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.

Attention Cheapos! 2019 is getting off to a good start with the latest fare announcement from Wow Air. Starting today, you can book a flight to Europe for only $49.

If you’ve been waiting for a good deal on a trip to Iceland, Ireland, London, Germany, or Belgium, now is the time to go.

These flights are sure to sell out fast, so we’ve put together the details on how to get this amazing deal before they’re gone.

How to score a $49 flight

To find this rock bottom fare, you need to book from certain cities.

From the US:
Boston (BOS)
Washington, DC (BWI)
New York (EWR)
Detroit (DTW)

Into Europe:
Reykjavik (REK)
Dublin (DUB)
Brussels (BRU)
Frankfurt (FRA)
London (LGW)

The deal is for available for travel between the dates of January 21 and March 11, 2019.

For example, we found a flight from Boston to Reykjavik on January 22nd for $49 that leaves at 6:20 pm and New York to Dublin (via REK) on January 21st at 6:05 pm.

Of course, you need to be wary of any add-ons from seat reservations fees to checked baggage charges. They can add up quickly and double or triple the price of your flight in no time. But for those looking for the cheapest price possible, it will be hard to top this Wow Air deal.

Search for the latest fares on Wow Air. 

Before you book your flight, read our tips for flying Wow Air to get all the inside information on how to keep your cost down.

Most Wow Air flights fly through Reykjavik, so you’ll have to factor in a stop in this Icelandic city. If you want to make Reykjavik your vacation stop, read through our budget guide to Iceland. It’s not the cheapest destination, but with a little bit of planning, you can save on your trip with the right hotel and tour. And in January, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights!

Note: Even though Wow Air is no longer operating, you can still book direct flights on Icelandair to Reykjavik.

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We always get a little giddy here at EuroCheapo every time a new budget airline enters the transatlantic market. Along with booking an affordable place to stay, securing a low-cost flight to Europe is key to keeping your vacation expenses in check.

So we’re excited to see a brand-new player bringing cheap flights between the US and Europe. Primera Air will be kicking off its transatlantic service in April with non-stop flights from New York to London with more routes rolling out later in 2018 to Paris and Birmingham.

Primera is an Icelandic-owned and Latvia-based company that already operates a number of routes across Europe. Now they’re ready to expand their service with a brand-new fleet of planes, the Airbus A321neo. Launching with a similar concept like Norwegian and WOW Air,  Primera will be offering several tiers of tickets from super cheap with no frills to more expensive with a number of perks.

Flying the cheapo skies: A guide to flying Wow Air | Tips for making your flight on Norwegian comfier

Introductory fares on Primera Air

Right now, Primera is only offering service from three destinations: Boston (BOS), New York – Newark (EWR), and Washington, DC (Dulles Airport). They have been advertising rock-bottom fares of $99 each way, and although a lot of those tickets have sold out, we are still able to find incredible deals including several tickets under $200. For example, a flight from Newark to London in late April is only $179.

Primera breaks their tickets down into Light (the cheapest option with no perks), Comfort (includes seat reservation, a checked bag, and meals), or Flex (all of the Comfort perks but the fare is refundable).  If you choose a “Light” ticket, you can add on extras one at a time. For example, a seat reservation starts at $39.99 and a checked bag costs $44.99. They also offer a Premium Cabin, but the prices are way out of cheapo budget for us to even consider this option.

The transatlantic experience on Primera

I’ll be flying Primera in a few months from Paris back to New York City. I was able to find a €169 ($207) one-way flight direct from Paris (CDG) to Newark (EWR) in early June, an amazing deal for this time of year. Combined with a one-way ticket from Norwegian at $170, the final cost for a round-trip ticket to Paris was just $378. That’s a very nice price for a trip to Paris over Memorial Day weekend and during the French Open.

We’re looking forward to flying on Primera Air, and we’ll be reporting back about our experience. Right now you can read about transatlantic flights on the Primera website, but until we climb aboard, it’s hard to predict what the flights will be like. As we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), these budget airlines can be fantastic deals, but the devil is always in the details.

Have you bought a ticket on Primera Air? Let us know how your experience in the comments below!

The post Primera Air launches new discount flights to Europe from $99 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

EuroCheapo has you covered with the best affordable hotels in Paris, but how can you save on airfare?

In the past, we’ve shared tips about flying on budget airlines like Norwegian, and now we’re ready to share our secrets for getting to Paris on the cheap.

Here are six proven tips to help you score the best price on a ticket to Paris!

Travel tips for Paris
• 50 Simple ways to save on your trip to Paris
• 8 Fantastic day trips from Paris
• Simple ways to save on your Paris hotel

How to find a cheap flight to Paris

Before you spend a bundle on your airfare, take a moment to see what our Paris correspondent, Mayowa Ige, does to score a low-cost flight.

1. Try a French budget airline

A few years ago, I scored a great deal using XL Airways, a budget airline that was based in France that made direct trips between Paris the US. I bought my one-way ticket to Paris (CDG) from Los Angeles (LAX) for $183. Unfortunately, XL went out of business in 2019. However, you can still get great deals on French Bee airlines with fares as low as $139.

No, you didn’t read that wrong.

Your flight won’t include any extras, so if you want to bring a bag to check, you’ll be paying extra. You can upgrade to a Smart ticket that includes a meal and a checked bag. For example, a recent search on French Bee had a one-way ticket for $178 from Newark to Paris on Basic and $248 for Smart.

Also, be sure to check out our guides to booking budget flights on Norwegian. While they’re not French companies, they do often run specials to Paris with draw-dropping low fares.

French Bee is a cheap way to get to Paris. Photo: Olivier

2. Buy your ticket during the wee hours

After living in Paris for three months, my mom decided she had had enough of FaceTime and Skype, so she started planning a visit in December 2017. With holiday markets and festive cheer in full swing, December is a popular month to visit Paris, but she managed to snag a 10-day round-trip flight with American Airlines from LAX to Paris for under $500. One 50-pound check-in bag, a carry on, and the food were included in the price.

How did she manage to score this deal?! By buying during the late night/early morning period. There is less online traffic at 1 am, so you can snag deals that “early birds” would have normally gotten by 6 am or 7 am.

3. Travel during the off-season

With the way the American work and school cycle is structured, vacations typically occur during the summer and major holidays, and this peak season usually means higher airfare prices. It will almost always be cheaper to go during the off-season, although sometimes you can find deals if you go during the beginning or end of the peak season.

You should also pay attention to European work and school cycles. In April, students get a 10-day vacation for Easter holiday and so inter-European flights may be slightly more expensive than normal because of the influx of students traveling.

Related: When (and when not) to visit Paris

The departures board at Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Photo: Pedro

4. Buy two one-way or open-jaw tickets

If you can’t beat the system, at least try to trick it! Buying two one-way tickets can cost the same as a round trip, and can actually work better for your travel plans.

For example, if your trip starts in Lisbon and ends in Berlin (with a stop in Paris along the way), you could buy a one-way to Lisbon, and a one-way home from Berlin, which saves you the hassle and expense of getting back to Lisbon to fly home. (In addition to one-way tickets, you should also check “open jaw” tickets that let you fly into one city and home from another.)

For a sample trip in early 2020, a one-way flight from LAX to Charles de Gaulle would cost $200. Then, a one-way flight from Berlin to LAX would cost $244. Meanwhile, a round trip from LAX to Paris and back would cost around $600. So, if you choose the one-way routes, you would be saving time and money in the long run because you won’t have to pay to return to Paris in order to fly back to the U.S.

5. Sign up for airline newsletters

Sale fares to Europe go fast… and if you plan to snag a steal, you need to know about it as soon as possible. One of the best ways to stay on top of the deals is to sign up for airline newsletters. Check out this guide to the best airline newsletters to subscribe to.

6. Change your language settings

If you’re planning on hopping around to different cities in Europe once you’re in Paris, you might want to check the different prices based on your language settings in your app or browser.

For example, I noticed that when I bought my tickets in Spanish, the euro prices were a bit cheaper than when I bought my tickets in English with American dollars. Since I was looking for inter-European flights, the savings were only $30-40 dollars, but considering that a round-trip flight from Paris to Madrid in mid-March 2018 is €42, you could end up saving quite a bit!

Your tips

Have you been able to find a cheap flight to Paris? Tell us your tricks and tips in the comments below.

The post 6 tips for scoring a cheap flight to Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Wow! Literally.

WOW Air announced today that they are offering $69 one-way flights from California to Europe for a limited time. These mega-cheap flights are from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Bristol, and Edinburgh (with more European destinations available at slightly higher rates).

The Wow Air sale also includes:

• $99 seats from Miami and Boston to Iceland
• $129 – $149 seats from Miami and Boston to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Frankfurt

Sale fares are for travel between January 15, 2017 and April 5, 2017.

Wow Air Sale: Our tests

So how do you find this deal? We did a quick search and found flights in February, March and April on select Tuesdays from both California cities to Stockholm and Copenhagen at the $69 rate. Flying on the weekend will dramatically increase the fare, from $219 and up (each way).

As always, the early bird gets the cheap seats. Snag these sale fares now before they’re all gone, Cheapos! Visit the airline’s official website to check prices.

Search from Los Angeles to Copenhagen on Tuesday, January 10, 2017.

The fine print

So what do you get for $69? This special fare is a bare-bones ticket. It will get you to Europe, but if you want an assigned seat, checked baggage, meals, or anything else, you’ll have to pony up some cash. Even with these extra charges, however, you can fly to Europe for a shockingly low ticket price.

For much more on the airline, check out:

• Our guide to the flying the cheapo skies on WOW Airlines and

• WOW, $99 to Europe? Yes, but the devil is in the details

The post Flash Sale: WOW Air offers $69 flights from California to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

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.

Related: 7 Ways to save now on next year’s trip to Europe

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. Before long, you’ll be “humble bragging” on Facebook about the incredibly low airfare you just scored for your European vacation. Good luck!

Note: Looking for a little budget travel guidance? Check out the current EuroCheapo package deals for great discounts for US travelers heading to Europe. We book your airfare, hotel, and rental car all at once, and pass along the savings.

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?

Set up alerts so you can get the latest prices on your route.

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.

Pardon us if this is too basic, but many travelers don’t realize that flights into one city and home from another are often just 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, instead of a round-trip to London, 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).

Paris in May can be just as beautiful (and a lot less crowded) than the summer. Photo: Loïc Lagarde

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.

Related: When is the best time to visit Paris and Amsterdam.

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.

Related: Planning a trip to Europe? Avoid these 10 costly mistakes

Heathrow is a major airport in London, but did you know there are several others? Photo: Stefan Kellner

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 Europe’s budget airlines (like Ryanair and easyJet) to get a fare from Dublin to London.

Don’t overlook nearby airports. Kayak has a function to let you easily search for them.

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 global 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.

7. Know when to snag international airfare deals.

According to a study by the airline experts at Kayak.com, booking 34 days prior to departure is approximately 4% cheaper than booking six months in advance. That said, if you see a great deal many months out, don’t hesitate to book it!

WOW Air is just one of a handful of budget airlines offering super cheap flights to Europe. Photo: Alec Wilson

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 snag a one-way ticket for jaw-dropping prices, and their fare calendars make it easy to browse prices over the course of a few months.

WOW Airlines, which trumpets $99 one-way flights to mainland Europe (with a connection in Iceland) is certainly worth a search. Note, however, that this price is hard to find and doesn’t include extras such as checked baggage (which can add up fast, see our chart), seat assignments, or anything to nibble on. (Read our article on Wow Air to get more details.)

In 2016, it might be easier to fly WOW as they’ve recently announced a new route from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Europe, and that they’ll be expanding their schedule from Boston, Baltimore/Washington DC, Montreal, and Toronto. Hopefully, they’ll fly out New York in the near future as well!

Norwegian is another budget option that has been offering super cheap fares from North American to Europe. 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.

And the newest player to enter the transatlantic discount flight market is Primera Air. They are kicking off service to Paris and London in the spring of 2018.

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 Wow! Airlines, Norwegian Air, and Westjet (from Canada).

Search now!

Ready to look for flights? Do a search with EuroCheapo’s flight search!

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 8 Tips for finding cheap flights to Europe 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.

The post New to Europe’s budget airlines? Here are 6 tips for taking off appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That’s super cheapo, and not even unusual for Europe’s budget airlines, which have been known to offer tickets for as low as £1… or even free. How is this possible? And how can you score one of these tickets?

Know where to search

From the US, airfare on carriers such as easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Germanwings and others are not always easy to find, as they’re often not included (or at least highlighted) in the search results of the big airfare websites.

To find fares, go directly to the airline’s own websites. We do include them on our flights search on EuroCheapo, and we compare them to legacy carriers (such as Lufthansa and Air France) which sometimes offer tickets at comparable prices to the budget carriers.

Pay attention to the airport

To keep ticket prices low, budget airlines often use less-central airports that can take more time (and money) to get to. For example, in my London to Berlin example, easyJet’s flight takes off from London Southend Airport, which is 40 miles from London (farther than Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton). Ryanair’s flight, meanwhile, departs from Stansted. So in this case, you might want to spent a few euros more for the Ryanair flight.

For another example, consider many of Ryanair’s flights from London to Barcelona. They actually arrive into Girona-Costa Brava airport, 57 miles away from Barcelona. Although regular bus service between the airport and Barcelona is offered according to arriving and departing flights, mishaps (and unintended overnights) do happen.

Watch those baggage policies…

Many budget carriers try to recoup losses on very low ticket prices through sky-high charges for checked and carry-on luggage. Take special note of the baggage policies when booking, and consider your options. And be aware that some carriers charge less if you pre-pay for your checked bags.

Ryanair, for example, charges between €15-45 for checking luggage (up to 20 kg) when the bags are paid for in advance. If you forget and pay at the airport, you’ll be charged an outrageous €60-140 for the first bag and €105-160 for the second bag! There’s nothing sadder than watching last-minute luggage catastrophes at the Ryanair bag-drop.

…and those hidden fees

As my colleague Hilary Bown wrote last week on the blog, budget carriers famously tack on additional fees, including administrative fees, check-in charges, and credit card surcharges.

For example, Ryanair charges a €7 “administrative fee” per flight, while easyJet charges €12.50 per order (regardless of number of tickets). And they both add a surcharge for tickets purchases by credit card (Ryanair charges 2%; easyJet 2.5%).

Don’t forget to compare trains as an option

Europe’s high-speed trains often offer a compelling alternative to flying, especially shorter distances. For these routes (such as London to Paris, Paris to Brussels and Amsterdam, Barcelona to Madrid) the train might actually be faster once you add the time that it takes to get to the airports, checked in and through security.

And once you consider baggage fees and extra charges, a high-speed train could easily be cheaper, too.

Book in advance and snag a great deal

All caveats and hidden fees aside, Europe’s budget airlines can offer some incredibly good deals. If you book in advance, limit your luggage and follow the rules, very cheap flights are possible.

To read more about Europe’s budget carriers, visit EuroCheapo’s new budget flights search, which includes ticket prices on low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet, and compares them to high-speed trains when they offer an attractive alternative.

The post Tips for finding cheap flights around Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But we do have four or five days that are wide open and free for a quick jaunt elsewhere. So we turned to one of our new favorite flight search sites, Dohop.com, to see what the options were on Saturday, January 5th in the land of low-cost carriers. Ideally we’d like to pay well under $100 to head to either Rome, Berlin or Barcelona.

After a few searches, we had a winner: $60 for a one-way ticket on Ryanair from Paris (BVA) to Rome (CIA), a full 45% cheaper than the next cheapest price on easyJet. Seems awfully good, right?

Well, here’s where things unwind a bit.

To pass "security," watch this quick advertisement from FedEx. Grrrrrr....

Please just show me the price

Ryanair is a little touchy when it comes to showing their fares and routes on other flight search sites. While they appear in Dohop’s search results, clicking the “Go” button doesn’t link directly to the same result on Ryanair’s site, which would let you book the flight and move on with your day.

Instead, Ryanair requires partner search engines like Dohop, Kayak and Skyscanner to link to Ryanair’s homepage and then travelers must re-enter their search dates.

Okay, not a huge deal.

But before doing a search, you have to agree to Ryanair’s terms and conditions. Just to see that route and price you already saw elsewhere.

Okay, whatever.

But after agreeing to the terms, you have to first complete a “Security check” that grants you permission to use the site (funny, we thought agreeing to the terms granted us permission to use the site).

But click wisely, dear Cheapos, for this Security Check is also an advertisement and will quickly shoot you elsewhere if you click on its image. In my case, it was a giant kangaroo prompting me for a “hopping good” deal on cable TV services. When we stopped back the next day, the ad was for FedEx.

(Spoiler alert! The “security password” is “Ship with FedEx.” Are they going to send TSA after us?)

We entered the advertisement’s security words, but were told we made an error and included the wrong information. We were presented with a new Security Check and a more standard reCAPTCHA form to try again, but then received a 500 server message.

"€51.99" for the evening flight from Paris to Rome.

Getting a little bummed out.

We then clicked back to the homepage, re-entered our search for the third time, and—success!—saw our chosen route and rates.

Finally there it was: €51.99 to go from Paris to Rome. Not bad. Right? (We’ll dismiss the slight difference between $60 and €51.99, which is currently $68, as a currency exchange oddity.)

Too bad we’re not able to take the morning flight for €34.99.

Please just let me figure out how much this is “really” going to cost

Now the fun part: the small print.

Reading Ryanair’s fare details on their website, it shows a €6 web check-in fee. Can I get around the fee by checking in at the airport? Of course not. All travelers are required to check in via the web. And if you booked your flight through a call center or at the airport, you’ll need to pay €12 to check in.

What if you arrive at the airport having forgotten to check in online? [insert sinister laughter from Ryanair here] No problem! If there’s time to re-issue an “alternative form of Boarding Pass” Ryanair will do so, but you’ll be charged a Boarding Pass re-issue fee at the rate set in their Consolidation Table of Fees.

According to this chart, there is no re-issue fee if you booked via Ryanair.com. Ok, that’s nice. However, if you booked through a call center or at the airport, you’re getting charged €60. Not so nice.

Here’s a quick run down of the other charges you can expect, courtesy of the Consolidation Table of Fees and based on booking through Ryanair’s website:

• Booked with a credit card: 3% of total transaction value

• Priority boarding fee: €5

• Reserved seats: €10 (but higher on certain routes)

• Musical instrument: €50

• Flight change fees: €30 to €60, depending on the route and whether it’s low or high season

• Carry on baggage: 1 bag for free. All other bags must be checked.

• Fee for checking 1st bag under 15 kg (33 lbs): €15 to €30, depending on the route and whether it’s low or high season

• Fee for checking 1st bag under 20 kg (44 lbs): €25 to €40, depending on the route and whether it’s low or high season

• Fee for checking 2nd bag under 15 kg (44 lbs): €35 to €50, depending on the route and whether it’s low or high season

• Excess baggage fee per kilo if you exceed the limitations set above: €20 per kilo.

So what’s it really cost?

Our trip is for one person traveling with one carry-on and one large suitcase that weighs 50 lbs. So first, the easy part: Shove at least 6 lbs of the weight from the large suitcase into the carry on. No joke – figure it out.

Bam! We just saved €54 (6 lbs = 2.72 kilos. 2.72 kilos x 20 Euros per kilo over.)

Now the rest of the tally:

$68 ticket + €25 ($32.75 USD) luggage fee + 3% transaction charge ($3.02) = $103.77. As much as we’d like to avoid doing the “Ryanair sprint” and not get the worst seat in the house, we can’t rationalize paying an extra cost just to board the plane.

And while this final price almost satisfies our original goal of keeping the flight cost below $100, we can’t help but feel a little, well, gross after going through this whole process. We’d prefer to feel inspired while we plan our trips and right now we’re just feeling kind of stressed out.

Sure, we got a decent deal on the flight, but I guess we’ll have to leave our trombone at home, dare we risk yet another fee.

Has Ryanair brought you down?

Are you down on Ryanair or do you take a different view? Maybe we’re overreacting. After all, those flights can really be cheap. Tell us what you think, Cheapos.

The post Ryanair, we love you but you’re bringing us down appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.