Last Minute Student Standby With Airtran U
Wednesday November 25, 2009
Trying to get around over the holidays at the last minute, and last minute airfares are bringing you down? That's partly because last minute airfare's always spendy, but partly because Thanksgiving week is what's called a peak air travel time and airfares do peak accordingly. If you can leave on Thanksgiving Thursday, you've an awesome option:
standby -- absolutely worth a shot with Airtran U, Airtran's student-only standby airfares for flyers 18-22 years old. $69 one way tickets to or from most cities the eastern airline serves and $99 to or from a handful of its "long haul" routes (like Seattle), but fares are blacked out Saturday and Sunday (consider catching a bus or Amtrak back -- you can get student discounts).
Learn more:
standby -- absolutely worth a shot with Airtran U, Airtran's student-only standby airfares for flyers 18-22 years old. $69 one way tickets to or from most cities the eastern airline serves and $99 to or from a handful of its "long haul" routes (like Seattle), but fares are blacked out Saturday and Sunday (consider catching a bus or Amtrak back -- you can get student discounts).
Learn more:
- Airtran U Standby Tickets (find an Airtran route map, too)
Last Minute Student Travel Discounts on Greyhound
Wednesday November 25, 2009
Has the week wandered by and your need to travel for Thanksgiving travel is suddenly imminent and you're not home yet? Or need to travel to a friend's place for a ride to Mom's? No worries-- know you've got an option other than last minute air: go over the river and through the woods with a Greyhound bus student travel discount, using the Student Advantage card. You don't need the actual card if you have to buy *and* travel the same day (like Thanksgiving day) -- just order and get the card number. And the card will be handy for other discounts when you do have it in hand.
- Greyhound Bus Discounts for Students -- Read up on how to get Greyhound bus student discounts and a Student Advantage card, find Greyhound bus schedules, and get bus riding tips.
- About Student Advantage Cards
Thanksgiving Travel Planning - AAA Forecasts Air Downturn
Tuesday November 24, 2009
Thanksgiving week travel may continue to be a bit easier (but probably not cheaper, though student airfares are fairly reasonable) than usual this year: AAA recently reported that results of its now-annual Global Insight survey forecast that 38.4 million folks
will be on the roads, airways and rails this Thanksgiving weekend, a very small increase of 1.4 percent (just above 548,000 travelers) over 2008. And 2008 was down 25.2 percent over 2007. Easy enough to conclude that airports, anyway, won't be horribly crowded this year.
Thursday (Thanksgiving day) will be the cheapest day to fly, but air travel's not the only way to go. Learn more:
More on Thanksgiving travel:
Related reading: Christmas Travel Planning | Finding Student Airfares | Student Airfare Deals This Week | How to Get Student Travel Discounts
Photo © Getty Images / Ezra Shaw | Student Travel blog home | Share on Facebook |
will be on the roads, airways and rails this Thanksgiving weekend, a very small increase of 1.4 percent (just above 548,000 travelers) over 2008. And 2008 was down 25.2 percent over 2007. Easy enough to conclude that airports, anyway, won't be horribly crowded this year.
Thursday (Thanksgiving day) will be the cheapest day to fly, but air travel's not the only way to go. Learn more:
More on Thanksgiving travel:
Related reading: Christmas Travel Planning | Finding Student Airfares | Student Airfare Deals This Week | How to Get Student Travel Discounts
Photo © Getty Images / Ezra Shaw | Student Travel blog home | Share on Facebook |
Top 5 Money Saving Road Trip Tips
Monday November 23, 2009
Hitting the road home for Thanksgiving? Know that food and lodging are the biggest road trip travel budget busters, followed by unintentionally guzzling (spendy) gas... and they can all totally be avoided. 
Learn how to save money on road trips with budget food and snacks (and we're not just talking packing some turkey sammies) and get the top gas-saving tips, too:
Related: Road Trip Planning 101 | American Road Food | US Road Atlases | Road Trip Photos: Impressions of the Road From States Less Traveled | Road Trip Wonders: West Virginia
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Learn how to save money on road trips with budget food and snacks (and we're not just talking packing some turkey sammies) and get the top gas-saving tips, too:
Related: Road Trip Planning 101 | American Road Food | US Road Atlases | Road Trip Photos: Impressions of the Road From States Less Traveled | Road Trip Wonders: West Virginia
Student Travel blog home | Share on Facebook |
Thanksgiving in the UK
Friday November 20, 2009
An interesting thing you may discover when traveling in English-speaking countries: you may, unconsciously or not, expect things to be sort of... American-ish. Ridding ourselves of that expectation will enhance travel experiences roughly 100%, but if you're finding out you're truly homesick, and you're in the UK now, you're in luck: tuck into turkey and the trimmings (and then some, in some cases) at a goodish number of American-ish eateries (and expat meet-ups) in the British Isles. Learn more from About.com's UK travel expert, Ferne Arfin:
Related Holiday Travel Reading: Christmas Travel Planning | Finding Holiday Student Travel Discounts | Christams Worldwide for Travelers | International New Years's Eve Parties
Related UK Travel Reading: UK Student Travel | UK Transportation | Student Work in the UK
Start your UK travel in London: London Student Travel Guide 101 | Top Free Things to Do in London | How to Use the London Tube | Top London Hostels
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Buy Airfare Today for Thanksgiving Day Travel
Thursday November 19, 2009
Today's the day to buy airfare for travel on Thanksgiving day itself, which is a week from today (today being November 19, and Thanksgiving being November 26) -- which ain't a bad day to travel at all -- and buying one week in advance may find you the fairest fare. Cons to Thanksgiving travel: you may miss pre-feast prep and its concurrent companionable fam time (and get stuck with the dishes in a fam-approved amend for your
early-day absence). Pros to Thanksgiving travel: you'll encounter a semi-deserted airport (meaning easy travel) and find cheaper tickets than any other day of the holiday week. But... buy today, or possibly miss your piece of the pie.
Easy as pie to compare and grab a Thanksgiving day airfare:
Related Reading: Thanksgiving Travel Planning Tools | Finding Holiday Student Airfares
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early-day absence). Pros to Thanksgiving travel: you'll encounter a semi-deserted airport (meaning easy travel) and find cheaper tickets than any other day of the holiday week. But... buy today, or possibly miss your piece of the pie.
Easy as pie to compare and grab a Thanksgiving day airfare:
Related Reading: Thanksgiving Travel Planning Tools | Finding Holiday Student Airfares
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Amtrak
Monday November 16, 2009
'Tis the season to think about US travel and student discounts, and Amtrak offers 'em -- students can ride US rails at 15% off with an ISIC card. 
With airport security rules ruling US air hassle, frazzled travelers may welcome a chance to pack without worry and enjoy the view on a train trip. Learn more:
Amtrak's routes can be lacking, but the ride rocks. I rode coast to coast on the train last year -- check out the resulting Amtrak photos for train travel information:
With airport security rules ruling US air hassle, frazzled travelers may welcome a chance to pack without worry and enjoy the view on a train trip. Learn more:
Amtrak's routes can be lacking, but the ride rocks. I rode coast to coast on the train last year -- check out the resulting Amtrak photos for train travel information:
- Amtrak Photos (scroll under pictures to read train travel tips)
Eurail ISIC Sale: Two Free Train Travel Days
Friday November 13, 2009
Got a valid ISIC (International Student Identity Card)? Or willing to get one? Do it, and get a plethora of penny pinching deals, including the latest Eurail special: 
buy a Eurail Global 21 day pass by December 31, 2009, and get two additional days free. Yep: that 21 day pass becomes a 23 day pass. Find out more:
buy a Eurail Global 21 day pass by December 31, 2009, and get two additional days free. Yep: that 21 day pass becomes a 23 day pass. Find out more:
- About the ISIC / Eurail Pass Special Details
- Go Directly to Rail Europe (click "Book Your Eurail Pass Now" under "A textbook example of appreciation")
- What's a Global Pass?
- How Travel Days on a Eurail Pass Work
Transitions Abroad Student Travel Writing Contest
Tuesday November 10, 2009
Want to write some words of encouragement to potential student travelers and wrangle $500 while you're at it? Win the annual Transitions Abroad writing contest, open to students at several enrollment levels, by entering an essay of 1000-3000 words 
about your experience with study abroad, internships, volunteering, or short-term work abroad, and the money plus some well-deserved acclaim will be yours. Second place winners net $150, third place $100, runners-up $50 and all winners will be published in the April TAzine, Transitions Abroad's study abroad and educational travel webzine, or featured on the very excellent Transitions Abroad website.
See last year's winning writings for inspiration, enter by March 1, 2010 with a work centering around "Transitions," and good luck!
Related reading: Other Student Travel Contests | Paying for Student Travel
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about your experience with study abroad, internships, volunteering, or short-term work abroad, and the money plus some well-deserved acclaim will be yours. Second place winners net $150, third place $100, runners-up $50 and all winners will be published in the April TAzine, Transitions Abroad's study abroad and educational travel webzine, or featured on the very excellent Transitions Abroad website.
See last year's winning writings for inspiration, enter by March 1, 2010 with a work centering around "Transitions," and good luck!
Related reading: Other Student Travel Contests | Paying for Student Travel
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Blog Carnival: Christmas Markets
Saturday November 7, 2009
Christmas markets are a wonderful holiday tradition dating from the 14th century and originating in Germany, which is still home to the world's best (and, of course, oldest) European Christmas markets;
the festive fun, shopping, caroling and consumption can be found in communities across Europe and even the USA today, and kicks off around the end of November. About.com's European, UK and US Guides have assembled an awesome list of where to sample seasonal sweets and cider, buy nutcrackers and crafts, and generally enjoy good cheer on a December winter's eve:
See All 17 Recent About.com Travel Blog Carnivals
Related reading: Christmas Around the World for Travelers | Blog Carnival: Fall Foliage Journeys | Blog Carnival: Oktoberfest Around the World | National Park Adventures: An Adventure Travel Blog Carnival | Blog Carnival: Train Travel Worldwide | Blog Carnival: New Seven Wonders of Nature | Weird and Wacky Festivals Worldwide | Ancient Sites Around the World Blog Carnival | Adrenalin-Charged Blog Carnival
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the festive fun, shopping, caroling and consumption can be found in communities across Europe and even the USA today, and kicks off around the end of November. About.com's European, UK and US Guides have assembled an awesome list of where to sample seasonal sweets and cider, buy nutcrackers and crafts, and generally enjoy good cheer on a December winter's eve:
See All 17 Recent About.com Travel Blog Carnivals
Related reading: Christmas Around the World for Travelers | Blog Carnival: Fall Foliage Journeys | Blog Carnival: Oktoberfest Around the World | National Park Adventures: An Adventure Travel Blog Carnival | Blog Carnival: Train Travel Worldwide | Blog Carnival: New Seven Wonders of Nature | Weird and Wacky Festivals Worldwide | Ancient Sites Around the World Blog Carnival | Adrenalin-Charged Blog Carnival
Student Travel blog home | Share on Facebook |