Everyone dreams of traveling the world, but while everyone dreams of traveling, many do not because of one thing: cost. Especially for college students, for whom money is a very limited resource, traveling can be difficult. Traveling takes time away from more profitable activities such as work, and traveling is inherently expensive. Airline tickets, gas and even snacks cost money. However, with a few of these tips, even you can have the trip of a lifetime — without breaking the bank.
My number one tip on saving money comes with choosing the right airline. Price shopping is important, and in my experience, there is always a low cost leader.
US Domestic travel
If you dream of visiting anywhere in this beautiful country, and don’t have the time or resources to road trip for days on end, you most likely are considering flying. In my personal experience, there is one airline that stands out in value: Southwest Airlines. Even Wikipedia lists Southwest as “the world’s largest low-cost carrier” and for good reason. Southwest only owns one model of airplane, the Boeing 737, and this business model allows them to cut down on costs associated in maintaining multiple types of aircraft. This, along with their strategic targeting, translates to lower prices for their customers. As an added benefit, Southwest is one of the few airlines that still provide free checked baggage, something I personally sincerely appreciate. By pricing a flight from my local Reno Tahoe airport to Los Angeles International Airport for one way flights in January 2017, the lowest price was $129.
International travel
With a vision statement of "Affordable fares for all", Norwegian Airlines strives hold down costs by providing basic services at competitive pricing, and then allowing customers to customize their flight with various (more expensive) add-ons. One benefit of Norwegian airlines is the ‘Low-Fare Calendar’. If your travel dates are flexible (and if there’s one thing college students have, it’s time right?) you can save literally hundreds of dollars. For example, I priced one-way flights from Los Angeles International Airport to London-Gatwick airport in January 2017, just in time for winter break. On January 2nd, flights were advertised as $510.90, however just one day later, the price went down to $393.90, and one week later, $294.90. Careful planning and price shopping are most definitely your friends when traveling.
European Travel
If you are willing to have an adventure in bare minimum customer service, RyanAir is your airline. On their website, potential customers can find flights based on price, with many being less than £25 (Approximately US$36.14) depending on your destination. I found one such flight from London Stansted Airport to Sofia Airport in Bulgaria, one-way, advertised for £9.99 (Approximately US$14.44). To achieve these incredibly low prices, many of RyanAir’s strategies for cutting costs seem drastic; such as the idea of ‘Stand room only’ cabins for shorter flights. Thankfully, the more outrageous claims have served mostly as PR stunts, not as company practice. However, RyanAir current does charge £40 (approximately US$57.82) for printing out boarding passes. If you do decide to fly RyanAir while in Europe, read the fine print very carefully; it may cost you.
Of course these are just my personal recommendations. A savvy traveler will do price comparison through a variety of sources to find the best value.
General tips
1. Plan for your trip as early as possible. The father away from your flight, the cheaper you can find airline tickets. Besides, it gives you more time to shop around, and get excited for your adventure.
2. Compare one round trip flight with two one-way flights. I have found that the total of two one way flights can actually be significantly less than a round trip. You’ll notice that all my example pricing has been one way (hint hint).
3. Compare prices at different airports. You may find that larger airports have lower prices on certain flights. A four-hour road trip to San Francisco might be worth the saving, especially if you can convince a friend to tag along and spilt the gas and the fun.
4. Don’t check baggage. Baggage usually costs extra, and definitely takes extra time in checking and in baggage claim. You can survive with just a carry on and personal item. Check your airline’s maximum sizes and us all the space you can. Even if you can’t carry a lot, there are clothes and laundry facilities in other countries too.
These are some basic tips on how to make your travel dreams a reality. We truly are only young once, and a week or two in a foreign country can be more of an education than a semester at home. If anything, it can be a lot of fun just to price and plan out what you could do, and it makes for great practice for when you finally do have saved up.
