Travel Discount Cards that Save Money

By Brandon Morgan (past articles)
Virginia Tech University

03/11/2004

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Planning a trip abroad? Here are three discount cards for young adults that can save you some serious cash!

If you're under 26 years old, then you can take advantage of many worldwide discounts. Students and other young adults can apply for a discount travel card to receive savings around the world. All are administered by the International Student Travel Confederation, a travel services company that promises all the discounts that any traveler would need. Here's what they offer:

1. International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

The ISIC is only available to full-time students, at a cost of $22 per year. Students can receive discounts on accommodations, museums, cultural events, entertainment, food and shopping in over a hundred countries.

2. International Youth Travel Card (IYTC)

The IYTC is available to anyone under the age of 26 and also costs $22 per year. Benefits include low airfares, discounts on transportation, accommodations, telecommunications, currency exchange, shopping, restaurants, museums, and cultural events in more than 50 countries. With the card, you receive another free"Z Card," which serves as a calling card, and is also full of discount information.

Students get the better deal. The ISIC (for students) offers many more benefits around the world than those offered by the IYTC. It is also accepted in more countries. Both cards include basic travel insurance and discounts on student airfares and accommodations. The ISIC and the IYTC are both internationally recognized forms for proof of status and student identification. Occasionally, traveling cardholders encounter businesses that won't honor the discount. The ISTC claims it is working to prevent this type of problem.

According to a company spokesperson, the ISIC card provides the most benefits of any kind of international identity card and boasts the largest enrollment with about 5 million new cardholders per year. The ISIC also offers an international phone card and voice mail service.

"The good thing about the phone card is that you can get a voice mail account in case you need it," said Jenn Dufour, branch manager of the STA Travel agency in Boston and an ISIC cardholder."Like if you're backpacking and unavailable, someone can always get in touch with you."

To apply for either card, visit STAtravel.com and check the Deals and Discounts section.

3. International Student Exchange Card (ISEC)

The ISEC also offers travel discounts worldwide. The biggest benefit of the ISEC card is a guaranteed discount, ranging from 10 to 50 percent off, that is available through dozens of participating businesses like museums, castles, hotels, restaurants, language schools, theaters, cinemas, recreational facilities, vehicle rentals, bus routes, boat routes, railroads, and selected airlines.

If for some reason a partnering business won't accept the discount card, then the ISEC will pay the discount value directly to the student, according to Franz Jost, president of ISE Cards, Inc. Cardholders also receive flight insurance, covering their costs should an airline declare bankruptcy and cancel their flight. The ISE issues approximately 500,000 cards per year to students in search of savings. The card costs $25 and is valid for one year.

To apply for an ISE card, visit ISECard.com.