European ticket prices have been pretty flat the past year, after a steep run-up from the recessionary lows of 2009. However, when Delta's CEO was asked about this horizontal trend recently, he replied somewhat ominously, "We'll fix that."
Combine this higher fare promise with skyrocketing jet fuel costs and a weak dollar, and it doesn't take an airfare expert to see this summer is going to be pricey. Nevertheless, there's no reason for you to pay a penny more than you absolutely have to, and here's how to accomplish that.
At the moment, fuel surcharges on flights to Europe are averaging $404. Tack on the cost of the taxes and fees, which are averaging $119, and that puts the "baseline" price of your roundtrip ticket to Europe at $523 — and that's before you add in the price of the airfare!
Oddly enough, in winter this baseline is typically well above the fare portion of your ticket. Unfortunately, this summer your roundtrip total on a flight to Europe will probably be double the baseline — or more.
On a 7+ hour flight, who wouldn't opt for a nonstop? The airlines know this and are currently charging a $150 to $350 roundtrip premium for nonstops compared to their connecting cousins.
Most trans-Atlantic carriers file two different day-of-the-week price points: one for travel on the so-called "midweek days" meaning, Monday through Wednesday; and one for travel on what are referred to as "weekend days" (Thursday through Sunday). If you choose to travel on the weekend days, you'll be charged an additional $40 each-way.
The cheapest European fares typically have a Saturday night stay requirement, so don't accidentally shop for a flight that leaves on a Sunday and returns on a Saturday (thereby skipping the mandated Saturday night) or you'll see the price jump by hundreds of dollars.
The cheapest fares typically have a 30-day maximum stay restriction, so if you want to have a leisurely month-long trip, fine — just don't make it one of those months with 31 days.
Many airlines have somewhat secretly discounted business class fares and the main "secret" about such fares is that they typically require a 40 to 50-day advance purchase (depending on the airline). Be very careful about your dates when shopping for such tickets; these fares are non-refundable and sometimes non-changeable.
Historically, we've seen a few last-minute weekend business class deals on some routes, but recently they've become fewer and farther between.
The price of airline travel to Europe is based on distinct seasons, and you have to know the seasons to save.
Here is some general guidance on the cheaper and less cheap times to fly. Note that the precise dates indicating when one season segues into the next can vary by carrier, so be sure you shop an airfare search site that allows you to be "flexible" with your dates and displays prices "ahead and behind" the travel dates you select.
This is important since the difference between traveling on one day and traveling on the next during a season "break" period can mean the difference between paying hundreds of dollars more or less for your ticket.
Here are the seasons of Europe, from cheapest to most expensive:
$ Winter
Begins mid to late November — Ends mid to late March
$ Fall
Begins mid to late August — Ends mid to late November
$$$ Spring
Begins mid to late March Ends late May/first week of June
$$$$ Summer
Begins late May/first week in June — Ends mid to late August
Typically you'll want to start shopping anytime between five months and one month before Departure. The first thing to do is figure out where you want to fly to (seeFareCompare's Getaway Map for inspiration. Certain destinations have historically been significantly cheaper than others, including Ireland, Germany and Switzerland.
Even if these "cheaper countries" aren't your ultimate destinations, you may still be able to save by using them as portals and then connecting on one of Europe's super-cheap discount airlines (but beware the expensive baggage fees many of these discount carriers charge).
The best time to use your hard-earned miles is when tickets are pricey, and Europe certainly qualifies this year. Don't forget, friends and family can book you a ticket on their miles, or you can purchase miles to top off your account if you don't have quite enough.
For the best chance to redeem your miles, stay away from the trifecta of "impossible to find" reward seats: London, Paris and Rome.
