purchasing your flight
Book your flight to arrive/depart from your program location on your program start and end dates. The dates and airport code are provided to you as part of your Acceptance Package. Please check with us first before purchasing your flight to ensure that the program is running.
If booking for a participant 15 years of age or younger, you should contact the airline directly to review any special travel requirements. If transiting through an international airport, we recommend that you give yourself at least 2 hours between flights.
Arriving or departing outside of program dates
If you need our services before or after the official program dates, we may be able to accommodate. Please contact us to make arrangements. The cost is $95 per each extra day and this pricing includes:
Airport transfer
Director support
Homestay and meals
Medical insurance
tips for booking your flight - spain programs
Most international flights from the US to Spain destinations transit through Madrid (MAD).
The Madrid airport has multiple terminals. Make sure your flight lands in T4S (Terminal 4) and not any other terminal. Avoid airlines that do not land in T4 or T4S. Otherwise, you will have to leave the terminal you arrive at, get your luggage, transit to T4 and have to check in again. The main airline for T4 is American Airlines.
When booking, make sure you have enough layover time; do not book flights with less than a 2 hour layover in the Madrid airport, especially if you arrive at another terminal that is not T4 and need to collect your luggage and go through check in again for the flight to your final destination.
Purchase your ticket from the same airline so that your luggage travels through to your final destination. Also, in case of delays the airline will be responsible for finding you a seat in the next flight if you miss your connection.
If you buy separate tickets with the same airline it may cause you to have to exit the airport, pick up your luggage, and go back to ticketing to enter the airport again. This is to be avoided or considered carefully as to the extra layover time required to catch the next flight.
Once you purchase your flight, send Arcos a copy of the full itinerary via this form so that we can review it.
An Arcos director will be inside the boarding area of the Madrid airport in T4 (Terminal 4) to assist participants.
If you cannot abide by these travel recommendations for any reason (for example, you arrive early with family, are arriving in your program destination by train, etc.) please contact us with a full copy of your travel plans so that we can advise accordingly and accommodate as best we can.
If you choose other means of transportation from the Madrid airport to your program destination (train, bus) please know that we do not have a team member in the Madrid bus or train station. We will be more than happy to assist you with information about where to buy tickets, how to get to the stations, etc. We will pick you up at your program city’s train or bus station.
Please reach out if you have any questions before purchasing.
Buy in advance and travel light!