International Airline Tickets
Two years at STA Travel taught me a lot about airline tickets. Too often people buy the cheapest ticket available, which is not always the best. For someone doing a trip more than six weeks, and sometimes trips less than that, flexibility is a key factor in buying an airline ticket. A ticket may cost $20 more at the outset, but costs less to change down the road. I originally started working for STA Travel because I felt that they had one of the best airline tickets available, and after two years in the company and three years on the road, I still believe they do. So here it is:
STA Student Blue Ticket. What's different about this ticket from other airline tickets is that the ticket belongs to STA Travel, not the airline. This means that all rules governing changes, and refunds go through STA Travel, who is much nicer about these sort of things.
1. Date changes are about $25. You can change the date as many times as you like, including after your flight has left. This means if you miss your flight, you do not lose your ticket, simply pay the change fee and get the next available flight out.
2. Ticket is refundable. Either the whole ticket or partial. If you don't use it, you have two years to refund it. If you buy a round trip ticket and decide not to use the return, you can refund the unused portion. Again, you have two years to do this.
3. Lost tickets can be replaced. The STA Blue ticket is a ticket, not a e-ticket, so it can get lost. No worries, fill out a lost ticket form as soon as you lose it and STA will get a replacement ticket to you.
4. Route can be changed. If you decide you want to change more than the date of your return, but also the route (go back to a different place), that's not a problem. It will cost more than a simple date change, but it's fairly easily done.
These are the reasons that I prefer the STA Blue Ticket. I believe there is another student ticket on the market, but I know STA's best and they have the most offices and affiliates globally. To make changes to a ticket, you must go into an office. However, you can often call ahead and get the changes underway, and visit the office at a later date.
If you think that this is the best ticket for you then go buy one from STA. Make sure you are buying a Student Blue Ticket though, as STA sells many types of student tickets, the Blue is simply one type.
Now, these are student tickets. Before you protest that you're not a student, let me explain this further. For starters, anyone age 25 or under is considered a student. You are eligible for a International Youth card which is equivilent to an ISIC card. Second, if you're married to a student, you're eligible. Third, if you're a teacher, you're eligible for about half the student tickets. Finally, there is the little known Vagabond Clause which allows for career backpackers access to student fares. If you don't qualify for any of the others, email me for more information about the Vagabond Clause.
So, that's about it. Too many times I've seen people have issues changing they're tickets, forced to leave a place because they couldn't refund they're ticket, or other such problems. Blue tickets really are the most flexible ticket on the market, and for that reason I've always thought them the best.
STA Student Blue Ticket. What's different about this ticket from other airline tickets is that the ticket belongs to STA Travel, not the airline. This means that all rules governing changes, and refunds go through STA Travel, who is much nicer about these sort of things.
1. Date changes are about $25. You can change the date as many times as you like, including after your flight has left. This means if you miss your flight, you do not lose your ticket, simply pay the change fee and get the next available flight out.
2. Ticket is refundable. Either the whole ticket or partial. If you don't use it, you have two years to refund it. If you buy a round trip ticket and decide not to use the return, you can refund the unused portion. Again, you have two years to do this.
3. Lost tickets can be replaced. The STA Blue ticket is a ticket, not a e-ticket, so it can get lost. No worries, fill out a lost ticket form as soon as you lose it and STA will get a replacement ticket to you.
4. Route can be changed. If you decide you want to change more than the date of your return, but also the route (go back to a different place), that's not a problem. It will cost more than a simple date change, but it's fairly easily done.
These are the reasons that I prefer the STA Blue Ticket. I believe there is another student ticket on the market, but I know STA's best and they have the most offices and affiliates globally. To make changes to a ticket, you must go into an office. However, you can often call ahead and get the changes underway, and visit the office at a later date.
If you think that this is the best ticket for you then go buy one from STA. Make sure you are buying a Student Blue Ticket though, as STA sells many types of student tickets, the Blue is simply one type.
Now, these are student tickets. Before you protest that you're not a student, let me explain this further. For starters, anyone age 25 or under is considered a student. You are eligible for a International Youth card which is equivilent to an ISIC card. Second, if you're married to a student, you're eligible. Third, if you're a teacher, you're eligible for about half the student tickets. Finally, there is the little known Vagabond Clause which allows for career backpackers access to student fares. If you don't qualify for any of the others, email me for more information about the Vagabond Clause.
So, that's about it. Too many times I've seen people have issues changing they're tickets, forced to leave a place because they couldn't refund they're ticket, or other such problems. Blue tickets really are the most flexible ticket on the market, and for that reason I've always thought them the best.
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