In our articles assisting students seeking to learn Spanish abroad, so far we have discussed how to select a location (or locations), how long to study, whether to live with a host or with other students, and which type of classes best suit your learning needs.
Now we would like to cover another topic that is necessary for most who come to learn Spanish at our ECELA schools or travel between them. Every student would like to find a good deal on his or her plane ticket. By following these guidelines, a student can potentially avoid wasting hundreds of dollars on high flight costs.
When you are planning your trip it is key to realize that flexibility is important. Hence, you do not want to lock yourself into flights. After you arrive in Latin America, you want to have your schedule open. You may very well find that your itinerary changes, as you may find that you like certain locations more or less than you anticipated. Further, you might find that you want to stay longer in a certain city or move on (or back) to a city to study in another ECELA school. (You can view our locations on our website and clicking on “School Locations”.)
If you are planning an itinerary of more than one month and you have a fairly flexible end date, it is best to get a one-way ticket. Because of its modern infrastructure and moderate regional accent, we recommend Buenos Aires as a good starting point for beginning Spanish speakers. If you are a frequent flyer of American Airlines, you can fly one-way to Buenos Aires for only 20,000 points. It is no longer necessary to book round-trip. Delta and United also have flights to Argentina. However, currently their frequent flyer programs do not match what American Airlines offers.
If you are purchasing your flight tickets rather than using frequent flyer miles, consider arriving in Buenos Aires and flying out of Lima or another northern point. The ticket will cost less, and the airline will always let you upgrade to a Buenos Aires or Santiago return flight. You can use a general search engine such as Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, or whichever you prefer.
Another excellent starting point for your travels is Lima . This fact is especially true for those students who plan to learn Spanish in Peru and take advantage of their easily understood accent. Another benefit of flying into Lima is that you can reach this city for only 15,000 frequent flyer miles on American Airlines.
Unique to American carriers, Spirit Airlines offers low one-way fares. Expect to pay about $500 for a one-way ticket. Remember to wait to buy a return ticket until you know your final destination. It is crucial to note the fact that many students who study Spanish abroad think they have a great itinerary set up. Yet, frequently students meet and adventurous group of friends or wish to visit a new location after their Spanish classes are done, and then their intended travel plans change.
Some long-term students who plan to travel to Latin America to learn Spanish in Peru, Argentina, or Chile actually end up getting a job teaching English. As a result, they decide to stay in the country long-term. Native speakers are in high demand, especially for private English lessons. As a result, many travelers end up capitalizing on job opportunities that allow them to stay and explore different countries. By not booking a return ticket, one can leave himself or herself open to these sorts of possibilities.
When booking tickets to study Spanish abroad, remember that often spending a little advance time researching various options can save you money. A few hours on the computer exploring flights can be well worth it. For example, students have had great luck finding low cost tickets on priceline.com. Next week Tuesday look for information on travel once you arrive in South America.
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