The major overseas legacy carriers: American, Delta, United and even British Airways, Lufthansa along with their "alliance airlines" control the most passenger traffic between the U.S. and Europe. You have heard the horror stories of poor customer service, old planes, unfair fares, tight seats, lousy meals, passengers being treated like cattle, etc. But now, there are some new kids on the block in terms of airlines going to Europe. Are they worth a look? You bet they are. Check out The Traveling Professor's blog post and find out how to get to Europe cheaper and in more comfort.
The second most costly part of a tour, after lodging, is airfare. Airfares were sky-high a few years ago and it is my opinion the legacy carriers like American, Delta and United were gouging the consumer, despite lower fuel costs, on their fares to Europe. It was my prediction that other "discount" airlines would come along and take advantage of a lucrative market by offering lower-fares to a variety of destinations in Europe. But be aware, not all discount airlines are the same. In this article, The Traveling Professor names his favorite discount airlines to Europe.
Icelandair is a low-cost carrier serving 16 North American airports. All flights from North America go through Iceland's Keflavik airport on their way to over 40 destinations in Europe. I have been on several Icelandair flights in the past year as well as many of our Traveling Professor travelers on our small group tours to Iceland. In this blog post I will relay my personal experiences and opinions on flying Icleandair.
You have heard The Traveling Professor say before that he flies over 100,000 miles per year. I also have Platinum status on American Airlines and belong to their "Million Miler" club. But since I take small groups of travelers to various destinations in Europe and South America, I hear from well over 100 flyers per year on their experiences. Over the years, I have compiled my Top 5 Best Tips on Airlines for today's blog post.
It seems as if air travel gets more and more expensive, despite the drop in oil prices and the reduction of services. What is becoming more popular, however, are the airlines offering free stopovers on trans-continental flights. The Traveling Professor takes advantage of free stopovers and it can save hundreds of dollars on a trip. In this blog post, he lists two great stopover options for those going to Europe.
People talk to me about travel and the high cost of airline tickets all the time. Just this week someone complained about the $1,100 ticket from New York to London. Tickets to Italy are in the $1,500 range. With the cost of fuel reaching record lows, you would think airlines would cut their prices. However, supply and demand dictates prices, not fuel costs. However, if you are smart, you can get to Europe on major airlines like American Airlines for $635 round trip. How about a $300 ticket to Oslo? Read my blog post and find out how to save money on your next flight to Europe.