics Team will be busy auditing each and every single one of the flights your teens will take around the world! It is a monumental task, but essential in catching flight changes and missing connections. If you have purchased your teen’s flight and not yet sent the confirmation to help@travelforteens.com, please do so now. We will complete your transportation form for you and won’t have to reach out in a month when we audit and see that flights are still missing. If you’re unsure of whether or not you’ve submitted your flights, you can check in your MyTFT Portal. Select your teens trip and scroll to the Transportation Plan section.

If you are still working on domestic connections, we recommend that you finalize your travel plans to complete your teen’s arrival and departure for their trip. If your teen is being dropped off or picked up at the destination but you have not yet communicated that to us, now is the time! All we need to know right now is that it’s happening; you will be able to contact your teen’s Trip Director directly to work out the specific details closer to departure.

As a reminder, TFT is no longer booking flights for families as of June 1. If you still have not booked your flight and are not quite sure what to do, you can schedule a Flights Logistics call to go over options for booking on your own and other options.

Order Your TFT Traveler Tee!

Have you ordered your teen’s free TFT Traveler tee? Say that three times fast! If not, don’t delay! Our bright teal shirts help staff recognize travelers as they arrive, not to mention that it’s a great souvenir! We partner with a local print company to provide the t-shirts for summer. The shirt is optional, and if your teen would like to have one, you can order it and have it shipped for free* directly to your home.

Click here to order!

*Shipping is free within the United States. An additional fee applies for residents of Canada. Due to customs and shipping restrictions, our partner is not able to ship traveler tees outside of North America and TFT is not able to provide upon arrival at the onset of the program.

What to Bring and How to Bring It

You may not be packing your bags yet but it’s never too early to plan! Thoughtfully thinking about what you will pack and what kind of luggage to use will go a long way toward the ultimate goal: not overpacking!! Here you will find our packing lists, luggage recommendations, and other pre-trip prep!

Packing Lists

You can find our suggested packing lists here. Scroll to find your region and within it your specific trip.

For guidance on how to pack, this blog will give you 11 useful tips on best packing practices!

Read our dedicated packing FAQ for more information on how much to pack and what to leave behind.

Luggage

One of our most common questions asked this time of year is what type of luggage should my teen use?? The simple answer is: it’s up to you! Luggage preference changes from person to person and type of trip, but our general rule is not to pack more than you can carry and have a suitcase you can manage, whether that’s a rolling duffel, a hard-shell four-wheel bag, or a traveler’s backpack.

Read this blog to help you compare wheels vs straps. The decision is yours!

If you see a duffel in your future, this blog will help you find one. If it’s four wheels or bust, check out this list of hard-side luggage.

You can find many of these bags and more on our staff-curated list of travel gear!

Money Money Money

Another common question this time of year is how your teen will spend money on their trip. In general, a working debit card is best for payments and taking foreign currency out of an ATM. There is no need to buy currency prior or try to exchange dollars upon arrival. Having a credit card for emergencies is not required but is an option.

In the ‘Money’ section of our Packing FAQ, you will find great resources for suggested debit and credit cards, budgeting, and other money what-ifs.

Trip Items

Optional Add-Ons

Many of our programs offer an additional element to a program that not every participant would necessarily want to do, such as SCUBA, high-adrenaline, or just high heights! These activities are an additional cost, not part of the advertised tuition, and are, of course, completely optional. Not every program will have an add-on.

You will find the optional add-ons in the MyTFT Portal between the Transportation Plan and the Health History & Meds Disclosure sections. If you have already registered, there will be a ‘Yes’ in the field. If you haven’t, simply click the carrot next to the add-on and select ‘Register’ If you are not quite sure yet if you want to sign up, that’s ok! We will be emailing families trip by trip with specific details and deadlines for each of these add-ons!

Webinars

Time is running out to attend one of our live webinars! We have one more Post-Registration webinar happening in May, covering key topics like paperwork, insurance, payments, flight tips, rules and eligibility, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Starting in June, we’ll transition to our Pre-Departure webinars, which will include all the essentials but focus more on travel day logistics and communication timelines.

Click here to view the full schedule and register!

Even if you’re unsure you can attend live, we still encourage you to register—everyone who signs up will receive a recording of the session.

Itineraries

We’re excited to share that final trip itineraries are now available in your MyTFT portal! Click on the home icon and select your traveler’s program title to enter their trip page. The ‘View Itinerary’ button is at the top of the page!

These updated itineraries now include accommodation details so you can get an even better picture of what’s ahead.

A Few More Reminders

Passport Validity

Yes, we’re here again to say once more to check your teen’s passport expiration date to ensure that there is AT LEAST SIX MONTHS of validity from the return date of the program. For example, if they are going to Costa Rica on June 29th and coming back on July 9th, the passport needs to be valid until January 9th, 2025 to be safe! Even if a country’s requirements are less stringent, your teen could be denied boarding at the departure airport, and it would be completely out of our control. If the passport is expired or set to expire, you will need to make immediate arrangements to renew it.

You can view our Passports, Visas, and Vaccinations page for information on applying for or renewing a passport.

Visas

At this time, all programs that visit countries that require a visa for entry have been emailed specific instructions for applying. As a reminder, TFT DOES NOT secure visas for travelers. Submitting all required paperwork and all application fees is the responsibility of the traveler.

If your teen holds a US passport and is visiting one of the countries listed below, they will need a visa before entry.

Tanzania
Laos
Vietnam
Cambodia
Australia
New Zealand
Thailand
United Kingdom (ETA)

Please visit our Passports, Visas, and Vaccines page for more information on the visa process including direct links to apply!

If you are not a US passport holder, we recommend contacting your local government or consulate directly for details on entering destinations.

Still Have Questions?

Our phones are very busy! Review the options below on the ways to get ahold of us that are most convenient for you.

Schedule a Call

We highly recommend this option, as it allows us to call at a time that is convenient for you! You can schedule a specific type of call with our Client Services team members.

Welcome Call – Recommended for first-time families and alums as well, this allows you to holistically go over the account with us and discuss deadlines, to-dos, and what to expect. Even if you signed up a few months ago, it’s never too late to schedule a welcome call!
Flight Logistics Call – Schedule this call to discuss purchasing a flight with TFT or independently. We can go over connections, independent arrivals or departures, or any other travel-related question you may have
General Call – If you have a quick question, this is the one for you! You can even type up what you want to talk about so we can be prepared to answer with exactly what you need

Click this link to schedule any of the above calls. We are here to help!

Call Us

Our Client Service answers the phone between 9 am and 5 pm EDT. Our phones can get very busy during this time, and if you call, you may reach our voicemail, which we will return within one business day at the latest.

We have a lot of talented teammates answering the phones, however, not every single person that you speak to may be able to answer your specific question, but don’t worry, they will get you that answer! This may mean setting up a future call. We do this not to inconvenience you, but to ensure you get the correct answers you need.

We are entering into the busiest time of the year at the TFT Office. Our volume will be heavy but we will get back to each of you.

To call, dial 888-457-4534, Option 2

Email Us

Any questions can be answered by email as well! We answer all emails within two business days unless otherwise noted or we are closed for a holiday. Emails are answered in the order in which they are received, so it is very important to understand that if you reply to your own email in an attempt to point out you haven’t been answered yet, the email becomes recent from that moment and actually moves you out of your place in the queue! We don’t want that!

You can reach us at help@travelforteens.com