Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For example, with Ryanair your first checked bag starts at $20 and can cost as much as $60
depending on the weight of the bag. There are also a slew of other small fees for just about
everything. Other airlines also charge extra fees so be sure to read the fine print when book-
ing your ticket.
HOW TO FIND THE BEST DEALS ON AIRFARE
Plan ahead and book early.
Planning your journey early is one of the best ways to save
money, but it takes a lot of time to find the great deals. Airfare is usually cheapest a few weeks
in advance of the departure date and the price continues to rise as the departure date ap-
proaches. Even a week could be the difference between a $30 ticket and a $120 ticket.
Start looking as soon as you can and continue to monitor the prices until you find a fare that
seems reasonable. If you happen to find a limited-time sale, it makes sense to book quickly
because the cheap tickets will be snatched up.
The road less traveled is usually more expensive.
You will
usually
find the best prices if
you fly between the major airports/hubs. The largest air travel hubs in Europe are
London
(LON: LCY, LHR, LGW, STN, LTN),
Frankfurt
(FRA, HHN),
Paris
(CDG, ORY),
Madrid
(MAD), and
Amsterdam
(AMS).
Fly on the slow days and at slow times.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are historically
the least busy travel days so airlines lower ticket prices to attract customers. Additionally, early
morning and late-night flights will be the cheapest.
Travel during the low-season.
Airlines lower their prices and have travel specials during
the low-season.
Search multiple dates and times.
Flexibility is the key to getting a great price. Try search-
ing multiple dates and travel times because a few days can make a large impact on the price.
Search multiple locations.
Most travelers have a decent idea of what cities/countries to
visit, so search each location and check the airfare for each. Configure your trip around the
location with the best prices. Or if you're adventuresome, see where the cheap flights are and
travel to those cities on a whim.
Avoid public holidays.
There are lots of public holidays throughout Europe and the airlines
will jack up the prices to capitalize on the increased demand for flights. This is especially true
for long school holidays since entire families are traveling.
Travel light.
Many airlines (especially discount carriers) charge for checked bags, so you'll
save a lot of money by carrying on your luggage. I used a 50L backpack and it is just small
enough to satisfy even Ryanair's stingy carry-on size rules (although it was a very close it).
Just be sure to carefully read each airline's baggage rules.
LOWDOWN ON LOW-COST AIRLINES
