5 Reasons to Go to Europe in 2015
The time to shop is now for trips this spring.
— -- If you've been on the fence about a trip to Europe this year, maybe this will make you hop off. If you do decide to go, especially in the spring, the time to shop is now.
1. Shop now for good deals.
U.S. airlines have not dropped fuel surcharges yet (though I'm still optimistic) and some spring ticket prices are a bit higher than last year. The good news is, some are the same price and some are lower. Compare these Feb. 2014 sale prices from major airlines with today's specials. All are for flights on "select dates" in the spring.
Boston to Barcelona:
• Last year: $1,355
• This year: $1,057
Los Angeles to London:
• Last year: $953
• This year: $899
New York to Dublin:
• Last year: $737
• This year: $681
Note to Asia travelers: This month, Delta advertised deals for Seattle-Beijing from $320 one-way; a year ago, Delta's sale price for the same route was $392.
2. The dollar is strong
This may not make a lot of difference in perennially expensive cities like Venice and Paris, but it can mean savings in hotels and restaurants in cheaper destinations. Experts quoted in numerous media reports advise that, when in Europe, do not accept offers to "pay in dollars" when using a credit card. Although it may sound easier, it could mean a worse exchange rate for you.
3. Plan a trip for spring
Spring is cheaper than summer when peak season prices kick in. Look for fares to jump around March 12 and again May 15. The sooner you go, the better - better being cheaper - because you'll save 15 to 30 percent by traveling before those dates compared with after.
4. Plan a trip for late summer
In Airline Land, autumn begins in Aug. 23 so if you travel on that date or after (on most airlines) you will save 15 to 30 percent over prime-time summer fares.
5. Easy ways to cut airfare costs
The nitty-gritty of saving money on trans-Atlantic flights.
Compare fares: This sounds so simple but many ignore this step. Bad idea, because no single airline always has the best prices. If you only look at one carrier's fares, you may pay way more than you have to.
Compare non-stops with connecting flights: You can often save big bucks by avoiding the convenience of a direct flight. This is not always true, though (it can vary by route) so again, compare fares.
Include a Saturday: Many international flight deals require a Saturday night stay and if that's the case, booking a Sunday-to-Saturday trip could cost you. Keep a Saturday night in your itinerary.
Look for cheaper destinations: Try flying to one of the cheaper cities of Europe such as Dublin and use that as a launch pad to other cities, and travel on one of the continent's ultra-cheap discounters. If you do this, pay close attention to the fees; some of these airlines have draconian baggage allowances and the extra fees and/or overweight costs can blow any savings.
Use miles: A trip to Europe might be the perfect time to use at least some of your miles. Maybe you don't have enough for an award trip but you may have enough to significantly whittle down the price of a ticket.
The opinions expressed by Rick Seaney in this column are his alone and do not reflect the views of ABC News.
