Deadlines are strictly enforced: If they tell you to arrive at the check-in desk an hour before the flight, and you show up with 50 minutes to spare, you've just missed your plane. (Read all the fine print carefully, so you know what you're getting into.) Flights are often tightly scheduled to squeeze more flying time out of each plane, which can exaggerate the effects of delays. Many airlines take only online bookings, so it can be hard to reach a customer service representative if problems arise. Budget tickets are usually nonrefundable and nonchangeable. With cheaper airfares come potential pitfalls. The visually engaging Momondo shows which days surrounding your scheduled dates have the cheapest fares it also includes nearby airports in search results (be clear on which airport it's using). Several other websites, including the all-purpose Kayak, are worth a look. Skyscanner also includes major nonbudget carriers.
My first stop when seeking budget flights online is Skyscanner this straightforward website specializes in European budget airlines and gives an overview of all of my options. Be aware that some airlines forego this "hub-and-spoke" model for a less predictable "point-to-point" schedule. For example, for a trip from Budapest to Oslo, I'd look at Wizz Air (with a hub in Budapest) and at Norwegian (which has a hub in Oslo). When looking for cheap flights, first check airlines that use either your starting point or your ending point as a hub. Most budget airlines focus on particular hubs.
Even adding the cost of the train ticket from Pisa to Florence, the total could be well below the price of a long overland journey, not to mention several hours faster. If there's no direct cheap flight to Florence, maybe there's an alternative that goes to Pisa (1.5 hours away by train) remember that many flight-search websites have a "nearby airports" option that broadens your search. Smart travelers use low-cost airlines to creatively connect the dots on their itinerary. If you're using a budget carrier to connect to your US-bound flight, allow enough of a layover to absorb delays - maybe even an overnight. Pay attention to which terminal your flights use, as low-cost carriers are often in a different terminal than traditional carriers, and you'll need extra time to get between them. But be careful to leave plenty of time for connections - you're on your own if a delay on one airline causes you to miss your next flight on a different airline. Consider linking a couple of cheap flights, either with the same or different airlines, to reach your destination. One-way flights on low-cost airlines are generally just as affordable as round-trips. Of course, it's important to consider the downsides of flying budget airlines (described later).
The cheapest seats sell out fast (aside from occasional surprise sales). To get the lowest fares, book long in advance.
Even after adding taxes and a boatload of fees, these flights can still be a good value. If your timing is right, you may even find some remarkable, it-must-be-a-typo deals (for example, Ryanair routinely flies from London to any one of dozens of European cities for less than $30). You can also fly within Europe on major airlines affordably - and without all the aggressive restrictions. For a partial list, see the table below.īudget airlines typically offer flights between major European cities for $50–250. Meanwhile, dozens of smaller, niche airlines stick to a more limited flight plan. Some established ones (such as EasyJet and Ryanair) have route maps that rival their mainstream competitors. Using Budget AirlinesĪfter Europe deregulated its airways in the 1990s, a flock of budget-conscious, no-frills airlines took flight. You can hop just about anywhere on the Continent for less than $250 a flight. Before buying a long-distance train or bus ticket, it's smart to first check the cost of a flight - you might be surprised. The ease of finding cheap flights within Europe has revolutionized itinerary planning, turning even vagabonds into jetsetters.
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