Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.
If you’re planning a trip to Europe for late 2018 or early 2019, here’s a chance to fly fancy for the price of coach!
You can buy Premium Economy seats across the Atlantic from a few US cities for as little as $843 round-trip. Premium Economy gives you lots more legroom with a footrest, better food and drink options, and a little extra space between you and the passengers beside you. That stuff is important on an 8-hour flight!
Cheap Premium Economy Flights to Europe
Premium Economy seats to Europe can easily cost $1,400+ round-trip (and MUCH more, depending on your dates and routes). But there are some red-hot deals to Europe from a handful of US cities right now!
You can buy a discounted round-trip Premium Economy flight to Paris from:
- Boston – $892
- Denver – $985
- Miami – $845
- New York – $843
- San Jose, California – $875
- Washington, DC – $860
And you can buy a discounted round-trip Premium Economy flight to London from:
- Austin – $967
- Los Angeles – $986
These cheap fares are available from September 2018 to April 2019. Here’s how to use Google Flights to find sale dates.
If you live near any of these airports, or if you can reach them easily, this is a fantastic deal. Premium Economy is a BIG step up from a regular coach seat.
And remember, even if you don’t desire to visit Paris or London, this is still an inexpensive way to cross the ocean in comfort. Then you can use budget European airlines to hop around Europe to the places you actually want to go! For example, you can buy a flight from Paris to Vienna for ~$100 round-trip.
You can see our posts for how to use Google Flights and ITA Matrix to find sale dates. Then book directly on the airline website, or through a site like Orbitz.
If you book a ticket with an online travel agency like Orbitz, Expedia, or Priceline, you may be eligible for a refund within a short time of booking your ticket. Check out our post on cancellation policies for airlines and online travel agencies for more details!
Travel Tips
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns bonus miles & points for airfare! I recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent on travel) or Chase Sapphire Reserve (3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent on travel; excluding $300 travel credit), because they also come with valuable travel benefits, like baggage delay and trip delay protection.
If you book a sale flight, remember there are lots of ways to get cheap or free hotel rooms with points from credit card bonuses and spending.
To find hotels that can be booked with points, use AwardMapper or Hotel Hustle (which even shows you if rooms are actually available!).
Remember, you can transfer flexible points like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards to different hotel programs.
Note: If you prefer to book paid stays, check out discount sites like Orbitz, Expedia, or TravelPony for deals. But remember you won’t get stay credits or points (and might not have your elite status recognized!).
Airbnb is another terrific way to save money on accommodations, especially for longer stays. Here are some tips on how to negotiate a better Airbnb price, and how to find a safe and comfortable Airbnb.
Good on God Save the Points for spotting this deal!