FLIGHT BOOKING OVERVIEW
Booking Your Flight Online is Easy!
FLIGHT ITINERARIES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY MAY 1
Booking Your Flight
Welcome to SPI’s flight booking information page!
Every SPI participant is required to independently book their travel. Peak fares for flights range between $600-1,200 for Latin America and $1,600-2,500 for Europe & Asia. You have the choice to book directly with the airline or through a third-party travel agency.
Travel to the Program Site
Our on-site director teams arrive abroad several days ahead of students. We encourage parents to accompany novice travelers or students under age 16 to the stateside hub airport (New York-JFK, Dallas, Los Angeles). Some parents may choose to accompany their child all the way to the program site (i.e. Santander, Siena).
Airport Arrival Reception Abroad
All students and parents receive an ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS DOCUMENT with director contact information and specific instructions prior to departure. Students will be met outside of baggage claim by on-site staff holding an SPI sign (provided your flights are within our booking guidelines.)
Independently Escorting Your Child
Many families have combined an SPI immersion program with their own vacations in Europe, Latin America, or Asia. Families delivering their child directly to the program site (i.e. Santander, Siena) are considered Permitted Deviations. If you would like to escort your child to the program site, please review the Permitted Deviations below for specific information on planning your “meet up.” Due to disruption to the immersion experience, SPI strongly discourages parents visiting their students during the duration of the program.
STUDENT UNDER 16
Please book on an airline that does NOT require unaccompanied minor service for 14-15 year olds. We also recommend parents travel with their student to the designated flight departure airport or all the way to the program site if they are uncomfortable with them traveling independently. Please refer to specific airlines regarding their current policies.
FLIGHT BOOKING GUIDELINES
Guidelines
Choose Best Flights & Airline
Search for the best flight itinerary that fits within your program’s booking window.
Book with at least 2-3 hours of Connection Time (Outbound Flight)
Ensure you have enough connection time between flights both in the U.S. and abroad.
Submit Your Flight Itinerary IMMEDIATELY to SPI Online or by email
Arrival & Departure Windows
Failure to Arrive or Depart within the Designated Time Windows will Incur a $200 Fee
ENSURE YOU BOOK ON THE CORRECT DEPARTURE & RETURN DATES.
> Spain, France, Italy & China – Students depart on the listed program start date, fly overnight & arrive abroad the following day.
> Costa Rica – Students will depart the U.S. & arrive Costa Rica the same day.
*If you arrive from outside North America, please book accordingly.
| Program & Airport | Suggested Airlines | Arrival Window | Departure Window |
|---|---|---|---|
SANTANDER Santander Airport (SDR) |
American OR Iberia | 12 – 6 PM | 7 – 10 AM |
SAN SEBASTIAN San Sebastian Airport (EAS) |
American OR Iberia | 12 – 6 PM | 7 – 10 AM |
BIARRITZ Biarritz Airport (BIQ) |
Delta OR Air France | 12 – 6 PM | 7 – 10 AM |
SIENA Rome Airport (FCO) |
American | 8 – 11 AM | 10 AM – 3 PM |
COSTA RICA Liberia Airport (LIR) |
American | 12 – 3 PM | 12 – 4 PM |
GUILIN Guilin Airport (KWL) |
China Southern | 10 PM – 1:30 AM | 7 AM – 12:30 PM |
Search Flight Options on All Airlines: Google Flight Search
PERMITTED DEVIATIONS
Flight Deviations
Arriving and/or departing outside of the booking window – $200 FEE
All students traveling outside of SPI’s Arrival & Departure Window (see above) will be charged a $200 fee. Certain permitted deviations are exempt from any fees (SEE PERMITTED DEVIATIONS). All flight deviations outside these windows MUST BE PRE-APPROVED by SPI (please email admissions@spiabroad.com).
Failure to provide Flight Deviation Details by MAY 1 will incur an additional “late planning fee” of +$150.
Families must provide complete deviation details and sign the release form below.
Independently Escorting Your Child to the Program
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: 10:00 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.
