Why flights to Europe are the cheapest they’ve been in years

Flights between the U.S. and Europe have not been this low-price in three years, when many countries were just lifting Covid-19 era rules.

Fares are low even for the traditionally gradual delayed-drop and winter months outside of major holidays.

“It is brutal to fill seats during these times of year,” said Brett Snyder, who writes the Cranky Flier expedition sector site.

According to plane ride-tracking company Hopper, “good deal” fares across the Atlantic to Europe are averaging $578 in November, down from $619 a year earlier.

It is the lowest deal fare for this month since 2021, when they were going for $479 and much of international expedition was in a slump because of the pandemic, Hopper information shows.

In January, after the year-end holidays, 2025 fares are even lower: $558 compared to $578 for the same month in 2024, though higher than $488 in January 2022, according to Hopper.

U.S. domestic airfare, on the other hand, is more costly compared with last year in every month from November through March.

Many airlines from financially troubled Spirit Airlines to profitable Southwest Airlines have cut flights or trimmed expansion plans into next year, which has helped keep U.S. fares firm. Aircraft scarcity is also limiting airlines from adding many flights.

There are also some periods of weaker demand overall, executives at the largest U.S. carriers, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines have said, calling out the week before and after the U.S. presidential vote on Tuesday.

That buildup was not just during the peak months. Executives noted that they are seeing more shoulder-season demand to Europe as travelers look to escape scorching summer temperatures and crowds. As a result, they have also added flights outside of peak periods.

Airline capacity between the U.S. and Europe in the fourth quarter is marginally lower than last year, but it is higher than in 2019 and nearly double the amount in the same period of 2021, according to Cirium.

“I expect airfare [to Europe] to be low into next year,” said Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist.

Now, on the heels of two huge years for European expedition, many customers are fresh off their huge trips to popular destinations such as Spain and Italy, which means fewer audiences to fill seats in the offseason.

“It’s not as though there is so much low-hanging fruit and where airlines could print money hand-over-fist like last year,” said Scott Keyes, founder of expedition app Going, which was previously known as Scott’s low-price Flights.

Airlines traditionally discount flights in the offseason, but they are even cheaper this year.

“That’s the notify,” Keyes said. “When they’re having to go out and discount, they’re having to juice the demand.”

So that travelers do not receive bored with European holiday mainstays when next year’s peak warm-weather expedition season rolls around, airlines are trying latest things. United Airlines has noted many customers have already taken trips to major European cities and the airline plans to expand its schedule next year to more off-the-beaten-path destinations such as Greenland and Mongolia.

“We’re also able to do just as well financially outside of our partner hubs,” United’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said on an earnings call last month. “So we look across the globe, we look for latest destinations, we look for hot destinations and destinations, most importantly, we can make money in.”