Chicago to Las Vegas: $350
New York to London: $800
Dallas to Los Angeles: $295
I don’t know about you, but those numbers do not look so pretty. With fuel prices on the rise, flying can be an expensive hobby these days. If you’re addicted to traveling like myself or looking to buy your spring study abroad ticket, then finding cheap flights can be like a full-time job. While ticket prices will probably never look the same as they did five years ago, there are still some tools you can use to get a great deal.
First and foremost, I swear by Student Universe. This site offers great deals on flights, hotels and hostels only available to students with a valid “.edu” email address. When I studied abroad I found a round-trip flight from Chicago to London for $450! I wouldn’t expect those kinds of prices in July, but if you buy in January like I did, then you can also find a mind-blowing deal.
A similar website specifically for students is STA Travel, though in my experience, the rates have always been lower on Student Universe. The number one rule of budget travelling is to search for deals everywhere. You never know which site will have the best price for you, and with American Airlines recently pulling their flights from Orbitz, it’s even more important to use several tools to book your next flight.
Other ways to score great travel deals:
- Airfarewatchdog: Sign up for email alerts on low fares from your city, secret-sales, and upcoming offers.
- Priceline: Feeling risky? Participate in their reverse bid system to name your own price!
- Southwest Airlines: Doing a search on Orbitz won’t always give you the best deal. Southwest only lists their fares on Southwest.com, so make sure to check there for domestic flights.
- Follow airlines for Twitter-only specials. @JetBlueCheeps, @AmericanAir, @SouthwestAir, @VirginAmerica, etc!
- Call a travel agent for even better deals over the phone.