Leisure travel to Europe has come roaring back from its pandemic-era lows, with a 6.1% increase in 2023. That's according to Eurostat, which counted nearly three billion nights spent in tourist accommodations during the year. You might also be interested to know that Croatia and Malta are now Europe's hottest up-and-coming destinations.
That's all very well, but more travelers mean higher costs, notably for airfare. If you're planning a trip to Europe and are worried about the cost, choose your travel dates carefully. Getting a good deal is all about timing.
Key Takeaways
- The late fall and winter months—from mid to late October through mid-to-late March—are generally the cheapest time to fly to Europe, although fares can spike for the year-end holiday season.
- It’s often cheaper to fly to Europe mid-week, particularly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- It can be most economical to fly from the U.S. to London, the busiest hub, and take a cheap flight from there to any Continental city.
Pick an Off-Peak Season
Seasonality matters. As an example, a search on Travelocity.comfor round-trip, mid-week, economy-class tickets from New York to London for June 12-June 17, 2024, turns up options starting at $594 per person. In mid-January, the low fares are down to $410. (Those are all non-stop flights. Price consciousness can be carried too far.)
Like most leisure-travel destinations, Europe has peak travel seasons when airfares are at their highest, and off-peak ones when it’s possible to finda better deal on airfare and on your other vacation expensesas well.
The summer season, which runs from late May or early June through the end of August, is when many American families can travel. As a result, it's the most expensive time to visit Europe.
The late fall and winter months—from mid to late October through middle-to-late March—are often the cheapest time to fly. Cold weather, of course, is partly to blame, but a winter vacation to Europe has its benefits. In addition to the cheaper airfare, Europe has some of the best ski and snowboard resorts in the world (Méribel,Zermatt, and St. Anton am Arlberg, to name a few).
Leave the ski resorts, and you can experience Europe’s other top attractions with far smaller crowds of other tourists.
Late December through the New Year is the exception. are reuniting or traveling together for the holidays, so you can expect to pay a premium for flights at that time of year. If you're budget-conscious, you also might avoid cities like Cologne and Salzburg, where Christmas festivals are a big draw.
Don't Fly Direct
The busiest air travel route between the United Statesand Europe is from New York to London. Yes, we know Britain's no longer in the European Union, but that doesn't make London less of a draw for Americans.
More than 30 airlines fly to London out of three major New York airports. That's plenty of competition and plenty of choice for travelers.
That means it can be most economical for Americans headed to other cities in Europe to fly from the U.S. to London and then take a discount flight to your destination city on the Continent. Note that the major airlines are frequently matching the discounters like RyanAir and easy Jet, so you should have a wide number of flight options.
There are ground travel options from London, including buses, ferries, and train services, but they're not necessarily cheaper depending on how far you're going.
The Brexit Effect
Great Britain's departure from the European Union has made travel to the Continent from Britain a bit more onerous for Americans. It means that British citizens traveling to Europe have to join the non-EU resident lines at entry points, along with Americans and all other non-European travelers. Consider traveling in mid-week when the lines should be shorter.
Price-Shop and Compare
It's important to keep in mind that airfares fluctuate constantly. The same economy seat could be priced at $1,200 one morning and go for $531 in the afternoon. It's a good idea to price-shop every day for several days in a row to land a good deal. A couple of days of flexibility in your dates also helps.
Pick the Right Day
Trying to save money by traveling on a certain day of the week can be hit-or-miss with flights to Europe. It’s often cheaper to fly mid-week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in particular, but sometimes you can get the same fare on a Saturday.
The length of your stay can make a big difference in price. Plan on a Saturday night stay-over to get the best fares and better hotel rates as well.
If you can be flexible, you may be able to save money by adjusting your departure and return dates. Google Flights, as well as some other online airfare aggregators, including Kayak and Travelocity, have flexible travel date searches, so you can compare fares for a specific date and the surrounding dates.
How Far in Advance?
It doesn't necessarily pay to book too far in advance. As noted, airfares fluctuate constantly, but whatever logic they're using, it doesn't worry about filling seats six months before a flight takes off.
Unless there is extreme demand due to an event like the Olympics, the good deals can show up from a few weeks to a couple of months before departure. At the very last minute, you'll probably face high prices and limited choices.
Consider signing up for price alerts that send email or text updates for routes that you specify. Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak are among the sites that have them.
Are Airfares Historically High or Low Now?
Average prices for airline tickets fell 6.2% in February 2024 compared to one year previously, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This is good news for consumers. Fares dropped as much as much as 18% during the COVID pandemic in 2020 only to over-correct, rising as much as 30% in 2022.
What Is the Cheapest Time to Travel to Europe?
The cheapest airfares tend to be for flights from mid-October through late March, with the exception of the late December holiday period.
Accommodations are generally cheaper during those months too, at least in most of Europe. Hotel fares can be at their highest during the winter months in Mediterranean beach resorts and in ski towns.
What Day of the Week Are Flights Cheapest?
According to Skyscanner, the answer is Tuesday... usually. Prices tend to move higher at the end of the week and through the weekend. That said, ticket prices fluctuate so frequently that detecting clear patterns has become impossible. For best results, stay flexible and compare search results on consecutive dates.
The Bottom Line
You willprobably pay the most if you fly to Europe during the summer when everybody else wants to go. You can find cheaper rates by flying during the winter (except for December) and by having flexible dates.
Fares to London can be among the lowest fares to Europe with the most choice of airlines and times.
Once you cross the Atlantic, you can book a cheap flight from London to hop to another city. If your vacation time is less restricted, consider a Eurail pass, good for travel to 33 countries, or travel by bus.
