<p>I'm trying to book flights home for Thanksgiving and Winter breaks, and I'm a little confused. For example, Thanksgiving break is from November 23-27, does that mean that I can book a flight on the 22nd, and return the 27th? Same thing with Winter break, its from December 18-January 3. Does that mean we can leave the 17th, and return the 3rd? I called Panther Central, but I didn't quite understand their explanation. Can someone help me out? Thanks!</p>
<p>It is going to depend on your class/exam schedule.<br>
Thanksgiving:
Pitt will be on break Wednesday through Sunday, November 23rd through 27th. There will be no classes or exams on Wednesday, the 23rd and classes will resume on Monday, November 28th.
Winter Break:
Finals WILL be scheduled through Saturday, December 17th. You might, or might not have an finals exam on that date - it depends on YOUR specific course. Your first day of classes for the Spring term will be on Wednesday, January 4th.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the official calendar:
<a href=“http://www.provost.pitt.edu/documents/OREG2011-12_Extended_Calendar.pdf[/url]”>http://www.provost.pitt.edu/documents/OREG2011-12_Extended_Calendar.pdf</a></p>
<p>The issue with the Christmas break is when your last final will be. If you have one on Saturday, you can’t leave until you take it but I am assuming it will take place before 4 pm. The buses for home leave at 4 PM on Saturday (or Friday) to accommodate students who have a Saturday final. Do they allow you to stay in the dorms Saturday night or do you have to clear out?</p>
<p>We have already booked the airline tickets for Thanksgiving :)</p>
<p>MTnest, at Christmas break I’m pretty sure I stayed Saturday night and left for the airport on Sunday morning. I think they expected you to be out by noon on Sunday.</p>
<p>DS always left on Friday and I couldn’t recall when the dorms closed for the winter break. This year it won’t be an issue since he has moved to an apartment off-campus so he can be flexible with the dates.</p>
<p>Dorms close on Sunday at noon, right after the last Saturday of finals. Finals can be as late as Saturday at 4PM, which was unfortunately the case for me last fall. It stinks because the University’s buses may only depart for certain cities on Friday, or earlier on Saturday.</p>
<p>Since Pitt closes the dorms during the winter break, where does all the international students go? My niece’s college always have one dorm open during the holidays/breaks so their international students have a place to stay since some cannot fly home or stay with friends.</p>
<p>Since you are thinking so far in advance, iPhoneHacker, the early morning bus to the airport is VERY crowded, so plan for it.</p>
<p>MTnest, I do think that kids can stay in the dorms if they really need to. It seems as though there was a young man on here that stayed in the dorms over the holidays last year. I don’t remember his screen name.</p>
<p>Panther Central would probably help you with the international student issue. They’re open 24/7. </p>
<p>Panther Central: 412-648-1100</p>
<p>The 28x is great!!! I think it runs every 30 minute or so to the airport. I am not surprised it is crowded at times.</p>
<p>So is it safe for me to book flights for the 22nd-27th of November for Thanksgiving?</p>
<p>^^^^^Bear in mind that the 22nd is a class day, so if you have a late class…</p>
<p>@iPhoneHacker, as long as you just remember that you might have to skip a class or two (or maybe all of your classes that day) on the 22nd to make the flight and that the 28x starts running at 4:30 am, and can take about an hour to get to the airport… it’ll take you about an hour to get through security (I make sure I have 2 hours because I’m paranoid that way.) So try not to book flights earlier than maybe 7 or 7:30.</p>
<p>Oops, that was kind of a dump of information that might not be relevant.</p>
<p>We went with a flight on the 23rd instead of the 22nd since he normally wants to attend all his classes. I would agree about the early flight time. We have done the early flight at 7 AM but now use the flight that leave around 10 AM. He also likes to arrive at the airport early and texts us when he gets through security. We leave for the airport once his plane is in the air and usually it lands when we get there :)</p>
<p>Oh, also, make sureeee that you won’t be arriving in Pittsburgh later than around 11:30pm (at the absolute latest,) because the last airport flyer runs around 11:52 and missing that will make you either need to find a ride or pay $40-50 for a cab ride. I got stuck with a cab ride once, and couldn’t even split it because the other kids at the airport were headed to CMU…</p>
<p>I learn from experience so you don’t have to ;)</p>
<p>You can do a night flight on the 22nd if you wanted, but most people I know who flew home just went early on the 23rd. (Out of curiosity, are you too far away to take one of the Pitt Buses?). For winter break, you won’t be able to figure out when your last exam is until early September I think. (That’s when they post the final exam schedule up online).</p>