Booking your flight

We do not book or hold fares, and nothing here recommends a specific airline or booking site. This is what to get right regardless of where you book.

Timing

Do not book before your visa is actually issued. A confirmed offer is not a confirmed visa, and an unused non-refundable ticket is a common, avoidable loss.
Arrive with enough buffer before term starts to handle housing, registration and the university's orientation — arriving the night before classes begin leaves no room for anything to go wrong.
Check whether your visa specifies an earliest entry date. Some do, and arriving before it can cause a problem at the border even with a valid visa.

Student fares and some airlines offer extra baggage allowance for a one-way move — worth asking about directly, since it is not always advertised alongside the ticket price.
Check your destination's customs rules before packing anything unusual: some medications, certain foods, and large amounts of cash all have rules that vary by country.
A one-way ticket can trigger extra questions at check-in or at the border in some countries, since it can read as an intent to stay without leaving. Carry your admission and visa documents to hand, not checked.

Compare fares across more than one site before booking — prices for the same flight can differ meaningfully between search engines and the airline's own site.
Read the change and cancellation terms before you pay, not after something goes wrong. A slightly more expensive flexible fare is often the cheaper choice once a visa or offer date shifts.
Keep a copy of your booking confirmation and your ticket number somewhere you can reach without your phone, alongside your other travel documents.