Adventure and student life often walk hand in hand, but both things have to be done on a budget, especially when it comes to flights for any student trip. Travel costs can cut a sizable chunk out of any spending money, so affordability is key.
Before researching and/or booking a student flight, it’s always worth checking out whether your status as a student may entitle you to additional discounts first. Along with a standard NUS card, there are two other student identity cards available which are internationally recognised; the International Student Exchange Card and the International Student Identity Card. Both of these cards work on similar principles and will offer a choice of discounts (including flights) through selected businesses in countries signed up to the scheme.
Booking the flight isn’t all about trawling the usual websites or travel agents though; there’s a growing list of companies whose core business lies in the student/youth travel market. One port of call should be the Student Air Travel Association, which has a global membership heavily involved in the student/youth travel market, and providing cheap/flexible flights for students.
Another option includes directly contacting a student travel specialist, and there are several popular ones to try, such as STA Travel. They offer cheap and student only rates flying across the world. Their airline partnerships mean their destination list includes countries within Asia, North America, South America, Latin America, and Europe, along with a special group booking service. Their additional services include general travel advice, accommodation booking, help while abroad, and the option to book organised tours/treks.
New experiences can also be the order of the day at Student Flights, the ten year old student/youth arm of Flight Centre Limited. The company operate online, and through branches in the UK, South Africa and Australia, which are staffed with student/youth travel specialists, who all have extensive travel knowledge to offer their customers. Just like STA Travel their flights cover both domestic and international routes and are ideal for all types of student trips, including work/study and gap year adventures.
Both these companies can also offer help in planning itineraries, booking accommodation and other travel arrangements for individuals and groups, though if you are a university or college looking to plan a residential study tour, operators such as Equity Travel are experts in this field of travel and can offer expert help.
It doesn’t matter what type of student trip you are planning though, the focus of any good flight deal in this market is that it’s cheap and flexible. Some may even have added benefits such as a choice of where you fly from and return to, refunds on unused parts of the ticket, and the ability to change flight times/dates when necessary with minimal cost. These benefits and more can be found through specialist student flight agents like those mentioned above, or you may find some suitable flights through general travel agents or by dealing direct with well-known airlines.
