USA Student Travel Discounts and Agencies

Students planning a spring break trip or a trip to see family and friends across the country can take advantage of several student travel discounts and promotional offers available from a student travel agent on campus. USA student travel discounts are readily available to eligible students year round, and can help students save a significant amount of money on trips to popular destinations including Chicago, New York, Boston and even Hawaii. Working with a student travel agent on campus offers several advantages over booking trips online or working with independent travel agents in the student's city.

What Are Student Travel Discounts?

USA student travel discounts are typically extended to students between the ages of 12 and 26 years of age. A student travel agent can determine an individual's eligibility for a student travel discount by reviewing the student's school ID and requesting confirmation of attendance at the college or university. Many travel companies, including Greyhound, Explorica and EFTours.com offer affordable student study tours and travel packages for students interested in educational travel, and leisure travel.

The most common types of student travel discounts available include:

  • Student airfares - discounted rates on airfares to certain cities and destinations. Student airfares are usually more flexible than regular tickets and may be coupled with a hotel package.
  • Train discounts - discounted rates on Amtrak and other trains traveling throughout the United States. Students are typically required to purchase a travel pass to obtain their discount.
  • Bus discounts - students who are taking the Greyhound or hopping on another bus can get a discounted rate with a travel card or discounted tickets.
  • Student accommodation discounts - some hotels, motels and hostels offer discounted rates on overnight accommodations and extended stay packages during certain times of the year. In some cases, a student only needs to show his or her student ID to get the discounted rate.

Working with a Student Travel Agent

Many colleges and universities around the United States have a student travel agency that work to book cheap student flights, hotels, hostel stays and packages. A student travel agent typically works directly with vendors and airlines, and they have access to a database of low fares and deals in any given season. Working with a student travel agent may be especially beneficial for students who are not used to booking travel on their own, have limited online searching skills, and those who would prefer to have their itineraries and arrangements coordinated for them.

Some of the key benefits of working with a student travel agent, instead of looking for student travel discounts on your own, include:

  • Unique flight and accommodation opportunities that are not published on most of the major travel sites
  • Options to include tours, expeditions and community service activities with the student travel package
  • Options for completing a traveler internship or educational requirements while traveling across the country
  • Deep discounts on common travel packages
  • Pre-arranged itineraries
  • Travel packages may include bus pickup and drop off to the nearest airport
  • Discounts on travel insurance
  • Discount cards for entertainment, shopping and other activities at the destination of choice
  • Quick and secure processing so that the student can focus on the trip, not the details of planning

Getting a Student Travel Discount for US Travel

Individuals interested in securing a student travel discount for US travel can find many great rates and deals by subscribing to services provided by the student travel agent on campus, visiting the student travel center, and by reviewing deals online. Some of the different types of student travel discounts available for US travel include:

  • Spring break deals - packages that include airfare, hotel stays and activities for students who are interested in taking a spring break vacation. Spring break deal may be released as early as the beginning of the year, and may include cruise packages and cross-country tours.
  • Group tour discounts - designed for students who plan to travel together as a group, this type of student travel discount is designed for students who want to enjoy a casual travel experience and the itinerary may include tours and group activities.
  • Backpacking packages - designed for students who want to go on a backpacking adventure with a group of students, these deals can include low-cost hostel stays, discounts on tent or RV camping, and reduced rates on certain activities at national parks and other destinations around the country.

Some hotels, motels, bus companies and airlines do offer a student discount for students who are booking travel without the assistance of a student travel agent. Anyone booking US student travel on their own may need to provide proof of their student status in order to be eligible for these discounts, and can find a number of deals online through third-party travel sites.