The cheapest place to fly into Europe isn’t always the same every year, but airports like Dublin, Lisbon, Reykjavík, Milan, and Kraków consistently offer some of the lowest fares from North America thanks to airline competition, budget carriers, and frequent transatlantic service. If you’re flexible about where you land, you can often save hundreds of dollars before your European vacation even begins.

What Is the Cheapest Place to Fly Into Europe?

Airport	Country	Why It’s Often Cheap	Best For
Reykjavík (KEF)	Iceland	Popular stopover hub, competitive transatlantic fares, cheap onward flights to Europe	Travelers open to layovers
Dublin (DUB)	Ireland	Major Ryanair & Aer Lingus hub, strong competition, many transatlantic routes	First-time Europe travelers
Shannon (SNN)	Ireland	Smaller airport with low fares and fewer connections	Budget travelers avoiding big hubs
Cork (ORK)	Ireland	Served by low-cost carriers, good access to Ireland & Europe	Flexible itineraries
Amsterdam (AMS)	Netherlands	Large international hub with easy European connections	Easy onward travel
Lisbon (LIS)	Portugal	Low airport fees, TAP stopovers, strong budget airline presence	Southern Europe trips
Barcelona (BCN)	Spain	Budget airline hub with easy transfers	Mediterranean destinations
Copenhagen (CPH)	Denmark	Growing low-cost airline presence	Northern Europe travel
Istanbul (IST)	Turkey	Massive hub with competitive fares	Europe + Middle East connections

There isn’t one single cheapest place to fly into Europe for everyone — and that’s actually the key to saving money. Finding affordable travel destinations in Europe can be a game changer for your budget. Cities like Prague, Budapest, and Porto offer rich experiences without breaking the bank.

The cheapest airport to fly into Europe depends on where you are coming from, how flexible you are with connections, and what part of Europe you ultimately want to visit. In general, airports that consistently offer the lowest fares share a few important traits: they are major hubs for low-cost carriers, they have a high number of daily flights, and they encourage tourism by keeping passenger fees low.

Based on those factors, airports like Dublin, Lisbon, Reykjavik, and Krakow often rank among the cheapest places to fly into Europe.

If you are traveling from North America, Dublin is frequently one of the cheapest and easiest entry points into Europe. It has extensive transatlantic service, strong competition among airlines, and excellent low-cost connections onward to the rest of Europe through carriers like Ryanair and Aer Lingus. For many travelers, Dublin offers the best balance of price, convenience, and connectivity.

If you are flexible with layovers, airports like Reykjavik (Keflavík) and Lisbon can be excellent money-saving options. These airports are often used as stopover hubs, which helps keep fares lower. Once you arrive, it is usually inexpensive to continue on to major European cities like Rome, Nice, Edinburgh, or Stockholm using budget airlines.

For travelers willing to fly into secondary or Eastern European airports, cities such as Krakow can be among the cheapest places to fly into Europe overall. These airports are served by ultra-low-cost carriers like Wizz Air, and while they may require an extra connection, the savings can be significant — especially for families or travelers flying during peak season.

The biggest takeaway is this: the cheapest place to fly into Europe is often not your final destination. By flying into a budget-friendly airport and then taking a low-cost European flight or train onward, you can dramatically reduce the cost of getting to Europe without sacrificing where you actually want to go.

These airports are consistently among the cheapest places to fly into Europe thanks to low-cost airline competition, high flight volume, and affordable onward connections.

Why You Shouldn’t Always Fly Directly to Your Destination

One of the biggest mistakes travelers make when planning a trip to Europe is searching only for flights to the city they want to visit.

Instead, search for flights to several major European airports. You may find that flying into Dublin, Lisbon, Reykjavík, or Milan costs hundreds of dollars less than flying directly to your final destination.

Once you’re in Europe, getting around is surprisingly affordable. Budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, and PLAY often offer inexpensive flights between major cities, and Europe’s extensive rail network makes it easy to continue your journey by train.

For example, instead of booking a flight directly to Rome, you might find a much cheaper ticket to Dublin and then book a separate low-cost flight to Italy. Even after paying for the second flight, you could still spend less overall—and perhaps even have time to explore another city along the way.

Being flexible about where you land is often the easiest way to reduce the cost of a European vacation without giving up the destinations you really want to visit.

 

Why are these European airports cheaper?

Not all European airports charge airlines the same fees, and not all airports have the same level of competition. The airports that consistently offer the lowest fares tend to share a few important characteristics.

Many are major hubs for low-cost carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, or PLAY, which keeps prices competitive. Others have a high volume of transatlantic flights, giving travelers more airline choices and driving fares down. Some countries also actively encourage tourism through stopover programs or competitive airport fees, making them attractive entry points for international visitors.

The other key advantage is what happens after you land. Once you’re in Europe, budget airlines and an extensive rail network make it inexpensive to continue on to your final destination. That’s why flying into Dublin, Lisbon, or Reykjavík and then booking a separate flight to Rome, Prague, or Edinburgh can often cost significantly less than booking a direct ticket to your final destination.

The cheapest place to fly into Europe isn’t always the airport closest to where you want to go—it’s often the airport that gives you the most affordable gateway to the rest of the continent.

 

 

1. Why Rekijavik International Airport Is One of the Cheapest Airports to Fly To (REK)

Low-Cost Carrier: Icelandair, Play Airlines

Rekjavik International Airport is unique in that it’s the closest airport to the United States. The airport itself is located 20 minutes from downtown Rekjavik but there are buses and taxis available to get you there quickly.

You can often take Play Airlines to mainland Europe for less than $200 per flight. This is a great option if you’re looking to head over and back in one trip but don’t want to spend too much money.

Read Next: Iceland for the first time visitor.

 

2. Dublin, Ireland (DUB) One of the Cheapest Airports to Fly Into In Europe

Low-Cost Carrier: Ryanair, Aer Lingus

Dublin International Airport is the most popular airport in all of Ireland. It’s also one of the largest and busiest airports in all of Europe!  Ryanair flies out of Dublin all the time, but be aware, unlike some other European low cost carriers, Ryanair allows you to carry on a lot more than just a purse or laptop but you also won’t be carrying a big bag.

Prices to mainland Europe through Ryanair are generally not much more than $100.

 

3. Shannon, Ireland (SNN)

One of the Cheapest Airports to Fly Into In Europe

Low-Cost Carrier: Ryanair, Aer Lingus

If you’re looking for the historically cheapest place to fly into Europe, Shannon is it! We said that Dublin was the most popular airport in all of Ireland but that title actually goes to Shannon. This small landlocked airport serves as both an international and national hub for flights going in and out of Ireland.  You can get from any part of Ireland or mainland Europe here without making too many connections (if any).  Flights are also very reasonably priced with typical prices in the $100 range.

 

4  Cork, Ireland (ORK)One of the Cheapest Airports to Fly Into In Europe

Low-Cost Carrier: Ryanair, Aer Lingus

Cork Airport is another good option for flights into Europe if you’re on a budget. Cork’s airport is located less than 6 miles from the city center and features plenty of shops and restaurants to help pass the time before your flight. You can also catch a bus into Dublin and be there in under 3 hours. There is also a train that runs from Cork to Dublin.

4 days in Ireland with the kids- A realistic family itinerary

5.  Amsterdam Schiphol Airport One of the Cheapest Airports to Fly Into In Europe(AMS)

This is another large, busy airport that offers generally cheap flights to Europe from the US, plus you can get anywhere in Europe very easily from here.

When you fly into Amsterdam, one of the cheapest places to fly into Europe, you’ll find that getting around is easy and affordable as well! You can get anywhere in the city via public transportation, which is all very cheap and accessible. If you want to rent a car or take a taxi, those are also options to get to other major cities in Europe.

Plus Amsterdam as some of the best places to sleep when the entire East Coast is snowed in . (I had to do that about 28 years ago for 3 days!)

 

6.  Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)

Low-Cost Carrier: Ryanair, easyJet, TAP Portugal

Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and Lisboa Airport (also known as Portela Airport), which serves the city, is one of the cheapest places to fly into in Europe. It’s also one of the busiest airports in all of Europe which makes fares stay low and connections super easy. TAP Portugal generally offers a free 1 day layover!

 

7. Barcelona, Spain (BCN)

Low-Cost Carrier: Vueling Airlines, Ryanair

Barcelona International Airport is a relatively small airport compared to other European airports. This means that there are fewer flights and less congestion. It’s also one of the easiest airports in Europe to get through! Generally the process from your layover until fly on to your final destination is very easy. This is particularly helpful if you’re looking to book a cheap flight from Barcelona and then move on somewhere else.

 

8. Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH)

Low-Cost Carrier: Norwegian Air Shuttle, Ryanair

Copenhagen Airport is a great place to fly into if you’ve got a layover between two other destinations. Copenhagen has become one of the cheapest airports in Europe over the past few years and is also a great place to spend a layover. It’s one of the cheapest places to fly into Europe if your final destination is anywhere nearby.

 

9. Istanbul, Turkey (IST)

Low-Cost Carrier: Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines

Istanbul Ataturk Airport is another great place to fly into. It’s the largest airport in all of Europe and located close by most major attractions and cities. Istanbul is also a good destination for anyone looking to take an internal flight within Europe as it’s cost effective, but you can also use the airport to fly to the Middle East and Asia.

 

10.  Brussels, Belgium (BRU)

Low-Cost Carrier: Ryanair

Brussels Airport serves as a great way to get into other parts of Europe such as Germany, France and the Netherlands.

According to the Airport Council International Ranking of Airports , Brussels International is the busiest airport in Belgium. It also has a lot of unique amenities such as duty free shopping, cafes and restaurants! In addition to being easy to get around it’s also very affordable meaning that you can fly into Brussels for less than $100 from pretty much anywhere!

 

11. Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH)

Low-Cost Carrier : Swiss International Airlines

The main reason that Zürich Airport can offer low price s is because they don’t charge extra fees for luggage or other extras like some airports do. This means that you will most likely pay  somewhere near $300 at the absolute most no matter where you are heading from Zurich.

 

12. Milan, Italy (MXP)

Low-Cost Carrier: Blue Air, Ryanair

Milan Linate Airport is located just 15 minutes outside of the city center. This makes it an ideal airport for those who want to save money on their flight by avoiding a hotel and instead taking the train into town. The train runs about every 30 minutes.

 

13. Krakow, Poland (KRK)

Low-Cost Carrier: WizzAir

Krakow John Paul II Airport is named after the Polish pope and has been servicing travelers since 1919! It’s currently ranked as one of the best airports in Europe with over 17 million passengers in 2012 alone.  It also boasts fast connections and easy accessibility to historic sites like Auschwitz .

 

How I  Get the Absolutely Cheapest Flights at the Cheapest Airports

   Booking in advance is key

Always book at least two weeks ahead of time. You can usually find some amazing deals if you look far enough in advance for your travel dates and destinations. That being said, waiting too long to book can mean you’ll pay a ridiculous amount because the flight will fill up fast! Use this website as a starting point to finding cheap flights.

Flying into Secondary Airports

 Flying into secondary airports can be cheaper than major ones like Charles De Gaulle or Heathrow Airport . Look instead at Orly or Stanstead airports to see if you can find a cheaper flight.

1. Be aware that most low cost airlines in Europe will limit your carry on luggage and/or have you pay high fees to check luggage. So if you are planning on getting to Europe and using Ryanair you need to pack light! Check out how to pack for 10 days in a carry on.
2. If you are traveling with more than one person, it may be worth your while to pay a little extra for a flight that has the option of sitting together.  Since most low cost European airlines don’t have assigned seating , it can be hard to sit with friends and family.

 

If I were searching for flights to Europe today, I wouldn’t start by looking for the cheapest ticket to Rome or Paris. I’d first compare fares to Dublin, Lisbon, Reykjavík, Milan, and the other airports on this list. A little flexibility at the beginning of your trip can save enough money to extend your vacation, upgrade your hotel, or splurge on an unforgettable experience once you arrive.

You can make your family vacation dreams come true for much less money by using these budget tips. Don’t forget to download your free printable packing list too!