Flying to Europe is expensive — in fact, it’s probably the largest expense facing many American travelers heading abroad. How can you actually find great deals on airfare to Europe? Here are some tips to help you fly the cheapo skies.

For most of us traveling from North America, the flight to Europe is our biggest budget obstacle. While it can be easy to find great bargains on hotels, it takes a bit of effort and research to uncover cheap flights across the Atlantic.

There are airfare flash sales that come and go, but those are hard to nab if you don’t act quickly. However, before you give up hope on finding a good price for your next flight, try some of the tips below.

Example flight

For the tips that follow, we’ll use a sample itinerary. We’ll say that we’re based in Chicago and want to visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We’re looking for a flight from Chicago to London. After spending a few days in London, we plan to take the train to Amsterdam (via Lille) and wind up in Paris. Then we’ll head back to London to fly home to Chicago.

So how can we save on this flight?

1. Set up an airfare alert.

If you know the exact route that you want to fly, you should set up airfare alerts to be notified of flight deals immediately. Websites like Kayak.com and Airfarewatchdog.com will email you when they notice a deal on the route that you’re planning to fly.

In this example, we can go to these websites and create a flight alert for Chicago to London. But wait…

2. Don’t forget about “open jaw” flights.

“Open jaw” flights (into and out of different cities) can help you save time and money, as they’re often about the same price as flights into and out of the same city. Furthermore, you can save lots of money on transportation (trains, buses, ferries, etc), as you won’t need to circle back to your city of arrival. This tip can not only save you money but allows you to save time, so you can see more of Europe.

In our example above, instead of a round-trip to London, you could fly into London and home from Paris. It’s a good idea to also research the round-trip fares from London (after all, you might snag a cheap deal), but we would certainly focus on flights from Chicago -> London, and then Paris -> Chicago.

Even if that flight turned out to be a bit more expensive, chances are it would be less expensive than paying for a trip on the Eurostar (or a flight!) back from Paris to London (and probably an extra overnight in London, too).

3. Be flexible with your dates.

Flexibility is a budget traveler’s best friend (in so, so many ways!). In terms of snagging a good deal on flights, if you can bump your travel dates around a bit, you may end up saving a lot on airfare.

If you have the possibility, try pushing the trip back a week or up a week to see if you can find a deal on airfare. You might be surprised—there might be something happening (a big convention, sporting event, Madonna concert…) in one of your cities that is throwing off the airfare.

In our example, say that we find that our flight seems strangely expensive. In fact, the hotel prices also seem quite high—but only for Paris for our dates. This could indicate that Paris is booked up with some special event (such as a giant conference or the annual Fashion Weeks). If you have some flexibility, push your trip dates around and see if airfare drops. Hunt for a deal–you might just find it.

4. Avoid weekends, if possible.

Flights tend to be more popular and more expensive for weekend travelers. If you’re able to travel midweek, chances are you’ll be able to snag a better deal. Play around with your dates — you’ll probably see cheaper airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday.

5. Be flexible with your destinations or itinerary.

Conversely, you can play around with your destinations. Is there another airport nearby that you haven’t included in your search? Could you add another leg to your trip that includes a less expensive airport to fly into? Can you juggle your itinerary a bit to avoid a momentarily expensive city?

Back to our example, if Paris is booked up (and flights expensive) because of the fashion show, perhaps we could invert the trip, landing in Paris (the week before the fashion show), visiting Amsterdam and then departing from London. This would allow us to avoid not only more expensive flight costs, but higher hotel rates, as well.

You should also double-check and make sure that you’re including “all area airports” in your search. In our example, don’t just search for Heathrow (LHR) and Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Make sure to search for the city code, “LON” and “PAR”, to see all area airports. A lot of European cities, even smaller ones, have secondary airports that might be new to you.

A final option is to “hub it.” For example, say you find an incredible flight deal from Chicago to Dublin on Aer Lingus. It might be worth booking the flight to Dublin and then searching Europeans budget airlines (like Ryanair and easyJet) to get a fare from Dublin to London.

6. If at all possible, avoid the peak travel season.

We know, for many travelers, the timing of the trip has been established long in advance (often dictated by academic schedules, holidays, or growling bosses). However, if you do have a bit more flexibility and are looking for ways to save, consider pushing your trip away from peak summer months and major holidays, and into “shoulder season” or even low season.

For spring travel, instead of June, try early May or late April. Looking for a fall visit to Europe? Push your plans back from September to October to save a bit more. If you’re able to travel to Europe in the early spring or late fall, you will almost certainly be rewarded with lower airfares, shorter lines at top attractions, and lower hotel rates. (Read more about the best time to visit Europe.)

7. Book it when you see a deal.

According to a study by the airline experts at Kayak.com, the ideal time to book airfare to Europe is six months in advance. That said, these days you should snag a deal whenever you spot one!

8. Don’t forget about “budget” international airlines.

In the past few years, a number of new budget-conscious airlines have started flying between North America and Europe. These airlines have made it possible to find one-way tickets for jaw-dropping prices, and their fare calendars make it easy to browse prices over the course of a few months.

While some of these airlines have gone out of business (including Wow Air in 2019), Norwegian is a budget option that has been offering super cheap fares from North American to Europe for years. They fly non-stop from New York to London, and we’ve found some excellent deals on Norwegian in the past. Read our guide to making your trip on Norwegian more comfortable.

Will you score a $99 one-way flight to Europe? Probably not, but it’s still worth it for budget travelers to look for deals on Norwegian Air and Westjet (from Canada).

9. Subscribe to airline newsletters.

You can’t take advantage of fare sales if you never hear about them. I suggest signing up for airline email newsletters that fly to your area. If you’re afraid of spammy airline emails clogging up your inbox, you can unsubscribe once you’ve booked your trip!

Here’s a list of newsletters we recommend subscribing to.

10. Points, credit cards, and rewards travel.

And then there’s the world of rewards travel. Redeeming frequent flier miles for “free flights” to Europe or using miles to upgrade to business class is another matter unto itself. In fact, it’s spawned a world of experts who give advice on the best credit cards to use for miles, strategies for accumulating miles, etc.

A word of caution: Don’t put yourself in debt signing up for new credit cards in order to accumulate frequent flyer miles. Those “free” flights will end up costing you far more than paying full price.

However, done the right way, transfering credit card “points” to frequent flyer miles can help you snag free or discounted flights. If nothing else, double check that your credit card is working for you. Are you accumulating points? Check out this post I wrote a few years ago about mistakes to avoid with your frequent flyer program.

Your tips

How do you keep it cheap when searching for airfare to and around Europe? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post How to find cheap airfare to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The budget options for flying between Europe and the US just keep getting better and better. Primera is the latest airline to join the swell of low-cost carriers (like Norwegian, XL, and Wow) charging fares as low as $99 for a one-way ticket.

But is flying Primera worth it to save a few bucks?

We booked a ticket recently between Paris and Newark (EWR) to find out how this new budget carrier stacks up.

Read more about budget airlines:
• Tips for making your flight on Norwegian Air more comfortable
• Wow for $99? Yes, but the devil is in the details
• Our guide to flying the cheapo skies on Wow

Tips for flying Primera Air to Europe

Are you thinking about booking a ticket with Primera? You can read about the pros and cons of my recent experience before you make a final decision.

The price

When I was planning a trip to Paris to see the French Open, I started searching for affordable tickets. I had written about Primera Air a few months earlier, so I really wanted to give it a shot.

After buying a cheap one-way ticket to Paris on Norwegian, I found a return ticket from Paris to Newark on Primera for only €169. I purchased it two months before my flight, and to keep my costs low, I didn’t reserve a seat, pre-order food or purchase checked baggage.

Search for cheap flights to Europe

Pre-flight issues

After I bought my ticket, I received a confirmation email right away and counted down the days until my trip. When it was time to come back from Paris, things didn’t get off to a good start. I received only one email before my flight five days before it was scheduled to take off. There was no communication from Primera by email or text the day before or day of my flight.

In fact, I was trying to check the flight status of my trip at my hotel in Paris before I got on the RER to the airport. After searching the Primera Air website, I quickly realized there is no place to check for your flight status! I thought maybe it was my afternoon glass of wine that was clouding my vision but it turned out to be true.

I checked Google Flights, and it said the information was “unavailable”, so I went on the Charles de Gaulle Aiport (CDG) website and saw that my flight was listed as “canceled.” When I saw that,  I decided to leave right away to get to the terminal and see what was going on. Needless to say, it was not a good start to my trip home.

The line to check in at CDG Airport.

At the airport

After stressing out on my ride RER train ride out to the airport, I finally arrived at Terminal 3. From the train station (stop 1 at CDG), it’s about a 10-minute walk to the terminal.

I asked the information desk where Primera Air was, and they pointed me to a very long line. The moment I put my bag down and got in line, I received a text that the flight was actually NOT canceled. This was very confusing to everyone because most people had no idea that there were any problems with the flight.

However, the Primera staff quickly went down the line to let us know that the flight was indeed scheduled to leave two hours later than originally planned. Not the best news, but that’s a lot better than having your flight canceled!

Baggage fees

Like other budget airlines (and most carriers now), Primera Air charges for any checked baggage. You’ll save if you pay in advance instead of at the gate. You can read more about baggage fees on Primera’s website.

On my many experiences on Norwegian, I have been able to bring my bags on board without getting hit with a fee, so I decided to take a chance on Primera. At check-in at the airport, I had to show the Primera attendant my backpack (a North Face Overhaul Backpack) and a smaller backpack that I was carrying. After an inquisitive look, they let me go without making me check any bags. I couldn’t tell if this was the official policy or just sympathy because our flight was delayed.

Related: Baggage fees for US to Europe airlines

Onboard

Most of Primera’s transatlantic flights are on the Airbus A321neo. These new planes have excellent fuel efficiency for long-haul flight helping to keep fares down. The plane that I was on for my Paris to Newark journey was less than two weeks old!

Just note, that even though the plane was brand new, they didn’t offer Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment. Make sure to download podcasts or movies to your laptop or phone before getting on board. The good news? There was a USB port at every seat so you can easily charge your device.

The faux leather seats were definitely not luxurious, but they were not as cramped as I expected. I even managed to get a few hours of shut-eye on my way home.

Service

The London-based crew was very friendly and helpful during the flight. Before we took off, they even explained in great detail why the flight was delayed for two hours.

They did come around to offer drinks, sandwiches, and snacks for purchase three times during the trip. You can also just push the flight attendant button and place your order with them directly. I sipped a €5.50 cognac (not a bad price at all) as I read a book and looked over my notes from my Parisian adventure. Nothing is included unless you pre-paid for a meal, so I would suggest bringing food with you. The prices are a little on the high side but not completely outrageous.

The verdict

If you don’t mind forgoing the perks that come with legacy carriers, you can’t beat the price of Primera. I’ll have to fly it a few more times to get a full picture of how Primera Air is holding up against the competition, but I would definitely give it another chance despite the delay and communication issues. The onboard flight crew was extremely friendly and helpful and the brand-new plane was quite nice.

Primera did send a follow-up survey a few days after my flight, so I’m hoping they take note of my biggest complaints that could easily make the experience a little less stressful. Getting the flight status up on the website would be a good start!

To check fares, you can search the Primera Air website.

Your thoughts on Primera

Have you flown Primera? Share your experience with us in the comments section.

Note: Soon after we took our flight on Primera, the company announced they were canceling flights on a new Birmingham to North American route. They blamed the delay in the delivery of new Airbus planes, but it left a lot of travelers in limbo. Double check with Primera to make sure your flight is still on schedule.

The post What’s it like to take a Primera Air transatlantic flight appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In celebration of Wow Air’s fifth anniversary, the ultra-budget airline today announced $55 one-way tickets from three US departures (Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami) to several European cities.

The tickets go on sale today, but there’s a catch: In order to score the cheap seats, you must fly this month — between June 11, 2017 and June 27, 2017.

Furthermore, sale tickets have limited availability and you must book a return journey, making it more difficult to find $55 seats both ways.

Book directly through Wow Air’s website.

Our tests

In our tests this morning, we easily found a $55 seat from Miami to Brussels (as with all Wow flights, via Reykjavik), but the cheapest return we could find for the journey was $249. Still, this brought the base fare up to $304, which is a great deal for summer travel to Europe.

Keep in mind, however, that prices can climb substantially when you add in additional charges, like checked luggage and reserved seats. (Read more about Wow’s extra charges and our guide to flying Wow Air.)

More details from Wow

From Wow Air’s press release today.

For a limited time, $55 tickets will be available from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Amsterdam (AMS), Copenhagen (CPH), Dublin (DUB), London (LGW) and Berlin (SXF).

From Miami, $55 tickets will be available to Bristol (BRS), Brussels (BRU), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), Dusseldorf (DUS), Copenhagen (CPH), Frankfurt (FRA) and Cork (ORK).

WOW air’s California routes are serviced by three new Airbus A330 aircrafts, the first wide-body jets in the WOW air fleet. The airline operates the youngest fleet in Iceland with the lowest emission.

Launched in November 2011, WOW air now connects 32 destinations across the U.S. and Europe with the Icelandic capital. In 2016 WOW air flew with 1,668,773 passengers in total, which is an increase of 130% from 2015.

Fares go on sale today and will be offered for flights between June 11, 2017 and June 28, 2017.

*San Francisco (SFO) to AMS, CPH, DUB, LGW, SXF via Iceland. Based on lowest one-way WOW Basic fare booked on www.wowair.us. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel June 11th to June 28th. The offer applies for 200 seats on selected flights, only when booked on a return trip.

*Los Angeles (LAX) to AMS, CPH, DUB, LGW, SXF via Iceland. Based on lowest one-way WOW Basic fare booked on www.wowair.us. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel June 19th to June 28th. The offer applies for 150 seats on selected flights, only when booked on a return trip.

*Miami (MIA) to BRS, BRU, CPH, DUB, DUS, EDI, FRA, ORK via Iceland. Based on lowest one-way WOW Basic fare booked on www.wowair.us. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel June 18th to June 28th. The offer applies for 100 seats on selected flights, only when booked on a return trip.

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Right now on Norwegian, you can book one-way trips for an incredible price with a “LowFare” ticket in September and October. From New York and Los Angeles, prices are only $175 to Paris and $220 for the return trip back to the US. The fare from Miami is starting a little higher at $299.

Previously, Norwegian has rolled out great deals like $240 flights to London, while WOW Air upped the ante with $99 one-way flights to Europe. The current LowFare of $175 to Paris includes all taxes, but you still might have to pony up for a few extra fees depending on how you like to travel. We’ve talked at length about the extra fees that can add up on budget airlines like WOW Air. Expect to pay for everything from seat reservations, checked baggage and meals.

Related: 8 Tips for finding cheap flights to Europe

However, if you just want to jet off to Paris with a small carry on and don’t care where you sit, you can grab a round-trip LowFare ticket for only $395! But being a bit more realistic, you’ll probably need to pay around $40 extra for a checked bag. Or an even better option might be to upgrade to LowFare+. This sale fare is still only $265 to Paris from New York and includes a seat reservation, checked bag and even meals with wine. Throw in the return LowFare+ ticket, and you can still get to Paris and back for only $575.

Even though oil prices have been falling since 2015, airfares to Europe have still not budged much. Finding any roundtrip fare for under $1,000 can be a challenge. However, maybe that is finally changing with airlines like Norwegian raising the stakes. You can contemplate the future of airline fares later, though. Right now, book your ticket to Paris, because these fares are only on sale from February 18 to 21, 2016.

Related: How we scored a $298 flight to London on Norwegian

The post Airfare Alert: Norwegian launching nonstop flights to Paris for $175 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Thinking about taking a flight with Iceland’s Wow Air? Well then, halló from the other side!

This year, I’ve taken multiple flights along the budget airline’s Paris (CDG) – Baltimore (BWI) route, always with a brief layover at the Keflavík International Airport (KEF). My airfare has hovered around $400 to $600 round-trip, or roughly half the cost the other airlines are currently charging.

Like all global expeditions, there have been highs and lows, because, well, turbulence happens. Based on my experience, here are tips on how to make the most of a Wow flight.

Related: $99 to Europe? Yes, but… | 8 tips for finding cheap flights to Europe

On a Wow flight, only the airline’s sassy wit, the view, and the air you breathe are free. Photo by T. Brack

Here’s the deal

Founded by Skúli Mogensen in 2011, Wow’s small fleet of planes cruises between Europe and North America (Baltimore, Boston, Montreal and Toronto). In 2016, Wow will begin to offer flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles, too. Fees typically start at $300 if you chart your plans (and book your seats) far enough in advance.

The planes are purple. The carpeting is purple. The flight attendants sport “Mad Men”-era uniforms in purple. Cheeky wordplay also reigns here, from the “Vomit-Meter” motion sickness bags and the “Rolling, Rolling, Rolling” food cart, to the “Honk if you’re hungry” service buzzer, and the “Sip it, Sip it good!” beverage cups.

Cheeky wordplay always flies on Wow. Photo by T. Brack

That said…

On a Wow flight, only the airline’s sassy wit, the view, and the air you breathe are free. Food, luggage, and extra legroom are additional. The list of additional charges includes the H2O, BTW, and I am not JKG.

Divas need not fly here. Still, even with the added charges, it’s a lot cheaper than any other flight deals out there.

Related: Creative and cheap ways to fly to Europe

On the flip side…

Just because it’s a low cost carrier doesn’t mean you have to lower expectations (said not in a Polly Anna sort of way!). Instead, change your approach. Try to leave behind your preconceptions of what makes a great flight great. In this new world of bare-bones budget flights, you are actually the master of your Airbus destiny.

Cheapo tip: Go with the flow, and embrace the opportunity to customize your flight.

• Mad shopper? Pay for a larger luggage allowance.
• Long gams? Buy extra legroom.
• Fancy brews or wines from afar? Supplement the snacks you brought from home with a glass of the house white. I did! Rocking a cat on its label, I couldn’t resist. Iceland’s own Gulle beer is often discounted, the perfect gift for one of your row mates.

As Bob Dylan once strummed, “For the times, they are a-changing.”

After selecting travel dates, you’ll be asked to purchase a seat. (Photo by T. Brack)

Booking your flight

After selecting travel dates, you’ll be asked to purchase a seat. Depending on the size of the plane, here’s the lay of the land:

Upper right section: XXL (35 to 40 inches of legroom), $57 to $67
Upper left section: XL (32 inches), $38 to $48
Middle section: (30 to 31 inches), $10 to $15
Back of the plane: (30 to 31 inches), $6

Tip: Like the theater, everyone has a sweet spot. I recommend following designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s mantra on this one: “Buy only the best or the cheapest.” I’d either splurge on a roomy XXL for $67, or book one in the back for a lean $6. Doing the math, it doesn’t make sense to pay extra for an upper left XL seat unless you’re going after location.

Here’s something else to consider: Restrooms. They’re located in the front and the back of the plane. So if you’re the kind that needs to skip to the loo often, pick your seat accordingly. Or if you’re fond of stretching the legs during the flight, perhaps a seat in the middle has your name on it.

You’re permitted one free carry-on item up to 11 pounds—and this includes your personal item. Image: Courtesy Wow Airlines

Luggage

You’re permitted one free carry-on item up to 11 pounds—and this includes your personal item (i.e., stylish handbag or backpack).

But don’t panic: You have options. For an additional $48, it’s possible to add 15 more pounds to your carry-on bag. Or do like I do: just pay the piper, and check one bag (maximum weight of 44 pounds) for $67.

Tip: Skirting around Wow’s one free little carry-on bag policy, I also wear a wafer-thin nylon cross-body bag in black, and because it matches my customary manteau noir, it rarely raises an eyebrow or a scale, for that matter.

Related: A Guide to airline baggage fees for US carriers to Europe

Don’t forget to pack a small blanket or wearing a large sweater and an eye mask. (Image by T. Brack’s archives, 1953)

Packing List

I recommend packing a small blanket (or wearing a large sweater) and an eye mask because Wow keeps the lights on throughout the entire flight.

Reading material should also be on your list, because Wow offers no in-flight entertainment, and they’ve stopping renting iPads. There are outlets for recharging your own electronic devices, but they’re not always in working order, but books and magazines are the good old green alternative.

Related: Packing for a two-week trip to Europe

Tip: On a recent flight I devoured Amy Poehler’s “Yes, Amy”. Heads-up: The book weighs a whopping 1.8 pounds, so consider purchasing it after checking in, in case they decide to weigh your carry-on. Or else pack Tina Fey’s relatively slim 12.8 ounce “Bossy Pants”. Time flew during both reads.

If you’re hungry, don’t hesitate to honk at anytime during the flight. (Image: Courtesy Wow Airlines)

The Flight

“Bon Appétit!” is what I always say whenever I hear the rumble of the meal cart in the distance, shortly after takeoff. Making no bones about it, dining is one of my favorite flight rituals. On Wow, there’s a meal truck, but everything comes at a price. Coffee, tea and chips cost about $2.65; juice, soda, candy bars, and Skyr cost $2.27; beer and soup cost about $5.30; and sandwiches and wine cost $7.57.

Tip: I usually pack beaucoup bags of trail mix in my pockets, and then score some soda pops at the airport. I’ve splurged on the wine, the soup, and the coffee, of course. Because fueled with caffeine is how I like to roll upon arrival.

Waiting for takeoff at the Keflavík International Airport (Photo by T. Brack)

The layover

Wow now prints out tickets for both legs of your trip at the start of your journey, so the layover at the Keflavík International Airport is easier and breezier. Need more reading material? Make a beeline to the Penninn Eymundsson bookshop, not far from the Wow gates. The other shops at KEF airport don’t stock books and magazines.

However, be quick on your feet because the layover is only an hour and a half, even if “Iceland’s most punctual airline” occasionally runs a bit behind schedule. Granted, I haven’t missed any of my connections yet, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re tacking on another flight at the end of your trip.

Lastly, keep your eyes peeled for Wow’s over-sized inflight magazine. Thanks to one fascinating article, I now no longer have to ponder how the flight attendants manage to fix their flawless topknots prior to a 4 a.m. flight. They don’t wake up that way, but can whip up their signature dos in a matter of seconds. Impressive!

Questions about Wow?

Feel free to ask away below. And if you have any more tips on how to make the most of a Wow flight, do spill.

Bon Voyage!

The post Wow Air: Our guide to flying the Cheapo skies appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Wow! Airlines, the self-proclaimed “ultra low-cost transatlantic carrier”, today announced a new crop of $99 seats beginning in October from two US departure points, Boston and Washington, to Paris and Amsterdam (all with connections in Reykjavik, Iceland).

Although the airline claimed that $99 seats are available starting in October, we weren’t able to find any of these cheap seats for that month in our test searches today.

However, we did turn up some $99 seats available to and from Europe for December, January and February travel. The return ticket, however, was often at least twice as much.

Related:

• $99 to Europe? Yes, but the devil is in the details.
• See all flash deals on European travel

In one of our tests, we found a $99 ticket to Paris, but the return to Boston was $189.

In one test for Boston to Paris in November and December, November was already slim pickings, but we were able to snag a $99 seat for December. With a return two weeks later for $189, the bare-basics ticket came in at $288 (without bags or assigned seats).

Similarly, a test for Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to Paris in January yielded a $99 departure (on January 10), but the cheapest return we could find was $288 two weeks later. (The month was filled with $288 return flights from Paris.) Total flight charge: $387 (without bags or assigned seats).

Extra charge alert: However, note that checking a bag will set you back $67 each way, and reserving a seat will cost a minimum of $7 each way.

Bottom line

As we’ve written before, with a little flexibility, light packing, and good timing, you can find a steal on a round-trip from the US to Europe on Wow! Even if checking a bag bumps your overall ticket up by $134, the final charge could still be far less than you’d pay on a legacy carrier.

Check your dates on the Wow! website. And for Cheapos sake, if you do find a good fare, grab those seats before they’re all gone… and then tell us about it in the comments section!

The details:

• Some $99 one-way tickets available from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Paris and Amsterdam.

• All flights connect through Reykjavik, before continuing on to Paris and Amsterdam.

• Frequency from BWI: Two flights a week to Amsterdam, five flights a week to Paris.

• Frequency from Boston: Three times a week to Amsterdam, six flights a week to Paris.

The post Flash: Wow! Air releases more $99 flights from Boston and DC to Paris and Amsterdam appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

This past fall I was able to nab a fantastic deal on a non-stop flight to London from New York JFK for less than $300. Sound impossible? With a little bit of planning, a few hours of online searching, and a willingness to be flexible with your schedule and traveling habits, you could easily score the same kind of deal.

Related:

Wow! Airlines offers $99 flights to Europe

Norwegian offers $240 flights to Europe

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Search around

The big players in the flight search industry like Kayak, Expedia and Hipmunk are essential tools to finding good prices on flights. Spending a few minutes on each can’t hurt and is a great way to get the lay of the land. Be sure to check out EuroCheapo’s flight search, too, as it’s powered by Momondo.com and offers some surprising deals through smaller European carriers.

But don’t forget to check out the official airline websites, as well. The rates might be the same that you’ll find on meta-search engines, but they offer cool features to help you find less obvious deals. For example, Norwegian has a helpful fare calendar where you can quickly scan through a few months of schedules to find the cheapest trips. Wow! Air shows a few days at a time, and you can scroll back and forth to see cheap flights around the date you chose.

Spend some time getting to know your low-cost carrier’s online home, and you’ll be well on your way to finding a great deal.

Book early

This might be the most important tip here. Make sure to start your search well in advance of your potential travel times. And we don’t mean a few weeks—try to reserve your tickets at least two or three months out or even earlier.

For example, if you want to fly to London in January or February of 2015, flights are still available on Norwegian for as low as $249 each way. However, if you want to head over in spring when things warm up, you’d be wise not to wait on booking those seats. As of December 8, 2014, you can still find one-way flights to London in May for as little as $248. That’s a fantastic deal for a late spring vacation to Europe, but you can bet that those prices won’t last long. Snag them now.

Be flexible with dates and destinations

Granted, as a freelance writer, I had greater flexibility when planning my trip. However, even a little flexibility can usually go a long way when it comes to hunting down airline deals. Flying mid-week, for example, can almost always save you a $100 or more over weekend ticket prices–so if you can take an extra vacation day, go for it.

This doesn’t just mean that you have to leave midweek. For example, for my recent three-week jaunt around Europe this past fall, my plan was to start in London, and then hit Paris and Amsterdam on the way to a final week in Berlin for the Fall of the Wall 25 celebration. This gave me plenty of options when choosing my flights, as I could shuffle the order of the cities visited to find a deal. With a bit of patience, I was able to find a flight from NYC to London for a great price on Thursday night, getting into Gatwick on a Friday morning—just in time for the weekend!

Cut back on extras

We’ve talked about the stringent policies of these new budget carriers before in our recent article about $99 flights on Wow Air. But we’ll stress it again for any newbies to low-cost flying culture: Checked bags, meals, and even seat reservations can (and usually do) cost extra.

Fortunately, the price you’re shown on screen almost always includes taxes and airport fees. However, in almost all cases, the first fare you see is just the bare-bones flight. If you really need an aisle seat or plan on checking a bag, you’ll have to fork over some extra money.

Sometimes package deals on perks can be found. For example, Norwegian often bundles a seat reservation, meals and a checked bag into one fee. But this can still reach $50 or more, so a true Cheapo will go for the basic fare and pack lightly, bring along a sandwich or two and not mind where they end up sitting on the plane.

My ticket

Here’s how much I paid for my ticket for a non-stop flight from New York JFK to London Gatwick on Norwegian Air. I flew on October 23rd and booked the ticket in late July, approximately three months out. Cost of the ticket (including taxes and fees) was $298 (a great fare for an October direct flight), but I also opted to upgrade for an extra $50 to get two meals (including wine), a seat reservation (I love my window seats) and checked baggage to see if this experience was worth it. In the end, the food was only mediocre and I didn’t really need to check my bag, but I still enjoyed having the peace of mind that I wouldn’t be stuck in a middle seat or go hungry. It was nice to kick off my trip with a few extra perks, and a couple glasses of wine on your way to Europe never hurts!

Airfare: $298

Checked bag, seat reservation and food/drink: $50

Total cost: $348

The post How I scored a $298 one-way ticket to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Travelers can choose to launch their journeys from one of six airports: Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover and Stuttgart.

The airline has divided their mystery destinations into several categories. Cologne/Bonn offers seven summer season categories, all but one of them priced at €33 per leg: Culture, Gay-friendly, Metropolis, Nature, Trekking and Hiking, Party and Shopping. The seventh category, Sun and Beach, is priced at €49.99 per leg. Hamburg and Stuttgart offer four destination categories, Dusseldorf three and Berlin and Hannover one apiece.

The booking process

My mission was to yield to chance and to watch my pennies. Though quite pleasant to fly, Germanwings is a low-cost airline. Pinching pennies on a low-cost carrier means not paying extra for either a seat assignment or checked luggage. On the ground I prioritized supermarket meals and booked the very cheapest accommodation I could find.

I chose Dusseldorf for two reasons. One, it was easy and relatively inexpensive to reach from London, my home base. Secondly, the Dusseldorf “party” gathering of destinations appealed to me more than any other. The grouping included Leipzig, Dresden, Warsaw and Katowice, as well as Stockholm and Barcelona, cities where I have friends. (From the outset I found this category to be confusing. This group of cities didn’t really strike me to be particularly or relatively festive places. Marketing is hard!)

And the destination is…

I made my booking after dinner one evening. A receipt flashed on my screen and I discovered that I was destined for Milan Malpensa. Milan was one of two cities on the list I had hoped wouldn’t come up. I like Milan fine but had visited fairly recently. So my first reaction was disappointment. Here’s lesson one, perhaps the most obvious of all though worth repeating: Blind Booking is not an ideal holiday solution for anyone with a very fixed idea about where they want to travel.

That said, there are ways to game Blind Booking. For €5, customers can exclude a destination from the group list. Customers can also examine existing timetables to maximize their likelihood of flying to a particular destination.

Beyond these hacks, Blind Booking is about yielding to chance. Because the booking period extends to 45 days prior to departure, Blind Booking doesn’t have to be a fly-by-night endeavor. With over six weeks of lead time, there are plenty of opportunities to plan ahead.

I booked a two-night jaunt. Because my departing flight left too early to make it from London to Dusseldorf with a comfortable cushion for transfer time, I had to fly in the previous evening. And because my return flight from Milan to Dusseldorf arrived around 11 PM, I had to find a hotel in Dusseldorf for a night at the end of the jaunt.

These two additional details provided the second lesson of Blind Booking, equally as obvious as the first lesson, but worth articulating nonetheless: This cheap roundtrip ticket is essentially a clearance item. In exchange for €66, customers have to organize themselves around the itinerary on offer. My guess is that departures and returns in the early morning and late night hours are particularly common Blind Booking slots. Flexibility is key.

The trip

I headed for the mountains: Two nights in Lugano, followed by a scenic rail journey from Locarno to Domodossola.

I flew into Milan Malpensa, had a quick (and necessary) espresso at an airport café and took the Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale. Here I had about 15 minutes to buy my ticket on to Lugano, which was a snap.

Though EuroCheapo I booked two nights at Ristorante le bucce de Gandria, a small restaurant with several guestrooms in Gandria, a village on the edge of Lugano. My room was CHF130 ($145) for two nights, which around these parts is quite cheap. After arriving I made a beeline to the nearest gas station/convenience shop where I bought the holy grail of a simple supermarket dinner: salami, cheese, anchovies, yogurt, nuts and water. The damage: CHF20 ($22).

My two days were about reacquainting myself with Lugano, a city I’d last visited when I was 19. Supermarket lunches, long walks along the lake, two delightful swims, a pleasurable dinner on the balcony at Locanda Gandriese restaurant in Gandria, enjoyed with a local Ticinese wine and capped with a shot of house-made limoncello, wanders through Lugano’s hillside shopping streets, and a visit to the Museo Cantonale d’Arte, the cantonal art museum of Ticino.

Locarno is charming town just a short ride from Lugano. Photo: Luca G

On my third day I took the train to Locarno. Outside, Alpine vistas; inside, boisterous children set free on a field trip. In Locarno I caught a scenic train back into Italy, to regional hub Domodossola. This town, at the confluence of two rivers, features some noteworthy late medieval architecture and an attractive central square, Piazza del Mercato. Its stone and timber houses, arcades, and mountain peaks give Domodossola a rustic charm. I enjoyed risotto and steak for €13 at a quiet restaurant well off the central square and wandered for some time.

From Domodossola I caught a direct bus to Milan Malpensa for €15. This bus, which relies on government subsidy, runs on a demand-only basis and must be reserved in advance.

The Upshot

Germanwings’ Blind Booking is a little bit gimmicky but quite fun. It’s a good option for travelers with a broad interest in a great number of destinations; anyone with something very specific in mind should give it a pass. Anyone considering a Blind Booking break should take a look at their schedule and weigh the pros (surprise, cost) and cons (schedule, rigidity).

Note: Germanwings did not support this journey in any way.

The post Germanwings’ Blind Booking Deal appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

With that in mind, we did a little research for getting to Eastern Europe for as cheap as possible. Many times Ryanair might fly into a different country than your final destination in these alternatives. But don’t let that stop you. It may seem out of the way, but in these cases, the ground transportation makes them all very accessible. Here are a few examples of Ryanair-inspired routings to points further eastward if you’re going to:

St. Petersburg, Russia

Alternative: Lapeenranta, Finland
From Dusseldorf Weeze, Barcelona Girona or Milan Bergamo, you can fly to this smaller airport in Finland.

Ground transport
From Lapeenranta, catch the train or bus to St. Petersburg.

Lvov, Ukraine

Alternative 1: Rzeszow, Poland
From Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Eastern Midlands, Barcelona Girona, Glasgow, Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, Oslo Rygge or Trapani you can fly direct to Rzeszow.

Alternative 2: Lublin, Poland
You can fly to Lublin from Dublin, Liverpool or London Stansted.

Ground transport
From either destination you can catch a train or bus to Lvov.

Moldova or the Black Sea

Alternative: Constanta, Romania
You can fly here from Milan Bergamo or Pisa.

Ground transport
Travelers can take a bus, train or even a ferry northward or southward to their final destination.

Locations in the Balkans

Alternative 1: Osijek, Croatia
From London Stansted you can reach this small Croatian city. Then you can easily connect onwards to points in southern Hungary, Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Alternative 2: Podgorica, Montenegro
You can fly from Brussels Charleroi or London Stansted and then connect via bus to Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia or even southern Croatia.

Budget Airline Tips

Do you have any shortcuts you use when flying budget airlines? Let us know! And for more information on cheap airline travel, we have a plenty of handy articles including an introduction to low-cost carriers, a budget airline FAQ and the pros and cons of flying cheap.

The post Flying for less to Eastern Europe: Using Ryanair’s obscure destinations to your advantage appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, there are a few key ways that flying low-cost carrier differ from your legacy airlines. To avoid “first time” shock, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Navigating the extra fees when booking

Be ready to click through a number of “no thanks” extras before finally checking out. Websites will try to hook you on phone plans, car rentals, priority booking and just about anything else you can think of. Additional costs can add up fast. On some sites you must click on the “no” button to change it from a “yes” default. If your ticket is more than advertised at the end, go through the boxes again to make sure you didn’t buy something extra. And don’t forget to print out your PDF-ready ticket after you purchase it.

2. Keep small and carry on

All low-cost airlines have a one cabin luggage limit, and the staff are very strict on keeping within the size dimensions of around 20in x 15in x 8in (and 20 pounds). Passengers might even go through a “does your bag fit into this basket” test before boarding. Being sneaky rarely works, so if your luggage is too big, then get ready to pay about as much as the flight ticket to check it. Here’s a guide

3. Get ready to land in the boonies

Not all destinations land in the city advertised. Many budget airlines can only afford to land in smaller towns just on the outskirts, like El Prat instead of Barcelona, and Beauvais instead of Paris. So when you walk off the plane and find yourself in the boonies, don’t panic. Public buses and private coaches offer direct connections to the closest major city. It could cost as much as the flight in the end to get there, but chances are it’s still less than a train ticket.

4. BYOB everything

Forget complimentary anything (except toilets), on board it’s a “Sell! Sell! Sell!” attitude. From tax-free shopping to “two-for-one” cocktails, scratch cards, raffle tickets and cigarettes–it’s like a casino flying through the sky. The good news is you can bring on board any drinks and snacks purchased after airport security, although the in-flight deals can be a better buy sometimes.

5. Welcome to general admission seating

Love a window seat? So do I, and so does the guy waiting to board in front of you. It’s general admission on these flights. If you’re picky about seating, either show up early to be among the first to board, or be ready to fight for a good spot. Solo travelers can easily mosey in and sit alone, but couples and families might want to plan an early arrival at the gate (or pay extra for priority boarding).

6. Prepare for ungodly hours

The cheapest flights that go for practically nothing are known for departing as early as 6 AM and as late as 11 PM. It might not seem so bad at first, but an early flight can mean waking up as early as 3 AM, or even sleeping at the airport the night before due to a lack of public transport. When picking out-of-the-ordinary departure times, research your options first about getting there. And make sure you’re an early bird that catches its worm before it wiggles off the tarmac!

Share your tips with fellow flyers
Are you an experienced low-cost airline traveler and have your own tips or secrets to share with Cheapos that are new to flying the budget skies? Feel free to post away in our comments section. You can also check out our “Pros and cons of budget airlines” and our “Tips to finding cheap flights around Europe” for more information.

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