Students can book $25 holiday flights with Amazon Prime — plus 4 other ways to save

As college students prepare for end-of-semester exams, many of them are also packing their bags. 20% of American college students study out-of-state and may have to board a plane to spend the winter holidays with their families.

The good news is that it might be a little cheaper to fly home this year. With post-pandemic "revenge spending" subsided, flight costs have dropped — airline fares were down 13.2% in October 2023 compared to the same month in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nevertheless, flights can still be expensive, especially when squeezed into a student's tight budget.

If you plan on flying home for the holidays and haven't booked your ticket yet, you may be in luck. Amazon has partnered with StudentUniverse, an online travel agency specializing in discount student travel, to offer Prime Student members a limited number of $25 flights to and from home this holiday season.

Even if you can't take advantage of this amazing deal, CNBC Select shares other ways students can save money when flying home from college.

With this promotion, Prime Student members will have the opportunity to book one round trip or one-way domestic ticket through StudentUniverse for just $25.

This promotion will run from Dec. 5, through Dec. 7, 2023, with a total of 3,000 $25 flight tickets up for grabs across the three days. There will be 1,000 tickets made available each day starting at 6 a.m. PST on Dec. 5, 12 a.m. PST on Dec. 6 and 12 a.m. PST on Dec. 7 

If you're lucky enough to snag a ticket, you'll be able to fly anywhere within the U.S. and receive a discount rate of up to $500 off the current retail value of the ticket. The discounted tickets can be used for travel between mid-December and early January. Outbound travel can be anytime between Dec. 8 and Dec. 25, 2023, and inbound travel must be between Dec. 8, 2023 and Jan. 14, 2024.

Bookings and full terms and conditions will be available via the Prime Student x StudentUniverse page. Even after the $25 tickets run out, StudentUniverse will offer Prime Student members $25 off flights with a promotional code. Terms and conditions apply.

A Prime Student membership costs $69 per year and comes with benefits like complimentary expedited shipping, digital services like Amazon Music and Amazon Prime Video, deals at Whole Foods Market, early access to Lightning deals, free one-year membership to Grubhub+ and more.

If you're on the fence about signing up, but still want to take advantage of this promotion, Amazon offers a 6-month free trial of Prime Student. And, for a limited time, you don't have to be enrolled in college to be eligible for Amazon's student membership: you only have to verify that you are between 18 and 24 years old.

If you're not lucky enough to take advantage of the limited-time Prime Student deal, there are still other ways to save on your flights.

Use flight search aggregators and deal websites

Search aggregators like Google Flights can be extremely helpful as they may offer calendars that allow the user to simultaneously compare prices between many dates. Some sites also offer price tracking, which alerts you when a certain flight's price drops. 

Depending on how you booked, you may be able to get money back if the price of your flight dropped after booking. For example, Expedia's Price Drop Protection add-on monitors the price of a flight from purchase to takeoff and automatically refunds you the difference between what you paid and the lowest fare.

Google Flights offers a similar feature for certain flights, while Capital One Travel automatically offers its price drop protection to all eligible cardholders. Just beware that every booking engine's price drop coverage works slightly differently and that this feature sometimes costs a small fee.

Of course, tracking flights and protecting your price makes the most sense if you start searching early. Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at flight deal subscription service Going, previously told CNBC Select that the "goldilocks window" to book a domestic flight is three to seven months in advance.

Book with points and miles

Flight prices are higher during the holiday season than during the off-season. So, it's a good time to use any points or miles you may have earned on a credit card to book holiday travel, as Keyes recommended to CNBC Select.

Some student credit cards come with generous welcome bonuses that could help you cover a flight. For example, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students credit card has a lucrative welcome bonus of 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. That's enough to cover a $250 flight, among other travel expenses.

Keep in mind that it's never a smart idea to get a credit card just for the welcome bonus when the requirements to earn that bonus are beyond your usual spending habits. If you can't pay off your balance, you may end up with high interest charges, essentially making your purchases even more expensive.

If you're looking for a bonus with a lower spending requirement (or you don't have much credit history), consider the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) which offers new cardholders a $50 bonus after spending $100 in the first three months, as well as valuable cash back rewards for ongoing spending.

Or, if you need more time to pay off your flight, the Discover it® Student Cash Back card comes with an introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first six months of account opening (then, 18.24% - 27.24% variable APR). Cardholders earn 5% cash back in rotating quarterly bonus categories after you activate (on up to $1,500 in spending, then 1%), plus 1% cash back on all other purchases. As a welcome bonus, Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. And, you can pay off the flight with

Look for student discounts

Beyond the limited-time $25 flight deal, Prime Student members have access to year-round travel savings through StudentUniverse. Members get up to 10% off already discounted flights (additional discount of at least $5), 10% back on hotels as an Amazon gift card and free premium customer support with every booking (a $7.95 value).

Some airlines offer student discounts when you book direct. For example, United offers a 5% discount to travelers between 18 and 23 when booking through the United mobile app with a MileagePlus® account.

Depending on how often you fly home, it could be worth considering a flight pass subscription from an airline like Alaska Airlines or Frontier. While each airline's subscription operates differently, they allow you to book a specified number of flights (or unlimited) for a flat fee.

Be flexible

Per Keyes' recommendations, the more flexibility you have the better. If possible, be flexible on your departure and return days, as well as airports — in some cases, it could be worth driving or taking a train to a nearby airport to score a better price.

Likewise, it's good to be flexible on flight times. According to Keyes, as well as Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, morning flights have a lower chance of being delayed or canceled. Plus, they may sometimes be cheaper.

Students might think they don't have flexibility due to their final exam schedule, but you may be able to save significantly by leaving a few days earlier and taking your exam remotely or in advance. Certain professors are more amicable to this accommodation than others, so use your better judgment before making such requests.

Even though flights are cheaper than last year, they can still be heavy lifts for a student's wallet. Weigh all your options (and test your luck with Prime Student's $25 flight deal) before hitting the skies in a hurry. 

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For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.