# What's the cheapest way to fly to Europe? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562 "2007-06-11T14:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/1 "2007-06-11T14:58:56Z")
Or, in other words, is there a way to get to Budapest sometime next spring or fall under a thousand dollars? Is there a trick I don’t see? I’m flexible on dates, but my boyfriend will _not_ spend that much money to go on vacation and I’ll never drag him there if I can’t reduce the price considerably. I live in Columbia, SC but I can leave from Charlotte if it’s cheaper. (It usually is but not necessarily by much.) I don’t care at all about dates, but I don’t really want to go in the summer and August is right out. Help? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/2 "2007-06-11T15:06:31Z")
Flying to a better-served European destination and separately booking a low-cost flight to Budapest ([see here](http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?to=BUD)) could bring the cost down a lot. For example, a search for random dates this September on Expedia gives Charlotte-London Gatwick for $750, and flights from there to Budapest with Easyjet start at around $150. The catches are the potential for missing a connection, and stingy baggage allowances compared to the transatlantic provision. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/3 "2007-06-11T15:09:07Z")
> **[Search Flights, Hotels & Rental Cars | KAYAK](https://www.kayak.com/)** > > We find flights, accommodations, and rental cars from hundreds of sites. Get more options, insights, and deals for your next trip. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/4 "2007-06-11T15:17:23Z")
$850 CLT-Vienna, then by train to Budapest (3 hours, inexpensive) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/5 "2007-06-11T15:37:49Z")
Wow, those are some WAY better options. (Interestingly enough, I just related my “Vienna train station gobble like a turkey story” in another thread.) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/6 "2007-06-11T15:52:28Z")
Hah, just tried Expedia again (can you tell I’m procrastinating from work I need to do?), Columbia to Budapest Feb 12th-19th, and there’s a fare for $780. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/7 "2007-06-11T16:37:21Z")
I love Budapest, but I don’t believe I’ll be going there in February, thanks. I believe they get snow there and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/8 "2007-06-11T22:24:15Z")
You’ll find cheap tickets [here.](http://www.asaptickets.com/) I didn’t go through with booking with them because there was some problem with accepting my frequent flier miles, but they were consistently the cheapest for flights to Europe ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/9 "2007-06-11T22:30:57Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] I love Budapest, but I don’t believe I’ll be going there in February, thanks. I believe they get snow there and stuff. [/QUOTE] Fffffffffft. There was me suggesting a nice romantic Valentine’s treat, too 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/10 "2007-06-12T13:56:35Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Fffffffffft. There was me suggesting a nice romantic Valentine’s treat, too 😛 [/QUOTE] If I got off the plane on a _vacation_ and saw snow on the ground I’d: 1. Squee and take a picture 2. Crap my pants and get back on the plane. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-fly-to-europe/407562/11 "2007-06-13T00:45:55Z")
Sounds like you are Hungary for a good price.