The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
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DALLAS » Europe never seems to lose its appeal to American travelers, and the growth of discount airlines and alternatives to expensive hotels make visiting the Old World a bit more affordable.
Whether a first-time visitor or making your first trip in many years, travel experts say there are ways you can get to Europe for less and make your money go further once you’re there.
FLIGHTS
Airfares to Europe this summer are expected to be slightly higher than last year — blame the rise in jet fuel prices — but that’s an overall, average figure. On some routes, fares are running well below last year’s prices.
Average 2018 prices are down 30 percent or more on a handful of popular routes, including New York’s JFK Airport to Amsterdam; Newark, New Jersey, to Paris; and Chicago to Gatwick Airport outside London, according to travel-search site Hipmunk.
Discount international airlines including Norwegian Air, WOW Air and tiny Primera Air are or will soon be flying on those and many other transatlantic routes. The bigger U.S. and European airlines with more familiar names have been forced to match or at least reduce their own fares.
Hipmunk CEO Adam Goldstein suggests looking at routes that didn’t even exist a couple years ago because the European budget airlines “are often flying between secondary airports on both ends, like Oakland (California) to Gatwick.”
George Hobica, a travel expert who founded airfarewatchdog.com, said that on the low-cost airlines you might have to pay extra for carry-on or checked bags, “but even with bag fees they’re way less than in years past.”
The bargain carriers get mixed reviews — with a Google search it isn’t hard to turn up complaints.
“You have to be honest with yourself about what level of discomfort you’re willing to be in for a 10-hour flight” on a budget airline, says Lisa Friend, a travel consultant with Rick Steves’ Europe, “but for just getting there, they can be an excellent introductory price.”
If your plans include moving about once you’re in Europe, there are cheap flights on budget airlines such as Ryanair — again, know what you’re getting. If visiting three or more countries, Eurail is offering its discounted second-class pass, long a favorite among college students, to people over 27 through March 29. Renting a car may be best for visiting small towns, but be prepared for sharply higher gasoline prices than in the U.S., for tolls including for driving into congested zones.
Sarah Schlichter, a senior editor at SmarterTravel, also recommends limiting a short trip to one or two destinations. Many visitors “try to fit too many places in one trip and they end up spending a lot of money on plane flights or train tickets,” she says.
LODGING
With many reasonable airfares out there, visitors to Europe are likely to spend a much bigger chunk of their budget on lodging. Hotel rates in tourist destinations (and important centers for business travel) such as London and Paris are very high.
It can be cheaper to rent an apartment