Flights are an easy way to get around Europe, especially with the large surface area of water making getting around by car, boat or train more difficult. There are many airlines that offer domestic flights around particular countries but also flights around the continent with transcontinental flights and also to other continents with intercontinental flights or transatlantic flights.
There are over 50 large European airlines operating in the area and the rest of the world. These airlines include some legacy carriers, and also provides a variety of low-cost, full-service and hybrid airlines.
Europe has seen a proliferation of low-cost airlines, which have emerged over recent years and transformed air travel within Europe.
Some of the largest and best-known budget airlines in Europe include easyJet, Smartings, Ryanair, Transavia, Norwegian and Wizz Air. These airlines are an alternative to more traditional national flag carriers (such as British Airways or Air France), which tend to provide a full-service and carry higher ticket prices as a result. Flying with a low-cost airline means sacrificing some services, such as complimentary checked baggage and meals, but can dramatically reduce the cost of your flights within Europe.
How much are flights within Europe? - It is likely that you’ll be able to find flights between European cities with a budget airline for $50–250.
It is possible to grab a very affordable ticket on a low-cost airline, especially if you fly off-peak or during quieter times. You can use the search bar at the top of the page to start searching for flights. To help you find affordable flight ticket prices, try following these steps:
Read about the best airlines for travel around Europe. Find out facts about these airlines, including which flies to the most destinations, which have the most coverage and which airline to use for different European regions.
The strategic partnership which combined airlines Air France and Dutch KLM created the 4th busiest airline group in Europe.
Both airlines each have a wide selection of destinations across Europe, establishing themselves across Europe and further across the globe.
This group not only covers German airline Lufthansa, but also its subsidiary airlines including Eurowings, Brussels Airlines, SunExpress, SWISS, Air Dolomiti and Austrian Airlines.
Lufthansa itself flies to over 80 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The whole group flew an impressive 142.3 million passengers in 2018.
Ryanair is Ireland’s low-cost carrier, offering cheap flights to Europe. The airline provides a great option for cheap travel around Europe, as it currently flies to many countries in Europe, as well as destinations in North Africa and the Middle East.
It also operates domestic flights in Ireland. It is currently the largest cheap airline within Europe, according to the number of passengers carried, and also the largest airline in the world according to the number of routes it serves.
Although this name may not be familiar to some people, this group is in charge of some of Europe’s largest airlines including British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, Vueling and Aer Lingus.
These airlines combined contribute to a huge network across the continent, allowing passengers to travel to more places with this airline.
easyJet is known by many for its budget flights around Europe. This British airline operates domestic flights around the UK, and also international flights to the rest of Europe.
This airline is still relatively young compared to others, as it was only formed in 1995. This is also one of our featured cheapest airlines on our blog for its great value for money.
The national airline of Turkey, Turkish Airlines,was first founded in 1933 and flies to over 300 destinations across the world. Although its services are spread around the world, this airline still has great connectivity across Europe.
This airline is in the top 10 for largest airlines in the world by number of destinations served. The rapid expansion of this airline is also cause for the new airport in Istanbul, which has one of the best shopping scenes in all of the world's airports.
This Russian flag carrier is one of the oldest airlines in the world still in operation. Covering a lot of Russia with its routes and destinations, Aeroflot also flies to many European destinations and also to some American, Middle Eastern and Asian destinations.
As voted by Skytrax for being the best airline in Europe, Lufthansa was commended for its exceptional service and product quality.
Swiss International Air Lines (notably a member of the Lufthansa group) was a runner-up in Skytrax’s award, credited for its genuine and friendly cabin crew and complimentary extras such as its alcoholic beverages.
In third place of the Skytrax award for ‘Best Airlines in Europe for 2018’ was Austrian Airlines. This placed highly for its great service from staff, and also for the efficient service for economy fliers.
The following are a few examples of low cost airlines that operate extensive flight networks within Europe. You can click on each airline for more information.
Aer Lingus, Easy Jet, Euro Airlines, Icelandair, Ryanair, LEVEL and Volotea
This section shows you the best airports to fly to in the cheapest countries in Europe (with their IATA codes). If you wish to find out more about these countries, please visit our blog on '9 of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe'.
Best Airport to Fly Into: Sofia Airport (SOF)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Kutaisi International Airport (KUT)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Riga Airport (RIX)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Ohrid Airport (OHD)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Bratislava Airport (BTS)
Best Airport to Fly Into: Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO)
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Immigration and customs policies when you're travelling in Europe will depend on which countries you are travelling between. If you’re travelling between two countries within the Schengen Area, you are able to fly without showing your passport. 26 countries (as of 2020) within Europe signed the Schengen Agreement of 1985, which effectively eliminated internal borders.
However, if you are flying between a European country that is a Schengen member (such as Italy, Spain or Sweden), and another which is not (such as the US or Britain), you will need to pass through passport control.
Please note that you may still be required to show identification and it is important to check the requirements of the countries you are travelling between before you book your flights.
If you're from a country whose citizens do require a visa to travel in Europe, such as the United States, then a single ‘Schengen Visa’ will let you travel freely within the Schengen Area. There are currently 26 countries within the Schengen Area. If you’re travelling to two or more European countries which are not Schengen members, you will need a separate visa for each.
Top Tip:If you're visiting Europe from the United States, you can find out more information by visiting our Schengen visa when flying from the US page.
If you are flying between two big cities in Europe, it is likely that your flight will be direct. Europe’s budget airlines all operate extensive networks, flying directly between most of the largest and most popular cities in Europe. However, you may find it is cheaper to fly to your destination via a connecting flight rather than flying direct.
Top Tip: If you're using a budget carrier to connect to a US-bound flight, ensure you allow enough of a layover, in case there are any delays.
Search and book flights within Europe through Alternative Airlines. Simply use the search bar at the top of the page to start searching for flights. Type in the city you will be departing from and the European city you want to travel to then press ‘Search’ to discover all the airlines you can choose from.
Europe deregulated its airways in the 1990s, which resulted in the emergence of a number of budget airlines. These airlines are sometimes called no-frills airlines because many services that full-service carriers usually provide as complimentary are not included in the price of the ticket. This lets travellers add services such as checked baggage allowance and meals to their booking only if required.
The check-in times for flights within Europe vary and will depend on the airline you are flying with, as well as the departure airport. As a general rule, it is recommended that travellers arrive at the airport 2-3 hours before scheduled departure for international flights and flights within Europe — but ensure you check with the airline you are flying with beforehand.
A flight within Europe is a flight which departs and lands within two different European countries. For example, a flight that departs from London, UK and lands at Paris, in France.
European flights don’t have to be expensive. In fact, once you are in Europe, inter-European flights are fairly cheap as there is less distance and more options from low-cost airlines. If you are planning a long European trip, why not use our multi-city planner to get around.
If you are planning to travel to Europe from further away where a flight will be more expensive, why not consider one of our finance options to make your flight more manageable such as Klarna or Afterpay?
If you're based in Europe, another flexible payment option is Riverty, however, we don't currently offer this as a payment method.
Yes, you are allowed iPads on European Flights. These may need to be removed from your hand luggage during airport security inspections, so please pay attention to and follow instructions from security personnel.
Please see our electronics page for information on flying with valuable electronics, including how best to pack and transport them.
The general rule is that if flying between countries that are both in the European Union, they will be allowed with you on the plane subject to them meeting certain requirements and the airline's conditions.
Find out information about taking dogs and other pets on flights here, including information on how to qualify.
The date that airline tickets go on sale depends on the airline itself. Find out hereabout how far in advance European flights go on sale according to each airline.
You can fly flights to and around Europe here on Alternative Airlines. We provide flights to the big well-known destinations as well as the smaller, lesser-known regional airports. Enter your destination and date into the search bar above to search and buy flights with us.
The best time to book flights within Europe depends on which European country you choose to visit. The high season for the majority of European countries is in June/July, so it's recommended you book your flights at least 6 months prior if you're planning to visit in the summer months.
This depends on where you are going and when, although generally the best day to book flights is 6 weeks before, and the earliest possible date to book European flights is around 1 year. Read our full blog for tips and advice on the cheapest day to buy flights here.
Yes! Inter-Europe flights are flights departing from one European country and landing in another European country - they are also known as flights within Europe. For example, a flight departing from Madrid, Spain, and landing in Split, Croatia, is considered an inter-Europe flight.
Take a look at some of our other guides about travelling in Europe:
