Want to Travel Europe on the Cheap? Chapter 1
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Chapter 1: Getting There
Want to Travel Europe on the Cheap?
Advice from a guy who’s mastered the art of cheap travel
Chapter 1: Getting There
Even with the US Dollar down against the Euro there are still great ways to see all there is to see in Europe without breaking the bank. This series of articles will help you do it! In this chapter we’ll look at the first step to your European adventure, getting there.
Find that cheap flight. The single biggest cost to your trip to Europe will be the airfare. There are great ways to keep this cost down, but you have to be willing to shop.
Are you a student?
If you are then you need to take advantage plethora of student-only discount travel agencies out there. Many are based outside of the US, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t use them (as long as you have a student ID). Just before I moved to Japan I actually enrolled in a university class just so I could get a valid student ID. Once I bought my ticket I dropped the class before I was even billed by the university.
Here is a short list of student-based travel agencies:
- Student Travel Australia or STA: sta-travel.com
- Council Travel: ciee.org
- Canadian Universities Travel Service: travelcuts.com
Do you have a flexible schedule?
If you can just pick up and leave and don’t mind giving the choice of your destination over to chance, then taking advantage of last minute deals might be the way to go. Buying your tickets last minute can literally save you $1,000 or more. It helps to live near a big airport that has a lot of flights to Europe a day, but you’d be surprised what you can find out there. Just remember, you’ll have to put more time into searching out that super cheap fare than you would if you were paying full price, but you’ll be happy with the extra coin in your pocket.
If you do go this route you’ll have to buy your flight just a day or two in advance for the best deals. Your choice of destinations will be limited to what the airlines haven’t been able to sell (which is why they’re at such discounted prices in the first place) and to the major cities in Europe. Some websites will also pair the flights with hotels in the destination city (see more on that in a later chapter). Here are some websites to check out
What is a Bucket Shop, and how can they benefit you?
Before we even start on this, let me say you should always use bucket shops CAREFULLY.
A bucket shop is a company that has an arrangement with a specific airline which allows them to sell tickets for international flights much cheaper than can be found elsewhere. To find a bucket shop for a particular country, check in neighborhoods with strong connections to that country. You’re less likely to find a bucket shop that sells tickets to Rome in Chinatown than you are in Little Italy.
Here are some keys to remember when dealing with bucket shops:
- Make sure they are legit. You can go online to see if the company has been registered with the state or check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
- Go to bucket shops that have been recommended to you by someone you trust
- Avoid paying the full price until you have your ticket in hand. Most bucket shops take a day or two to get the tickets, but ask for the full payment up front. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and avoid leaving more than 25% down if you can help it.
- Inspect the ticket carefully before paying and be sure you understand all the restrictions that come with it. Because they’re sold at such a discount, airlines often put additional restrictions on them. One of the most common is that the ticket is not endorsable, which means you cannot be transferred to another airline if your flight is canceled.
Be Patient
If you’re not going to be a very last minute shopper then be sure to start your planning early so you’ll have time to shop around for good prices. Airlines change their prices on regular schedules a number of times per day. Learn the schedules and structure your searches around their schedule. Give yourself a week or two to find the lowest price. I recommend you identify a reasonable price you’d be willing to pay when you start your search and don’t be afraid to buy when the price gets to that point. Don’t pass up a price you consider good because you’re hopping for an even lower price that may never come. I’ve done this too many times, and always get stuck paying a higher price than I should have.
Airlines typically change their prices five times a day on weekdays and twice a day on weekends. It takes the online sources you’re likely using a few hours to get the new prices uploaded. If you can identify the schedule then you can plan when you want to check for a new low price.
Pack Light and Avoid Baggage Fees
In 2008 we started seeing airlines charge a fee for checked bags. It still rubs me the wrong way, but I suspect it will seem commonplace to all of us by the end of 2009. If you can avoid checking any bags you’ll save yourself some cash. It will also make your arrival easier since you won’t have to wait for your bag, which means you get to immigration before the crowd. No one likes standing in long lines, especially after a trans-Atlantic flight.
Make full use of the one suit case and one personal item they allow you to carry onto the plane. I have a great rolling carry-on suitcase from Samsonite that fits in the overhead compartment and a backpack that holds a lot and can fit under the seat if needed. I almost never have to check a bag this way. Of course, this means you won’t have your full wardrobe to choose from when you get there, but remember, the less you take the less you have to lug around with you. Having fewer and smaller bags makes life easier if you plan to move from city to city while you’re there. And remember, things are smaller in Europe and there’s not always an elevator, even in nice hotels.
Fly on Off Days
Airlines have invested a lot of time and money into knowing the habits of the traveling public. They know when we like to fly and where we like to go. The basic economic principle of supply and demand drives the ticket prices up on days a lot of people what to travel and drives them down on days people don’t want to. The good news is that you can use this to your advantage.
Let’s say you want to take a ten day trip to Europe. You’d be surprised at the difference in cost for a round trip ticket that leaves on Tuesday and comes back on Thursday the following week versus one that leaves on a Friday and comes back on Sunday the following week. If you can fly on off days, you’ll find you will save a lot of money.
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I hope this chapter gave you a least one new idea for finding cheap flights to Europe. We’re lucky enough to live in an age where the world is shrinking and you can hop on a plane and get almost anywhere in a matter of hours. Take advantage of it if you can!
The next chapter will take the next logical step in your European trip planning and will dive into the exciting world of lodging.
Until next time,
max
