Airfare Policy

To ensure the safety and well-being of our students as well as the orderly operation of our programs, Rustic Pathways issues group tickets for all of its students on international flights. We realize the current economic situation has affected many of our clients. For this reason, Rustic Pathways has updated our airfare policy. We are now allowing those parents who need to purchase their own international airline tickets for their children to do so where this is necessary to allow the student's participation on their Rustic Pathways Program. This applies only to students traveling from the USA to Costa Rica, and only if those students are ticketed to travel on our specific group flights. If you purchase your own ticket for your son or daughter, there are very important safety considerations you will need to evaluate. We strongly encourage parents who do not need to take this step to please allow us to issue normal Rustic Pathways group tickets for their children. For flight details and further information, please click the following link: www.rusticpathways.com/latinamericaairfarepolicy

Basic Flight Information for Flights to Costa Rica

Rustic Pathways has a national contract with Continental Airlines for its group flights from the USA and Canada to Costa Rica. We require all students originating within North America to travel on our escorted group flights to ensure the safety of our students and the efficient operation of our programs. We have weekly escorted Continental flights every Tuesday during the summer from both Houston, Texas and Newark, New Jersey directly to San Jose, Costa Rica. Rustic Pathways students come from every corner of the USA, and you may begin your trip in any USA or Canadian city serviced by Continental Airlines. The cost of your plane ticket is based on the state from which you depart. Please see the chart (below) and find the state where your home airport is located. The price shown is the airline ticket cost from your home airport to either Houston or Newark, and then onto San Jose, Costa Rica. The price shown is for round-trip travel for both your domestic flights and your international flights, and does not include taxes and surcharges imposed by the airlines or the governments which are billed separately.

Canadian Students

Canadian students have the option of beginning their trip with Rustic Pathways from their home airport in Canada (Continental Airlines operates flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Quebec - although the number of flights and the timing of those flights may create serious connection issues) or making their own way to any US city served by Continental Airlines and beginning their trip there. Students who book their own flights are subject to restrictions on what time they can arrive into San Jose, Costa Rica, and what time they can depart San Jose. Students booking their flights outside of the established time frames will incur a minimum of $120 transportation fee each way. If you are a Canadian student and have questions about your options, please email us at costarica@rusticpathways.com

International Students (students not from the USA or Canada)

In most cases, international students are asked to make their own flight arrangements to either one of our Gateway Cities (Houston or Newark), or to make their own flight arrangements directly to San Jose, Costa Rica. Students who book their own flights are subject to restrictions on what time they can arrive into San Jose, Costa Rica, and what time they can depart San Jose. Students booking their flights outside of the established time frames will incur a minimum of $120 transportation fee each way. If you do not live in the USA or Canada and have questions about this option, please email us at costarica@rusticpathways.com

Check your Luggage from your home airport directly to Costa Rica

When you check in for your first scheduled flight, you will be able to check your luggage all the way to your final destination in San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). You do not need to pick up your luggage when you change planes.

Meet your flight leader at Newark or Houston Airport and be escorted to Costa Rica

You will fly from your designated departure airport to either Newark (EWR) or Houston (IAH). When you arrive at Newark or Houston you will meet your flight leader and stay with them all the way to Costa Rica. Every group flight from Newark and Houston to Costa Rica, and every group flight from Costa Rica back to Houston and Newark has a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader escorting the students on the flight. Flights from your home city to Houston or Newark are not escorted.

Beginning Your Trip In One City And Returning To A Different City

Some students want to begin their trip in one city, and then return to a different city at the end of their Costa Rica trip. We are able to arrange this in almost all cases as long as you are beginning your trip in one airport served by Continental Airlines, and returning to another airport serviced by Continental Airlines. When you do this, the airfare is 50% of the airfare listed above for your departure airport, plus 50% of the airfare listed above for your returning airport. If you would like to leave from one airport and return from another airport, please indicate this on your application form. If you have questions, please contact us at costarica@rusticpathways.com

Costa Rica Flight Cost Estimations

Cost shown is for round-trip flight
Cost does not include taxes or fuel surcharges
Cost is shown in US Dollars

Cost of airfare from your home (or State Where you will fly from if not the same) airport to our Newark or Houston Gateway, then on our escorted flight from either Newark or Houston to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Estimated fuel surcharge and taxes are currently between $544 and $564.
Costa Rica charges a departure tax of $26.

State Estimated Air State Estimated Air
Alabama 830 Nebraska 860
Alaska 1335 Nevada 895
Arizona 895 New Hampshire 890
Arkansas 835 New Jersey 850
California 895 New Mexico 905
Colorado 895 New York 850
Connecticut 875 North Carolina 840
Delaware no airport available North Dakota no airport available
Florida 820 Ohio 875
Georgia 820 Oklahoma 835
Hawawii 1335 Oregon 925
Idaho no airport available Pennsylvania 850
Illinois 850 Rhode Island 875
Indiana 860 South Carolina 840
Iowa 860 South Dakota no airport available
Kansas 850 Tennessee 830
Kentucky 855 Texas 850
Louisiana 835 Utah 895
Maine 890 Vermont 890
Maryland 850 Virginia 850
Massachussettes 875 Washington 925
Michigan 875 Washington DC 850
Minnesota 875 West Virginia 875
Mississippi 820 Wisconsin 875
Missouri 850 Wyoming no airport available
Montana no airport available Canada 1,300

Example:
Depart Connecticut=
Half of this fare =
Return California
Half of this fare =
Total Fare =

$875
$437.50
$895
$447.50
$885.00
Worksheet
Depart Connecticut Half of this fare = Return California
Half of this fare =
Total Fare =

$______
$______
$______
$______
$______

Taxes and surcharges not included in the above calculations.

Latin America Connections: Costa Rica and Panama

Our Programs are Designed to be Combined!
Almost all Rustic Pathways programs interconnect! Many of our students take advantage of this by combining several programs – and often several countries – to build their perfect summer. Many Rustic Pathways students combine programs within Costa Rica, Peru, Panama and the Dominican Republic to create the ultimate Latin America experience. Most programs have numerous departure dates, giving students the flexibility to travel at their convenience. We strongly encourage students to take advantage of their time in this unique part of the world!

* All prices subject to change.

Visit Costa Rica first, then...
Add Peru $825
Add Panama $450
Add Dominican Republic $525

Visit Panama first, then...
Add Peru $625
Add Costa Rica $450
Add Dominican Republic $575

Connecting with programs in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Other Destinations
Students can combine our Latin America programs with our destinations worldwide. To make this transition as straightforward and economic as possible, these transfers require a stopover in the United States. Any student looking to connect from Costa Rica, Peru, Panama or the Dominican Republic will need to return home and then depart on our group flight to their new destination on the following week.


Questions?

Any further questions? Please read our general flight information page for more information on our policy on safety, connectivity and changes to prices and programs or call us at 1-800-321-4353.