SPI FLIGHT & ARRIVAL OVERVIEW
BOOKING YOUR FLIGHT IS EASY!
> Every SPI participant is required to independently book their own flight that fits within the booking guidelines & arrival/departure windows below.
> Students are encouraged to book on non-stop flights when possible or book on the same flights as other students (provided upon request.)
> Fares range between $600-1,200 for Latin America and $1,600-3,000 for Europe & Asia.TRAVELING TO THE PROGRAM DESTINATION
> We encourage parents of novice travelers or students under age 16 to accompany them to the airport of their international flight (ie. New York, Dallas, Los Angeles) OR accompany their child all the way to the program destination (i.e. Santander, Biarritz).
> Some airlines offer unaccompanied minor (under 16) and connecting gate “meet & greet” services by contacting them directly.
> Please see the Permitted Flight Deviations section below for specific information on available options.
> Due to disruption to the immersion experience, SPI strongly discourages parents visiting their students during the duration of the program.ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS & WELCOME RECEPTION ABROAD
> To ensure a smooth arrival, we provide each student an ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS DOCUMENT with specific contact information.
> Students will be met outside of baggage claim by on-site staff holding an SPI sign.
FLIGHT BOOKING GUIDELINES
Failure to Book within these Guidelines will Incur a $300 Fee
REQUIRED Book a Continuous Itinerary with One Confirmation Number
Book a continuous itinerary (not two separate tickets) all the way to the program destination site (ie. Santander).
REQUIRED Book with 2+ Hours of Connection Time between All Flight Segments
Book each segment with 2+ hours of connection time between all flight segments (especially the outbound domestic to international flight as well as inter-European flights ie. Madrid to Santander).
REQUIRED Book on Exact Program Arrival and Departure Dates
Spain, France, Italy & China – Students depart on the listed PROGRAM START DATE from North America, fly overnight & arrive abroad the following day. (Depart Friday – Arrive Saturday)
Costa Rica – Students will depart the U.S. & arrive Costa Rica THE SAME DAY (depart Saturday – arrive Saturday).REQUIRED Book within Arrival & Departure Windows
Book within the specific arrival and departure time windows below. You will be required to change your flight and pay any airline fees.
FLIGHT ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE WINDOWS
Failure to Arrive or Depart within the Designated Time Windows will Incur a $300 Fee
SUBMIT YOUR FLIGHT ITINERARY BY MAY 1 Submit Flight Itinerary
SEARCH FLIGHT OPTIONS & BOOK WITH AIRLINE GOOGLE FLIGHT SEARCH
| Program & Airport | Suggested Airlines | Arrival Window | Departure Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANTANDER Santander Airport (SDR) |
American/Iberia (OneWorld Only) | 12 – 6 PM | 7 – 9 AM |
| SAN SEBASTIAN San Sebastian Airport (EAS) |
American/Iberia (OneWorld Only) | 12 – 6 PM | 7 – 10 AM |
| BIARRITZ Biarritz Airport (BIQ) |
Delta/Air France (Sky Team Only) | 4 – 6 PM | 9 – 11 AM |
| SIENA Rome Airport (FCO) |
American OR Delta | 8 – 11 AM | 10 AM – 1 PM |
| COSTA RICA Liberia Airport (LIR) |
American OR United | 12 – 3 PM | 12 – 4 PM |
| GUILIN Guilin Airport (KWL) |
ChinaEastern/Shanghai OR EVA | 3 PM – 12 AM | 7 AM – 4:00 PM |
FLIGHT DEVIATIONS
Arriving and/or departing outside of the booking window or guidelines will incur a $300 FEE
Certain permitted deviations are exempt from any fees. All flight deviations outside these windows MUST BE PRE-APPROVED by SPI to ensure your plans can be accommodated (please email admissions@spiabroad.com). Families must provide complete deviation details and sign the release form.
Failure to provide Flight Deviation Details by MAY 1 will incur a $200 LATE PLANNING FEE
Deviation Release Form
Permitted Arrival Locations - NO FEE
PERMITTED (NO FEE): Arriving outside of the Arrival Window and INDEPENDENTLY TRAVELING to the designated meeting point. Families must provide complete deviation details and sign the release form above.
You must be at the designated meeting point by:
SPAIN: 6:00 PM at designated meeting point on arrival day
FRANCE: 6:00 PM at designated meeting point on arrival day
ITALY: 9:00 AM at Rome Airport on arrival day
COSTA RICA: 12:00 PM at Liberia Airport on arrival day
CHINA: 9:00 PM at designated meeting point on arrival day
Permitted Departure Locations - NO FEE
PERMITTED (NO FEE): Departing before the program ends and TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY to the airport/transportation facility by taxi, private car, with parents, etc.
PERMITTED (NO FEE): Parents picking-up students or students having been authorized to INDEPENDENTLY DEPART the program. (See Designated Program Release Points & Times for guidelines).
*SPI cannot assist with ground transportation arrangements for permitted deviations.
Designated Program Release Points & Times
All students are released from the SPI program at the airport check-in counter in the program site’s airport (i.e. Santander) on the program end date. Below are alternative program release points and times if students will not be departing as scheduled in program itinerary.
Picking Up Child in Program City: Students meet parents at their hotel or at designated meeting point at an agreed upon time. Officially released from SPI on Saturday morning at 9 AM.
