Booking Cheap Flights to Europe
To get a fair price to Europe, start watching fares a few months ahead with price alerts, compare arrival airports and carriers, and book when the fare is typical or low for your route and season.
- Budget
- Varies by route, season and carrier
- Duration
- 1-3 hours of research time recommended
- Best Time
- Around 49 days or more before departure
- Visa Required
- Depends; check your nationality's status with the Schengen Area.
Step by step
Set up price alerts
Use Google Flights to track your route. In Google's 2026 analysis, fares from the US to Europe were lowest around 90 days out, with the low range starting 49 days or more before departure, and waiting rarely paid off.
Use the 'Everywhere' feature
If your destination is flexible, use Skyscanner's 'Everywhere' search tool. It will show you the cheapest European hubs to fly into from your home airport.
Mix and match carriers
An outbound on one airline and a return on another can be cheaper than a round trip. Compare both before you book.
Target off-peak travel days
The day you fly matters more than the day you book. In Google's data, leaving on a Monday and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday saved about 14% over weekend flights, while the cheapest booking day saved only about 1.4%. Avoid travel during July, August and the weeks around Christmas if you can.
Questions people ask
Is booking on a Tuesday really cheaper?
This is largely a myth. Airlines update their systems constantly; what matters more is flying on a Tuesday rather than booking on a Tuesday.
- Round Trip Estimate
- Prices vary too much by route and season for a single figure. Use the price graph in Google Flights to see what's typical for your dates.
Packing
- A carry-on bag sized for budget European airlines (55cm x 40cm x 20cm)
- A portable power bank to avoid airport charging station fees
- A neck pillow for long-haul red-eye comfort
- A pen for filling out customs or arrival forms