Family of Sites 
SRAS is not in the business of selling plane tickets, with the exception of group educational tours and domestic flights not available for purchase outside of our program host countries. We do, however, continuously monitor flight pricing and travel logistics routings for our study destinations and we travel a lot ourselves. As such, we are sharing our experience here. Students traveling to one of our programs will receive additional seasonal updates in preparation for booking flights.
Flight Costs and Using Aggregators
An economy-class, round-trip ticket from New York to Warsaw, as of September, 2024 can be found for around $500-600. New York to Bishkek averages between $1000-1200. Prices can vary depending on the time of year, carrier, and other factors.
If you are using an aggregator like Travelocity or Expedia, we advise that you look up ticket prices again directly from the airline. Very often the airline will offer a lower-priced economy ticket through their own site than what they list with the aggregators. Plus, exchanging, altering, or refunding tickets that are purchased directly through the airline is generally much easier than with an aggregator.
Types of Tickets
Round trip tickets are almost always cheapest and we generally recommend them. Other options include: a one-way ticket, an open-ended ticket, and a standard fixed ticket. Open-ended tickets as a rule are very expensive, though of course quite convenient. The one-way option varies, but is risky as you don’t know what kind of prices will be available for your return ticket. If you think you may need to change your return date, we recommend purchasing a fixed ticket but please weigh the possible costs of changing tickets first.
Travel Insurance / Flexible Dates
As the world can be a bit unpredictable these days, we recommend getting a ticket with travel insurance. Many airlines offer this (usually $50 to $100) in case something happens with your travel plans (like the visa process is delayed).
Costs Involved with Changing Tickets
Tickets often have a change fee of $150 or more. Some airlines (like Delta) will charge this in two fees – with a fee to return the old tickets and then another fee to use the funds from the old tickets to buy new tickets. These costs should be weighed closely with the cost of an open-ended ticket and/or travel insurance. There may also be a price differential between the two tickets that you will need to pay. Depending on the airline, this difference may depend on “high” and “low” travel seasons, the duration of your trip, and how soon after purchase you will be traveling.
Multiple Legs
We recommend purchasing all legs of your travel together. This will ensure that your bags make each transfer on their own without your having to claim your bags and recheck them for each leg of travel. This is particularly true if you happen to be transfering between domestic and international tickets. Domestic flights usually have lower luggage limits than international flights. Buying the tickets together will generally assure that you have the larger alloted amount for the full trip (but you may want to still double check that by calling your airline(s)).
For Programs of More than a Semester
Tickets may only be purchased eleven months in advance. This means that if you are staying abroad for more than eleven months, you will not be able to purchase a round-trip ticket directly. Sometimes sales agents will recommend that you purchase a round-trip ticket with a return date of eleven months in advance – and then change the return date to the date you actually need closer to that date. Make sure you understand any fees that may be involved in this.
If you plan on returning to the U.S. during the course of your program (e.g. for the holidays), we recommend you buy a separate round-trip ticket for that trip. So, you might buy two tickets: one for August-March and a second from December-January. Even if you need to change these tickets, it is usually the least expensive option. Make sure to inform your SRAS consultant about your plans as soon as possible as there may be issues connected with your visa to consider as well.
SRAS students should be sure to inform SRAS about all travel plans (including entry and exit dates and travel while on your program) as soon as you know them. Declaring approximate entry and exit dates are necessary in applying for your visa. Also inform SRAS of any plans to travel abroad prior to your program as this could affect visa processing. If you have any questions, please contact SRAS.
You’ll Also Love
International Airfare For Study Abroad
SRAS is not in the business of selling plane tickets, with the exception of group educational tours and domestic flights not available for purchase outside of our program host countries. We do, however, continuously monitor flight pricing and travel logistics routings for our study destinations and we travel a lot ourselves. As such, we are […]
Study Abroad Budgets: A Student Guide
Eurasia today is quite affordable. Students are often surprised how far their dollars will go even in major cities like Warsaw – and very surprised at how far they go in places like Bishkek. However, students can also be surprised at how easy it is to run into troubles – like blocked bank cards or […]
Guide to Shopping in Warsaw
Warsaw boasts a number of massive shopping malls, including the largest shopping center in Central Europe, Arkadia, with some of the most in-demand brands and stores. You’ll find the market quite well developed with most needs easily accessible. Below is some helpful advice from some of the students and staff that have worked on SRAS […]
Thrifting in Tbilisi
I’ve been an avid thrifter since I was 15 – and am well acquainted with all sorts of thrifting locations in the US. However, I was fairly unprepared for the thrifting scene when I arrived in Tbilisi for my study abroad program. I had done just enough research to know that thrifting existed here, but […]
International Eateries in Tbilisi: Eating around the World in Georgia
Tbilisi is rapidly becoming a hub for international food culture. Thus, while Georgia is known for its incredible local cuisine that simply has to be tried and savored as much as possible while you are there, there is also a world of a other great food cooked by amazing local chefs. Plus, nearly all of […]
Coffee and Desserts in Riga
Like any good European capital, Riga’s historic streets bustle with people and are lined with quaint cafes, coffee shops, and bakeries offering a place to sit, relax, and enjoy the sweeter things in life. Below are some options found by SRAS students in Riga that they would like to share with you. This guide is […]
Craft Beer, Bars, and Pubs in Bishkek
Pubs and good, local craft beer have arrived in Bishkek! Below are some options found by SRAS students in Bishkek that they would like to share with you. This guide is part of the much larger SRAS Guide to Living in Bishkek. For the Music Chicken Star is great for their food (Korean fried chicken), […]
SRAS Guide to Living in Bishkek
What’s it really like to live in Bishkek for a semester? Staying long-term in a city is much different from just vacationing there. You’ll need to navigate more of the practical, everyday services of the city and budget to include more miscellaneous and long-term expenses. Thus, this guide covers everything from haircuts to pharmacies and […]
Bishkek Nightclubs: A Guide
One hot Friday night, a group of fellow students and I made our way to a nightclub. Little did I know I would end up spending each of my subsequent free weekends dancing the night away in various Bishkek nightclubs. They are fun and cheap, so if you go with a group of friends, you’re […]
