Find the cheapest flights to Europe

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1 Adult, Economy/Coach

How to find the cheapest flights to Europe

Europe is one of the most exciting and accessible travel destinations, but finding an affordable flight there isn’t always easy. At Alternative Airlines, we make finding and booking the cheapest flights to Europe easier than ever. If you’re looking for budget-friendly routes, flexible payment options, and a hassle-free booking experience, we’ve got you covered.

Follow the steps below to discover ways to make sure your flights to Europe are as cheap as possible.

1. Use the Alternative Airlines Best Fare Finder tool

Our Best Fare Finder calendar displays the cheapest days of the month to fly, with a convenient traffic light system to help you decide. Dates displayed in green are the cheapest days to fly in that month, while the amber dates are average value, and the red dates are the most expensive. If your travel dates are flexible, you may be able to save money by booking on a cheaper date instead of on your original date!

2. Consider flying in off-seasons

For cheaper flights, you could opt to travel in the off-season - also known as the 'shoulder season' - the period between the high and low seasons of a vacation destination. Europe has shoulder seasons during spring, fall, and winter. Shoulder season means fewer crowds and better deals on accommodation too.

3. Take advantage of flexible payment options

Alternative Airlines offers over 40 different methods of payment, including buy now, pay later services. Using a buy now, pay later service to book your flight means you can split the cost of your flight into weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly instalments - making travel more accessible even if you’re on a tight budget.

Our most popular providers:

Buy Now, Pay Later Flights to Europe

Afterpay

Klarna

Affirm

Zip

PayPal

Clearpay

4. Prepare early

Flights become available for booking around a year in advance and ticket prices usually change frequently until the departure date. By preparing early, you can keep an eye on prices and secure the best fares. Sometimes, deals can be found with last minute flights as airlines offer discounts to fill their planes, but booking early is a good guideline to follow with international flights.

5. Check out our flight discounts and promo codes page

Finding promotional codes that actually work can be complicated. At Alternative Airlines, we offer discount codes that can be used on a wide range of airlines, payment providers, and destinations, securing you a great deal on flights.

6. Check for alternative routes

Flying into a secondary airport (e.g. Stansted instead of Heathrow in London) or booking a flight to a nearby European country instead of your main destination can be a cheaper option. You can also use our Best Fare Finder tool to explore multi-city or stopover flight options. Once you land in Europe, you have access to a variety of low-cost airlines to help make travel easy and cheap within the continent.

Travel in Europe with budget airlines

If you're looking for affordable flights across Europe, these budget airlines offer some of the best deals:

Ryanair 🇪🇺
One of Europe’s largest low-cost carriers, flying to over 40 countries.
easyJet 🇬🇧
Strong network across Europe and North Africa, with major hubs in the UK.
Wizz Air 🇭🇺
Best for cheap flights in Central and Eastern Europe.
Vueling 🇪🇸
Spain’s leading low-cost airline, great for flights to and from Southern Europe.
Norwegian 🇳🇴
Budget-friendly airline with a focus on Scandinavia and transatlantic routes.
Pegasus Airlines 🇹🇷
A great option for cheap flights between Europe and Turkey.
Transavia 🇳🇱
Dutch budget airline with strong routes between France, the Netherlands, and Southern Europe.

Person holding up a glass of wine to an airplane window

How to find cheap flights from the USA to Europe

Use a budget airline

Flying from the US to Europe doesn’t have to be expensive! While most transatlantic routes are operated by major carriers, several low-cost airlines offer affordable alternatives. Tap Air Portugal, LEVEL, Norse Atlantic Airways, PLAY Airlines, and French Bee all offer transatlantic flights from the US to major European cities like London, Paris, and Berlin.

Tips for flying budget from the US to Europe:

Book Early – Budget airline seats sell fast, so book 3-6 months in advance for the best prices.
Pack Light – Most budget airlines charge for checked baggage, so a carry-on can help you save.
Check Airport Locations – Some budget airlines fly to secondary airports, which may require extra transport costs.

Fly from a different departure city

It's not always the cheapest option to depart from your closest international airport. You may be able to find better prices on flights to Europe by catching a flight between your closest regional airport and an international airport elsewhere in the USA.

Here are some of the most affordable departure cities for transatlantic flights:

New York City (JFK & EWR)

Most budget airline options (Norse Atlantic, PLAY, French Bee, LEVEL, TAP Air Portugal).
Frequent sales and low fares to London, Paris, Barcelona, Reykjavik, and Lisbon.

Boston (BOS)

Great for Iceland stopovers with PLAY Airlines offering cheap flights to Europe via Reykjavik.
Budget options with Norse Atlantic, LEVEL, and TAP Air Portugal.

Miami (MIA & FLL)

Flights to Spain & Portugal with TAP Air Portugal and LEVEL.
French Bee offering cheap flights to Paris from Miami.

Los Angeles (LAX)

Cheap options with Norse Atlantic, LEVEL (to Barcelona), and French Bee (to Paris).
Ideal for West Coast travellers looking for affordable routes to Europe.

Washington D.C. (IAD & BWI)

Norse Atlantic and PLAY Airlines offer low-cost transatlantic options.

Fly Now, Pay Later

With Alternative Airlines, you can secure your flight from the US to Europe now and spread the cost over time with flexible Buy Now, Pay Later options. Choose from top BNPL providers like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, and PayPal Credit.

Ready to book your flight to Europe?

Click the button below to search for the cheapest flights to Europe. Select your ideal flight, and at checkout, see the flexible payment options available to you!

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FAQs

What are the cheapest airports to fly into in Europe?

London Stansted Airport (STN) – UK

A major hub for Ryanair and easyJet, offering low-cost flights from across Europe.

Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY) – Italy

Serves as a budget-friendly alternative to Milan’s main airports, with many Ryanair flights.

Brussels Charleroi Airport (CRL) – Belgium

A cheaper option than Brussels Airport, with Wizz Air and Ryanair operating many routes.

Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN) – Germany

Not Frankfurt’s main airport but offers significantly cheaper flights, mostly operated by low-cost carriers.

Barcelona Girona Airport (GRO) – Spain

A great alternative to Barcelona-El Prat, with cheaper flights from budget airlines.

Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI) – Poland

A low-cost hub serving Ryanair, with cheaper fares than Warsaw Chopin Airport.

Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport (BUD) – Hungary

A major destination for budget airlines, offering some of the most affordable flights into Central Europe.

Sofia Airport (SOF) – Bulgaria

One of Europe’s cheapest entry points, with budget airlines flying from multiple destinations.

Porto Airport (OPO) – Portugal

Often cheaper than Lisbon, with Ryanair and easyJet offering frequent low-cost flights.

Vilnius Airport (VNO) – Lithuania

Offering Wizz Air and Ryanair.

Can I pay for my flight to Europe with cryptocurrency or other payment methods?

Yes! Alternative Airlines supports over 40 different payment methods, including credit/debit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrency, and buy now, pay later services. Make sure to check which options are available in your region by selecting your country on our Ways to Pay page.

Can I book flights to Europe in different currencies on Alternative Airlines?

Yes! Alternative Airlines allows you to pay in over 160 currencies, so you can choose the one that works best for you.

What are the best budget-friendly destinations in Europe?

Affordable European destinations include Budapest, Kraków, Lisbon, Sofia, and Bucharest, where flights, accommodation, and food are all budget-friendly. Check out our blog on 8 of the Cheapest Countries to Visit in Europe for some inspiration!

Which country in Europe has the cheapest flight tickets?

The cheapest country to fly to in Europe often depends on where you're departing from, but generally, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland tend to have the lowest fares.

Poland – Consistently one of the most affordable, with cheap flights to Warsaw and Kraków from major European cities.

Portugal – Lisbon and Porto frequently offer budget-friendly fares, especially with TAP Air Portugal.
Spain – Low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Vueling keep flights to Barcelona and Madrid cheap.

Ireland – Dublin is a top choice for affordable flights, particularly with Ryanair and Aer Lingus.

Where is the cheapest place in Europe to fly to from the UK?

Some of the most affordable destinations from the UK include:

Dublin, Ireland – Quick and cheap flights with Ryanair & Aer Lingus.
Paris, France – Low-cost fares from easyJet, Vueling, and Ryanair.
Barcelona, Spain – Competitive prices with Vueling & Ryanair.
Kraków, Poland – One of the most affordable cities in Eastern Europe with Wizz Air & Ryanair.
Milan, Italy – Budget-friendly flights with easyJet & Ryanair.

Where is the cheapest place in Europe to fly to from the USA?

The cheapest place to fly to in Europe from the USA is often Dublin, Ireland, due to consistently low fares. Lisbon, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain, also offer budget-friendly flights, especially with TAP Air Portugal and Iberia. With high competition, flights to London Heathrow & Gatwick can also be among the cheapest.