What are Plane Ticket Hours?

Plane Ticket Hours are 140 hours that any undergraduate or graduate student can accumulate in order to have a plane ticket reimbursed for up to $650 to any Spanish speaking country of your choosing.

How do you accumulate Plane Ticket Hours?

Hours can be accumulated by spending time in El Centro practicing Spanish, doing homework, attending our events, etc. You can also get hours by volunteering with the Dream Center through El Centro’s partnership with the Kernodle Center.

How are Plane Ticket Hours kept track of?

Hours are tracked by the Student Coordinators of El Centro. We have an online database where we have ‘profiles’ with your information to keep record of your hours. After spending time in El Centro, you can find a student coordinator and tell them how many hours you have accumulated during your visit, which they will document for you. You will have to track your hours each time.

What happens once you complete the 140 Plane Ticket Hours?

Once you complete 140 hours, you are eligible to be reimbursed for a plane ticket up to $650 to any Spanish speaking country of your choice.

In order to be reimbursed, the student must provide a receipt of the plane ticket with credit card information that can be used to verify proof of purchase. The student will also need to answer several prompts with a one-page essay to reflect on their time spent in El Centro. This form is provided by the Assistant Director of the CREDE.

If you have completed the 140 Plane Ticket Hours, email MJ Larrazabal, Assistant Director of the CREDE, (mlarrazabal@elon.edu) for the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my plane ticket is less than $650? Do I get the difference?

If your plane ticket is less than $650, for example $300, it is eligible to be fully reimbursed by El Centro, but the difference will not be available to the student.

What if my plane ticket is more than $650?

If your plane ticket is over $650, $650 can be reimbursed by El Centro but the student themselves will remain responsible for the rest of the balance. For example, if your ticket is $1000, we will provide $650 towards it.

Do I have to have the 140 hours finished by the time I buy the ticket?

No! Students can buy the ticket before finishing the hours – as long as the hours are done before you get on that plane.

Do I have to have the hours finished by the time I go on the trip?

Yes, no exceptions.

Do my hours expire each academic year?

No – Let’s say you started a profile with El Centro and had some plane ticket hours completed your second year at Elon. Those hours will still be on file by your senior year.

Can I use them after graduation?

Yes, you can use them after graduation, but the ticket must be bought before you graduate. 

What if I graduated during COVID but completed my hours?

Unfortunately, the ticket must have been purchased while being a student at Elon University due to liability concerns.

If I already completed 140 hours, can I do another 140 hours to get another plane ticket?

No, each Elon student is eligible to accumulate the 140 hours once.

Can Elon graduate students accumulate plane ticket hours?

Yes – we work with every graduate program offered to ensure graduate students can also accumulate Plane Ticket Hours.