04 September 2012

Cheap Travel to Europe Falling Prices This Fall

It doesn't seem possible that the summer is already over! I hope that you had a great time this summer and were able to find good travel bargains. There were a few to be had from time to time and often they were in the most unusual places. I didn't expect to see any cheap prices on my recent trip to Istanbul, Turkey. I thought I might be better off taking a camel train and paying for the food and water for myself and my animal rather than paying for airline tickets. However, I was pleasantly surprised that Istanbul and Turkey in general is opening up more and more to the cheaper carriers. This has caused some of the traditional "old school" airlines to lower their prices to stay competitive.

The good news is that we are seeing more destinations popping up on our screens when we search for budget-rate fares and carriers. It seems to be a trend that has caught on and is expanding in Europe. Gone are the days of simply paying the national airline whatever price they ask if you want to land in a certain country. The free-skies agreement has opened up the competition and lowered the prices for all travelers. Are customers looking to travel on the cheap less desirable to hoteliers and restaurants? That is another conversation for another time. But I will say that hostels are starting to open up where there previously never would have been a market for them, because their location was a destination of the rich and famous.

Well, nostalgia aside, the observations made above relate mostly to cheap travel within Europe. For anyone from N. America, the challenge will remain getting across the Atlantic to start traveling within Europe itself. The time to do this is in the "off-season." Fall is setting in and the travelers will be slowing down, especially anyone who has to consider school dates. So families with school-age children, teachers, professors and students are no longer able to fly, especially mid-week. Fall is the time to see the airline prices... well, Fall (yes we did!). Since the Olympics are over in London, things might be cooling down enough to actually find some good fares to London.

If you didn't get to travel this summer and have been waiting for Cheap Travel to Europe, the time seems to be here and "the price is right." You might want to "come on down!" I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.

Starting a search from the East Coast, I was actually able to find some pretty good prices out of Newark. I tried the consolidator 1800flyeurope.com. With the new target of $800 to Europe, I would say that this Fall is a good candidate for Cheap Travel to Europe!

Outbound Flight
American Airlines Departure:
26 Sep 2012 11:05 PM
Newark Int Apt (EWR)
Arrival:
27 Sep 2012 11:05 AM
Heathrow Int Apt (LHR)
Nonstop
Inbound Flight
American Airlines Departure:
03 Oct 2012
6:05 PM
Heathrow Int Apt (LHR)
Arrival:
03 Oct 2012
9:15 PM
Newark Int Apt (EWR)
Nonstop
$761.85  (Total price per person including all taxes and fees)