How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 [Budget Travel Secrets]

How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 dollars

Updated: January 2020

I used to expect to pay over $1000 for round-trip tickets to Europe. Now I’d never pay over $500. And one-way tickets for $200 or less are more common than you’d think. When we started traveling full time, our frugal beginner’s travel budget forced us to find the cheapest method to fly to Europe. And now I’m sharing it with you.

Traveling on the cheap from the U.S. to Europe is quite simple, really. It involves just three things:

  • a flexible travel schedule
  • packing light
  • my new favorite airline

Our Secret to Finding Cheap Plane Tickets from the U.S. to Europe

Now it’s time for the big reveal. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Norwegian Air! They’ve got plenty of sub $200 options, flying out of Los Angeles, Oakland, New York, Ft Lauderdale, and Orlando. We flew into Copenhagen from Los Angeles on Norwegian on March 2nd of 2014, which happened to be their first flight on that route, we were completely satisfied with our experience.

Now, Norwegian is like an old friend we rely on and return to whenever we’re booking flights for a new European adventure.

We flew to Europe via Norwegian again in April 2016. Check out our itinerary for inspiration for your trip. We also booked a Norwegian flight to London in May 2017 for <$200 per ticket!

Now, in 2020, even more affordable routes have been announced, including Chicago to Paris for $139 (as of Jan 2020).

Why is it so cheap? For starters, there are very few perks included in their base fare price. No seat reservations. No meals. No checked baggage. All those things can be purchased, but if you’re trying to be frugal, you’ll find a way to live without them. We packed two carry-on bags for our 3-month trip to Europe and fared just fine!

If you’re worried about sitting together, you can pay extra to reserve your seat. However, we’ve found that if you arrive at the airport early enough, you’ll likely be seated together anyway — without shelling out any extra dough.

Want to pack lighter & more organized? Read “Intro to Packing Containers: Organize Your Carry-On in 4 Steps!” on my women’s travel blog, Stylish Travel Girl.

Norwegian’s U.S. departure airports are limited (there are 16, as of January 2020) but growing. If you don’t live near one of them, you’ll have to book a connecting domestic flight on another airline. Depending on where you need to connect from, the ultra-low Norwegian prices may still make it worth it.

Norwegian offers cheap flights to Europe from:

  • New York City (JFK, EWR, SWF)
  • Los Angeles
  • San Francisco / Oakland (SFO, OAK)
  • Seattle
  • Boston (BOS, PVD)
  • Chicago
  • Denver
  • Austin
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • Tampa
  • Orlando
  • Miami

Updates

JANUARY 2020: Norwegian has even more new routes, all around or under $200 (e.g. Chicago to Paris for $139).

MARCH 2017: Norwegian announced new flights out of smaller U.S. airports, including Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Connecticut/Hartford-Bradley (BDL), New York/Newark Liberty Intl (EWR), New York/Newburgh-Stewart (SWF), and Providence/Boston-TF Green (PVD).

Booking Tips (New)

  • Book as early as you can. (If you want to get a good deal on summer travel, book in January to enjoy the low rates.)
  • Play around with Norwegian’s new route map to find all the destination options from an airport near you. Be sure to try different months. They may have zero options some months and several in others.
  • Search for deals you can afford on Norwegian’s destinations page by entering in your airport of choice and then setting your budget. (Tip: select the option that includes nearby airports — e.g. ‘SFOALL’ instead of SFO — when typing in your airport in the search bar.)
Norwegian Air route map
Norwegian’s route map is my new favorite flight planning tool. (above: January 1, 2020 search for <$200 flights from Chicago to any European destination in July 2020)

When we booked our first flight with Norwegian back in 2014, their cheapest flights were to/from Scandinavia, departing from five U.S. airports.

Norwegian has since expanded to offer more affordable flights to a variety of European cities, and many are still less than $200.

In general, the most expensive part of a flight from the U.S. to Europe is the part that gets you across the ocean. If you can’t find an affordable route to your European destination of choice by booking with Norwegian alone, experiment with getting to Europe on Norwegian and then flying within Europe on an affordable airline like Ryanair or EasyJet. You can also use CheapOair to compare prices on multiple airlines.

Want more tips for planning a budget trip to Europe? Read How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save You Money.




A Sample of Cheap Flight Options on Norwegian

Searching today (January 1, 2020), here are some of the best one-way flights I found on Norwegian:

  • Los Angeles to Barcelona / $179 (October 2020)
  • New York to Athens / $140 (April 2020)
  • San Francisco to London / $159 (September 2020)
  • Boston to London / $139 (September 2020)
  • Chicago to Paris / $139 (May 2020)

If you’re booking at a popular time (e.g. springtime) for future travel, booking further in advance may be required to get a good deal. (Flights departing October/November through March/April will likely be the cheapest at that time.) If you’re booking in fall for travel in spring, deals are usually pretty great!

Norwegian Air route map
flights under $200 from Boston in March 2020 (January 1, 2020 search)

We started looking for tickets in January 2014 for our March flights from LA to Norway (our ‘jumping ship’ trip that kicked off life as we now know it). Three, four (or more) months of advance purchase time got us cheaper tickets.

Norwegian fare calendar spring 2015 LA to Copenhagen
One-way fare options on Norwegian.com from Los Angeles to Copenhagen (March through May 2015) found January 2nd, 2015

Tips for Finding the Absolute Cheapest Flights to Europe on Norwegian

  • Keep your travel dates flexible and use their low fare calendar
  • Search multiple destinations to find the cheapest place to get to
  • Book several months in advance (prices go up a LOT as the plane fills up)
  • Avoid peak seasons (summer seems to be the most expensive travel time)
  • Search options from late fall (November) through spring. They’ll likely be cheaper.
  • Try different departing airports

I hope this article has helped you realize just how affordable travel can be! And guess what!?! We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves for an affordable stay once you’ve reached your destination!

Once you’ve booked your flight, find the cheapest transportation options within Europe in Europe Trip Planning: How to Book Affordable Transportation in Europe.

More Cheap Flights from North to South

How to Fly to the Galapagos Islands for Under $200
Visit the Galápagos — aka the wildlife capital of the world — for a reasonable price!

More Travel Tips and Secrets

Quit Your Job and Travel the World
Find out how we stuck to our $600 per month housing budget in Norway, Germany and Italy in step 4 of 7 Steps to Quit Your Job and Travel Full Time.
How to find safe, comfortable and affordable accommodations with Airbnb
Find budget accommodations at your next destination in How to Find a Safe, Comfortable and AFFORDABLE Place to Stay on Airbnb.
How to Be a 5-Star Host on Airbnb
Earn money for more travel by renting out your place while you travel. Read our tips for being a great host so you can maximize your bookings and the money you earn in How to Be a 5-Star Host on Airbnb.

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Thanks for reading, and good luck with your budget travels!

How to fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200

93 Replies to “How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 [Budget Travel Secrets]”

        1. What destination are you searching for? Booking 2-3 months out is usually necessary to find the best prices. If they’ve gone up it’s likely because the cheap tickets are already sold for that destination. 🙁

  1. Definitely going to add Norwegian Air to our bag of “cheap flight” tricks, especially since it doesn’t usually come up in the flight aggregator sites. I’m already looking at flights to Europe in April! Thanks for the tip.

  2. This so great!! My husband and I have been wanting to travel to Europe for so long, but the flight is so expensive! We are definitely planning our trip with this airline! Thank you!

    P.S. Just subscribed to your blog so keep the good stuff coming! 😉

    1. Thanks Vicki! It sure is amazing how affordable travel can be with just a little bit of flexibility. We’ve definitely got more budget travel tips to share. Thanks for subscribing! Let us know how your Europe trip plans are going. 🙂

  3. Wow! I could go to Oslo for Spring Break for $180 from LAX! This is unbelievable! Thank you for the secret!

    But what do you do for meals without buying the in-flight meals? Pack sandwiches and snacks? Ten hours is a good stretch!

    Also, does Norwegian have the in-flight entertainment TV’s behind each seat? If not, it’ll be necessary for me to bring my own entertainment ideas, haha!

    Thanks again!

    1. I know, right?!? It’s crazy to think I can fly to freakin’ Europe for cheaper than I can visit family in St. Louis or Florida. But we’re still extremely happy to have found an affordable way to venture overseas!

      In regards to in-flight food, we packed a wide variety of filling snacks for our flight. Clif bars, almonds, and the like… Since we departed in the evening on both of our Norwegian flights, we were okay getting dinner before and breakfast after our flight. (And when you’ve saved $44.90 per person by not pre-ordering in-flight meals, grabbing one or two meals in the airport terminal isn’t as big a deal.)

      When we flew from LA to Copenhagen back in March of last year, we flew on a snazzy new Dreamliner. With bigger windows and cabin pressure levels adjusted to reduce headaches and jet lag in passengers, it was really hard to believe our tickets were such a good deal. And yes, they have in-flight entertainment!

      Of course, I always pack my Kindle, too, in case I get bored with the in-flight movie and music selection.

      Thanks for reading! If you decide to spring break in Oslo, we hope you have a great time! If you’ve got time for it, the train ride from Oslo to Fjord Norway is world famous.

  4. This truly is inspiring. I just booked my flight to London for March through Icelandic air. I was able to get a ticket for well under a 1000 dollars plus stay a couple days in Reykjavik for no extra cost. Next time I’ll have to try Norwegian though – they are even cheaper! Heres to budget airlines!

    1. Yes! Budget airlines are amazing. I’ve recently heard that it’s super affordable to get to Iceland from the northeastern U.S., so I’m sure Ian and I will be trying that sometime soon. Hopefully we can do it the way you did and see it on the way to another destination!

      We’ll have to check Icelandic Air’s rates when we start planning that trip. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for reading! 🙂

    1. It’s pretty great, right?!?!

      With the exception of summer months, as long as you’re booking a few months in advance, you can still find that price!

      I just checked, and prices from OAK to Stockholm are back down to $211 in September and as low as $163 (!!!) in October.

  5. I was wondering based off your experiences with NorwegianAir, how strick were they on the carry on size? I plan to travel throughout europe for 2 months and of course will just have my backpack(no way will I check this) I plan on getting the Osprey Atmos 50 Pack.

    Thanks for the help 🙂 great post, very helpful!

    1. Great question Trina! In our experiences flying Norwegian, they were not strict at all and paid basically no attention to the size of our carry-ons. It was similar to my experience with other airlines within the U.S. where they say the limit is lower than what you can actually get away with. That said, you’ll rest easier if your bag isn’t too far over the limit.

      For reference, when we’ve flown Norwegian, we carried on the High Sierra wheeled carry-on boot bag:
      http://northtosouth.us/high-sierra-wheeled-carry-on/

      That was the larger of the two carry-on bags we had. That bag’s unpacked dimensions are 22x14x9 inches. And while I didn’t have it stuffed, I had the dimensions pushing at least a little beyond Norwegian’s 21.6×15.7×9-inch limit. I’m also pretty sure our bag weighed more than 22 lbs. (Like most other airlines, they didn’t weigh our carry-on bags.)

      The Osprey Atmos 50 looks like a great option for a carry-on backpack, mainly since that top pocket is removable. I remember seeing backpackers with pretty large carry-ons, and no one seemed to have any problems. But before you buy, I would measure the dimensions of that Osprey bag to make sure the height is 22″ or less without that top part attached.

      If you’re worried about pushing the limits (the Internet says that bag is 29x17x14), here’s what I’d recommend doing: Pack the main compartment as light as possible to keep your height dimension down. Put any jackets or sweatshirts you’re packing at the top of that compartment. Fill your top removable pouch nice and full with the stuff you want to access while on the plane. Norwegian permits one carry-on bag for the overhead bin and one personal item for under the seat in front of you. Then, when you’re at the gate, remove the top pocket of your bag to use as your personal item. If you have any trouble with your main carry-on’s dimensions, just take out the sweatshirts and jackets and put them on!

      It’s really nice that the Osprey Atmos has the removable top feature, as I’ve noticed most backpacks don’t!

      Keep in mind that airlines within Europe may be more strict, so if you’re moving around a lot, packing lighter will save you more money in general.

      Thanks for reading, Trina. I hope this helps. 🙂

    1. Same airline, actually! We returned to the U.S. after our 3-month trip in Europe on Norwegian Air as well. The flight was slightly more expensive because we waited longer to book and it was getting closer to summer when flights are in higher demand, but we arranged to fly from Milan (where we spent our final month) back to Copenhagen, where we caught our Norwegian flight back to L.A.

  6. Wow that is awesome, do you know which periods of the year are the best for cheap flights with this airline (like from NYC to Stockholm or Copenhagen)

    Thank you!
    Sandrine

    1. Flights seem to be least expensive, generally speaking, from fall through spring on Norwegian for trips from the U.S. to Europe. The prices go up in summer due to higher demand for travel around summertime. I just had a look, and they’re currently advertising deals as low as $228 from NYC to Stockholm: http://bit.ly/1w3GDE6

      I even noticed a couple of tickets for that flightpath for $209 (two in March and one in September).

      1. Norwegian’s cancellation policy is pretty standard. For flights to/from the US, you can cancel and receive a full refund within 24 hours of booking for LowFare, LowFare+ and Premium tickets, as long as your flight is at least one week away. After that, only Flex and PremiumFlex ticket holders can get a refund for canceling. (Note that the refund window is limited to 4 hours for flights not to/from the US or Thailand.)

        Another option would be to change your ticket (name/date/time/destination), which you can do up to 30 minutes before your flight by paying the difference in fare price plus a fee. For LowFare, LowFare+ and Premium, fees are:

        Name change: 36 GBP/ 45 EUR/ 60 USD per person, per one way flight
        Flight change: 75 GBP/ 90 EUR/ 125 USD per person, per one way flight
        (as of today, March 19, 2015)

        More details are available on Norwegian airline’s Tickets page. Be sure to scroll to the section labeled “Flights to/from USA and Thailand.” Thanks for reading, and I hope this info helps. Cheers!

  7. Great tips! For those wanting to just get over to Europe and go from there, this is a great way! We travel hack our way all over the world, so knowing the work-arounds are always a great start!

  8. Yes! Me and my boyfriend have been doing this for a couple of years with Norwegian (but from the UK to the states)

    We flew from Oslo to NYC last year for £100, and we’ve just booked flights from Puerto Rico to London for £111!

    We’ve also used it for other flights including going to Florida from the UK for around £200. Amazing value and the flights are really good!

    1. That’s awesome! And it amazes me that must people I talk to have still never heard of Norwegian. I feel like it’s one of the ‘best kept secrets’ of travel!

  9. This is fabulous news!!!

    I live just minutes from the Phoenix, Arizona airport so was bummed to see that Norwegian does not fly out of here but they do have a few options that fly out of Las Vegas and I’m only a 4 and a half hour drive from Las Vegas.

    It seems there are more options flying out of LAX though is that what you have noticed? I’m trying to figure out the best way to plan a route and keep things at that $500 mark. Southwest has $150-200 round trip getaways that I could probably use for getting myself to LAX but then I need the roundtrip tickets from LAX to Europe to be $300-400 to keeps thing cheap is that possible?

    1. The flights from Vegas must be new! This is the first I’m hearing of that option, so hopefully this means Norwegian is expanding and will be offering even more routes from more U.S. cities soon!

      To get from Vegas to LA, consider checking out MegaBus. If you book far enough in advance, you can get an EXTREMELY cheap ticket! I just did a search with random dates, and it came back with $29 from LV to LA and $5 to return. Play around with it and you can maybe find even cheaper!

      Hope that helps. 🙂 Have an awesome time in Europe, Kristin!

  10. ive been looking at flights Los Angeles to Amsterdam. My fiancé lived there for 2 years… He’s been back for 3 years and wants to go visit with me. But when I select round trip, inbound flights (from AMS to LAX) are not available.. And it’s not just for the month I was looking at.. They don’t have ANY flights returning to Los Angeles from Amsterdam. And so I tried with a round trip to Paris and Bangkok (for fun) and it was the same story!! Do flights not return to LAX? Thanks for your help in advance(:

    1. Since Norwegian is still a relatively new airline, they may not offer all routes year-round. But if they’re offering it one-way, I’d bet they’d be planning to add the return route soon.

      If you can’t find what you’re looking for through Norwegian alone, I’d recommend grabbing a flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen for your return (try other airlines, too) and then fly from Copenhagen back to LA.

      Hope that helps! Happy travels. 🙂

    1. Not included in the ticket price, but you have the option of taking them for an additional fee. Looks like it’s $75 additional for one-way in the cargo hold for a dog/cat, or $49/$59 (dog/cat) for one-way in the cabin.

      Actually… on second look, it seems like you can only take them along on flights between certain cities in Europe (and from the U.S. to their new French Caribbean destinations). You have to use their City Pair Chart to determine whether or not it’s an option. (E, F, and G routes don’t allow animals at all, and only A routes allow them in the cabin.)

  11. I can’t believe this…I actually found a one way flight from Baltimore to Martinique for only $89!!! It’s in early December. This is mind blowing to me, definitely changes everything about my future approach to travel. Plus once you get to Europe, you can just hop on a train to pretty much anywhere…which is just another cool thing to experience, I think. Thank you!!

    1. I’m not sure if the airline charges more if you’re purchasing from a European country, but our return flights from Europe were still very affordable. You could use the Hola VPN to test it out!

      They were a little more expensive since we were flying during higher season on our return (late May instead of early Feb), but we still only paid around $300 for each Copenhagen–>LA ticket.

  12. I looked into Norwegian Air but ultimately bought my flight from the US to France from wowair.com They are basically the same concept, except they are based out of Iceland. Icelandair.com is another option with similar prices. They almost always include a layover in Reykjavik, Iceland but for hundreds of dollars saved I don’t mind. I do know the terms and conditions of these low fare airliners are strict. For example, if I were to cancel my $356 flight from Boston to Paris (this price includes paying extra for more lbs in my bags-oneway) I would not get my money back unless a serious accident which I would have to prove. Now I’m trying to find a flight from Cincinnati to Boston that isn’t as much as my transatlantic flight! So far no luck. With these airliners only flying out of certain cities, it makes it more challenging to find ways to keep the cost down. But if you’re travelling abroad, better get used to challenges 😉

    1. Thanks for sharing, Vanessa! It’s nice to have another airline option like Wowair to check, especially since it sounds like one of their main hub cities (Boston) is different from those that Norwegian offers!

      I’ve heard of them before from when we were considering going to Iceland, but like you mentioned, getting to Boston from another U.S. city (LA, in our case) can make the overall ticket much more expensive. Norwegian worked for us since they fly straight out of LA!

      Perhaps you could find a cheap way from Cincinnati to Boston via a bus service line MegaBus. I’ve never used them before personally, but I know if you purchase far in advance it can be extremely cheap! Happy travels! 🙂

  13. My dad found Norwegian air last year and we love it!! Totally changed travel for us. And we were actually on that first flight from LA to Copenhagen!! I couldn’t believe it when I read that. We live in Salt Lake City so we were so happy when they started flying out of Vegas. Norwegian is the best! Thanks for the post. 🙂

    1. That’s so funny we were on the same flight! Norwegian definitely changed travel for us, too. Thanks for reading!

  14. Thank you for this. I will definitely look into this airline to ensure that the cheap prices don’t come at the cost of safety. I am wondering if they are able to hire competent pilots at these rock bottom prices. I really want to go to Europe, specifically Italy and France.

  15. We are flying Norwegian in November from JFK to Alicante, Spain. Round trip $399. We are in it for the cheap flight, so we won’t be checking bags or paying for any ‘extras’. How strict are they on carry-on size? Thanks! Phil & Missy

    1. In our experience, they weren’t strict at all. They didn’t weigh our bags when we checked in last year, and there seemed to be leniency on dimensions, too. I saw several backpackers boarding with backpack frames taller than what was supposed to be allowed, and no one blinked an eye. I packed my wheeled backpack carry-on for our trip on Norwegian, and while the bag’s advertised dimensions were within their guidelines, I definitely had that thing stuffed! (Traveling in general I’ve noticed that most airlines don’t check the dimensions if you’re carrying the bag on your back.)

      I should point out that we’ve only flown twice with them, though, since we’ve been mostly exploring North America since we returned from our Europe trip.

      If it were me, I would play it safe and stick within the guidelines, though, mostly because once you get to Europe, carry-on policies can be much stricter — especially on the budget airlines — so if you plan to do any moving around once you’re there, you may save yourself a lot of hassle by traveling lighter!

      Hope that’s helpful, Missy. Have an awesome time in Spain!

  16. I recently read that Norwegian Air is looking to expand to some smaller US airports in 2017 – one on Long Island ( I believe) and Hartford/Springfield (CT/MA). It’ll be GREAT to have international flights just a 40 minute drive away from us!

  17. Wow!! K will definately be checking this out. Thanks. How do you support your travel. I am just starting out as a traveler and am looking for all the rips and hints I can get.

    1. We support our travels with a combination of several entrepreneurial endeavors, including blogging, marketing and web design services, online classes and more!

  18. Are there any airlines like this that fly to South America or Asia? I’m planning a trip there too before I head to Europe and I’m looking for some cheap airlines to do it and haven’t had any luck. Any tips?

    1. I wish one existed, but I’m not aware of any affordable airlines with flights to Asia. And I’ve heard you can get to Costa Rica (not quite South America) on Spirit Airlines for an affordable price, but my experience with flying to South America is currently non-existent. Something on the bucket list for sure, though!

      If anyone else reading this has any tips, please share!

  19. Hey there! Loved your article! I’m from Montana so I would have to fly to LA to hop on one of these flights. I was wondering about possible flights to Ireland from these flights for spring break during March. Have any recommendations? Thanks!

    1. You can get to London for a pretty good price on Norwegian, and then perhaps hop on a RyanAir or other cheap airline (or maybe even the train!) I’ve never been to Ireland, but I need to go!!!

  20. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this information! I read this article many months ago (I keep coming back to it) and it inspired me to plan a trip for this summer! I’ve shared it with family/friends and they’ve been so impressed! I’ve been to 12 countries, but I always fly American Airlines. I never knew such cheap flights existed! Thanks for making my dream of a budget friendly trip this summer a reality! (hopefully) 🙂

    1. Hi Emily – So happy to help! I was pretty amazed myself at how affordable flying can be.

      Best of luck planning your summer adventure. (And be sure to book soon… Prices don’t ever seem to get cheaper on Norwegian.) 😉

    1. Ian and I have always been able to sit together, but not having a guaranteed seat is a reason why the tickets are so affordable. If I remember correctly, it may be a possibility to pay extra to reserve a seat, but I think it’s worth the gamble to save money. It’s not like Southwest where you are never assigned a seat and it’s sort of a free-for-all. We are always assigned seats when we check in at the airport counter.

      So as long as you aren’t among the last ones arriving to check in at the airport, I doubt it’d ever be an issue to sit together (especially for just two people). Hope that helps!

  21. Thanks so much for this article! This is the first time I’ve heard of Norwegian Airlines! I was wondering what your experience has been with flight times and delays? My husband and I are thinking of traveling to Venice by way of Copenhagen, and the connecting flight we’re looking at departs 3.5 hours after the scheduled landing time. Have you guys ever experienced excessive delays?

    Thanks!

    1. Hey Linda — Unfortunately we have been delayed on Norwegian before. Our flight from Copenhagen to LAX was delayed by several hours. We were provided with meal vouchers for the airport and then everyone was served full meals on the plane (even the passengers who hadn’t shelled out the extra dough for in-flight meals).

      The risk of being delayed, as with any airline, is definitely something to consider, especially when booking a connecting flight on another airline.

  22. I would keep an eye on KLM too, they have cheap tickets Norway – US in seasons. Also a tip when it comes to Norwegian and SAS – check out their youth fares (18-26 years old) which gives good tickets within Norway and Europe.

    1. Thanks for the tip, Maria! I’d never heard of the youth fares. Though I’m unfortunately too old to qualify for it now, that’s a great tip for our younger readers!

  23. Thank you very much!! Great tip! And yes we only fly with ryanair in Europe. That way our family of 5 can go on sunny holidays. Now maybe it is possible to go and see the USA with the kids!!!

  24. These are some great tips! My husband and I are planning a trip for our 10 year anniversary and want to visit multiple countries; Spain, Italy, Greece…… Any suggestions on where to find the cheapest flights for this?

    1. I would recommend first finding an affordable flight to get you to Europe (try searching flights to Milan, since Italy’s on your list, and it’s usually more reasonably priced to get to), and then find flights within Europe via a budget airline like RyanAir. AirBerlin sometimes has some pretty competitive round trips rates (I get emails for round-trip flights from the U.S. for around $650), but whether or not their deals will work for you just depends on where you want to go.

      No matter how you get to Europe, though, pack as light as you can! Budget airlines charge extra for checked baggage, so those extra fees will add up fast if you’re visiting multiple countries.

      Also, look into taking the train within Europe. Eurail offers multi-country rail passes, so it’s definitely possible to save money that way. The Select Pass allows you to travel to up to 4 bordering countries, with tickets starting at $149 USD. Hope this is helpful! Have fun planning your trip!

  25. I love Norwegian! traveled with them last summer andI thught it was affordable, I´m about to buy again for Sweden from Los Angeles for $430 roundtrip. They are great!

    1. That’s awesome! I still find it hard to believe that traveling so far can be so affordable. Have fun in Sweden, Selene!

  26. Hi I’m new to this website, but for some reason no dates are showing up for any destination I choose from Los Angeles? Do you know why this could be?

    1. Hmm… I just ran a search now and found plenty of options. I randomly chose Los Angeles to London in November and there were flights 5 days a week. Be sure to select “Show Low Fare Calendar” to find the best deals!

  27. I have to say that this site and your blog is totally amazing! You all saved me a ton of money as well as a major moment in my day! Little do you know that I had a severely horrible day prior to booking my flight from Ft. Lauderdale/Miami to London/Gatwick Airport to be with my Fiance. I am totally amazed, revived, excited, and not feeling like the world is on top of my shoulders anymore. As a matter of fact, I feel like I am on top of the world! Hugs to you and I am definitely subscribing to your blog as I feel like I will be stepping into your shoes really soon!!!! Thank you soooooo much!!!!

    1. That’s awesome, Kim! Happy to have helped you book an affordable trip to see your fiancé and to have you as a new follower. Have an amazing time in London! 🙂

    1. Glad to hear you checked them out! It’s such a great option for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to travel so far.

      And their planes are so new, too — a nice bonus!

  28. Great low cost travel info. Never heard of Norwegain Air but will sure keep them as my ‘go to’ for travel. So, the prices listed are one way and you add the 2 (depart/return} costs for the roundtrip fare?

    1. Yep, prices are for one way, and usually comparable for the return fair.

      Always use the low fare calendar to find the best deals, because particular days really can be a lot lower than the ones immediately surrounding them!

  29. Error fares are my secret to flying cheap. There are a lot of websites that will notify you whenever a cheap flight is spotted! It might not give you a lot of flexibility but you get to also see a lot of places for the rate of one 🙂

  30. I had no idea about Norwegian but on 10/2/2018 I looked up flights from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona for 5/1/2019 and it’s $205 one way non stop!!! THAT’S AMAZING!!!!!

    Thanks for the tips–saved me (and the hubs) a killing!!

    1. That’s awesome, Iesha! Have an amazing time in Barcelona! That’s one Spanish city we’ve never visited before… Maybe we’ll have to jump on that deal, too. 🙂

  31. Thank you for the helpful tips on air fare to Europe. Hope Norwegian pricing can be sustained as the norm and not exception for many years to come.

    1. Me too! Wow Air just went out of business, so I hope other budget options like Norwegian are here to stay.

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