One of the biggest pleasures of the modern age is that you can fly almost anywhere... anywhere you can afford, that is. Sometimes the most fun is in the art of the deal. Find the furthest you can go on your budget. The problem with this, of course, is that the cheap flights are often in the off-season or to marginal locations from a tourism standpoint, but this is when some of the best experiences can be had. Wander the misty streets of Venice in December or visit Europe's Christmas markets. Cold snap in Prague or Budapest? All the more reason to enjoy the warmth of the public baths. Snowing while you're in Paris? Take a side trip to Alps for some high altitude skiing. Even if you want to avoid the coldest weather, Europe can be great in the edge seasons. Fall and Spring still offer balmy temps in the Mediterranean and crisp nights in the northern latitudes keep crowds at bay and might even offer a glimpse of aurora Boreas as the days become shorter. Why not travel then? You'll save a bundle on flights which you can use to upgrade your hotel. Or keep the entire trip on a budget so you'll have enough to go again next year.
This is the situation a a couple from New York has found themselves in. With time available to travel in April they'll go anywhere a great deal takes them. April is a particularly good time to travel in Europe. Prices are in toilet even though the weather is warming as far north as the Baltic states. Start by sweeping the major European populations centers for flight deals: Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam and Madrid. If your interest lie further east check those as well: Moscow, Kiev, Prague or Budapest. Further south and at the cusp of Asia lies Istanbul. Once a deal has been identified build a trip from there. Enjoy transportation by train or inexpensive intra-European flights on Ryanair, easyJet and others.
This time we're looking in particular at the 3rd week of April, 2011. Its a little too far in advance to catch the really incredible deals -- most airlines don't actively manage inventory six months before a flight actually takes off. Nevertheless, this being edge season, expect some airlines to make an effort to grab revenue early by attracting a few leisure travelers. Carriers trying to expand a market or open a new route will generally offer respectable discounts for those who jump aboard first.
Turkish Airlines is one of those expanding carriers. Istanbul, their home base, is a respectable travel destination in its own right, but is also connected via train, ferry and air to much of southern and eastern Europe. Nonstop flight can be had from New York for about $680.
Iceland Air is another carrier trying to gain market share. While all of their flights connect through Reykjavik, they often offer significantly discounted fares to major European cities. Additionally they allow stopovers in Iceland free of charge if you'd like to enjoy the volcanic hot springs for a day or two. From New York, Paris for $740, Amsterdam for $730 or Oslo for $700 while nonstop flights charge hundreds more.
Air Europe, a Spanish carrier new to the New York market, offers a great deal to Madrid at $696 round trip, non-stop. Spain and the Iberian peninsula are particularly well connected by rail and served by Spanish low cost carrier Clickair. If you want to spend your vacation in Spain, Portugal or southern France this is a great option to book early.
Another way to find cheap flights is to look for carriers operating outside their traditional routes. Singapore airlines offers a tag-on flight from New York to Frankfurt which continues to Singapore. The leg to Frankfurt is bookable alone and is going for $$738 round trip. Air India is another atypical airline frequently operating on this route as mentioned in previous posts.
Moscow is another fantastic option and Aeroflot-Russian Airlines is letting their non-stop flights from New York go for $570. Even if the Kremlin isn't on the top of your list onward connections to destinations all over eastern Europe are only $20 to $40 more. That means Kiev, Riga, and St. Petersburg are all within reach for about $600.
No comments:
Post a Comment