Cheap Travel Tips That'll Save You BIG Money

Reduce the Cost of Spring Break and Other Travel Tips for Student

1. When making plans for spring break travel, keep in mind that some deals are too good to be true. Unscrupulous travel companies target students, because students like to travel and they don't always do their homework when buying travel services. Being the victim of a travel scam can be a serious financial setback, so check out the travel company thoroughly to make sure they're legit, get everything in writing, and read all the fine print.
2. If you're driving somewhere for the weekend or for a school break, let people know you'd be interested in sharing the ride. If several people chip in to cover the costs of gas, you'll all save money. Campuses usually have a common ride board where you can post your destination.
3. Make sure all details you've been told verbally are in writing, including the trip cancellation policy and what items are included free, such as meals. Don't assume anything, and don't count on anything that's not documented.
4. For those trips back home for the holidays or summer breaks, save money on airfare by comparing prices on an airfare search engine like www.sidestep.com or www.orbitz.com. To get the best deals, check back often for price updates.
5. Look for hidden fees on deals that claim to cover all your travel expenses. For example, many cruises that include "all fees" charge passengers when they dock in a foreign port. These types of hidden fees can add up enough to blow your budget.
6. Check out the travel company you use to make your spring break travel arrangements before you pay any money down. Call your local Better Business Bureau or use their website at www.bbb.org to check for complaints against the company.
7. To get decent rates on spring break travel, plan well in advance, especially if you're going to a hot spot like a tropical island during the peak season. Airlines typically set aside only a few seats on each flight at discounted rates, so if you don't book early, you may end up sitting next to someone who paid $150 for their seat and wondering why you paid $400 for yours.
8. Take advantage of airfare search engines to find the best prices on airfare for spring break and other travel. Besides services like Orbitz.com, CheapTickets.com, Travelocity.com, QIXO.com, CheapFares.com, Hotwire.com, and Expedia.com, there are those that cater only to students, such as Student Universe (www.studentuniverse.com), STA Travel (www.statravel.com), Student Traveler (www.studenttraveler.com), and Travelosophy (www.itravelosophy.com).
9. Before you enter a foreign country, make sure you know the laws that might affect you, like what substances are illegal, what the legal drinking age is, and so on. You don't want to be thrown into a Mexican prison, for example, and left there without any notification to family or friends.
10. Plan your trips back home well in advance so you can take advantage of the best available airfares. The best rates often require 21-, 14-, or 7-day advance booking, and they sell out fast.
11. Travel on off-peak days. Airfares are generally more expensive on Mondays and Fridays due to business travel on those days. Your best days for cheaper travel are Tuesday through Thursday and Friday night through Sunday morning. Plan accordingly to save money.
12. For cheaper airfares, plan to stay over a Saturday night. You'll save up to two-thirds off the standard price.
13. You can save money by booking flights last minute, but only do so when you're flexible about the travel days, because there's no guarantee you'll get a flight on a particular day. Check the airlines' websites regularly for notices of discounted last-minute fares, or use www.webflyer.com's "Deal Watch" feature.
14. It's cheaper to take a train than fly, and sometimes just as fast when all the shouting is over. Amtrak trains offer student discounts. Search your options online on the Amtrak website at www.amtrak.com.
15. Buses seem slow compared to flying, but when you factor in travel time to and from the airport, arriving two hours early for security check-in, stopovers in other cities, and possible delays, you may get there just as fast by bus if you're not traveling great distances. Greyhound offers discounts to students on many of its bus routes. Check them out at www.greyhound.com/student/index.asp.
16. Nonstop flights are sometimes more expensive than those with one stop on the way. Check out all the options for getting to your destination. A little flexibility could save you a lot of money.
17. Once you purchase an airline ticket, don't expect to get a refund if you change your mind. You can usually change the ticket for a different day or flight on the same airline for an administrative fee, usually around $100.
18. If you have to go home unexpectedly because of a death or serious illness in your family, ask the airline about their bereavement fares. You'll have to answer some detailed questions and may have to produce documentation, but you'll probably get a substantial discount.
19. Airlines routinely overbook flights to compensate for no-shows, and sometimes they have to ask for volunteers to take a different flight. They generally offer a financial incentive, like a free ticket or $100 off the price of an airfare. Let the stewardess know when you board that you'd be willing to be bumped if needed.
20. Fly or ride standby. Instead of having a guaranteed seat on the plane, train, or bus, you'll only get on if there's an available seat after all the people with reservations have been seated. Your ticket will be cheaper.
21. If you know you'll be using the train or bus regularly for trips home, buy a pass good for multiple trips. They usually have a lower cost per trip.
22. Opt for electronic airline tickets. There's nothing worse than getting stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve because you've lost your ticket. E-tickets give you peace of mind and prevent you from having to purchase a new ticket if you lose yours.
23. Sign up with airlines that service your hometown area to receive their email alerts about cheap tickets for unbooked seats. These tickets are usually available a few days before the flight at a steeply reduced price.
24. The worst time to travel is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Expect to pay more and encounter more hassles and delays. Seats during these times book early; so don't rely on last-minute deals if you want to get home for the holidays.
25. Be flexible about your flight times. Sure, it would be nice to depart and arrive in the daylight when you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They don't call a middle-of-the-night flight the "red-eye" for nothing, but you can save a significant amount of money by taking less popular flights (late at night or in the wee hours of the morning).
26. If your destination is within a couple of hours of several major airports, check the cost of flights to each one. You may find that a two-hour drive to get to a different airport will save you $100 or more.
27. Avoid purchasing airline tickets on weekends. Airlines update prices three times a day during the week and once a day on weekends in order to maximize their profits by filling flights. It's better for them to offer you a cheap seat when it looks like a flight won't fill than to have the plane fly with the seat empty. You'll have the best chance of getting a cheap flight if you buy right after an update.
28. When making travel arrangements, ask if your deposit is refundable. Don't settle for the salesperson's word--get it in writing.
29. Don't settle for vague descriptions like "major hotels" or "major airlines" when booking travel arrangements, especially to places outside the U.S. You may find yourself flying on a four-seat prop plane full of chickens and staying in a large tent on the beach. Get names, addresses, and phone numbers of all travel providers such as airlines and hotels, and call them to verify the details of your reservations.
30. If you're told that you've won a free vacation, ask if you have to buy something else in order to get it. Some scams offer "free" airfare but require you to buy expensive hotel accommodations. It ends up costing you more than it would have if you'd paid normal airfare and made your own lodging arrangements.
31. If your baggage is lost or damaged during your flight, the airline should reimburse you in some manner. Report the loss or damage to the baggage claim office. Insist on a form that you fill out and file with the airline before you leave the airport.
32. Make sure airfares are quoted with the return fare included. Many operators quote the one-way fare, hoping you won't notice the fine print. Also make sure the hotel that's included actually exists or you may find out that when they said you'd be staying at "The Dunes," you'd actually be camping out on the beach.
33. Anytime you make a deposit, whether it's a security deposit for an apartment or a deposit for a trip, there's a chance you won't get it back. Make sure you get all the stipulations surrounding the return of your deposit in writing, and get a written receipt.
34. College bowl games are fun and a popular outing for students, but they can be expensive. Limit your bowl trips to those in the immediate area where you attend school unless you can combine the game with a trip home or somewhere you need to go for other reasons. Most students use credit cards to pay for travel to bowl games, and because they don't have the money to pay the balance off quickly, they incur high interest costs on top of the trip expenses.