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Flying to Europe this summer has come with a high price tag for American travelers.
According to the travel booking platform Hopper, airfare from the United States to Europe is at a five-year high this summer, with round-trip tickets averaging $1,100.
This is a jump of over $300 since the summer of 2022, representing a 37.5% increase in price.
But while airfare to Europe is pricy overall, there are a number of cities you can fly into for much cheaper. A new study from Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights) reveals the top 10 cheapest European cities to fly into.
Flying into one of these cities can save you hundreds of dollars. Even if it’s not your final destination, budget flights and trains within Europe make it easy to travel onward.
Here’s the average round-trip airfare for the cheapest European cities to fly into from the United States:
1. Madrid, Spain: $518
The cheapest European city for Americans to fly into is Madrid, Spain. With average round-trip airfares of $518, Madrid is the perfect place to fly into if you’re looking for affordable flights to Europe.
You can easily fly onward to any other destination in Europe for a low price (many budget airline flights within Europe are under $100), making this a great gateway to the continent.
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2. Barcelona, Spain: $525
Another Spanish airport topping the list of the most affordable European cities to fly to is Barcelona. This seaside city is a popular destination on its own and also acts as a gateway to other destinations.
It’s a similar story to Madrid: cheap flights from the U.S. and cheap flights throughout the rest of Europe.
3. Milan, Italy: $532
Milan is the cheapest city in Italy for Americans to fly into.
Located in northern Italy, flying into Milan is usually much cheaper than flying into Venice, and the two cities are connected by a 2.5-hour high-speed train.
4. Zurich, Switzerland: $533
Although Zurich is a pricy city, it’s shockingly affordable to fly into.
This Swiss city has flights for around $533 round-trip from the United States and offers nonstop flights from several U.S. cities, making this the best airport to fly into in Switzerland.
5. Rome, Italy: $551
Rome is another Italian airport with affordably-priced flights from the United States.
Flying into Rome is your best bet for traveling around southern Italy, as there are many train connections available from this popular Italian city.
6. Paris, France: $552
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is one of Europe’s largest and busiest air hubs, so it’s not too surprising that the French capital is the best city to fly into for affordable flights.
Close to 20 cities in the United States have direct flights to Paris, so most travelers can get there on a flight with one or fewer stops.
More European Cities With Cheap Flights
These other European cities also boast cheap flights from the United States:
- Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam’s busy international airport has nonstop flights from more than 20 cities in the U.S. at an average price of $553 round-trip.
- Dublin, Ireland: Another city with cheap airfare from the United States is Dublin with an average round-trip airfare cost of $554.
- Copenhagen, Denmark: If you’re interested in traveling around Scandinavia, Copenhagen is a great city to fly into for around $555 round-trip.
- Stockholm, Sweden: Stockholm is another one of the cheapest Scandinavian cities to fly into, with a round-trip flight costing on average $556.
For more tips on saving money on your trip to Europe, check out these trending budget-friendly destinations in Europe.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Jenny
Wednesday 9th of August 2023
This information is not accurate at all. When you google or go to any airline to book a Round trip it's literally showing all if not most airlines costing just for a flight over $1,000.00 -$3000.00 I'm curious as to which airlines provide these prices! I would love to know
Cat
Thursday 10th of August 2023
@Jenny, I thought the same thing.
Tyler
Thursday 10th of August 2023
@Hamza, the data is based on a study done by Going, and was based on round trip fares.
Hamza
Thursday 10th of August 2023
@Jenny, it appears that the writer of this article is misleading the readers by posting one way flight prices, while mentioning a round trip price in the beginning of the article. Paris and Zurich are literally the most expensive cities to fly to.
Bhisham
Monday 7th of August 2023
It is the island where you can find four seasons at the same time.
Tony Rosenberger
Monday 7th of August 2023
Love your articles!