Trip date options, payment schedule and 12/12 meeting recap

The travel agent has gotten back to me with prices for 8/9 - 8/18!

These flights are American Airlines from Hartford at ~$778 per person. 

So our options are:

1) July 20 - 29 from Hartford on Delta for ~$763 per

Or

2) August 9 - August 18 from Hartford on American for ~$778 per

PLEASE CONTACT ME ONLY IF EITHER OF THESE DATES WILL FORCE YOU TO DROP OUT. Based on responses I will make a decision that will accommodate the most travelers. If you asked me to set your money aside, please let me know where you stand with these options. 

Here is a link to the forms that travelers need to fill out through Amped's website:

http://ampedforeducation.org/volunteer-in-nicaragua/upcoming-volunteers/

In addition, I will need a copy of the traveler's passport for the travel agent to secure their seat on the flights.

The payment schedule for the cost of the trip made out to "Amped for Education" is:
12/12 -- $350
1/30 -- $150
2/27 -- $150
3/27 -- $150
4/24 -- $150
5/29 -- $150
6/26 -- $99
***Any/all payments can be made using the online payment feature on Amped's website!  Use the link above!***

As soon as we lock in travel dates, I will post more information about paying for the flights. Checks will be made out to "Pioneer Valley Travel".

I am looking to make a decision soon on travel dates and post again during winter break.  Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Joe Costello
508 944 7917
joe.costello2@gmail.com

Potential Trip Dates: Late July 2015

They way I organize flights will dictate what dates the trip will be held.  I'm trying to get the lowest cost possible so I tell the travel agent to work in a range of about a month to find the lowest price for what our group number will be (30ish?).  Some of the feedback I got from the last meeting was to try and move it a bit earlier, so I asked the agent to look from 7/20/15 - 8/20/15 for 9 days and here is what she found:

7/20 - 7/29 (Note: there are no direct flights to Nicaragua from our area)

1.)
From Hartford, through Atlanta, to Managua.  Return to Hartford.  Don't have times yet.
$743

2.)
From Boston, late in the day (not ideal) through Miami, to Managua.  Return leaves Managua very early in the morning (not ideal) to Boston.
$591 plus $20 fee (plus we would have to organize a separate transport to get us to and from Boston which could be close to $100 per person)

3.)
I asked her to keep looking for dates in August but I haven't heard back yet.  It is hard to find travel for ~30 people to a place like Nicaragua 8-9 months in advance.  Hopefully I'll have something by 12/12.


These are a little more expensive than I thought they would be, but they are on par with what we've paid the past two years.

I'd really like to lock in a block of seats for our trips as soon as possible so I'm going to definitely need a more accurate number.  Please consider whether these earlier July dates will work for you or not and contact me if you have an issue.
When I lock the flights in with Pioneer Valley Travel, the payments for the flight will be made out to "Pioneer Valley Travel" and not to Amped.

Don't forget to bring your $350 deposit to our meeting on 12/12 at Frontier in my room at 7pm!  I've already collected 1!  We are on our way!