Budget Flights Within Europe

By Rick Steves

Ryanair is one of many budget flight options within Europe.

Airfares within Europe have plunged due to European Union reforms and deregulation. New no-frills airlines are taking off. And some well-established airlines offer discounts on flights within Europe to their transatlantic passengers. As a result, flying is now a realistic option for budget travelers.

Budget Flights

Budget airlines offer one-way fares within Europe. Bigger savings are possible if you fly round trip.

Ryanair is a creative Irish airline with more complicated but potentially even cheaper fares. They now fly to 200+ destinations in 30+ countries across Europe and North Africa, but still focus on flying in several European regions, such as the UK, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. They tend to sell out a couple weeks in advance.

Brussels Airlines is a Belgian company with very low rates. In the British Isles, Brussels Airlines flies from Stansted and Gatwick in London to Shannon, Ireland and Brussels. From its hub in Brussels you can connect cheaply to Barcelona, Madrid, Nice, Copenhagen, Rome, or Milan.

European airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France, SAS, KLM, and British Air also offer competitive fares. There's a catch: You must often buy your transatlantic flight from the airline in order to take advantage of intra-European budget fares. But the saving on flights within the continent can be worth an extra $100 for an overseas flight. In some cases, you purchase an "air pass" — a set of three or more flight coupons, each good for one nonstop flight. Check with your travel agent for details on how this may work for you.

Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and radio. His 50-plus books on European travel are available at bookstores and at www.ricksteves.com.