Low priced tickets to Europe during the December holidays are not too common from the west coast. United has Dublin, Ireland on sale during the last two weeks of December with return either before or after New Year’s available for around $650 round trip. Some of the itineraries at $646 round trip have tight connections and I would avoid anything less than 90 minutes between flights, especially if USA airports. This is peak Christmas travel in USA and winter storms are a distinct possibility for delaying air travel. The other issue with lowest fares are long layovers like 12 hours in Newark.
Good itineraries are available for December holiday season travel for about $700 round trip.
Dalkey Island, south Dublin County and Bono’s neighborhood. This photo was from a December day 2014 when I hiked the Bray Cliff trail.
Loyalty Traveler – Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk in County Wicklow Ireland (Dec 2, 2014).
Loyalty Traveler – Bono and Enya’s neighborhood Killiney, County Dublin (Dec 14, 2014).
United Airlines Los Angeles LAX – London LHR (UA) – Dublin, Ireland DUB (Aer Lingus) – Newark EWR (UA) – Los Angeles LAX (UA)
$711.66 round trip Sun Dec 18 – Sat Dec 31
There is a ticket for $50 less flying LAX to Chicago to Newark with two connections of 41 minutes and 45 minutes. That kind of itinerary is like paying United Airlines to keep you in Chicago or Newark for an overnight while the flight you booked departs for Europe without you.
United Airlines
Los Angeles LAX – Chicago ORD (41 minutes transit time) – Newark EWR (45 minutes transit time) – Dublin DUB – Newark EWR – Los Angeles LAX
$661.26 round trip Sun Dec 18 – Sat Dec 31
You can go after Christmas too with a cheap return January 4.
United Airlines Los Angeles LAX – Newark EWR – Dublin DUB – Frankfurt FRA (Lufthansa) – Los Angeles LAX (Lufthansa)
$671.56 round trip Monday Dec 26 – Wed Jan 4
Getting a ticket to Europe over the Christmas holidays is usually a minimum $900 from California. Dublin is the low fare deal available today for December holiday travel.
But if you are a little more adventurous with your Los Angeles ticketing and want to go to Europe twice between Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, then there are more cities available in Austria, Germany and Switzerland for deeply discounted airline tickets around $500 round trip. The catch is you have to travel to Europe two times in two months to make this Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays travel deal work.
My wife is a school teacher with 3 weeks vacation from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, so this kind of deal is especially appealing for our travel style.
More details on nested ticketing opportunities for holiday travel to Europe in the next post.
Loyalty Traveler curated Airfare Deals and Google Flights and Kayak Explore tutorials.
Loyalty Traveler – Hotel Promotions Guide
Hotel loyalty program points and miles promotions for Best Western Rewards, Club Carlson, Choice Privileges, Hilton HHonors, Hyatt Gold Passport, IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Rewards, Ritz Carlton Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Wyndham Rewards.