The airline world is certainly shifting quite a bit! Airlines are really working on their business class cabins/seats to give more of a first class feel and charging customers higher amounts for this. At the other end, we have airlines like WOW, Norwegian, and others making serious inroads with an economy product that will get you to your destination and, well, just that. 🙂
10 International Cities You Can Often to For Under $500
But, we are also seeing more regular fare deals to international cities than we have before as well! This is not only on the budget airlines like WOW but also on airlines like American, United, Delta, and fine international carriers. Some of these fares are even upgradeable to business class with miles or certificates! With these fare deals coming quite often and typically not lasting that long, which cities should you prepare for so you can book them when they come along?
10 International Cities Often on Sale
While there are usually a lot more cities available during these deals as well, these are the ones that see the most consistent sales. So much, in fact, that you could buy a ticket to any of these cities for under $500 on a very regular basis.
- Paris, France (under $400 pretty often!)
- London, England (under $400 also)
- Stockholm, Sweden (under $400)
- Madrid, Spain (under and around $400)
- Rome, Italy (around lower $400s)
- Berlin, Germany (under $400s)
- Beijing, China (around the high $400s)
- Shanghai, China
- Hong Kong
- Bangkok, Thailand
As you can see, this covers Europe and the Far East pretty nicely!
Where Are The Flights From?
Typically, these deals are for flights originating from the following cities:
- New York City
- Boston
- Chicago
- Toronto
- Miami
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
There are other cities that get in on it sometimes but, especially for many of the deals, the major East Coast airports will be the ones that you want to look at.
What Should You Do To Prepare?
These deals pop up all the time and they are typically bookable for several month stretches. Here are a couple of things that can help you be prepared to jump on the best deal:
- Get your dates ready that work for you
- Find cheap ways to get to the big airports and know which airport offer the best deal (if you are coming from a regional airport)
Of course, things like booking connecting flights and hotels can happen after you book the big flight (you will have up to 24 hours to cancel just about any flight reservation made that departs from the US) but it makes good sense to have some of those ideas planned out ahead of time as well.
Another thing to consider is that you don’t actually have to stay in the city you book to! Many of the above cities have great deals to help you bounce around the region once you arrive. So, just use those cheap flights as a way to get to the continent and the book some cheap travel to get around.
Know the Airline
Many of the cheapest tickets are on the low cost international carriers like WOW and Norwegian. While these airlines have great deals, it is important to know what you are getting with the cheap prices. On airlines like this, you will be paying for everything over a small carryon bag and that includes things like snacks and even selecting your own seat.
If the price difference is small enough with other, older airlines, you may want to select one of those to get things like seat selection, free bag, and even higher boarding zones if you have elite status or the airline’s credit card. Plus, you can actually earn some miles for those flights that may be of use to you later.
How To Find The Deals
First off, definitely follow @TheFlightDeal on Twitter. They find the best deals all the time. If you have specific cities and dates in mind, however, head over to Google Flights.
#Airfare Deal: [AC] United States – Hong Kong. $363++ r/t. Details: https://t.co/ztHxyM0EL9 #travel .
— The Flight Deal (@TheFlightDeal) August 23, 2017
Google Flights lets you search for a wide variety of things like departure airports, arrival airports, and dates. Simply plug in the parameters you want (airports, dates, number of people, class of travel) and click to set price tracker. Google will notify you when the prices drop and you can hop over to book then.
Use Google Flights to help you find out about the cities and dates you are interested in
Takeaway
It is easier now than ever before to find consistently cheap airfare for international flights. We have the tools and the points to make this be easy and as close to free as you are going to get! Now that you know some of the major cities that often see these deals, get planning for a great vacation to any of these places because the next deal is literally around the corner!
