The 8 Cheapest Places to Fly Into Europe From the US

From sun-kissed Barcelona to history-filled Rome, romance is in the air.

Photo: franckreporter / Getty Images

Updated Jan 22, 2024

Airfare prices may have dipped during the fall of 2023, but international airfares are set to rise 10 percent in 2024, according to fare experts at Kayak. However, don't let that deter you from planning a destination wedding, honeymoon or romantic getaway in Europe. Our expert tips will help you find the cheapest places to fly into Europe from the US.

Expert Tips for Finding the Cheapest Flights to Europe

how to find the cheapest flights from the US to Europe

Where you fly from, where you fly to and when you fly are the keys to finding the cheapest flights to Europe, according to experts. Flight deal site Going.com keeps a list of the best and worst airports for cheap international flights throughout the year. Going's travel expert, Katy Nastro, says airports in three US cities—New York, Boston and Washington, DC—tend to perform better for cheap flights to Europe due to their position on the East Coast.

"With three international airports, and JFK specifically serving more than 70 international airlines, New York is in a position to see more deals to Europe than most," Nastro says. "And because you can get to just about anywhere from Boston, it means more options for travelers, which translates to more deals." There are also plenty of cheap flights to Europe from Washington DC's Dulles Airport (IAD), which is served by more than 30 international carriers, including PLAY airlines, a low-cost carrier.

Once in Europe, it's easy (and often very inexpensive) to fly to other cities thanks to a bevy of low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air. Or, you can hop on a train. "Most total travel time can be just as fast or sometimes faster via trains due to the fact that most city stations are central, and you don't have to worry about bag drops," Nastro says. Here are eight cities to add to your search when looking for the cheapest European cities to fly to from the US.

Paris

You can find nonstop flight deals to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris from major cities like Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and Atlanta, with the lowest prices offered in the off-season, from December through February. Low-cost and long-haul airline French Bee flies to Paris-Orly Airport from Newark, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. From Paris, low-cost carriers like easyJet and Vueling offer flight deals to many other European cities.

In The City of Light, you can explore the Louvre Museum, take romantic strolls along the banks of the Seine River and view the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower. You can also catch a train for day trips to the Palace of Versailles in France; Antwerp in Belgium; or London through the Channel Tunnel (the "Chunnel") via Eurostar.

Dublin

If you're planning a destination wedding in Ireland, Dublin is the best arrival spot for US travelers. At leave five airlines offer direct flights there, including Aer Lingus, whose hub is in Dublin—it offers nonstop flights to Ireland's capital from more than a dozen US cities.

January and February are the least expensive times to visit Dublin and enjoy the city's top attractions, such as St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Guinness Storehouse and the National Gallery of Ireland. From Dublin, it's cheap and easy to fly to other cities in Europe, says Going's Nastro, thanks to budget carrier Ryanair, which has its main hub here and offers connecting flights to 113 cities.

Barcelona

For a destination wedding or romantic trip to Spain, consider flying into Barcelona, which often has cheap nonstop flights from New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Atlanta. Low-cost airline Level offers seasonal flights to Barcelona from San Francisco as well as service from Boston, New York, Los Angeles and, starting in March 2024, Miami.

The city's highlights include beaches, the Picasso Museum and, of course, Antoni Gaudi's monumental La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, which he decorated with colorful tiles, fanciful gardens and surprising sculptures. The best time to visit Barcelona is during May and June, when the weather is nicest, but you will find the cheapest flights (and the fewest tourists) in January and during the shoulder seasons, which are March to April and September to October.

For day trips by train from Barcelona, consider Figueres, the birthplace of artist Salvador Dali, or Montserrat, where you can ride a cable car up the mountain to the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery and take in the incredible views.

For those who want to visit other cities, Vueling is a low-cost Spanish carrier based in the greater Barcelona area with hubs across Europe, Nastro says. Iberia, easyJet, Ryanair and other airlines serve the city as well.

Madrid

Like Barcelona, Madrid offers a wide array of flight options because it's served by a variety of carriers, Nastro says. There are direct flights from about a dozen US cities on at least five airlines. You will also find reliably cheap flights to other European cities from Madrid's Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) on Iberia, easyJet, Ryanair, Vueling and other airlines.

While in the city, make time to visit the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace and El Retiro Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or, book a high-speed train for a day trip to Toledo, Avila or Segovia.

Rome

Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is usually the cheapest airport for flights from the US into Italy, as it has direct flights from at least 10 US cities. This means the city can serve as a great jumping off point for exploring the entire country.

When searching for flights from Rome to other cities in Italy or Europe, don't just limit yourself to FCO airport. "Rome's Ciampino Airport is smaller, but offers many budget options," Nastro says.

After you've had your fill of ancient history, architecture and gelato in The Eternal City, there are plenty of charming cities accessible from Rome via high-speed trains, including Tivoli, Florence and Naples.

Copenhagen

Denmark's Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is one of the cheapest European airports to fly to from the US, especially during the winter low season, which is January through March. Nonstop flights head to Copenhagen from at least seven US cities. Once there, you can enjoy Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid statue and some of the many churches that earned the city its nickname of The City of Spires.

Denmark is Scandinavia's smallest country (and one of the world's happiest), and it's easy to reach Aarhus—home to a botanical garden, the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum and the Old Town Open Air Museum—as well as Odense, the city where Danish author Hans Christian Andersen once lived.

Amsterdam

Anyone planning a Dutch wedding or getaway in the Netherlands will want to search for the cheapest flights from the US to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS), which has direct flights from almost 20 US cities.

AMS is a primary hub for KLM and, for those traveling onward, there are cheap flights to other cities on KLM's budget airline, Transavia. The Schiphol Airport railway station, located beneath the Schiphol Airport terminal, makes it easy to connect from AMS to cities throughout Europe.

Amsterdam, home of the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, canals and canal cruises, is popular with tourists year-round, but September to November and March to April are considered the off-season, when fares dip and crowds thin.

London

Taxes and fees imposed by some airlines can make it a bit difficult to find cheap fares to London from the US. But don't drop London from your search list. Fares usually dip in January and February, and airlines like JetBlue are adding new flights from the US to London's Gatwick Airport.

Having three airports in the greater London area—Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton—makes it easy to get just about anywhere in the region, Nastro says. She notes that easyJet, the second largest low-cost carrier behind Ryanair, is based out of London Luton Airport.