There's a whole world out there, and you may well be excited to explore it. First, though, you have some preparation to do. Booking flights abroad might seem difficult, but when you take the process step by step, it will begin to feel more easy. To help, we have put together a comprehensive guide to cheap student flights, explaining everything from take-off to landing and the bits before and after.
Use these links to skip ahead:
- Searching and booking flights
- Before departure
- Packing
- Tips for a long flight
- Explore your new surroundings
- Preparing for return
1) Searching and booking flights
When planning your trip abroad, it is crucial to allow yourself enough time to compare flights and find the best deals with online search tools. Here is a list of tips and suggestions for how to get the best price on flights:
- Start searching 60-90 days in advance as prices tend to increase after this time. If you leave booking until the last minute, you could pay significantly more than you would have if you had planned ahead.
- Adjust your departure and arrival dates using search tools with flexible booking functions. These allow you to compare flights a number of days before and after the ones you put in the search box. Generally, flights departing on Tuesday and Wednesday tend to be least expensive, flights departing on Friday and Sunday tend to be most expensive, and flights departing on Monday, Thursday and Saturday are in the middle.
- Be flexible about your departure and arrival times as you will often find cheaper flights in the early morning, late evening or overnight.
- Flying during the holidays can be tricky, but one way to get cheap student flights is to fly on the holiday itself. Flying on Thanksgiving or Christmas rather than the few days before could save you a lot of money.
- If you don’t have much time to compare flights for your trip, you can often sign up for fare alerts that will let you know when prices drop. With these, you are able to set your desired travel period and destinations and will receive an email when the cheapest airline tickets become available.
2) Before departure
You can never be completely prepared for all that awaits you in a new country, but planning ahead will still help. Check out these tips to get you as ready as possible.
- Obtain or update your passport and make sure all your paperwork is in order.
- Keep up to date with the currency exchange rate – you might be surprised at how much you’re really going to spend.
- Watch the news for any updates that relate to where you are going.
- Have your paperwork and itinerary on hand at the airport and during your trip.
- Let multiple people know where you are arriving and where you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
3) Packing
You’ve made it through the early stages of planning, bought your tickets, and found your accommodation. But what will you bring?
If you are studying abroad, you’ll probably want to take all your prized possessions with you, but heavy and multiple bags mean more fees. Just as if you are travelling for a holiday, it's usually best to pack light, and shop for essentials once you arrive.
Once you’ve identified the most important items to take with you, it’s time to start packing. Try these tips to make the process as successful as possible:
- Place the heaviest items at the bottom of your suitcase – for example, shoes, books and clothing.
- Roll up your clothes into compact pieces instead of folding them. This will maximise space and help you better organise your suitcases.
- Stuff socks and underwear into the shoes you pack, which should go in the side pockets of the bag to save room.
- Wear layers when you travel to reduce what needs to be packed.
- Use a scale to weigh your bags before you leave for the airport.
- Arrange to have items shipped to your destination if they cannot be taken on your flight.
- Keep immediately important items in a carry-on bag – such as medication, money, travel documents and keys.
No matter what, the key is to pack light.
4) Tips for a long flight
Whether it’s your first time flying, or you’re familiar with the journey, venturing to another country can involve physically and mentally exhausting effort. To help ease the hardships of a long student flight and make your journey as comfortable as possible, try the tips below.
What to pack
- Travel-size bottle of hand sanitiser
- Refreshing face mist
- Empty water bottle to fill once past security
- Snacks with high protein and low salt
- Fuzzy socks or slippers
- Neck roll pillow
- Eye mask and earplugs
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Laptop or tablet and portable charger
- Pen for customs forms
What to wear
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Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes
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Shoes you can slip off easily
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Large scarf that can double as a blanket
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Loose socks, to avoid restricting circulation
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Layers, to be ready for changes in climate and in-flight temperature
How to prepare
- Make a playlist of songs that will help you fall asleep
- Adjust your sleep pattern in the days before leaving to be closer to your destination time zone
- Fully charge all of your electronic devices
- Take vitamin supplements to boost your immune system
- Eat a healthy meal before your flight
What to do on the plane
- If possible, choose a seat at the front or rear of your section for more leg room
- Boost circulation by getting up and walking frequently
- Use hand sanitiser to clean your seat area
- Drink plenty of water regularly and avoid caffeinated beverages to prevent dehydration
What to do after your flight
- Drink more water to rehydrate
- Walk outdoors to stretch, aid circulation, and get fresh air
5) Explore your new surroundings
You might be in your new country for a year, a semester, or a brief holiday. However much time you have, you'll want to make the most of it. To make sure you do, here are a few recommendations.
Take out travel insurance
You never know what could happen when you travel abroad, so it's important to protect yourself. Travel insurance provides an extremely good way of doing this, and should give you peace of mind. It can help you with incidents before, during and after your trip, no matter how big or small. Additionally, medical insurance may be a necessity.
Join a package tour
Group tours take the stress out of planning student travel as your itinerary is pre-organised by expert local guides, with many including both food and lodging. They are a great option for adventurous students who want an on-the-go and active trip, as well as ones who just want to experience somewhere new. Getting to know like-minded travellers who you would not otherwise have met is guaranteed, and a big bonus.
Try new activities
There will be fun new things to do wherever you go in the world, and they may often come with a student discount. From city tours to zip lining, the possibilities are endless – but it helps to plan ahead. Pre-purchasing your tickets can get you reduced rates, and ensures that you won't miss out.
Think about how you will travel around
Transport systems differ around the world, so it is wise to research the ones you will be using in advance. Major cities tend to have the best public transport networks, but their prices and extent will vary widely. For an initial overview, read our guide to travelling around top study destinations.
6) Preparing for return
So you have just had a great time in a new country. You mastered the language, immersed yourself in the culture, saw some amazing sights, and gained a whole new perspective on yourself and the world.
Now that your experience is coming to an end, you are due to fly back home, and are excited to see your loved ones after all that time apart. You look the various souvenirs and objects you’ve collected since you arrived. How will you ever fit all of this into your luggage? Well, this advice may help:
Start planning
Packing takes planning and time, so don’t start two hours before you get on the plane. You will most likely pack and repack until you are satisfied before having your bulging baggage closed, zipped up and ready to go. Give yourself at least a day to start placing things into suitcases and give yourself a few more days before that to throw out items, clean up your room or apartment, and decide how to fit everything into your bags.
Fortunately, packing for your return is much easier than when you initially departed. Unless you have acquired a lot of new items, you probably won't have as many things to deliberate over taking with you. If necessary, you may be able to leave some of your items at a storage unit or your university, providing you are due to come back. Do this if you are unsure about how you will meet your airline's luggage restrictions. They will slap you with hefty fees for going over their weight limit.
Advice on packing
First of all, decide what to leave behind: it is advisable to leave items such as shampoo, soap and other toiletries. They take up unnecessary space in your bags and can most likely be purchased when you get home. Ultimately, whether it be that, or worn-out shoes, don’t hold on to anything that isn't essential.
For more advice on packing, refer to “3: Packing” for reminders on how to maximise space in your suitcase, where to place each item, and what to do if something can’t fit.
Ready to go? There might just be time for a little more reading to get things right. For more tips on taking that big step into another country, read through our ultimate study abroad preparation checklist.
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