Summary

• Ryanair partners with ESN to offer 10% discounts on one-way flights and free checked baggage for certain students.
• Singapore Airlines provides 10% discounts, free baggage, and up to 40 kg allowance for student travelers.
• Air India increases US flights for Indian students and offers a 50% discount for students flying within India, making air travel more accessible.

University students generally find a lot more time to travel than working people. However, with less money and limited resources, air travel can be a bit of a challenge. Some airlines with a global reach provide student discounts on airfare, particularly those facilitating student-abroad programs. A typical 10-20% break on the hefty airfare can be a significant plus for university students.

This article explores some examples of airlines that provide student discounts on airfares and an additional perk or two for them.

Ryanair's Erasmus partnership

The Erasmus Programme has made study abroad possible for EU students since 1987. I am among the millions of students lucky to have used the scheme. Erasmus allows students to study at a foreign university while receiving financial assistance through a grant to cover certain living costs.

Being a low-cost carrier with an extensive European network, Ryanair is vital in transporting participating students across the continent. As such, the Irish budget airline partnered with the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in 2017. In 2022, Simple Flying reported that 600,000 students had used the low-cost giant's Erasmus partnership thus far.

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The ESN states that:

"The Erasmus Generation is a generation of Europeans that are perennially curious, open-minded and full of wanderlust. This is made possible not only through the success of the European project and initiatives such as Schengen and Erasmus+, but also thanks to companies like Ryanair, without which it would be much harder to travel around Europe."

The partnership allows participating students to receive a 10% discount on up to four one-way flights during their year abroad. This can alternatively be applied to two round trips. Furthermore, they can check for a 20kg bag free of charge. These perks are only valid between September and June of the academic year in question, despite countries like Germany's terms running until July.

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Singapore Airlines

Full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines also offer certain perks to student travelers. These are available to members of its KrisFlyer loyalty program who have verified their student status at an eligible university. Like Ryanair, Singapore Airlines also offers free baggage to students. Participating passengers get a generous free allowance of 40 kg or three bags if traveling to the US.

Singapore Airlines' student offer also sees travelers receive a 10% discount. This is valid for a stay abroad up to 12 months long. The discount applies to Lite, Value, or Standard economy fares and tickets in premium economy.

Air India

Air India is another carrier that considers the needs of students at an operational level. For example, last summer, it boosted its US schedule in preparation for a high volume of Indian students flying back to North American university cities. The carrier provided a 50% discount for those studying within India, giving them cheaper flights between their hometown and place of study.

The best discount of all?

Ryanair, Singapore Airlines, and Air India are three examples of airlines making air travel more affordable for students. However, there are some instances in which students have been offered flights that are not just discounted but completely free!

Ultra-low-cost operator Frontier Airlines implemented such an offer for students at one point. Admittedly, these were only available for a limited period (March-May 2020), but it was still an admirable gesture from the all-Airbus carrier.

Frontier put the deal into action at a critical student travel time, encompassing Easter and spring break. The carrier made the offer available on routes to nearly 100 destinations, helping students all over the country to travel home for free. It will be interesting to see if such a move is ever repeated.

Have you ever taken advantage of these offers? Perhaps you've flown with other carriers that have similar schemes in place for students? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.