You are responsible for booking your own flight to Copenhagen, to allow you maximum flexibility and to take advantage of travel benefits such as frequent flyer miles. DIS will welcome you to Denmark at the Copenhagen Airport (CPH) and will ensure you get from the airport to your housing.
Read this page prior to booking your flight, so you are prepared for smooth travels.
Choosing Your Flight
- Book your flight to arrive on your specified Arrival Day. Find your Arrival Day on the DIS Calendar here
- If you arrive in Copenhagen between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Arrival Day, you will be greeted by DIS and transported to your housing
- Some students choose to arrive a day or two early in order to get a jump on jet lag, or to take advantage of a lower cost (or more direct) flight. While you cannot move into DIS housing before Arrival Day, we will share hotel/hostel recommendations with students arriving early, and tell you where and when to meet up with DIS on Arrival Day in order to move into your housing.
- Students arriving after 3:00 p.m. on Arrival Day will receive specific instructions for how to check in with DIS and move into your housing. You will be responsible for transportation to your housing site, but taxis from the Copenhagen airport are safe, clean, trustworthy, take credit cards, and drivers speak English well.
- Based on a few past student travel experiences, we recommend you:
- Book a flight with as few layovers as possible, in order to minimize travel delays or border entry challenges. Direct flights from North America to Copenhagen are ideal, but most students will have a layover or two. In extremely rare circumstances, students have been denied entry/boarding when connecting in a country within the Schengen Region (after calling DIS, all past students have been allowed entry, but there are no guarantees). You may wish to avoid this stress – however rare – by connecting in a non-Schengen city such as Dublin, London, or Rekjavik if possible.
- Have a return/round-trip ticket. While it is legal for you to travel to Denmark on a one-way flight, airline or airport officials do have the right to turn you away if you cannot prove that you plan to leave at the end of your semester.
- When booking your return flight, note that your housing must be vacated by noon on the last day of DIS housing. Earlier departure may result in missing a final exam which will greatly affect your grade, as final exams cannot be rescheduled.
- When you have booked your flight, enter your flight details in your Student Registration. DIS must have this information to plan for your arrival. Sign on to Student Registration here
Recommended Resources Before Purchasing Your Ticket
- Student travel agencies such as Student Universe tend to offer discounted student rates. They can be accommodating when a change or cancellation is made to the flight, as they tend to charge nominal fees for such changes compared to the fees charged by most airlines and travel agencies.
- Flight search engines, such as Kayak, provide a quick and easy method for comparing multiple airlines at one glance. Avoid sites like Priceline or Expedia that take payment from you and often offer routes including several airlines; instead, book directly with your airline or with a trusted travel agent.
- Call the airline directly for concrete information, special deals, and to inquire whether frequent flyer miles may be applied to the ticket
- Frequent flier membership programs are often free, so make sure to look out for these. Sign up for a frequent flier account with any airline you travel on.
What Happens Once I Land?
If you land between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., you will be greeted by DIS and taken to your housing. To read more about Arrival Day and the Arrival Workshop, find information on the Arrival and Orientation page here.