Booking a ticket for your parents from another time zone comes with a different set of worries from booking your own. The fare matters, but so does how easy the journey will be for them. Here's what to think about before you pay.
1. Choose the route, not just the price
- Fewer connections usually beats a slightly cheaper fare. If a connection is unavoidable, look for a single change at a large, easy-to-navigate hub.
- Connection time: too short is stressful; too long is exhausting. Around three to four hours is often comfortable for older travellers on international connections.
- Departure city in India: a direct flight from a farther city can be easier than two flights from the nearest one.
2. Ask for assistance when you book
Airlines offer wheelchair and mobility assistance, usually free, but it needs to be requested in advance — ideally at the time of booking and at least 48 hours before departure. Ask for it on every leg, including connections.
3. Seats, meals and baggage
- Seats together, near the front or close to the toilets, are worth paying for on a long flight.
- Special meals — vegetarian, Jain, diabetic — have to be requested ahead.
- Baggage: check the allowance for each passenger. Parents visiting children abroad often carry more than usual.
4. Documents
Check passport validity (many countries need at least six months), visa or entry requirements for the destination and any transit country, and keep copies of tickets and insurance on their phone and on paper. Entry rules change, so confirm them on official government sites before travel.
5. Keep them in the loop
Share the e-ticket with them directly, in a format they can open easily. With StarTrips, we can send tickets and updates straight to your parents on WhatsApp in India, so they're never waiting for a forwarded email.
Found a fare for them already? Send it to us before you pay. We'll check our price and help with assistance and seat requests on the booking.