Are travel expenses a tax break if directly used for education?

No, you cannot claim your airfare, lodging, and taxis/rental as expenses for an education credit. 

Please see What expenses qualify for the American Opportunity Tax Credit? and

What expenses qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit? for additional information.

W-2 employees can no longer claim job expenses, include education or travel.  The self employed are allowed a deduction for the courses, but not education travel. 

As the other reply already indicated, travel is not an allowable expense for an education credit.  Most "short courses" tuition is not usually eligible either.