AEC: Airline information

AEC Group Airfares:

When students apply the AEC will advise you about the availability of any group airfares; if you accept the AEC offer of admission and tick (x) the relevant box stating that you are interested in the AEC group airfare, then 3 months prior to the proposed departure, the AEC will forward you information about the group airfares available - you then can book and pay on line or via a specific toll free line - AEC will provide you all details. Remember that group airfares are negotiated in a manner that there is flexibility for each student to change their return dates or stopover plans. For example, a student can go out on a specific (group) date but on the return come on a date that is completely different in order to capitalize on stopovers in exotic places like Fiji or Tahiti or even Hawaii! Even housing and airport pick up and tour packages in these destinations can be arranged when you make your bookings.

Making your own Travel Arrangements:

To provide total flexibility to students, the AEC allows students to purchase their own airline tickets. In other words, you don't have to go on an AEC group airfare or purchase your airline ticket through the organizations that offer student airfares which the AEC recommends! The flexibility with making your own arrangements means that you can:

• use frequent flier points to make your travel happen.
• accumulate frequent flier points by going on the airline of your choice rather than be forced to go on a group fare
• shop around if you believe you can get a better deal o choose dates other than group departure dates just in case you want to get to Australia/NZ early or leave later than the recommended dates.
• travel with friends/family who have a more restricted airline schedule 

If you want contact details for discount student travel agencies, simply ask the AEC. The contacts that the AEC provides are not in any way connected to the AEC! The list of contacts is compiled regularly to ensure that our students have choices for the best available airline tickets to Australia/NZ. (We continue to ask students to also shop on the internet - obviously you need to shop wisely).

Even though you purchase your own airfares, it is still possible for the AEC to include the approximate cost of the return airline ticket to Australia/NZ in your program budget costs for your Financial Aid Office or Scholarship program. In such cases if these financial aid or scholarship funds come to the AEC, then the AEC will send these funds on to you.