Reasons to fly to Europe A perfect place to visit, Europe offers history, fine arts, winter sports, beach resorts, modern cities, and charming villages. Whether you're heading to rich and sultry areas, or rough and rugged territory, travel around Europe is easy. The changes in Europe's landscape and climate are as dramatically diverse as the attractions. Book flights to Europe during the hot, dry summers along the Mediterranean or hop a Europe flight to experience the midnight sun in Scandinavia.
First, what do you want to do? Flights to Europe allow travelers to explore historical sites, museums, cities, country villages, or retrace your ancestry. Maybe you prefer shopping, lying on a beach, scaling a mountain, or backpacking through remote villages. Which is better, a remote chalet or a vibrant resort? Perhaps there’s a country you’ve always wanted to visit: England, France, Portugal, Luxembourg, Monaco. Or maybe you just want it all. The possibilities are endless when you travel to Europe. Whether backpacking for a year or just popping over for a long weekend to soak in a thermal spa in Iceland or catch the theater in London, you’re bound to have an excellent time.
Europe Climate
Mediterranean summers are hot and winters mild. In central and northern Italy and France, the climate is more temperate with humid summers and cold, damp winters. Spain and Portugal can be very hot and dry in summer, with cold and wet winters. Winter in Madrid and Spain’s high central region can be quite cold.Central Europe has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot to warm and winters cold with temperatures below freezing. Snow can fall as early as mid-September in the Alps, and the ski resorts start opening in November and remain open until April.A continuation of the Gulf Stream (North Atlantic Drift) keeps the climate in Scandinavia, the UK, Ireland, and Iceland fairly mild. Iceland’s climate is close to that of New York, and Scandinavia is more like New England or the Great Lakes region in the U.S. In the UK winters are cold and wet with occasional snow, and summers generally warm with showers.Most Europeans are on vacation in August. Some shops and attractions are closed in the cities, and the beaches and mountains are mobbed. Check your favorite travel website for tips on peak and off seasons.
- To find the cheapest flights to Europe:
Plan a one-direction trip, such as London to Amsterdam to Madrid. Then buy an open-jaw ticket where you arrive in London and return home from Madrid. - Look into a surface-sector ticket if you’re traveling some of the legs of your trip via surface transport.
- Icelandair has some great deals if you fly via Reykjavik. Aer Lingus offers deals for flights to Europe via Dublin or Shannon.
Europe is well connected by planes, trains and buses. It is easy (and cheap) to take flights between major cities in Europe, especially if you start or finish in the UK, Ireland, Germany, or France—all countries where low-cost carriers fly extensive routes.
Trains run throughout mainland Europe and, since the Eurotunnel, also connect France to the UK. Check out http://www.raileurope.com/ for tickets and advice as well as interactive route maps.
Buses (coaches) are readily available and a much cheaper way of traveling. However, they are typically a lot slower and often more uncomfortable than trains. Eurolines is a good low-cost coach operator to check.
If you’re driving, consider renting a diesel. Diesels often get better mileage and are a great deal in countries that subsidize diesel. Drive on the left in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and keep the speed below 130 kmph (80 mph) on the Autobahn.
Even if you’re planning on traveling independently, check out tours as many (such as a 1-day city or 14-day country tour) can be combined with independent travel.
Check our country and city flights pages for more information about getting around individual destinations.
Europe Insider Information
- England’s scenery, villages, trendy cities and Scotland’s golf courses draw visitors to the UK. Reminders of the past and legends are everywhere, including paths of King Arthur and Merlin in Wales and Vikings and St. Patrick in Northern Ireland.
- Ireland has produced some of the world’s greatest poets and writers and remains a retreat for golfing, fishing, and hiking. The cities are young and vibrant; the countryside is peaceful and wears its scenery, ruins, and monuments with grace.
- Germany’s cities are leading cultural, financial, and educational centers, and include two of the greenest cities in Europe. From modern to Middle Ages architecture, world-renown exhibits and performances, and the all-time best Oktoberfest, Germany is a country of many facets.
- France is a land of variety: over 400 types of cheese, 25 languages and dialects, prehistoric caves, and the Louvre. France offers sumptuous beaches, bustling cities, quiet villages, and mountain resorts. And the cuisine is as diversified as the country.
- The passion, culture, history of Italy—one of the few countries everyone knows something about. Whether your ideal vacation is soaking up the arts, visiting Vatican City, hiking, or luxuriating in a spa, you can find it in Italy.
- On the Iberian Peninsula, step back from Spain’s beaches to find fascinating sights and charming towns. The world now comes to explore Portugal with its modern resorts and towns where old traditions remain the way of life.
- The Netherlands has a rich history as a world power; Luxembourg has dense forests, medieval castles, and Battle of the Bulge memorials; and Belgium is a feast for connoisseurs and gourmands.
- Austria has the regal buildings and culture from its days as the heart of the Hapsburg Empire. The country’s hospitality and cuisine make it a year-round destination, topped only with its winter sports, historic cities, and cultural institutions
There are hundreds of airports throughout Europe that serve international and domestic Europe travelers. Hop a quick flight from London to Paris, or travel overseas from one of Europe's international airports. Europe airports are available to commercial and private aircraft traveling across the continent and internationally. Passport and visa requirements vary based on where you're traveling from, so make sure to read the entry requirements before boarding the plane.
