Still Dreaming of Europe This Summer?

Always on the lookout for value-oriented travel, Senior Editor Patricia Magaña has trekked throughout the States, Latin America, and Europe. Follow her on Instagram @PatiTravels.

Since joining the editorial crew in 2005, Magaña has pounced on incredible deals to Amsterdam, Madrid, and San Pedro Sula—each for less than $300. Her favorite travel experiences involve discovering street art while meandering a city, chatting up locals, and day drinking.

Her stories have appeared on USA Today, Huffington Post, Yahoo!, TripAdvisor, AirfareWatchdog, and other publications.

Email Patricia at editor@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Patricia Magaña

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re still contemplating a summer trip across the Pond. Dreams of basking under the Mediterranean sun are still viable, but from the looks of our fare benchmarking, it will cost you.

We’ve been tracking peak-season rates on many popular European routes for August travel for several months now, and depending on your route, prices are either holding steady, which is good, or are drastically spiking. Here is the latest snapshot of some routes we’ve been tracking. The math is based on comparisons since my last report a month ago:

New York City > London: increased by 25 percent
New York City > Paris: increased by 37 percent
New York City > Rome: increased by 9 percent
New York City > Madrid: increased by 5 percent
New York City > Dublin: increased by 30 percent
Los Angeles > London: rates have remained static
Los Angeles > Paris: rates have remained static
Los Angeles > Rome: increased by three-tenths of a percent
Los Angeles > Madrid: increased by two-tenths of a percent
Los Angeles > Dublin: increased by 26 percent
Chicago > London: increased by 25 percent
Chicago > Paris: increased by 30 percent
Chicago > Rome: decreased by three-tenths of a percent
Chicago > Madrid: increased by 5 percent
Chicago > Dublin: increased by 20 percent

I’m afraid that if you were hoping to travel to Dublin on the cheap, your ship may have sailed. For the remaining major cities, however, you have to either bite the bullet and book now, or consider other affordable options.

Explore Other Options

I would never dissuade someone from visiting a specific destination, but if rates are prohibitively expensive, it may be time to begin contemplating other travel options this summer.

Here are some appealing and affordable alternatives. Visit a destination during its shoulder or even low season. For example, the Caribbean and Latin America see reduced fares during the summer. Added advantages include cheaper rates and plenty of availability at hotels, more sunbathing room on the beaches, and smaller crowds.

If you’re after a certain Continental flare, Euro-centric cities in the Americas may be your ticket. Look to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Quebec City or Montreal, Canada; and even little hidden villages like Helen, Georgia.

If you have your heart set on Europe, consider visiting the Old Country during the shoulder season, especially during your Thanksgiving break. I compared fares on a few routes during the high-peak August and the November shoulder season and came up with these results:

Washington, D.C. > Dublin: $1,049 during August versus $606 during November
Chicago > London: $1,244 during August versus $820 during November
Boston > Paris: $1,073 during August versus $887 during November
New York City > Rome: $1,057 during August versus $669 during November

Read my previous installments from this series on booking summer Europe airfares:

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