I love to travel and have visited more than 30 countries. I am always seeking out new corners of the globe in which to have adventures. Friends often ask me how I can afford to travel so much. "I could never save up enough money", they complain. The biggest secret to being able to travel, however, is not to save more money to travel but to save more money when you travel.

In this regard, I have become quite an expert at paying low prices for flights. The advent of the internet has made my job much easier. Now, with my computer, I have direct access to some of the best airfares. In this "Fly for next-to-nothing" web tour, I will share with you some of my secrets. Happy travelling!

FLYING AS A COURIER

The Air Courier Association

As an air courier, you can travel on regularly scheduled airlines for unimaginably low prices. Often your duty will simply consist of accompanying air freight checked as passenger baggage. Once you arrive at the destination airport, you will have to hand over the freight documents to a company representative.

Don’t worry, you will not be asked to accompany any prohibited items. Do note that, as a courier, you must be flexible with your travel times and you are limited in the number of bags you may check in. Check out this site and see just how much you can save.

The Air Courier Directory

This site provides useful access to the latest courier company information. You can browse through the companies and find one that suits you. You can then check to see which destinations are available with that company. This is a great site to use to compare the different deals that are available.

STUDENT TRAVEL AGENCIES

Council Travel

Here you will find all kinds of links for student travellers. The searchable airfare database seems to be oriented toward those who are beginning their trip in the USA. However, offices are located all over the world and non-American users can call their local office.

Most airfares will require that you have proof of student status. An International Student Identity Card should suffice. Special airfares are also available for teachers and youths.

Campus Travel

This student agency is based in the U.K. and so is ideal for European travellers. Again, proof of student ID is required. Often the tickets that you purchase will have restrictions. For example, they are usually non-refundable. However, the tickets are very flexible--you can change dates, and sometimes even destinations, for a minimal charge. Again, Campus travel has affiliated offices around the world at which you can make changes to your ticket.

STA Travel

With more than 250 branches worldwide, this is the largest travel company for young people and students on the planet. STA is truly a global company. They have websites for more than 20 of the countries they serve. Wherever you are in the world, you will therefore be able to use their services.

ONLINE CONSOLIDATORS

Cheap tickets can sometimes be found through consolidators. Consolidators are agencies that have discount agreements with the airlines. Often you cannot buy directly from the consolidator but will have to go through a travel agency. There are, however, a few consolidators with whom you can check available fares directly online. In order to find some bargain fares, try:

1 Travel

This consolidator offers a vast selection of destinations. It also has a useful feature whereby one can compare published and consolidator prices. If you are fussy about which airline you like to fly with, this might not be the best site for you: for whatever reason, you are only able to find out the airline name once you have paid. If you want to fly somewhere last-minute, however, this site might be worth looking into further.

Travelocity

This well-known site links you to great domestic and international fares originating in the US. Travelocity has a good selection of features that enable you to find the most suitable flights at the best possible prices. Come and see what bargains you can find.

Farebase Electronic

If you are in the UK, this is a great place to find bargain fares. This information aggregator offers online access to thousands of fares from UK consolidators. In order to check availability and to buy the tickets, you will be referred to local travel agencies. Prices are quoted in British Pounds and can only be bought from within the UK.

LAST MINUTE AIRLINE DEALS

Airline Sites with Last Minute Deals

It is usually not a good idea to contact the airline directly. Indeed those who pay the most for their seats have usually used this strategy. However, if you are looking for a last-minute deal, this site might be worth checking out. It links you to discounted seats with major carriers who want to avoid having empty seats on their flights. If you can wait until the last minute and are flexible with your departure date, you may well find a bargain. The choices are organized by continent.

I hope the information above gives you a head start on finding that bargain fare. Good luck, happy fare-hunting, and enjoy your trip.