As college students prepare to return home for the winter holidays, many are facing the challenge of affording flights. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, airline fares were up 4.1% in October 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. However, students and young adults may be in luck. Amazon has partnered with StudentUniverse, an online travel agency specializing in discount student and young adult travel, to offer Prime Young Adult members a limited number of $25 flights to and from home this holiday season.
The promotion, which runs from Dec. 9 to Dec. 13, 2024, with 1,000 tickets made available each day, offers a discount rate of up to $500 off the current retail value of a round-trip ticket. The discounted tickets can be used for travel between December and early January. To snag one of the 5,000 available $25 flight tickets, Prime Young Adult members can book through StudentUniverse between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. PST.
If you’re not lucky enough to take advantage of this limited-time offer, there are still ways to save on your flights. According to Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at flight deal subscription service Going, using flight search aggregators and deal websites, such as Google Flights, can be extremely helpful. These websites offer calendars that allow users to simultaneously compare prices between many dates and track price drops on certain flights.
Additionally, students can use flight search engines to track prices and protect their tickets. For example, Expedia’s Price Drop Protection add-on monitors the price of a flight from purchase to takeoff and automatically refunds the difference between what was paid and the lowest fare. Capital One Travel also offers a similar feature for certain flights, which can be especially helpful for students who book flights well in advance and may face price drops.
Another option is to use points and miles earned on a credit card to book holiday travel. Keyes recommends using points to book flights, especially during the holiday season when prices are higher. Some student credit cards, such as the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, offer generous welcome bonuses and valuable cash-back rewards that can help cover flights.
Finally, students with flexible travel dates can save by being flexible on departure and return dates, as well as airports. Keyes and Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report recommend that morning flights have a lower chance of being delayed or canceled, and may sometimes be cheaper. By being flexible, students can save significantly.