Airtran's student standby program, Airtran U, is back from its annual holiday break and once again giving 18-22 year old students a break with $69-$99 standby fares through 12/17/2010. Amazingly, you can get a good deal plus frequent flyer credit for standby flights from Airtran (which is the only real US standby program around to begin with, and it's just for you).

• Learn more about Airtran's standby tickets

Standby may work well for last minute trips, but it can be a drag to deal; lotsa blackout dates, too -- if the Airtran calendar doesn't work for you, consider catching the bus or train for last minute travel.

Related: Student Airfares | How to Find Student Travel Discounts | Greyhound Student Discounts | Amtrak Student Discounts

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After a reportedly epic Festival First Night shindig in the streets got the whole shebang off to a great start, Sydney Festival 2009 is now solidly under way in Oz's biggest city, and you're invited if you're down under. Drop by this 21-day festival before February for plenty of paid-entry entertainment, like Mad Racket at the open-air Beck's Festival Bar (wait in line for the release of house seats if shows sell out), plus lotsa free fun. And you can always queue up for "Tix for Next to Nix" -- $25 for all of that day's shows.

Coming up in Oz: Australia Day, January 26.

• Sydney Festival 2009 website
• Top Sydney Hostels

Related: Sydney Hostel Reviews and Photos | Australia Hostels | Backpackers' Cars in Australia and Driving Down Under

Photo: Crackers Pyrotechnic Show, © Sydney Festival

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Periodically, Ryanair pops up with pennies-per-seat sales, and they've got one on now for even less than pence: try free. This particular sale from the budget European air travel king ends at midnight on 1/12, and you don't even have to pay the usual plus-pluses of taxes and fees on many of the available seats (meaning many are also available at a non-free but still-good sale price)

And if you miss this sale, then hang tight and another will come along, just like buses -- Ryanair's sales are wonderfully frequent:

• RyanAir Sale
• Learn about Budget European Airlines

^{Similar stuff: Student Airfares | Student Airfare Specials}

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Lots o' fun best backpacker destinations lists get tailor-made early each year for various traveler types, and we've come across a few for 2009 that are great for every breed of student traveler from cautious to crazy. So who says what's hot where this year?... (keep reading...)