Cheapest Way to Fly to Europe

Flexibility is important when searching for inexpensive flights to Europe.

There are many different ways to find inexpensive flights to Europe, depending on your departure city. Exploring your options is a good way to ensure that you find the cheapest seats, as well as being flexible with departure and arrival times. Also, being willing to make multiple stops before arriving at your destination may help cut costs.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Credit Card

Instructions

1. Search for flights online. There are so many budget travel websites online nowadays, it has made searching for inexpensive tickets much easier. Most budget airfare websites will compile a list of all of the cheapest flights in its database and organize them in order of least to most expensive after you type in your destination. Some of these websites share information, but it is a good idea to check several different sites in case some list flights that others do not.

2. Consider taking multiple flights to reach your destination. For example, if you are looking to fly from New York to Germany, compare the prices between flying nonstop to Germany and taking other routes to get there. There are often specials from New York to London. Once you get to London, there are inexpensive regional flights through airlines such as Ryan Air that will take you to Germany. The same goes for most destinations in Europe. Explore discounted tickets in nearby countries and then the expense of the often cheaper, regional airlines.

3. Talk to a travel agent. Travel agents are often privy to information and special offers that are not available elsewhere. They also know where to look and can cut down on the time it would take you to find the same deal. They can advise you on courier flight options as well, which occasionally offer free travel in exchange for delivering packages.

4. Look into youth and student discounts. Several airlines and budget travel companies cater specifically to students and young adults up to age 27. Sometimes having a student ID or Youth Travel ID card is required to board these flights.

Tips & Warnings

• Regional airlines are often not listed on major budget websites, however, whichbudget.com provides similar searching capabilities to major airline websites, but caters specifically to regional airlines.

• If you are not a student or not considered a youth according to an airline's requirements, do not purchase a student- or youth-discounted ticket without first making sure that a student or youth ID is not required to board the plane. It is possible to purchase these tickets, and later not allowed to board the flight without the proper identification.

References

• Back Door Travel: Cheap Flights to Europe
• Art of Travel: How to Get Cheap Flights
• Which Budget

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Ryan Air
• Travelocity
• Expedia
• Hotwire
• STA Travel