Plan Your Trip


Booking Your Travel

On-site registration begins at 12 p.m. EST on Friday. All participants should plan to arrive at the hotel no later than 4:30 p.m. EST on Friday evening as the Welcome Dinner will begin at 5 p.m. EST. Leadership Academy will conclude at 12 p.m. EST on Sunday. We do not recommend booking a return flight that leaves before 3 p.m. EST. It is expected that all attendees will stay until the conclusion of Leadership Academy.

Lodging

Leadership Academy will be held at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown (350 W. Maryland St, Indianapolis, IN 46225). Reservations will be booked for each attendee by headquarters. Hotel check-in time is 4 p.m. EST and check-out time is 11 a.m. EST. Roommate assignments will be managed by headquarters; collegiate officers will be assigned to room with another member of their chapter delegation with two officers per room.
 
Chapters needing to arrive on Thursday, January 18 will need to select that they need a Thursday night hotel room during registration. Work with the education and leadership initiatives team if you need to add or cancel a room on this night if you have already submitted registration. The cost of the additional night will be the responsibility of the chapter.

Transportation

Each chapter must make its own transportation arrangements to Indianapolis. Please be sure to make flight reservations or travel plans as early as possible to reduce cost and ensure that your chapter officers are prepared to attend.

Flying
If you are flying to Indianapolis, please consider the following: 

Verify your airline’s policies related to cancellations or changes prior to booking. Chapters may consider buying fully refundable plane tickets. Many “economy” or “basic” flight options do not allow for any changes to flight plans, which could be costly for the chapter in the event an officer can no longer attend. Additionally, regardless of ticket type, airlines do not allow you to transfer tickets to another person once they have been purchased, which is why fully refundable tickets are recommended. 

Here are the links to some popular airlines’ policies and change/cancellation information for reference:  American Airlines  |  Delta  |  Southwest  |  United  

You might alternatively consider purchasing a travel insurance plan with “cancel for any reason” coverage in the event you need to make changes to your travel plans. 

The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown is approximately 30 minutes from the Indianapolis International Airport (IND). Transportation options from the airport to the hotel property may include taxis, Uber or Lyft. You may also consider scheduling a car service in the event a taxi, Uber or Lyft is not readily available. This site lists car services at the Indianapolis airport. 

 

Driving
If you are driving to Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown is on the southwest side of downtown Indianapolis, near Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field. Driving directions are available through your favorite mapping program or on the hotel's website.


Attire

Winter weather in Indiana is cold and has the possibility of snow. We advise checking weather conditions and packing a coat and gloves.

The majority of your time at Leadership Academy will be spent within the hotel. Hotel conference rooms sometimes run cold and sometimes run hot, so we recommend packing outfits with layers. Keep in mind when selecting shoes for the weekend that you will be moving between rooms and might be doing more walking throughout the day than you expect.

Find the dress code for each day of Leadership Academy below:

  • Friday: casual
    • This is a travel day for most so feel free to wear more casual attire. Jeans, T-shirts, sneakers, etc. are appropriate for this day.
  • Saturday: business casual/ badge attire
    • Wear an outfit that you would wear to a formal chapter meeting. 
  • Sunday: Alpha Chi or university/college spirit day
    • Show your pride in Alpha Chi or your alma mater by wearing your favorite letters or college/university attire!