Know a broke student who wants cheaper travel? Travelling on a student budget can be challenging, but many airlines offer discounts to aid students travelling the world.

The benefits vary from airline to airline. But by signing up for these programs, you can access discounts, extra baggage and more flexibility on your ticket. This could lead to hundreds of dollars in savings!

To be eligible for all the student-specific fares, you must have valid documentation, such as a student ID or a letter of offer from a university. Often, you’ll also have to sign up for the airline’s frequent flyer program, so will have to forgo earning points and status credits on partner airlines.

This article explains how you can access student discounts when booking airline tickets on selected airlines! Note that this list is not exhaustive, as the focus is on airlines that are useful for Australian travellers.

Middle Eastern airlines with student discounts

The “big three” Middle Eastern airlines all offer some benefits for students. This is especially useful for Australians looking to study or travel in Europe:

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways provides a very straightforward offer for students aged 18-32, with discounts of up to 10% on Etihad Economy Class and 5% on Business Class tickets. Students also get an extra 10-20kg of checked baggage depending on the fare. You can get benefits on both one-way and return bookings.

This offer is only valid for travel to either your country of study or your home country. To access your student benefits, you’ll have to sign up to Etihad Guest and verify your student status on the Etihad Guest website.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways’ Student Club program, for students aged 18-30, offers an impressive suite of benefits. Chief among them are the discounts – 10% off on joining, 15% after the first journey, and 20% off after your second and third journey. These discounts are available for both Economy and Business Class tickets.

Student Club also includes perks like an extra 10kg or one extra piece of checked baggage (amount depending on destination), complimentary Wi-Fi codes and one free date change.

To sign up for Student Club, simply sign up on the Qatar Airways website. Note that you will lose access to Student club benefits either after graduation, or seven years after you sign up – whichever comes first.

Emirates

Emirates also offers student benefits, with up to 10% off Economy Class and 5% off Business Class fares for those booking with the promo code STUDENT. You’ll also receive up to an extra 10kg or one piece of checked baggage (amount depending on destination).

To be eligible, you must be a full-time student between 16 and 31 years of age with a valid student ID or letter of acceptance. When checking in, you may have to present this identification. You can see more details on the Emirates website.

Asia-based airlines with student discounts

Many Asian airlines also offer student discounts and other benefits:

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines offers up to a 10% discount on non-promotional Economy and Premium Economy tickets. Other benefits include three checked bags (for Canada/USA flights) or up to 40kg checked luggage (for other destinations) and one complimentary booking change.

Students need to sign up for a free KrisFlyer membership on the Singapore Airlines website and prove their student status to access these discounts.

China Airlines

Students aged between 12 and 31 years old can get extra benefits when flying China Airlines. Students can enjoy up to a 10% discount in Economy and Premium Economy, as well as an extra piece of checked luggage, after verification.

Those wanting to take advantage of the discount offered have to enrol into Dynasty Flyer, and then verify their student status online.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific offers benefits for students 31 and under via a promotion code. For Australian students, it’s AUSTUDENT. This code will grant you up to 10% off Economy Class fares, or 5% off Premium Economy and Business Class.

Cathay’s student benefits also include an extra 23kg/one piece of checked baggage, except for “Light” fare bookings. Once again, you may need to prove your student identity upon check-in.

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines has a program called MHexplorer, which provides discounts and other benefits to students between the ages of 13 and 26. These benefits include up to a 20% discount, an additional 10kg baggage allowance for all classes and one complimentary travel date change.

You’ll need to sign up for Malaysia Airlines Enrich via the MHexplorer portal and provide either your passport (for those 13-17) or your student ID card (for those 18-26 and enrolled in university). You can sign up and book through the MHexplorer website.

Note that some of the advertised benefits, such as up to 30% off and the birthday gift, are only available to citizens of Malaysia.

SriLankan Airlines

With SriLankan Airlines, students get an instant 10% cashback on their first ticket purchase. For the next four tickets, you get 15% back. You also get extra baggage, up to 40kg for Economy and 50kg for Business Class.

You have to first purchase a fare and sign up for FlySmiLes. Next, you can access your cashback via this special form on the SriLankan Airlines website. You can purchase tickets under the current offer until 31st March 2024.

Note that blackout dates do apply – for outbound from Australia, you cannot depart between the following dates:

• 6th April – 16th April 2024
• 12th June – 30th June 2024
• 21st October 2024 – 10th January 2025

For return flights (inbound flights) to Australia, you cannot access student benefits on the dates below:

• 14th April – 10th May 2024
• 1st July – 28th July 2024
• 11th September – 20th October 2024
• 2nd December 2024 – 10th March 2025.

Other Airlines

Several other airlines also offer student benefits, although they’re perhaps of less use to Australians than airlines based in Asia/Middle East. You will need a valid student ID on your person when checking in on Air France/KLM and Turkish Airlines.

Here’s an overview of some of your other options:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Wilson McTaggart

Wilson's love of travel started from a young age, but his love for points developed after figuring out ways to travel on a gap year for less - leading naturally towards Australian Frequent Flyer! Wilson's hobbies include skiing, cricket and planning trips, both with and without points.

Wilson posts on the AFF forum as @WilsonM.