Booking a Budget Student Flight

Planning Your Trip & Budget - First things first, you need to sit down with a pen and paper and decide on your trip plan and budget. Knowing when and where you will be travelling will make you better prepared to do your research. Consider waiting times if you are going to be using connecting flights. If you are willing to spend a bit of time waiting at an airport you may be able to get much cheaper flights than if you try and fly direct. Also consider the times of your flights. Try and plan your flight schedule to give yourself as much time at your destination as possible.

Research - Once you have worked out an approximate schedule for your trip and know how much you can afford to spend on flights, then you’re ready to do some research. The Internet is a great place to find the cheapest flights from various airlines. Most major airports will be served by more than one carrier, so go to the airport website to find information on the carriers operating from the airport. Using a travel agency may be easier but they will usually attach a fee. By doing some simple research online yourself you could save on travel agency fees.

Booking Online - Booking online these days is simple. Always make sure you use a site you trust and try and do a bit of research to see what other people are saying. When giving credit card details make sure the site uses secure connections. This means all the information you send over the site will be encrypted and cannot be accessed by hackers.

Other Tips on Budget Flights

Book early! Trying to book a flight just a few days before your departure can mean a much more expensive ticket.

Using buses between airports may be much cheaper than buying a ticket for a connecting flight.

Try to avoid flying around the time of holidays in your own country and the destination you are visiting. The prices are likely to be higher and the flights fuller.

Make sure to check if there are any charges for baggage. You may be charged additional fees which could add a lot onto the price of the ticket.

Buying tickets for flights very early in the morning is often a much cheaper option.

Be sure to check whether there are charges associated with changing dates and times of your ticket. Some budget flight tickets may be less flexible than full-price fares.

Some budget flights may charge for food and drinks on board. If you are trying to save money rather pack before the flight.