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The air space between North America and Europe is one of the most heavily travelled in the world. It is served by literally dozens of airlines, both US carriers and the national airlines of almost every European country, and there is consequently a huge range of seats at a huge range of prices. It all depends on where you're travelling from, and, of course, where you want to go. There are, however, a number of "gateway" cities into which you'll find a greater - and cheaper - choice of options.
Barring special offers, the cheapest of the airlines' published fares is usually an Apex ticket, although this will carry certain restrictions: you have to book - and pay - at least 21 days before departure, spend at least seven days abroad (maximum stay 3 months), and you tend to get penalized if you change your schedule. There are also winter Super Apex tickets, sometimes known as "Eurosavers" - slightly cheaper than an ordinary Apex, but limiting your stay to between seven and 21 days. Some airlines alsoissue Special Apex tickets to people younger than 24, often extending the maximum stay to a year. Many airlines offer youth or student fares to under-25s; a passport or driving licence is sufficient proof of age, though these tickets are subject to availability and can have eccentric booking conditions. It's worth remembering that most cheap return fares involve spending at least one Saturday night away and that many will only give a percentage refund if you need to cancel or alter your journey, so make sure you check the restrictions carefully before buying a ticket.
Most of the airlines maintain a fare structure which peaks between mid-June and early September, with a shoulder season either side of this and the best deals during the November to March period, when fewer people are travelling. You'll often find the cheapest fare by leaving from the airline's "hub" - New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are the main ones; hub cities also tend to have nonstop flights, with no changes at all. You do, however, need to be flexible: London, Paris, and Amsterdam are usually the cheapest "gateway cities" in Europe simply because they are served by more flights; Milan, Rome and Frankfurt run a close second in some cases. Flying midweek rather than at the weekend is also a few dollars cheaper.
You can normally cut costs further by going through a specialist flight agent - either a consolidator, who buys up blocks of tickets from the airlines and sells them at a discount, or a discount agent, who in addition to dealing with discounted flights may also offer special student and youth fares and a range of other travel-related services such as travel insurance, rail passes, car rentals, tours and the like. Bear in mind, though, that penalties forchanging your plans can be stiff (check the refund policy, and pay with a credit card if possible: then if you do change your mind there's a chance you can stop the payment going through). Some agents specialize in charter flights, which may be cheaper than anything available on a scheduled flight, but again departure dates are fixed and withdrawal penalties are high. If you travel a lot, discount travel clubs are another option - the annual membership fee may be worth it for benefits such as cut-price air tickets and car rental.
Remember that these companies make their money by dealing in bulk - don't expect them to answer lots of questions, and don't automatically assume that tickets from a travel specialist will be cheapest - once you get a quote, check with the airlines and you may turn up an even better deal. Be advised also that the pool of travel companies is swimming with sharks - exercise caution and never deal with a company that demands cash up front or refuses to accept payment by credit card.
A further possibility is to see if you can arrange a courier flight, although the hit-or-miss nature of these makes them most suitable for the singletraveller who travels light and has a very flexible schedule. In return for shepherding a parcel through customs and possibly giving up your baggage allowance, you can expect to get a deeply discounted ticket. For more information on courier outfits, consult A Simple Guide to Courier Travel (New York: Pacific Data Sales Publishing).
If Europe is only one stop on a longer journey, you might want to consider buying a Round-the-World (RTW) ticket. Some travel agents can sell you an "off-the-shelf" RTW ticket that will have you touching down in about half a dozen cities (almostall include at least one in Europe); others will have to assemble a route for you, which can be more tailored to your needs but is apt to be more expensive. At the cheapest end of the scale, a low-season RTW ticket with an itinerary of New York - Bangkok - Kathmandu - London - New York could cost as little as $1350.
Listings of Airlines, Discount Flight Agents, Travel Clubs, Consolidators, and Rail Contacts
Also in the Getting There section of The Rough Guide to Europe is information on:
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