If you are looking for some valuable tips and advice concerning your flight journey from US to Europe then this little guide will walk you through the hacks that will help you choose the best available flights on this route. First things first, you need to make the right choice of selecting the best airline, best flight class for the destined flight and the best flight route that suits both your wallet and ease of travel. The golden rule to consider when you are buying an international flight ticket is you should always compare prices from different airlines offering the same value added services in that category.
The important point to ponder here is customer orientation in choosing the best possible flight depends on various factors like buying power of the person, willingness to pay a few extra dollars for added benefits, level of social strata of the person and the ease of convenience for that particular trip. What may seem as a best flight deal may not be best for the other. For instance, a customer may be interested in all thrills and less frills, for such a customer a dirt-cheap economy ticket may be the best deal to strike. On the other hand there is another class of customers that look for more premium benefits like travelling on premium economy class or business class or First class instead of the not so costly economy class.
Compare prices
Always compare airfare prices before you select a deal online. Why pay more when you can have the same benefits for a lesser price.
Choose the best airline that fits your budget
The choice of the airline, the make and model of the aircraft that you will be boarding, the class of the flight like Economy class, Premium Economy class, Business class, First class and the flight route that you choose, all need to be taken cognizance of to get that amazing flight experience and to top it all these value added benefits must come at a wallet friendly price.
In-flight entertainment and gourmet experience
The in-flight gourmet experience and in-flight entertainment system must be given a serious thought if you want to get that wow-flying experience. Make sure you select an airline that offers top of the line in-flight services. Most of the times the headphones offered by the airlines are not up to the mark and so carrying a noise cancelling Bose Headphones will enhance your audio experience on board.
The best time to book your outbound flight from US to Europe
Do your online outbound flight ticket bookings from the US on a Tuesday at 3:00 pm Eastern Time, this is because many US airlines release their official weekly sales figures early on Tuesday and most competing airlines are likely to reduce their air fares. For this reason, Tuesday is the best day to look for those new bunch of travel deals. Book your international tickets on weekdays rather than on weekends as airfares tend to be cheaper on weekdays. Shop your outbound international tickets from New York City to London at least 5 ½ months and 1 ½ months before the departure date to leverage the benefits of cost and economy. The air fares keep varying from day to day and the earlier you shop the more likelihood of price being cheaper. As a general rule of thumb, the timing of shopping your international flight tickets must neither be too early nor too late. Don’t shop for international flight tickets during the Thanks giving day, Christmas time and New years as this is the time most Americans take long vacations and week offs and all the prices are hiked up. So my advice to you is if you are planning on a trip from New York City to London book your tickets way in advance at least 2 months before this peak season.
Best time to travel to Europe
Mid June to late August is summer time in Europe and this is the most expensive time to fly to Europe as most people want to fly during this time. If you must travel during this peak time, you can save by travelling in early June or early September.
Spring is the second most expensive season to travel to Europe for foreign visitors. Mid-March to mid June is spring time in Europe and the air fares are usually lower than in summer but not quite as cheap as fall besides the weather is good and the parks are green and glooming.
Early September to early December is Fall season and this by far is considered to be the best time to make a trip to Europe by most people because of the good weather and the air fares are low around this time.
Winters are very cold and deadly n Europe, so if you are looking for the cheapest air fares to Europe then early December to early March is the right time for you to travel because very few foreign visitors want to fly during cold winter months.
Non-stop flights VS Connecting flights
My advice to those planning on outbound international flights from US to Europe is always opt for non-stop flights as they offer better convenience over connecting flights considering the long average 7 hours of flight travel duration between these two destinations with no stopovers. Any intermediary stop can only result in prolonged travel times and this could lead to ongoing side effects like jet lag and dehydration for the passengers. Sometimes you could be lucky when you buy a connecting flight ticket and save as much as 50% when compared to non-stop ones. So choosing the right option is solely your decision and is a matter of convenience for you at that time of shopping online.
Booking tickets in a group
In the event of booking 2 or more tickets for a group, book only 1 ticket at a time in a single transaction because a quirk in the airline systems means multiple tickets sold in a single transaction must be sold for the same price. For instance if you need 2 tickets and the airline has 1 ticket for 100 US $ and all others for 125 US $, you will pay 125 US $ for both. However, if you purchase the 2 tickets one at a time, you will get the cheaper price for one of the tickets.
Reserve a good seat on your flight
Make sure you reserve a good seat for yourself so that you can enjoy your flight. If you want more leg room then you must opt for a seat in the exit rows and if you don’t wish to get disturbed by the noise of little babies then you must choose a seat far away from the front rows in a plane as this is the place earmarked for babies with their mothers on international flights.
Cabin luggage must be compact
Carry little cabin luggage to avoid any inconvenience. Lugging a great big suitcase in the boarding area and later stuffing it into the overhead lockers can be both stressful and embarrassing. Ideally, take one compact cabin bag and a smaller handbag where you can keep your essentials like water bottles, ear plugs and MP3 player for easy reach. Keep things travel-sized and compact.
Stay Hydrated
It’s important to stay hydrated while on a flight because the flight cabins are dry places and the chance of getting dehydrated on a plane is very high. You can beat this by drinking plenty of water slowly in regular intervals and refraining yourself from tea, coffee and alcohol while on board.
Purchase international travel insurance
As a foreign visitor to Europe you would have limited rights to free medical treatment in a foreign land, so purchasing international travel insurance for your outbound trip from US to Europe must be the first thing on your mind as it will cover you for out of pocket losses that may arise from theft or injuries while performing the journey.