If you have been searching for the best flight deals lately, you may have noticed airlines have increased fares for the summer. Don’t worry! ScholarTrip is here to help with helpful tips to get the most out of your trip.
Tip 1: Book a stopover to see an extra city for cheap
Love discovering new cities and countries? Many of our student fares allow for a free stopover, so instead of just changing planes, you can visit a city for a few days along the way to your final destination.
Here are some popular stopovers and airlines:
- Air France: Paris
- British Airways: London
- Emirates: Dubai, plus Milan or Athens (via NYC)
- Fiji Airways: Nadi
- Iberia: Madrid
- Icelandair: Reykjavik
- KLM: Amsterdam
- Qatar Airways: Doha
- Korean Airlines: Seoul
- Turkish Airlines: Istanbul
- Virgin Atlantic: London
Search for stopover trips online by selecting “Multi-city” or chat with a ScholarTrip representative for help.
tl/dr: Get the most from your ticket by booking a stopover in a city where you were going to change planes anyway. Use Multi-city or contact us to book.
Tip 2: Stay away from Basic Economy fares if you plan to bring luggage
Basic Economy fares can be a great way to save cash when booking a flight, but it can cost up to $125 (each way!) for a checked bag. Don’t let expensive bag fees ruin your budget. Compare Basic Economy checked bag fees with the cost of upgrading to a fare that comes with a free checked bag when searching flight options. You may discover that spending a little extra on a regular economy fare today will save you a lot at the airport.
tl/dr: Compare Basic Economy checked bag fees with the cost of upgrading to a fare that comes with a free checked bag.
Tip 3: Avoid Basic Economy fares if your travel plans may change
Bag fees aren’t the only reason you may want to skip Basic Economy fares. Some of these discounted rates don’t allow any changes to travel plans at all, while others have airline-imposed change fees of $200-$400 (plus any difference in fare). If there is any chance you may need to change your trip for any reason, it is best to avoid basic economy so you don’t get stuck abroad with a ticket you can’t use. Be sure to read the terms & conditions before purchasing your ticket.
tl/dr: Basic Economy fares don’t always allow for ticket changes, or have very high change fees. Book regular economy fares if your plans may change.
Tip 4: Verify your student status before searching flights
You may have noticed that some of our cheapest prices may not show the specific airline name and exact flight times. This is because a few of our airline partners want us to show their student discounts to verified students only. Create an account and register as a student to get access to these great fares. It only takes a few minutes and can save you a lot of money.
tl/dr: Sign up and verify your student status to see our cheapest fares on airlines like Delta, American and United.
