Before spending eight years working with GLA, Ros put her expertise to work as a travel agent first in Australia and later in San Diego, California. She went on to a solo venture, booking independent travel for everything from school trips to honeymoons to friendcations. Most recently, she started a travel deals podcast, Mates Rates, with a fellow enthusiast.

Ros’ copious knowledge of the ins and outs of travel extends to flights: when to book, where to book, and what to consider when booking are questions she has been asked time and time again. I sat down with Ros to get the scoop on summer travel and get some tips on how to find flights that fit your comfort level and budget.

First, what’s the deal with flights this year? Prices seem to have gone up a bit in recent months.

I believe we have become accustomed to cheap airfare for the last two years, as a result of the COVID pandemic. Now that borders are open and restrictions are lifted, the pricing does not need to be attractive because the demand is there.

It will get better though: as the travel industry becomes more stable, airlines will continue to add flights along popular routes, increasing the supply to meet the demand and making pricing more competitive. For now, book early and be flexible with your needs.

How do you go about booking your personal travel?

First, I search for airfare on Google Flights. The functionality of the filters within the search make it very user friendly and flexible. Perhaps the best feature is its pricing tool–once you find the itinerary that you like, you can not only track it but also see if the current price is low, normal or high. If it says “high” you’re likely looking at the last of the availability on this flight. Use that pricing tool as the hint to change airlines or look at different GLA program dates!

When it comes to purchasing airfare, I book directly with the airline. Even if the price is $50 cheaper through Expedia for example, it’s worth the extra spend to book it with the airline.

The reason being, if you become delayed, have to make changes or just need to call the airline, your experience will be better if you booked directly than if you booked with a third party. Remember, when you buy airfare, you’re buying safety, comfort, reliability and customer experience from the purchase point to returning home.

When you buy the airfare with a third party, the outsourced customer service can potentially leave you high and dry when you need help the most.

What would you advise a family looking for a program with flights that are a lower cost?

Look for a GLA program with an airport that hosts a large number of airlines vs. a smaller number–this will help drive the price of airfare down. The more variety, the more availability! For example, San Jose, Costa Rica sees a larger variety of airlines than the Liberia, Costa Rica airport.

There are certain days of the week that are cheaper to travel on: Tuesday and  Wednesday. This is simply because there are fewer people traveling so there is more availability. If you’re purchasing airfare closer to departure, searching for flights that depart on a Tuesday or Wednesday may serve you well here.

Avoiding public holidays can help reduce the price of airfare too. There is an increased number of people traveling over public holidays, making the availability lower, hence driving up the price! [Sessions starting in mid-June and late July/August tend to have better flight pricing and better availability too!]

For travel tips & inspo plus envy-inducing photos, follow Ros’ “Ask Ros, She Travels” account on IG at ros.travels.

GLA partners with student travel agency Student Universe for optional assistance with finding and booking flights to and from our programs.

Jenica Pistone-Donahue
GLA Content Team