Airport choices

Edinburgh is served by the eighth largest airport in the UK. EDI is located about 8 miles from the city center, making it easy to get to the center by train, bus, taxi or rental car. The airport is quite well connected to the rest of Europe and is also served by some low-cost carriers, including easyJet .

Nice’s Cote d’Azur International Airport is the second most important airport in France, serving the French Riviera. Besides serving the glittery Southern France, it also serves as Monaco Airport as it’s located very close to the principality. The airport is served by a lot of airlines, including a variety of low-cost carriers. Getting from the airport to the hotel is easy; you can check between buses, shuttles, taxis, trains or rental cars.

Best airline choices

The only airline offering direct flights from Nice to Edinburgh is easyJet. By early November there aren’t any direct flights offered by easyJet. Although you won’t be changing the airline, you’ll be making a stop along the way (typically in London).

Indirect flights are also offered by KLM , British Airways, Air France and Brussels Airlines.

Even if you need to take an indirect flight in early November, it’s still cheaper to fly on the low-cost carrier than other airlines.

Typical prices

Since there’s only one airline offering direct flights from Nice to Edinburgh we cannot exactly talk about competition. But the ticket prices are seasonable, as it happens with all flights in Europe. The peak summer season and the winter holidays are the most expensive times to fly between the two cities.

If you need to fly from Nice to Edinburgh in early October you need to pay at least £163.52 for a round trip flight, while in late October the ticket prices start at £118.90 for a round trip flight.

By early November, a round trip indirect flight (on easyJet, with a stop in London) starts at £115.49.

Money saving tips

Since there’s only one airline serving the route, there’s not much need to check discount websites. But you might want to take a look at the indirect flights in case there are deals available. Skyscanner usually lists all low-cost carriers while Expedia and Travelocity only cover some of the European low-cost carriers.

Book your flight in advance but remember that in the case of low-cost carriers it’s sometimes more expensive to buy far in advance than to book your flight at most a month in advance.

Fly outside the peak season and during the weekends. Falls and springs tend to be cheaper although the good weather on the French Riviera lasts until end of October so the prices won’t drop sharply as soon as the summer is over.

Airport choices

Paphos International Airport is a small airport serving Cyprus. It is located in a small town at the southwestern tip of the island and is mostly used by charter companies. Scheduled services are also available from regular airlines, including easyJet and British Airways . There are regular flights from many airports in the United Kingdom.

In UK, most international flights depart from one of London’s airports. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the entire world and is well connected to the rest of Europe. Flights to Paphos also depart from Gatwick . Another important airport serving the UK and offering flights to Cyprus is Manchester Airport , the busiest one outside London. And you can also fly to Paphos from Birmingham International Airport.

Best airline choices

Direct flights to Paphos from UK are offered by the following airlines:

• from London: easyJet, Thomson Flights, Cyprus Airways, British Airways
• from Manchester: easyJet, Thomson Flights
• from Birmingham: Thomson Flights

Typical prices

First of all, you should know that out of the three possible cities to fly out of UK into Paphos, the flights from London are the cheapest.

Also, the ticket prices for flights to Paphos from UK are seasonable. The highest prices can be found during the peak travel months: July & August. Typically, the fall and spring are cheaper seasons to visit Cyprus.

Don’t except very cheap flights though especially since the good weather in Cyprus lasts until the end of October. Having said that if you want to get to Paphos in early October expect to pay from £233.66 for a round trip flight (London to Paphos, easyJet).

Money saving tips

Check the flights from different UK cities into Paphos and decide which one offers the best value (taking into account where you are at and what airport you need to fly out of).

Like always, flying mid-week and outside the peak travel season means there are more chances to find a cheap flight. Try to book your ticket about 6-8 weeks before departure during the low season. Don’t be tempted to book too far in advance because the low-cost carriers have higher fares if you book too far in advance rather than the other way around.

Don’t forget to check out the discounted websites such as Expedia and Travelocity but remember that those don’t list the European low-cost carriers. So also search on Skyscanner. Also, the charter flights are only available on the charter company’s website.

Airport choices

The only airport serving Malta is Malta International Airport , located 8 km from the capital of Valletta. The airport receives daily flights from European cities, including London (Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick). To get from the airport to the hotel you can use the bus, taxi, rent a car or ask whether the hotel can provide a shuttle bus.

London is served by four airports and three of them offer direct flights to Malta. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world and sometimes it might seem overwhelming to deal with it. Other choices include Gatwick Airport , which is also a secondary hub for British Airlines .html and Luton . All airports serving London are very well connected to the city.

Best airline choices

The airlines flying to Malta from London include:

• bmi
• British Airways
• Ryaniar
• Air Malta
• easyJet

Typical prices

The peak travel season in Malta, just like in the rest of the Europe, is during summer (July & August) and the winter holidays. So the ticket prices for flights to Malta from London are seasonable. The highest prices will always be during the summer and the cheapest during spring and fall.

If you plan to fly in early October plan to pay at least £133 for a round trip flight (bmi or Air Malta from London Gatwick).

Money saving tips

It seems that finding cheap flights to Malta from London is a bit tricky and not all booking websites give relevant information. You can use the famous discount website Expedia (the co.uk site) though. Or you check the airlines’ websites, starting with the low-cost carriers.

Avoid the peak season and the weekends. Try to fly during spring or fall to find the cheapest airfare.

Book your flight in advance but since you’ll be dealing mostly with low-cost carriers don’t book too far in advance. Try to stick to about 4-6 weeks between the date of booking and departure.

Airport choices

If you are mobile and flexible, you can always attempt to find the cheapest airfare possible for to Italy from USA. Typically, if you fly from the East Coast, the prices will be cheaper and there are direct flights available.

Italy is served by many airports which makes flying easy and often quite affordable. The bigger the airport, the more chances to find a good deal, so you should look for flights into Milan’s Malpensa International Airport , which is the busiest airport in terms of international traffic. The second busiest is Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) International Airport .

When flying out of USA there are plenty of airports to choose from. The busiest airport in the USA is Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport , a hub for Delta . Other busy airport is JFK , a major international hub for Delta and a secondary hub for American Airlines . You can fly to Italy from any major US city but you’ll be connecting at JFK or a major European hub.

Best airline choices

Direct flights to Italy from USA are offered by the following airlines:

• Delta
• American Airlines
• Alitalia

All offer direct links from JFK to Milan and Rome.

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights to Italy from USA are seasonable. The highest fares can always be found during the peak season: July, August and between mid-December and early January. Typically, springs and falls are the most affordable times of the year to fly to Italy.

Direct flights between the two countries are easy to find and if you fly from the East Coast you’ll pay the cheapest airfare. For example, the ticket prices from JFK to Rome or Milan are about the same. Expect to pay at least $697 for a round trip flight from JFK to Rome in early October. And if you want to fly to Milan, the fares start at $676 for a round trip flight.

Money saving tips

There are plenty of Italian airports you can fly into directly from the USA but if you are willing to be flexible there are more ways to save some money. For example you can fly into a major European hub such as Amsterdam, Paris or London and then catch a low-cost flight to Italy.

Try to fly outside the peak tourist season, which in Italy lasts during the summer and around the winter holidays. Typically, July and August are the most expensive months. If you need to fly to Italy during these months book your flight as much in advance as possible. Otherwise, if you book the ticket about 2 months in advance, you should be able to find good deals.

Check the discounted websites but remember that not all of them list the European low-cost carriers. You can compared the options on sites such as Expedia, Travelocity or Priceline but for the cheapest European flights you need to check Skyscanner.

Airport choices

Cape Town is served by the second largest airport in South Africa, Cape Town International Airport . The airport is hub for South African Airways and a major gateway for the international travelers.

Dublin Airport serves the city of Dublin and is the busiest airport in Ireland. It’s located just 10 km outside the city center. The airport is a hub for Aer Lingus and Ryanair ,the famous low-cost carrier, uses the airport as its headquarter. A variety of airlines fly to/from Dublin but none connect directly to Cape Town. To get from the airport to the city center you can take the bus – there are both express and regular lines- or a taxi (which should cost about €20-30, depending on the traffic).

Best airline choices

During summer – October to March – there are a lot of charter airlines flying from Europe. Outside the high season, there are airlines flying to Cape Town from Dublin but you need to make two stops on the way.

British Airways , bmi and South African Airways offer flights which require only one connection. Other airlines you can choose from include: KLM , Aer Lingus, Air France and Turkish Airlines.

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights to Cape Town from Dublin are seasonable. The summer season – which also represents the peak travel season – lasts between October and March and the prices are at their highest. But if you book your flight in advance – at least a month in advance – the prices aren’t that high.

Needless to say, events such as the Soccer World Cup also trigger high prices so if you have some matches on your mind make sure to book the flight well in advance.

As mentioned, there aren’t direct flights to Cape Town from Dublin so finding the best airfare requires a bit of research. If you plan to fly in early October plant to pay at least €1.108 for a round trip flight (2 stops on the way to Cape Town, 1 stop on the way back).

On the other hand, if you book your flight for early November (so at least a month in advance) a round trip flight would start at €853 per person (1 stop on each way).

Money saving tips

Make sure to check different discount websites such as Expedia, Travelocity or Priceline. Skyscanner also offers some good options and they way the website lists the flights is excellent to figure out the cheapest connections since they also list the low-cost European carriers.

Be flexible and open-minded. Since there aren’t any direct flights to Cape Town from Dublin, you need to take into account the possibility to change planes more than one. Sure, it’s easier to change the plane in London only but the ticket price will make you think twice about that.

If you fly during the summer (October to March) check the charter airlines but remember that those cannot be booked via the discounted websites. And if you fly on commercial airlines, book your flight as far in advance as possible (at least 4-6 weeks in advance, especially during the high season).

Airport choices

San Francisco area is served by several airports and the busiest of them is San Francisco International Airport (SFO) . SFO is located about 13 miles from the city center. It serves as major hub for both United Airlines and Virgin America . The other airports serving San Francisco include Oakland International and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. To get from SFO to the city center travelers can use the public transit, door-to-door vans, taxi and limos.

San Diego is served by San Diego International Airport , which is the second busiest single-runway commercial airport in the world. The airport is located very close to residential areas so a curfew for departures was forced. Many airlines fly in and out of the airport but none have hubs here.

Best airline choices

Direct flights from San Diego to San Francisco are offered by the following carriers:

• United
• Virgin America
• US Airways

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights from San Diego to San Francisco are somewhat seasonable. The peak travel season is definitely during summer when the families prefer to travel (as the kids are not in school). Busy weeks are also between Christmas and New Year’s but September and October are quite popular months for visiting San Francisco as well.

If you plan to fly to San Francisco in early October, you should know what ticket prices start at $119 for a round trip flight. Even if you fly on the spur of the moment you should be able to find the same prices.

Money saving tips

You can start the search with the discount websites such as Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity and Priceline but if you prefer a particular airline you can check their website as well.

Typically, San Francisco is a popular vacation destination year round although summers tend to be busier thanks to the families flocking here. And because the weather is great in September and October you might run into some crowded flights during these months as well. So try to fly outside the peak season and also avoid the weekends.

Book your flight in advance especially if you plan to get San Francisco when everyone else is flying here as well. Book at least two weekends in advance. Sometimes you can find cheap tickets even if you need a last minute flight.

Airport choices

McCarran International Airport serves the Sin City and is located very close to the Strip. The airport is a major hub for Southwest Airlines and a smaller hub for US Airways . McCarran receives numerous flights both from major cities in the States, making it easy and cheap to fly here from pretty much anywhere. To get from the airport to the hotel, you can use the public transportation, taxis, shuttles, limos or a rental car.

San Diego is served by the second busiest single-runway commercial airport in the world. San Diego International Airport is located very close to residential areas so a curfew for departures was put back in 1979. Both departures and arrivals are allowed between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. but after that hour only arrivals are allowed. A variety of airlines fly in and out the airport but none have hubs here.

Best airline choices

Direct flights from San Diego to Las Vegas are offered by US Airways and Southwest Airlines. Indirect flights are also offered by United , Delta and Northwest .

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights from San Diego to Las Vegas tend to be a bit seasonable; they are at their highest between Christmas and New Year’s. Rather high fares can be found during fall – a popular time to visit Las Vegas – and during the holiday weekends.

But there are plenty of daily direct flights so the prices are acceptable. If you plan to fly in early October plan to pay at least $118 for a direct round trip flight. Indirect flights start at $140.

Money saving tips

It’s a good idea to start your search with the discount websites such as Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity and Priceline but make sure to check out Southwest’s website as well since the airline is not listed in the online booking engines.

Las Vegas is a travel destination year round and typically the fall is quite a busy period and the fares are a bit high. However, the highest fares can be found usually between Christmas and New Year’s. Be flexible in your approach and try to fly outside the busy periods. Also, you should fly mid-week rather than during the weekends.

Book your flight in advance especially if you plan to get to Sin City right smack in the middle of the high travel season. You can check out the last minute deals as well but don’t relay on luck.

Airport choices

When you fly into Las Vegas, the airport you’ll be landing on is McCarran International Airport , which receives plenty of flights from all over the US. McCarran is a major hub for Southwest Airlines and a smaller hub for US Airways . The simplest way to get from the airport to the hotel would be to use the hotel’s shuttle. If there isn’t one available, then you can choose between taxis and limousines available at the airport. Or you can rent a car.

Those flying out of Phoenix will be using Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport . PHX is the largest airport in Arizona and is the homebase for US Airways. It is also hub for Southwest Airlines. There are plenty of ways to get from the airport to the city, including: light rail, city bus, taxi, limo, van, airport shuttle and rental car.

Best airline choices

US Airways and Southwest Airlines offer direct flights from Phoenix to Las Vegas. Indirect flights are offered by Delta Airlines , United Airlines and American Airlines .

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights from Phoenix to Las Vegas are quite seasonable. The high season comprises March to May, September to November as well as the time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. That’s when the fares are quite high. Outside these times the fares are at their lowest.

If you need to fly into Las Vegas in early October, plan to pay at least $133 for a round trip flight on US Airways (Southwest’s rates start at $154, web rates only). By the end of the month, the rates vary between $98 and $119 for a direct round trip flight.

Money saving tips

Make sure to start the search with the two major airlines which serve the airports: US Airways and Southwest Airlines. Then you can compare the fares with ones on the discount websites such as Hotwire, Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline.

Las Vegas is a vacation destination year round although many choose to avoid the summers because of the heat. If you want to avoid the high fares, it’s better not to play your vacation around the winter holidays. Typically, the high season in Las Vegas is considered between March and May and September to October. Otherwise, avoid the weekends to benefit from lower fares.

Book your flight in advance especially if you plan to fly during the peak season. Otherwise, about 2 to 8 weeks are enough to secure a good deal. And sometimes the last minute offers are quite good as well.

Airport choices

Kahului Airport serves the island of Maui. This is a small airport, connecting the island with the US mainland, Canada as well as other airports in Hawaii. Some of the airlines serving this small airport include: Air Canada and Northwest Airlines . There are several ways to get from the airport to the hotel, including the public transport, the airport shuttle, a taxi or a rental car.

The island of Oahu is served by the largest airport in Hawaii: Honolulu International Airport . The airport is one of the busiest in the entire USA. It’s a major hub for both Northwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines . The airport is located 6 miles from downtown Honolulu and can be accessed by car, taxi, shuttle or bus.

Best airline choices

The following airlines offer direct flights from Oahu to Maui:

• go! (operated by Mesa Airlines)
• Mokulele Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Island Air
• Northwest Airlines

Out of them, go!, Mokulele Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines offer the most affordable fares.

Typical prices

The ticket prices for flights from Oahu to Maui are seasonable. The peak travel season in Hawaii starts in mid-December and ends by mid-April. During this period the prices are at their highest. Typically, the prices start to rise by early December and don’t start their downward trend until the end of April.

If you plan to fly in October plan to pay at least $88 for a round trip flight on Mokulele Airlines. Other airlines offer tickets starting at $100 for a round trip. If you need to fly on the spur of the moment plan to pay at least $96 for a round trip flight.

Money saving tips

Definitely start the search with the three airlines which offer the lowest fares. Then you can also check the website discount websites, such as Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity and Priceline.

If you plan to spend your vacation right in the middle of the peak travel season – from December until April – you’ll pay the price for it (literally!). So unless you really have to travel during that time, plan your vacation during the shoulder season or even during the low season. And try not to fly during the weekend either as prices are usually higher than during the weekdays.

Make sure to book your tickets in advance, especially if you plan to fly during the peak season. Otherwise, buying the ticket 2 to 8 weeks before departure usually ensures the lowest rates. In some cases even booking a week before departure won’t break your budget (but don’t count on that during the high season!).

Airport choices

If you fly into Cuba, you’ll most likely land on Jose Marti International Airport , located just 9 miles from the capital of Havana. Several US carriers fly into the airport from Miami but their flights are listed as charters (so pay attention when you look for them).

When you need to fly out of Miami, there are two airports to choose from. On the busiest airport in the entire USA is Miami International Airport , which offers plenty of domestic flights and also serves as a major gateway into the US from Latin America. American Airlines has a hub here so it’s always a good idea to star the search for flights with this airline. Another option is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport , located just 21 miles north of Miami. It is a major hub for Spirit Airlines and a popular gateway for those flying into the Caribbean, including Cuba.

Best airline choices

American Airlines fly from Miami to Cuba (Havana) but the flight cannot be book via the company’s website or the booking engines. Charter flights from Miami to Cuba can be booked via a particular travel agency.

Bahamasair offers an indirect flight (via Bahamas) which can be booked via a European booking engine.

Typical prices

It’s hard to talk about typical prices for flights from Miami to Cuba given the circumstances in which these flights are offered.

If you choose to fly via Bahamas on Bahamasair, prices start at $555 for a round trip in early October. As the peak season approaches in the Caribbean (mid-December to April), the prices start to go up.

Money saving tips

When you try to look for flights from Miami to Cuba, forget about using some of the typical discount websites. Priceline and Expedia just tell you that they don’t sell tickets to the destination, while Travelocity tells you nicely that due to the restrictions they cannot book the flight. On the other hand, some European booking engines allow you to look up prices and book tickets (for example skyscanner.net). The charter flights can be booked via a particular travel agency.