airline information – EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog

Sign up for these airline newsletters to find cheap flights to Europe

Craig Nelson — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:20:51 +0000

Are you planning a trip to Europe? Finding a flight that won’t break the bank is one of the biggest challenges facing budget travelers. While airfare to Europe from the US might not be cheap, there are actually more deals than ever if you know where to look.

There are a number of websites that will flag interesting flight sales for you (including our flights blog!), but sometimes going straight to the source is the most effective way to score a great round-trip fare, especially when airlines announce flash sales. After all, being the first to book is almost always the key to scoring flash sale fares.

Related: Airline baggage fees for US to Europe carriers

Below, we’ve listed 15 airlines that fly from the US to Europe, with links to their newsletters. Signing up for all of them might be a little overwhelming (although it’s not too much for serious budget travelers to handle!). We’d recommend at least signing up for some of the airlines that serve the destinations you routinely visit.

Good luck scoring some cheapo flights!

Airline newsletter signup pages

Here are the top airline newsletters serving Europe from the United States.

Aer Lingus

Best for: Flying to Ireland and Britain

Sometimes “the luck of the Irish” can help you score a good deal. If you love traveling to Ireland or Britain, Aer Lingus should be near the top of your list when looking for deals. You can choose your departure airport when you sign up to customize the deals you receive.

Air France

Best for: Flying to Paris, Air France frequent flyers

Although it seems harder to find a great deal on Air France these days than it used to, it’s still worth subscribing to keep on top of their deals. They occasionally offer cheapo-friendly fares and often blast out frequent flyer specials (even as low as 12,500 miles one-way from the US to Paris).

Alitalia

Best for: Flying to Italy

Is your idea of the perfect vacation include sipping an espresso in Rome or drifting along the canals of Venice? Learn about the latest services and promotions when you sign up for the Alitalia newsletter.

American

Best for: AAdvantage members

In order to hear about American’s deals to Europe, you must signup for their AAdvantage program, which is free to join.

British Airways

Best for: Flying to London

Are you looking for deals to London and the UK? You should sign up for British Airways’ Executive Club to help save a few pounds on your next visit. If the name sounds too fancy, don’t fret. Anyone can register, and they’ll send frequent deals even to Cheapos like us!

Delta

Best for: Europe-wide discounts, SkyMiles members

Sign up for their SkyMiles frequent flyer program to learn about their latest Europe-wide deals by email. Along with keeping track of your miles and Delta flights, you can also be the first to learn about vacation specials and promotions.

Emirates

Best for: European flash sales and top-rated service

For one of the world’s highest-rated airlines, Emirates offers a surprising number of flash sales throughout the year. Remember that an Emirates flight, even in economy, includes fancy perks, like four-course meals (with wine), free Wi-Fi, and over 2,500 channels on the in-flight entertainment system.

Iberia

Best for: Flights to Spain

Be the first to know about flight deals to Madrid and beyond when you sign up for deals from Iberia.

Sign up for the Iberia newsletter.

Icelandair

Best for: Stop-over visits to Iceland

Well known for their fabulous stop-over policy that allows you to visit Reykjavik for no additional cost on your way to major European hubs, Icelandair often offers enticing deals and last-minute ticket sales. Be the first to find out about these deals when you sign up for the Saga Club.

KLM

Best for: Flights to Amsterdam, connections throughout Europe

Be among the first to know about special offers from this airline based out of the Netherlands. With Amsterdam as their hub, you can find some excellent prices for connecting flights across Europe.

Lufthansa

Best for: Flights to Germany

This German airline flies all over Europe, and they announce major sales to top destinations 4-5 times a year. Sign up to receive their general newsletter or their country-specific newsletters.

Norwegian

Best for: Low-cost budget flights (with minimal perks) to Europe

Norwegian has rolled out several cheap flights since it launched their trans-Atlantic service in 2013. In recent years, they’ve featured $175 flights to Paris on their newsletter, as well as other deals to Stockholm, London, and beyond.

Tap Portugal

Best for: Flights to Portugal

Fancy a holiday in beautiful Lisbon or Porto? Subscribe to TAP’s newsletter to stay informed about deals, including direct flights to Portugal from the US.

United Airlines

Best for: Mileage Plus members

Like American and Delta, you must join United’s frequent flyer program (Mileage Plus) in order to hear about flight sales. Anyone can join for free.

Join Mileage Plus.

Virgin Atlantic

Best for: Flights to London

Based in London and Manchester, this British airline is well-known for its famous founder Richard Branson and cheeky service. Join the Flying Club to receive exclusive offers and last-minute promotions.

Other airlines?

Do you have any favorite airline email deals that we missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Sign up for these airline newsletters to find cheap flights to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Flying Norwegian: 10 Tips for making your cheap flight to Europe more comfortable

Craig Nelson — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 18:33:08 +0000

We love a cheap airline ticket, and Norwegian Air has quickly become a leader in low-cost airfare to Europe since it launched its long-haul flights in 2013. With aggressive budget pricing, it’s getting easier to find affordable direct flights to London, Paris, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. If you keep an eye out for sales (hint: sign up for their newsletter), you can book flights for as low as $99 each way!

Related: How we scored a cheap flight to London-Gatwick on Norwegian

I recently flew from New York-JFK to London for $168 and Paris to New York-JFK for just $220. Of course, there’s always a catch with such a nice price. And if you’re used to flying established carriers like Air France, Virgin Atlantic, or airberlin, you need to prepare yourself for a different experience, so don’t expect to be welcomed with a glass of Champagne.

However, we’ve enjoyed most of our flights on Norwegian despite the lack of perks. And after flying this low-cost airline a number of times, we’ve discovered a few easy ways to make your trip on Norwegian more comfortable.

Related: Search cheap flights to Europe

1. You don’t need to pay for a seat reservation

Unless you absolutely need an aisle or window seat, there’s no need to pay extra for your exact seat. They’ll assign you one on the day of your departure. If you really like a window or aisle seat, then you should go ahead and pay the $45 fee to secure your preferred seat, but we’d rather spend that money on our first meal of the trip.

2. Flying with someone? Check in early to (hopefully) nab seats together

If you’re traveling with a companion and don’t already have a seat reservation, it pays to arrive at the check-in counter early. Each time I’ve flown Norwegian with a companion, we’ve been able to get seats together. On sold-out flights from JFK to London and Paris to JFK, I was able to get two seats together without any hassle.

3. If you like views, nab a window seat

If you love gazing out over the landscape like I do (check out this shot of Greenland on a trip back from Iceland), you might want to request a window seat. Boeing 787s have oversize windows that you can control with an electronic shade. It’s a cool feature that may or may not be worth the extra money to reserve your seat.

4. You might want to pay to check your bag

We all know the agony of having to check your bag at the gate. The fees can kick off your trip on the wrong note — say goodbye to $65 when you fly Norwegian (as opposed to $45 if you pay for luggage online; check out all baggage fee details). Although Norwegian does have spacious overhead bins on their long-haul flights, if you have a big piece of luggage, it might be better to pay beforehand rather than getting stuck with a big fee at the counter.

Related: WOW Air $99 to Europe? Yes, but the devil is in the details

5. Buy water before boarding

Unless you purchased a meal online, you won’t be getting any free drinks or snacks — not even a cup of water. They don’t even come around with a drink cart, so grab a couple of bottles of water beforehand if you don’t want to shell out a few bucks. Or go super cheapo and fill up your own bottle at the bathroom water fountain.

6. Maybe skip the meals and bring your own

The food on Norwegian for LowFare tickets won’t win away awards. Expect your typical airline food. If you have time, swing by a bakery in Paris for a sandwich and pastry on your way to the airport. You’ll make your fellow passengers very jealous, especially the ones who paid for the chicken à la mode.

That said, sometimes Norwegian offers online combination specials (called LowFare+) for a three-course meal, drinks, seat reservation, and piece of baggage. I once scored a LowFare+ for an extra $50 on a flight to London. That might be a good time to upgrade your experience.

7. Order drinks and food right from your seat

If you start craving a snack, you can just browse the selections from your seat. Swipe your card, and your order is delivered by the flight attendants. The pricing is pretty standard for airlines ($6 for a beer, $3 for snacks, etc.), and a bottle of sparkling water from Iceland was actually cheaper than at the gate in JFK. I usually use the money I saved on the seat reservation to splurge on a glass of wine.

Related: What’s it like to fly to Europe on Primera Air

8. Free movies, TV shows and interactive maps help pass the time

For a budget airline, the on-board entertainment is surprisingly good. They offer free movies and TV shows but don’t expect the latest blockbusters or live TV (except for flights within Europe). Settle in for a few episodes of Friends or movies like Argo or Finding Nemo.

Also, I’m a huge cartography nerd, so I love Norwegian’s live map feature. You can zoom in on destinations around the globe to learn more about the attractions and choose different views from the plane during your journey.

9. Charge your laptop, tablet or smartphone from your seat

They don’t offer live TV on in-seat screen, but you can charge your mobile devices with ease. Get your smartphone juiced up with the plug just below the screen, so you can start snapping photos from the moment you get off the plane.

10. The 787 Dreamliner is quite comfortable and the crew very friendly

Norwegian flights to Europe all use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for their routes. Mood lighting, a 3-3-3 seating arrangement across the plane, and several bathrooms make for a nice flight. The crews on all of my Norwegian flights have been quite friendly and enthusiastic at assisting in any way they can (despite the lack of free snacks). This can come in handy on a 6+ hour flight!

Your tips

Have you flown Norwegian? Tell us about your experience in our comments section below. What tips do you have for other travelers?

The post Flying Norwegian: 10 Tips for making your cheap flight to Europe more comfortable appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.