Cheapest month to fly to Europe from the US: what the fare data shows

The usual pattern

Demand from leisure travelers peaks from June to August and again around late December. Airlines price to that demand. January to March, outside holiday weeks, and parts of October and November often show the lowest fares, though some routes break the pattern.

Shoulder season: April, May, September, October

• Fares are often below summer levels while the weather is still pleasant in much of Europe.
• Crowds and hotel prices are usually lower than in July and August, but they vary by city.
• School holidays and big events can still push a specific week up, so look at the exact dates.

What winter costs you

• Shorter days and colder weather, and some attractions or seasonal services run reduced hours.
• Winter storms can delay or cancel flights, which is a real risk on tight connections.
• The weeks around Christmas and New Year are usually expensive even though they are in winter.

How to check your own route

Each SplitWing route page lists the lowest fares travelers recently found for every upcoming month, so you can see the gap for your own airports. These are cached, recently found fares that may be gone, not quotes, and not a promise that the same month will be cheapest next year.

Limits of any monthly pattern

• A month's lowest fare can be a single departure day, not the typical price for that month.
• Fuel costs, new routes and airline competition change the pattern from year to year.
• Treat any month ranking as an estimate for planning and confirm the price for your exact dates.