Pre-Departure Logistics: Booking Your Flight

Don鈥檛 purchase airline tickets until after you have been instructed to do so by your program and have confirmed your program dates.听
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Check the official start and end dates of your program (including on-site orientation, if applicable), as listed by your program provider and/or host university. Arriving late to your program site or leaving the program early is not allowed. If you have questions, contact your Ed Abroad Program Manager, program provider, or host university.听听
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If you are nervous about traveling alone, it may be possible to find a traveling partner among the other program participants.听Ed Abroad provides a list with names and emails of others on your program or host city. You may also receive a list of program participants from your program provider. Many program providers and/or participants use social media, GroupMe, and WhatsApp to connect before the program.听
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Once you book your flight, remember to provide Education Abroad with your flight itinerary and complete the Travel Itinerary item in your MyCUAbroad application checklist. You may also need to provide your program with your flight itinerary.听听

Booking Smart听听


Compare flight prices and itineraries: Explore multiple sites (some examples below) and compare with the operating airline鈥檚 websites.听
  • partners with major airlines to offer special deals on flights for students.
  • pulls a comprehensive list of flights and provides fare charts showing price trends.
  • also has a good alert feature that you can set up to monitor prices.

Book at the right time:Book flights in advance as prices tend to go up in the last two weeks before departure. Most airlines release new flight listings every Monday and Tuesday. You鈥檙e likely to find better deals on these two days as compared to the weekend when ticket prices tend to go up. It can be cheaper to fly midweek than over a weekend.听

Read the fine print: Will you be charged for checked or carry-on luggage? Are there additional taxes and booking fees to account for? Will you be charged for itinerary changes? Can you book a flexible return date? What is the cancellation policy? Etc.听
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Unreliable flights:It's not uncommon for travelers to experience flight听delays听or cancellations. Consider booking your flight directly through the airline rather than from a third party website. If you experience a flight cancellation or delay (or miss a connecting flight due to one of these), it is generally听easier to get rebooked if your ticket was purchased directly through the airline.听Keep your study abroad program updated on flight changes so they can support you accordingly.听

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Follow instructions: Don鈥檛 book airfare until you are accepted into your program and instructed to do so.听

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Think Sustainability:听Consider Carbon Offset programs, more information is our our Sustainable Travel page.

Additional Information

When you study abroad, financial aid for which you are eligible and have accepted will be applied to your CU Bursar鈥檚 account. However, there are costs like airfare need to be covered before financial aid becomes available.
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If you plan to use financial aid and still have aid left for the current term:

  • Use your financial aid refund for the educational expense of study abroad airfare.

If you plan to use financial aid and do not have aid left for the current term:

  • Consider using miles. Join airline loyalty or frequent flier programs to accrue credit toward free flights and upgrades.
    • If you have miles of your own, you may be able to book your travel using miles in lieu of a credit card. If you lack enough points to book your flight, airlines often allow you to purchase additional points to get to the number you need. These points might be sold at a higher rate, but your overall savings could be significant.
    • If you don鈥檛 have miles of your own, someone else may be able to transfer miles to you.听 You will need to contact your airline regarding this. Sometimes a small fee is charged for such a transaction, but it could save you a lot of money overall.

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A note about payment methods: Most flight purchases are made using a credit/debit card. If you or a family member does not have access to a credit/debit card:

  • Consider purchasing a Visa Gift Card and using it to purchase your ticket.
  • Consider using a PayPal account to purchase your ticket.
  • Certain airlines allow purchases to be made via Western Union cash transfer.

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Pro Tip: Most airlines allow customers to cancel without penalty within 24 hours of booking. Check if your price drops within 24 hours of booking. If so, you can cancel and rebook the lower fare.

Most international airlines will ask for your passport number when you make听a reservation for an international flight. If you are a dual citizen, you should use the passport number associated with the passport you plan to use to enter the country.听If you are听in the process of renewing your passport or applying for a new passport, you may be able to听book your airline ticket without your passport number and update it later on. Review the听Passports & Visas听page for more.听

The听听has strict identification procedures for airline travelers. The name on a traveler鈥檚 ID (such as a passport) must match that on the travel documents. Travelers whose reservations do not contain full information will not be permitted to check in online or at airport kiosks听but must instead stand in line to see a ticket agent. Additional airport security screening and/or denied boarding may result.
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Be sure to stay up to date with the most current听as international checkpoints may have different regulations.

If you recently changed your legal name, all identifying documentation should match your updated legal name. This includes, but is not limited to, your passport, program documents, all visa documents (if applicable), and flight tickets. If a visa is required for your program, you will need to have your identification updated prior to applying for your visa.听

For further information regarding the process to change your name on your passport,听review the U.S. State Department webpage.

As of January 2025, the U.S. Department of State now only issues passports with an 鈥淢鈥 or 鈥淔鈥 gender marker that reflects the applicant鈥檚 sex assigned at birth. The previously available 鈥淴鈥 marker for nonbinary or unspecified gender identities has been removed due to changes under Executive Order 14168. These updates apply to both new passport applications and renewals, and may affect students planning international travel.

  • The 鈥淴鈥 gender marker is no longer available for U.S. passports.
  • Gender markers must now align with the applicant鈥檚 sex assigned at birth.
  • Existing passports with an 鈥淴鈥 or differing gender marker remain valid until expiration.
  • All renewals and new applications must comply with the updated policy.
  • Legal challenges to this change are ongoing; updates will be posted as available.

For further information on this process and FAQ, review the Advocates for Trans Equality 听webpage.

If you are a minor traveling abroad, you may be听able to travel to another country without either one of your听parents. You may be required to provide a notarized written consent letter from both parents. Minors interested in traveling without their parents should contact the embassy to address admissibility questions.

A list of embassies and entry requirements can be obtained at the听听website,听or call the particular embassy by phone. Read more on the website.听

Depending on your age, minors must follow different policies when applying for a passport. View the Department of State's requirements for 听and for to learn about your requirements.听

Disclaimer: This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the University of Colorado Boulder or Education Abroad. 性视界传媒 Education Abroad is not an agent for these organizations.