From Kathleen Crislip,
Your Guide to Student Travel.
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European airlines offer big airfare discounts if you look. Before you buy a student airfare for European puddle jumping, check out the many budget airlines offering super cheap one way European airfare - how about a $2.28 airfare from London to Rome? Add taxes and fees and you're looking at a European airfare of $40.00 or less.

Discount European Airfares Comparison

Take a look at this comparison of European airfare from the two main European budget airlines against student airfare finder, Student Universe (fares subject to change, of course; random Thursday was used).

London to Paris (one way airfares):
• Ryanair
  
  Fare: $2.28
  Taxes and fees: $26.87
  Total: $29.15
• Easyjet
  
  Fare: $31.42
  Taxes and fees: $8.35
  Total: $39.77
• Student Universe
  
  Fare: $243.54
  Taxes and fees: $53.90
  Total: $297.44

Discount European Airlines' Downsides

• Budget European airlines don't pamper you - don't expect in-flight meals, free drinks or pre-booked seats with a cheap European airfare.

• You will probably be landing at a remote European airport - as much as an hour away from your destination city or even in a different country (check with the airline before you reserve in order to make ground transportation plans - some small European airports do not have regular shuttle service).

• Discount European airlines seem to be more subject to flight cancellation than those of major carriers, and meal and hotel vouchers are usually not provided in the event of cancellation.

• Some budget European airlines allow you very little luggage and charge exorbitantly if you exceed baggage limits. Cheap European airfare king Ryanair, for instance, limits checked baggage -- the limits change -- and you'll be charged around $9 per pound (that changes, too) for any excess; the airline also advises against checking sporting goods such as bicycles and snowboards - they will accept items like these for a charge of around $32, but be advised that the carrier usually accepts no responsibility for them: if they break it, they ain't buyin' it. Ryanair's got serious checked luggage charges; plus, they've added up to $8 in credit card fees. And know that Ryanair's flight insurance only applies to UK residents -- don'tt pay for it if you live elsewhere. The key to a cheap Ryanair flight, then, is carry on bags, paying cash, and reading the fine print when you book.

Discount European Airlines Upsides

Any amount of hassle for a cheap European airfare may be worth the huge savings; you can use the bucks to visit more destinations.

In our example above, you'll save $268.29 using budget European airline Ryanair over Student Universe to fly from London to Rome. Use that money!

• On Ryanair, hop from Rome to Paris for $53.69, Paris to Dublin for $24.62 and back to London for $40.48 and have $149.50 left. Wow -- that's a lot of travel money.

Be prepared to be flexible to get the cheapest airfare on any budget European airline - airfares vary from day to day; weekdays are generally less expensive.

Booking Budget European Airlines

• New budget European airfare search engine Wegolo is the way to go tto search all the cheap European airlines at once.

• Attitude Travel has a very complete list of every single budget European airline. A few favorites (direct links):
  • Ryanair
  • easyJet
  • Central Wings

  Happy cheap European airfare hunting!

  "I am one of those who never knows the direction of my journey until I have almost arrived." --Anna Louise Strong