Book your flight
Do not book your flight until your visa has been approved. If it is close to the date you fly, do not book until you have received your passport back from the embassy!
Remember that you cannot arrive into the US before the ”Earliest Admission Date” written on the first page of your I-20 document. It is important you remember this when planning and booking flights.
We recommend that you buy a round-trip ticket (August – December if you are travelling to the U.S. for the fall semester. January – May if you travel to the U.S. for the spring semester). This is almost always cheaper than buying a one-way ticket. We also recommend you book a flexible ticket so you can change dates etc.
Your coach will have a date they would like you to be in the U.S. Contact your coach about the date they would like you to arrive and when you can book your return flight. This date may be before the earliest admission date on your I-20, communicate with them that you cannot enter before this date!. It is also important to ask what airport is best for you to fly into.
You can also search your school’s name followed by “academic calendar” to see when your semester will finish and when you will need to be back the next semester for school starting again. This will also show school dates for the next few years. But it is important you also check with coach as there may be important team events you can’t miss.
Here are some websites that we can recommend when you search for flights.
Note, a lot of sites like these show value fares which exclude check-in baggage etc. so the
fare ends up being more expensive when you book it.
You must also talk to the coach about airport pick up. Some schools may assist you with collection from the airport, but you will need to arrange this with them. Once you’ve booked your flight, send your confirmation to your coach so they know when you’ll arrive. Please also send your contact person your flight itinerary so they know when you’re flying out.
ESTAS and family holidays
Since you will have a student visa (when traveling to the U.S.) you do not register for an ESTA. If your family will be traveling with you, they must remember to apply for an ESTA (if your country is part of the Visa Waiver Program), which they can do online here.
Please note, the athlete cannot enter the US before the first entry date on an ESTA for say, a family holiday, then stay in the US. If you do this, you would then have to leave the US then re-enter on your student visa to trigger the F1 visa. Once a student has entered on the F1 visa, they can leave and enter as they please, or stay as long as they like until the expiry date/graduation. Many families find there is more time and it is easier to have a US family holiday in a student’s 2nd, 3rd or 4th year.
Frequent flyer miles
It is a good idea to start collecting Frequent Flyer Miles (a bonus that you get when you
are traveling with different airlines). This allows you to get discounts or even free travel
when you have enough points. Remember that you will be traveling to and from the U.S.
several times in the coming years. You need to register and create a user profile on the website of the airlines that you
choose to fly with and every time you are traveling with them you earn miles if you provide
your membership number when you book your trip. If you have already booked your flight,
you just have to register it through your user profile so you will receive miles for the trip.
Baggage
Check with the airline you are flying with how much you are allowed to have with you.
Usually, you can have a checked bag (about 20-25 kg), hand luggage and a laptop bag.
Make sure you stay within the rules. It is very possible that you have to pay for an extra
bag, so check with the airline you are flying with. Remember, the U.S. is relatively cheap, so
you can (and will) buy clothes and accessories there. You also should buy things such as
towels and bedding (they have different dimensions so bedding purchased at home
won’t fit) out there to save space.
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