Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Air India currently publish standing student fare programmes offering a base fare discount, usually around 10% in Economy, plus extra baggage and sometimes a free date change, for students roughly aged 16 to 32 depending on the airline. Oman Air, Gulf Air and Saudia do not currently show a clear, standing official student fare programme for general travellers on their own websites.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
Indian students flying to study, intern or visit family abroad often ask whether Gulf and Middle East carriers give a student rate. The honest answer is that it depends entirely on the airline, and the terms change often enough that a figure quoted last year may no longer apply. Here is what each airline’s own India-facing page currently says.
What do Emirates and Etihad offer students?
Emirates runs a standing student fares programme open to full-time students roughly aged 16 to 31. You need an Emirates Skywards membership, then apply the promo code STUDENT when searching on emirates.com before choosing an eligible fare. The published benefit is a discount on the Economy base fare, a smaller discount in Premium Economy and Business, plus extra baggage on many routes. You upload or present your student ID or admission letter as proof.
Etihad advertises a similar student offer, open to students roughly aged 18 to 32, booked through etihad.com’s student offer page with a promo code and a verified student ID or admission letter. Etihad’s own pages have shown different end dates for this programme at different points in 2026, so if you are planning months ahead, check the live offer on etihad.com for your specific route before assuming the discount will still be running on your travel date.
What does Qatar Airways’ Student Club include?
Qatar Airways runs its student programme as a sub-programme of Privilege Club called Student Club, for students aged 18 to 30 at the time of enrolment who are currently enrolled in a university, college or accredited vocational programme. You join through Qatar Airways’ own signup page with a valid, current student ID, enrolment letter, or acceptance letter from your institution. The programme gives a discount on the base fare, an extra baggage allowance, and one free date change; repeat bookings can unlock bigger discounts on later trips, and enrolled students can also nominate a limited number of companions for some of the same benefits.
What does Air India’s student fare include?
Air India’s special student fare gives a discount on the base fare across Economy, Premium Economy and Business, plus extra checked baggage and the option of one free date change. It is open to students enrolled full-time for at least one academic year, with a minimum age of 12 for domestic travel and an age band of 12 to 30 for international travel. You claim it by selecting the student special fare type while searching on airindia.com or the Air India app, rather than through a separate programme signup.
Why don’t Oman Air, Gulf Air and Saudia show up here with numbers?
We could not confirm a current, standing student fare programme on Oman Air’s, Gulf Air’s or Saudia’s own websites at the time of writing. Various travel sites describe student offers for these airlines, with different and sometimes conflicting percentages, but we could not verify any of those figures against an official airline page, so we are leaving the numbers out rather than repeating an unconfirmed claim. Saudia’s own published position is that general student discounts are not a standing offer, separate from support it extends to Saudi government scholarship participants, which does not apply to independent Indian travellers. If you are booking any of these three airlines as a student, ask the airline’s India call centre or check its website directly on the day you book, since a route-specific promotion can appear and disappear faster than a general guide can track.
How should a student actually claim one of these fares?
Join the airline’s loyalty programme first if the offer requires it, since Emirates and Qatar Airways both gate their student fare behind Skywards or Privilege Club membership respectively. Keep a clear, legible photo or scan of your student ID or admission letter ready, since most airlines ask for it at the point of booking and again at check-in. Book directly on the airline’s own website or app rather than through a general search, since student fares are usually only visible in the airline’s own booking flow once the right fare type or promo code is applied. And always re-check the current terms before you travel, since age bands, baggage figures and discount percentages on these programmes have changed more than once in the last couple of years.
If you are shopping for a cheap ticket as a student more broadly, our guide to cheap student flights from India covers options beyond these Gulf carriers, and our student packing checklist is useful once you know your baggage allowance.
Common Questions
Do I need to be flying for study to use these student fares?
Generally yes. Most of these programmes are meant for students travelling in connection with their studies, and the airline may ask for proof of enrolment, though some do not strictly check the purpose of the specific trip once you are verified as a student.
Can I use a student fare for a one-way ticket?
This varies by airline and by the specific fare rules shown at booking. Check the fare conditions for your exact itinerary rather than assuming one-way and round-trip are treated the same.
Do these student fares include extra baggage automatically?
On the airlines with a confirmed programme, yes, extra baggage is typically part of the bundle. The exact amount is shown when you apply the student fare during booking, and it is worth checking it matches what you expect before you pay.
Will the discount show automatically when I search as a student?
No. On most of these airlines you have to actively select a student fare type, apply a promo code, or book through a dedicated student programme page. It will not appear by default in a normal fare search.
What if my document gets rejected at the airport?
If your student ID or admission letter is not accepted at check-in, the airline can typically ask you to pay the fare difference to a regular fare. Carry an additional form of proof of enrolment if you have one, just in case.
Comparing a student fare against a regular fare on the same route? Search flights on HappyFares to see the standard price first, so you know exactly how much any student discount is actually saving you.
Student fare terms, ages and discounts change often. Verify current specifics with the airline directly before you book.
