Booking Travel: Advice for GO Long/GO Your Way
Student Universe – this site allows you to buy directly on site, have travel agents to assist you - https://www.studentuniverse.com/
Skyscanner – checks multiple travel sites for the best deal to purchase tickets - https://www.skyscanner.com/
Don't be afraid to check out websites for specific airlines, whether you have a loyalty to American Airlines, or good experiences with Delta Airlines. Direct site buying can also have some deals, but also allows for more direct communication with customer service.
Look into your host country's national/international airlines as well.
- The housing dates are when you are able to move into your selected housing and how long you are able to stay in that housing, the program start and end dates are the dates when you are expected to be on site and when the program expects students to be leaving. Orientation is a mandatory event for programs that is their own country/culture specific safety program and the start of the integration process for students in country.
- Most program start and end dates usually range around the housing dates and when orientation will be taking place.
Additional tips:
•Be open to the options that are available when selecting flights. Whether or not you are okay with staying in a hostel/air b&b/or hotel days prior to moving in or are willing to depart from a different airport for a direct flight or quicker flight route.
•Pay attention to any possible layovers you may have during your travels.
•Depending on where you book from or the airline itself, pay attention to the baggage you are allowed to have. Some airlines allow up to 2 checked bags without an extra fee, but some also charge for checked bags. There are also weight limits for checked bags, this depends on the airline, but 50 pounds is the most common. Carry-on and personal items are allowed in the cabin. Carry-on items are limited by size and must fit within given dimensions from the airline, the carry-on can be a suitcase of the specified size, duffle bag, or backpack. The personal item is usually not checked by size or weight, these can be a duffle back, backpack, or purse.
•"Personally, I use a carry-on sized suitcase as my carry-on specified item, and a backpack as my personal item."
•Choosing cheaper seats on shorter flights helps to cut a bit off of the total cost for the overall travel expenses.•Once you are aware of your program start and end start searching for flights.
•Research/look up the weather in your arrival destinations to dress accordingly.
•"I wore a t-shirt and cardigan in place of a sweater/sweatshirt for my flight, and didn't realize it was going to be 32°F when I landed at the airport."
We recommend at least 2 hours for international layovers since you will need to go through customs/immigration and then security.
If you have left the airport, we recommend returning 2-3 hours before the flight's departure, in order to go through security.