Fly Cheaply as a Student
College students are often strapped for cash. With tuition, room and board, and student loans always looming overhead, a plane ticket may seem out of reach for many students. Luckily, there are a number of ways for students to fly cheaply to their destinations. Student discounts and bargain airfare are readily available online and cater to young adults currently enrolled in college.
Instructions
1. Be flexible. If you want to find the cheapest flights, you have to be flexible with your travel schedule. Traveling on weekdays, on red-eye flights, or in the off-season will give you the best pricing. Another option is to fly standby. Airtran has a standby program for people between 18 and 22 years of age (you don't have to be a student to use it).
2. Get an ISIC card. The International Student Identity Card provides airfare discounts for students at accredited universities. The card also gives thousands of discounts for rail tickets, bus fare, hostels and hotels, and museums. You will need a photocopy of your student ID, a passport picture of yourself, and about $25 to apply (see Resources).
3. Search for flights on student travel websites. Sites like STA Travel and Student Universe specifically cater to college students looking for cheap airfare. Type in your travel criteria to compare prices for your trip. Make sure you have your student email address handy, since you will need to verify that you are a student.
4. Compare pricing on travel sites. Although student travel websites can offer you discounted fare, you may find cheaper flights if you keep shopping around. Check out airfare costs via travel search engines like Expedia and Travelocity. Search widely to find the best price for your trip.
5. Consider flying into less crowded, less busy airports. Airfare to smaller airports can be cheaper than flying into a major hub. For instance, if you are looking for airfare to Miami, be sure to research flights to Ft. Lauderdale too, which is only an hour's drive away. The only downside? Finding transportation from a smaller airport to your final destination.
Tags: Cheaply Student, flying into, student travel, student travel websites, travel websites