Even though the first session of camp is still four months away, let’s talk travel! Whether you’ll be driving your child to camp or having them fly on their own, we encourage families to make travel arrangements as early as possible.
*Please note a major travel change from previous years. Beginning summer 2020, Camp Pinnacle will no longer be providing transportation to and from the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT).
Camper transportation form
Please fill out the transportation form found in your CampInTouch account as soon as you’ve made your travel plans (you can always update it as needed). This is where you will indicate whether your child’s arrival and departure are by plane or car. If Camp Pinnacle is responsible for picking up your child from the airport, please be sure all their flight information is correct and up to date. If you are flying into the area as a family and renting a car to drive your child to camp, please mark DRIVING TO CAMP.
Campers flying solo to Camp Pinnacle
Each summer, many campers fly to and from camp without their parents. We provide transportation to and from the following airports:
- Asheville, NC (AVL): 30 minutes from camp
- Greenville/Spartanburg, SC (GSP): 50 minutes from camp
On opening day, please book your child’s flight to arrive to either AVL or GSP between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. We recommend booking flights as early as possible within the specified window so that if there are any delays or cancellations, your camper can stay on schedule and not miss too many opening day activities.
A Camp Pinnacle representative will greet your child at the airport when they arrive, help collect luggage, and drive them to camp. Once your child arrives at the airport and has met with our staff, they will call you to let you know. Upon arrival to camp, our office will call you to confirm their arrival.
Flying home from Camp Pinnacle
On closing day, please book flights to depart AVL or GSP between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Keep in mind that an earlier departure time creates an extremely early wake-up time (as early as 3 a.m.). Please note that your child may go to the airport earlier if there are multiple campers flying out at similar times. Regardless, we will always get your child to the airport with an adequate amount of time before their scheduled departure.
Unaccompanied minors
Campers under the age of 12–15 who fly without their parents will most likely travel as an unaccompanied minor (UM). This means parents pay an extra fee (which varies by airline but often $150 each way) for their child to have an airline escort for the entire length of travel. We recommend reading your preferred airline’s UM policy before booking your child’s ticket.
If your camper is flying as a UM, we will email you the name and contact information of the staff member who will be greeting your child two days before arrival. Please understand that we are unable to provide this information earlier, due to ever-changing flight and travel schedules.
If your camper is flying home as a UM, please do not pay the UM fee for the return flight ahead of time—we have found that airlines misplace receipts, and families often have to pay twice. Instead, Camp Pinnacle will pay the UM and any baggage fees upon checking your child in at the airport. We will then charge your credit card or e-check for the reimbursement. If the airline requires you to pay it at the time of booking, please email Cara a copy of the UM and/or baggage receipts for our records. Just as you need the name of the CP representative who will greet your child upon arrival, we will need the name and information of the family member or friend picking them up upon return.
We understand that sending your child on a plane, alone, to camp can seem stressful and scary. We treat all of our campers as if they are our own kids. If you have any questions or concerns, or just need to chat through the process, please give us a call at 828-692-2677. We’re always here to help and make the travel process as smooth as possible.