As a Canadian, I had never left North America before studying in Ireland. Europe has opened my eyes to a lot of affordable means of transportation. Flying throughout Europe can be cheaper than driving down the 401 from one city to the next, from an Ontarians perspectives. Ryanair has made it extremely easy for many airports, whether big or small to access the main tourist destinations. There are even cheap flights to great destinations that are typically left off a tourist's bucket list.
I have come to learn that flying in Europe can be cheap and easy if you follow a few simple steps.
1. Plan ahead.
2. Have an open list of destinations.
3. Check if Ryanair flies to the main airport or a smaller one outside the city.
4. Baggage rules and priority boarding.
5. Check for Visa check on the boarding pass.
Now expanding on those points, you might think "Duh planning ahead is a given," and it is. Planning ahead could be cost-effective because Ryanair has frequent sales beginning at €9.99. That's right you could find a flight for €9.99 it is absolute insanity! Round-trip flights from a small airport on Ireland's North-West coast to London can be €19.98 and round-trip flights from Dublin to Paris or Munich can be €46.
Having an open bucket list with many destinations in mind can help when scanning through different price points for the days available. The flight discounts could be a main deciding factor for the city you end up in.
When picking a city due to its cheap flight, make sure you know which airport you are flying too. Ryanair has many connections in small airports which might be your only option. Make sure the price of getting from the airport to the city is not too outrageous. The savings of flying to that city could be swallowed up in additional travel expenses.
A sneaky tip that might not be so sneaky, really a genius marketing plan, is booking the regular seat. Fare options: lowest guaranteed price, plus and flexi plus. Plus compensates passengers with reserved seating, priority boarding and two cabin bags for double the price, DO NOT fall for this trap. Adding priority and two bags is only €6. Which is a more cost-effective way of adding a second bag. Flights are generally an hour or two, leaving seat selection less of a priority. If no second bag has been purchased, travelers can only fly with a small purse or briefcase. Besides if you're like me, a weekends worth of clothes and makeup cannot fit into a small purse.
Fellow Canadian's must print boarding passes for visa check. This is a requirement for all non-EU citizens. Just a little extra step at the airport and a couple of dead trees to add to your journey.
Hope these tips helped. I am about to pack my two bags for my cheap trip this weekend with photos to follow!
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