5 Things to Know about Planning for a Getaway to Europe

Choose your destination carefully

Europe is a vast continent and is generally divided into Western and Eastern Europe, though most tourists looking for beach holidays will go towards the south of Europe. Most Americans trace their ancestry to one of the many European countries, giving them another reason to go there. You should note that you will be flying a long-haul international flight to get there and these cost much more than the domestic flights.

Also, you will be paying in a different currency, so finding out the exchange rates will be useful for you. As for the visa, countries in the European Union, which includes all of the countries in Western Europe and a few in Eastern Europe, you do not need it if you are coming as a tourist for a trip of a few days, ideally less than 90 days.

Plan what you will be doing at the destination

The tourists coming into Europe can be divided into different categories. There will be families or groups of students past their teenage years or solo travelers ready for the next adventure. This list can include recently married honeymooners too. If you are traveling alone the decision for the destination will be yours, else you will have to decide as a group. In all cases, you will have to decide what the expenses will be and how much each one of you will be contributing.

You will have to make plans for accommodations, food and the activities that you will be involved in. The best thing for you will be to plan an itinerary detailing how much you will spend in the mornings, afternoons and evenings of every day you will be spending at the destination. For this, you may have to research a little online or seek advice from people who have been there before.

Air ticket costs will eat up a large part of your budget

Now that your decisions are final, you will need to find out the flights that will be right for you. You should note that not many low-cost airlines offer international flights and if they do for your destination, you will be in luck. You will be looking for round-trip flights, as you will not be able to take chances with return flights, as you can get stuck in a different country for some time without it, with unforeseen expenses.

If you are a large group, you can contact the airline of your choice and they will give you an offer from their side. You should always find out the air ticket rates for different cabins, which can be economy, business or first class. Once you have figured out how much you will be spending for these, you can divide this by the number of people in your group to figure out how much you can pay per seat. If you have a preference for an airline, you can check their rates for the planned dates or look at the different OTAs. The comparison websites will prove to be very useful for this.

Pack everything you will need to enjoy the holidays

Now, you have your destination and your tickets, so the next step is to plan your packing. Each one of you will have different items and you should note that some airlines charge separately for baggage while others include this in the ticket price. So, pack according to what is allowable and what is not. You should note that the weight of the bags that you can take and their size varies from one airline to another. So, you will be better off if you have all the right information.

If you or some of the people in your group have earned reward points you could redeem them for your flight price or for other charges like those for baggage. It’s always best to make a checklist of the things that you should take with you to make sure that you don’t miss out on anything.

Airport will be the beginning of your journey

Now, that everything is ready, you don’t want to waste it all by getting late for the airport. As you will be on an international flight to Europe, with or without stopovers, you should reach the airport at least 3 hours before your flight is scheduled to stop. You will have to check in your baggage and show your passports at the immigration counters and then proceed to the lounges or the departure gates. You may even have to go through a security check which will include a check on your hand luggage too. You should note that once you are onboard your flight there is no point regretting if you have forgotten anything, and a good plan will need a good execution too.

Conclusion

No matter if you are flying alone or as a group or for a vacation with your family, the trip will have some impact on your bank balances. If you are careful, you will be able to save a lot and have more to spend on other things. You should carry things that you already have, so you don’t have to purchase them or rent them at the destination. Mostly this will be once in a lifetime trip for you, unless you are incredibly wealthy and you should make the most of the opportunities that you get.