How to Book Cheap Flights to Europe
The secret is to fly into major hubs like London, Paris, or Frankfurt on a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than direct to your final destination. Use Google Flights to track prices and set alerts at least three months before your departure date.
- Use the 'Explore' tool. Go to Google Flights and enter your departure city. Leave the destination box as 'Europe'. Click the map view to see the cheapest entry points across the continent for your dates.
- Combine airlines. Don't restrict yourself to one carrier. Book a transatlantic flight on a major airline and use a separate budget airline like Ryanair or easyJet to reach your final destination. Always leave at least a 4-hour buffer between these separate tickets.
- Set price alerts. Once you have a target route and date range, toggle the 'Track prices' switch in Google Flights. You will receive an email the moment the price drops.
- Book at the 'Goldilocks' window. For Europe, the best time to book is 3 to 6 months out. Prices generally climb sharply within 21 days of departure.
- Does clearing my browser cookies actually help find cheaper flights?
- No. This is a common travel myth. Airline pricing algorithms are far too sophisticated to be tricked by your browser cache.
- Is it cheaper to book one-way tickets?
- Sometimes, especially if you fly into one city and out of another (open-jaw ticket). Always compare the price of two one-way tickets versus a single round-trip ticket before buying.