USD's Knauss School Offers Free Flights to San Diego for MBA Students

This version was updated Spring 2026.

To expand access to the Flex MBA program, the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business is once again announcing a unique incentive for students: free flights to and from San Diego.

Through the popular incentive — known as “Jet Away to Your MBA” — students from states such as Arizona and Washington have been able to attend the San Diego-based MBA program. The Flex MBA program is currently recruiting for the cohort of students to begin in February 2027. 

The Flex MBA is the most flexible of the three Knauss MBA formats available. Students attend class just one weekend per month (Saturday and Sunday), with remaining coursework completed online between in-person class sessions. The format is aimed at serving those with pre-existing commitments, such as jobs, families or military service. Flex MBA students still benefit from participating in hands-on learning experiences, such as a 10-day international consulting project abroad.

“We really wanted to make it even more accessible for our working professionals," said Kellyn Beltran, director of business admissions at USD. "Timing is something that these individuals really struggle with in addition to the financing. We wanted to find opportunities to make education a priority with all their other competing priorities."

The inaugural Flex MBA cohort had an average age of 34 and more than half identify as Black, Hispanic or Asian. They have an average of seven and a half years of work experience and more than one-third are military veterans.

Through the "Jet Away to Your MBA" offer, the Knauss School hopes to attract people from a wide array of backgrounds, such as those with technology or military experience, who enrich the classroom dynamic.

The next application deadline for the Flex MBA is October 1, and applications officially open in the fall. Prospective students wishing to learn more about the "Jet Away to Your MBA" offer can schedule a consultation with an admission advisor.

Jet Away to Your MBA Offer Details: To qualify, participants must be accepted and enroll in the Flex MBA program at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business for the Spring 2027 term. Offer will be applied as a scholarship for up to a total of $7,200 for the entirety of the program. Participants must remain continuously enrolled throughout the course of the program to qualify.