As every parent knows, finding the lowest airfare matters a lot when there are three or four or five of you! Even a modest discount gets multiplied. Fortunately, it's easy to find great airfares within Europe.
Cheap flights in Europe
The big name in cheap flights in Europe is Ryanair (see below) but there are dozens of other options. In fact, the first job for the would-be flyer is trying to make sense of who flies where. Fortunately, two excellent sites can sort that out.
- Flylc.com is a super-handy site: enter your desired destination city, then select departure city, and view which low-cost airlines will take you from A to B; then proceed with fare-search, booking etc.
- Flycheapo.com is another big help in finding cheap flights in Europe: as with Flylc.com, select a "To" city, then a "From" city, and see which airlines serve the two. A nice extra is the way destinations are displayed: often cheap flights fly from airports a short distance from major cities, and Flycheapo helps you figure this out; it also gives alternative airports within a couple of hundred miles.
Note: in comparing different airlines, make sure you're comparing actual prices! Some airlines -- notably Ryanair-- advertise extremely low fares but real-life price will include an array of taxes and service charges.
- Ryanair: Departures from London, Dublin, Frankfurt, and more with flights to secondary airports at large cities and also to many smaller destinations. Fares are fab: deals can go for under five pounds! My family of five flew Ryanair smoothly but your mileage may vary. Three points to note: some "food" is served, but you pay highly and choice is poor; baggage restrictions are tight and you'll pay extra for checked bags; watch out for extra charges. About's Guide for Spain for Visitors highlights what you need to watch for with Ryanair (- advice that's good for other cheapo airlines too.)
- Europe by Air: Best known for the Flightpass flat-rate ticket: For just $99 or $129 per flight within Europe, fly to 170 destinations on 20+ airlines, with no blackout dates, or charges for reservations. Flightpasses are non-refundable but changeable at no charge.
- Easyjet: just one of dozens of cheap airlines in Europe (see the two uber-sites above), Easyjet connects major cities including Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona-- not just the usual sun-holiday destinations. Search results include dates before and after your specified dates.
- Flightline: This farefinder searches a number of airlines and tour operators for flights from the UK, and lets you check for cheaper flights in the week previous to, or after, your target date.
Note: Another way to get cheap flights in Europe is to buy "air passes": often if you fly across the Atlantic with a major airline, you can purchase extra "passes" for multiple cities at bargain rates.
* always check web sites for latest information! Details do change.
