The flights you're searching for a fall or winter getaway to San Diego (SAN) or Fort Myers (RSW) might have you spooked right about now, and rightfully so. Domestic fares have been soaring since the start of the war in Iran … and with fuel prices on the rise, they may only get worse.
But there's good news: We've seen the high-fare fever break for flights to Europe over the last few weeks as sub-$500 roundtrip fares (and, in some cases, even under $400!) across the pond have made a comeback. And that means it might be cheaper to fly to Rome (FCO) than to Raleigh (RDU) and back this fall or winter.
It's a refreshing return to normal for transatlantic flights. We track airfare across the country and all over the globe for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members, and we noticed something stunning: Just after Labor Day, fares to Europe crashed – in a good way. Within days, airlines slashed flight prices down into the $500s, $400s, and even $300s roundtrip to destinations like Greece, Italy, Germany, Ireland, and many more.
And they've stuck around ever since. These are fares we haven't seen since 2025.
After the airlines seemingly tossed out the Europe airfare rulebook for most of 2026 to pass on higher fuel prices, it appears we're back on book as we head into the fall:
- Travel in the shoulder season (October through early December and January through February) to get the best fares
- Flying on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday for even better discounts
- Book 1-2 months in advance for the best rates.
As is usually the case with plummeting airfare, it was likely instigated by a low-cost airline. In this case, Icelandair upended everything right after Labor Day with its fall sale.
Thrifty Tip: That Icelandair sale was just extended through Monday, Sept. 21! The lowest fares (from $349 roundtrip) are still there if you book ASAP.
Flying from Portland (PDX) to Rome for just $423 is simply too good to pass up. December might not be peak season in Italy, but you'll get to see all Rome has to offer with significantly cheaper lodging and activities – and, of course, airfare.
And that Rome fare was just one example in a long list of sizzling airfare to Europe this fall and winter, too.
These fares in the $300s and $400s roundtrip are special. It gives you a chance to bring a friend, a spouse, or a family member with you to Europe for the price of one ticket during peak season. And when you consider how rare fares this cheap are from the West Coast, it's even more tantalizing.
Had you booked this same fare just a month ago or so, it'd likely have been north of $1,000 roundtrip.
And remember: Icelandair was just the catalyst for this collective drop in airfare to Europe. We quickly saw many more airlines jump on board. That includes American Airlines…
… followed by Aer Lingus and Iberia launching sales to their hubs of Dublin (DUB) and Madrid (MAD), respectively, too …
… and we even saw airlines like TAP Air Portugal come in with some low fares to Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), and beyond to Spain as well.
You may have noticed a pattern on some of these fares: They're mostly flying from big, major hubs. While that may be true for the cheapest fares we've sent so far in September, it's not the whole story: You can find cheap flights, under $599 roundtrip, from airports all over the U.S.
Look at these fares to Rome as an example. Check out the smaller, regional airports from which you can get roundtrip flights to Italy in the $500s!
We saw a similarly robust list flying to Milan, Italy in the last few days, too.
Bottom Line
Domestic flights are often prohibitively expensive and getting worse, but the big sales on flights to Europe we've come to know and love are back in a big way.
Think about a trip across the pond this fall and winter instead of your usual trip within the U.S. to save big on airfare.
