Air Travel in Europe
The Traveler’s Handbook to Air Travel in Europe
(or: How to Cross Borders at 800 km/h Without Losing Your Toothpaste)
Why Fly at All?
Yes, Europe’s trains are wonderful. But sometimes the continent is just too big. Try taking a train from Lisbon to Warsaw — you’ll arrive with a beard, three new pen pals, and the complete works of Tolstoy read cover-to-cover. For really long distances, flying is often the only sane option. Plus, Europe’s skies are crisscrossed by budget airlines that can (in theory) fly you across the continent for the price of a pizza — though you might pay extra for the seat, the bag, the air you breathe, and the privilege of boarding before everyone else.
Major Players in the European Skies (Airlines with Links)
Legacy Airlines
- Lufthansa (Germany): https://www.lufthansa.com
- Air France (France): https://www.airfrance.com
- KLM (Netherlands): https://www.klm.com
- British Airways (UK): https://www.britishairways.com
- Iberia (Spain): https://www.iberia.com
- ITA Airways (Italy): https://www.ita-airways.com
- SAS (Scandinavia): https://www.flysas.com
- Swiss (Switzerland): https://www.swiss.com
Low-Cost Carriers
- Ryanair (Ireland, all over Europe): https://www.ryanair.com
- easyJet (UK, Europe-wide): https://www.easyjet.com
- Wizz Air (Hungary): https://wizzair.com
- Vueling (Spain): https://www.vueling.com
- Eurowings (Germany): https://www.eurowings.com
- Norwegian (Norway): https://www.norwegian.com
Other Notables
- Turkish Airlines (Turkey): https://www.turkishairlines.com
- Aer Lingus (Ireland): https://www.aerlingus.com
- Finnair (Finland): https://www.finnair.com
Airports: Friend or Foe?
Europe has some glorious airports (Munich, Zurich) and some where you’ll wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a parking garage (looking at you, Beauvais and Charleroi). Budget airlines often use “secondary airports” that are only “near” the city in a philosophical sense. Always check before booking: “Milan Bergamo” is not Milan, it’s Bergamo.
The Budget Airline Experience
Tickets: You’ll find €20 fares on Ryanair. Then you’ll pay €50 for the carry-on bag. Then €5 for the privilege of sitting next to your travel buddy. Suddenly, that €20 flight costs €100.
Airports: Be prepared to bus for an hour into the city center. The “cheap” flight often costs as much as a train when you factor in transfers.
Boarding: It’s basically a sprint. Europeans love to queue, and boarding a budget airline looks like the start of the Olympics.
Food: Bring your own sandwich. €6 for a lukewarm panini is not “value.”
Security, Customs, and Schengen Magic
Inside the Schengen Zone, flights are basically like domestic hops. No passport checks, just ID and boarding pass. Outside Schengen (think UK, Ireland, Croatia until recently), you’ll have to do the full passport tango.
Security varies: in Spain, they wave you through with a smile, in Germany, they look at you like you’re smuggling plutonium, and in the UK, they confiscate your water bottle but let you bring a family-sized bottle of gin from duty-free.
Tips for Surviving European Air Travel
Book Early, But Watch Fees: Budget airlines are cheapest 2–3 months in advance. Just don’t let the add-ons ambush you.
Know Your Airports: “Frankfurt Hahn” is not Frankfurt. It’s basically Luxembourg.
Print or App Your Boarding Pass: Ryanair charges you for forgetting. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
Pack Smart: Cabin baggage rules are stricter than a Swiss watchmaker. Measure your bag or pay up.
Keep Snacks Handy: A bag of chips at the airport costs more than your flight.
Sample Budget Airline Itinerary (a.k.a. “How to Cross Europe for Less Than a Tank of Gas”)
London → Milan (Ryanair): Land in Bergamo, eat pizza anyway.
Milan → Athens (Wizz Air): Pretend you’re on a yacht. In reality, you’re on a pink plane.
Athens → Berlin (easyJet): Enjoy cheap beers, bratwurst, and techno.
Berlin → Barcelona (Vueling): Sunshine, sangria, and Gaudí’s weird but wonderful architecture.
Barcelona → Dublin (Aer Lingus): Wrap it all up with Irish music and Guinness.
Final Thought
Flying in Europe is a strange mix of convenience and chaos. You can breakfast in Madrid, lunch in London, and dinner in Copenhagen — if you survive security queues, baggage fees, and landing in airports that are basically fields. But when time is short or distances long, planes are still the fastest way to hop across the continent. Just pack light, download your boarding pass, and embrace the absurdity. After all, what’s a trip to Europe without a little adventure?
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