Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Do you think travel to Europe is unaffordable? I have some good news for you – this week I found two RT flights to Europe for under $400 – cheaper than many domestic flights! I doubt these prices/seats will last too long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend you book quickly and use these tips to start saving up!
The Details
- Departure: IAD or BWI (This is the Washington, DC area). DC is about 5 hours from us, but at this price, if you’re within driving distance of DC, it is absolutely worth it to rent a car so you can fly out of there!
- Destination: Amsterdam
- Airline: Icelandair
- Logistics: You’ll have a brief layover in Iceland. We have used this option several times – a few with WOW Air that no longer exists and once with Icelandair and loved our experience.
How Did I Find These Deals?
- Major Airports – Sure, it’s more convenient to fly out of airports closer to us like Raleigh or Charlotte, but it’s usually not as affordable. This dilemma led us to search departures from larger airports like BWI, which has been a treasure trove of cheap flights for us over the past few years. We’ve also flown out of Miami once (we got a $200 one way ticket to Belgium).
- We use a combination of Kayak Explore and Hopper to find the cheapest dates, departure cities, and destinations.
- We always use gateway cities! Amsterdam, London, Paris, Brussels, and Barcelona have all seemed to be reasonably cheap to fly into recently. For this deal specifically, if Amsterdam doesn’t sound like your cup of tea – no worries. It’s just a means to an end. Once you’re in Europe, flying to other cities is incredibly cheap (usually around 40-80 Euros). Check out Rome2Rio for details on transportation within Europe. We’ve used a combination of trains, flights, and ferries for inexpensive travel within Europe.
- Flying on Tuesdays – not exactly convenient for maximizing your time off, but it tends to be the cheapest day to fly if you have some flexibility.
Once In Europe
I suggest you check out Intrepid Travel if you’re looking for a small group, guided tour while in Europe. They’re currently running a $1 deposit promotion until February 15th, so this pairs well with the airfare deal! Check out my thoughts on the Balkan Adventure Trip I took with them a few years back – amazing!! Also, if you need some help with what to pack or how to prepare for your first international trip, I have some great suggestions for you in this post and on my Amazon Favorites List!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you snag one of these deals or if you have any questions – I’ll be glad to help! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook to be the first to hear about more great budget travel deals!
Emily
I always found that if you’re not bothered about destination, you can find the cheapest flights. The biggest thing I was worried about when going to continental Europe was communication, but I found that almost everyone speaks English as a second language. And if you’re finding it tough to communicate, don’t be afraid to ask someone else for help.
Good luck on your travels, all!
Georgia
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely! It’s amazing how many people speak English. I wish I knew other languages as well as most Europeans do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a great idea! Especially with having such a tight pocket this is excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I’m so glad travel is more accessible to everyone these days!
LikeLike
Just bought tickets to Norway for $333 roundtrip from Chicago on Finnair!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that is incredible!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, though this is one of the most expensive countries so it will probably balance out in the end.
LikeLike
Saving this article! I am sure it will be handy, thanks Emily!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you find it useful!
LikeLike
That’s a really good deal! Thank you for this! I wish I lived close to DC. Any tips for travel to Europe from Atlanta? 🙂
LikeLike
This is an awesome deal! I wish I lived closer to DC. Any tips on flights to Europe from Atlanta? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh, Atlanta should have good prices on Delta since that’s their biggest hub!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t find anything on Delta. Trying to go to Dublin this year 🙂
LikeLike
I just found this deal on clark.com (a deals site I like): Shannon, Dublin and Cork $466-$474 round-trip
Purchase by: January 8
Travel dates: January 22-March 22; October 21-November 22
Airline: Virgin/Aer Lingus
Typical fare: $800+
Hope this helps! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just seeing this, thanks!
LikeLike
I was able to practice my little bits of French in France so that was cool!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My MIL has a beau in Scotland so we are hoping to get over there one day but as a family of 5 I’m sure it will require LOTS of planning ahead. Not quite ready to get everyone’s passports (along with ours updated and my name changed). Ugh!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Changing passports is definitely a hassle! I delayed officially changing my name until probably 8 months after we got married because we had too many trips planned and didn’t want to change my passport!
LikeLike
Awesome tips! I know we plan to take an International Trip in our future and it will be our daughter’s first. These money saving tips will come in handy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet she will love it!
LikeLike
I have always wanted to go to Europe but right now I am looking for cheap air fare to California.
LikeLike
Girl, this is a great deal! Thank you for the tips too. Saving…
LikeLike
I love this! Traveling outside the states is on my list for this year so this is great to know!
LikeLike