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
Batumi: A Cafe for Every Occasion
Batumi’s restaurants offer just about everything. Whether you are looking for just great food, for instagramable moments, for vegan fare, or just about anything else, you can find in Georgia’s resort city! Below are some options found by SRAS students in Georgia that they would like to share with you. Freeduchio Café 6 Griboedov St […]
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 […]
Spa Days in Bishkek: Pamper Yourself with a Banya, Manicure, Massage, and More!
One might not often think of combining a spa day of pampering with study abroad. However, in many SRAS locations, the cost of doing so can be surprisingly low, making it a great way to decompress and improve your mental health. Plus, many locations share traditions of the banya, which is not only a cultural […]
The Wonders of Batumi, Georgia
While studying abroad with SRAS in Georgia, we had the opportunity to leave the city and explore the wider country. We also had a lot of free time to explore the incredible city and all the attractions that surrounded us everyday. Here, I’ll share some of the memorable places I enjoyed most. I definitely recommend […]
Ballroom and Latin Dancing in Georgia
In my six years as a competitive ballroom dancer in the United States, I’ve been struck by the fact that most of my coaches, teachers, and judges are from former Soviet states. Even Ukrainian President Zelensky had a star turn as a dancer when he won a Dancing with the Stars competition in 2006. During […]
The Best Asian Food in Bishkek
Bishkek has seen a wave of investment from many countries – many of them Asian. For this reason, it is not so odd to find international visitors and cuisines in Bishkek. From Indian and Chinese to Japanese and Korean, Asian food is not hard to find in the Kyrgyzstan’s capital. Below are several that students […]
Comfort Food for Homesick Americans in Riga
We know how it is. Sometimes, after weeks of excitement exploring a new culture in a new city and new country, we all just need a little comforting taste of home. Riga has a blossoming cafe and culinary culture and this includes a number of cafes and restaurants that specialize in pizza, burgers, sandwiches, 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 […]
Traditional Georgian Food in Tbilisi
Georgia is known for its incredible local cuisine that simply has to be tried and savored as much as possible while you are there. You can do so at any of these locations – located very near Novamova’s Tbilisi offices, where SRAS programs in Georgia are based! This resource is part of our much wider […]
