When it comes to booking flights to Europe, there's no single rule that guarantees the best deal. With each route shaped by its own fluctuating factors, planning your trip can feel like navigating an ever-shifting landscape.
Whether you're dreaming of a summer in Paris or a beach-side getaway in the Portugal, timing is everything – but it's far from simple. From peak travel months to overlooked off-season gems, the key to landing that perfect airfare lies in understanding the rhythms of the market and making strategic decisions about when and where to fly. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve turned to travel expert Mark Trim, who gives you his best travel tips and answers the essential questions for securing the best fares to Europe in 2025.
Why isn't there just one 'rule' when it comes to booking flights to get the best price? What else should travellers keep in mind?
The market for international airfares is incredibly complex and dynamic. Each route has its own market conditions depending on supply and demand. For example, a route such as Sydney to Los Angeles will have different market conditions from something like Melbourne to Hong Kong or Perth to Dubai. To say that there is one best time to book is grossly over simplifying the aviation sector which is nuanced and ever-changing.
When is the best time to book flights to Europe in 2025 for summer and winter based on:
Generally for Europe we can break the year down into two halves, Northern Summer [April to October] and Northern Winter [November to March]. Outside of the Christmas holidays, you can book with much less notice for the Northern Winter months and still get a good deal. The busiest demand times for Australians to travel to Europe are concentrated around the peak summer months [mid June to mid September] along with the school holidays, including April, late September to mid October and of course the December school holidays from mid December to late January.
Generally speaking we recommend an 8-11 month booking lead time for the high season months, with 6-9 months being okay, but you may need to be more flexible to get a good deal. Booking with 6 or less month’s notice for peak/high season bookings would almost always result in more expensive airfares, or more sacrifices/concessions to get a reasonable airfare.
For off-season months, such as mid October to late November and late January to mid March, you can get away with booking much closer to departure due to lower demand. Typically something like 3-6 months is fine for these dates. You can never be sure if one off factors will influence the market for flights though, these could include sporting tournaments, major conferences or overseas holidays. For example, whilst February is typically a low season month it is arguably the best month of the year to ski in the Northern Hemisphere and there can be ‘mid term’ holidays in certain markets. Easter is another variable which can impact late March to late April booking patterns depending on the year and impact of other public holidays, both domestically and in offshore markets.
Are there specific months or weeks in 2025 that historically offer the best deals on flights to Europe from Australia (across summer and then winter)?
Typically the best deals are when the fewest people want to travel, and many looking for flights can get frustrated by expecting a base price at the busiest time of year. It’s important to balance expectations with pricing to find the best solution for each individual situation. Right now the ideal travel times to balance a good deal, either side of peak months, would be late April to early June and mid/late July to late August. We have seen a lot of mid July to late August European demand pushed back to September which has ‘flattened’ the peak season for Europe and eroded the traditional September shoulder season. If you’re traveling in winter, looking at leaving from mid January, after the Christmas rush with a return no later than mid March can lead to better fare pricing.
Are there any particular days of the week or times of day that tend to secure better flight deals to Europe from Australia?
Leaving Australia Tuesday-Thursday and returning from Europe Sunday to Wednesday will typically save quite a bit of money or result in optimum availability, another case of demand and supply with many looking to travel around the weekend due to work, annual leave etc. Some airlines, including Qantas/Emirates and Qatar also have specific day of the week fare surcharges which differ for outbound and inbound flights, whereas other airlines manage this dynamically with availability restrictions.
Which European cities are generally considered the most budget-friendly destinations to fly into from Australia in 2025? Can you share your top five cities you'd recommend travellers look into?
The most popular destinations, including London, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona, will usually lead to higher fare pricing despite strong levels of demand. To get a better deal, we’d recommend a central hub which is still an interesting destination to add to your trip but from where you can pick up a train, car hire or cheap flight to other ports. My top 5 include…
- Milan
- Frankfurt
- Zurich
- Helsinki
- Munich
What are your top five routes/carriers over to Europe that offer the best experience (break it down per class if that's better)?
Economy + Premium Economy:
- Japan Airlines
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Qatar Airways [Economy] or ANA [Premium Economy]
Business Class:
What are your top tips for Aussies looking to book flights to Europe?
Use an experienced agent who can guide you through the complexities of the ever-changing market. There are still so many traps and when you book directly or via an offshore website you can be left high and dry fixing problems or with nobody to ask for help. Otherwise you may get stuck with restrictive tickets, unforeseen paid seat assignments or even business class fares with no lounge access. Many agents now avoid airfares, focussing on accommodation and cruising/tours only, so seek out an airfare expert and ask questions. You’re looking for an agent with at least 5 years of experience and a high volume of airfare bookings [at least $2million per annum] who can assist with the best airlines, connections, seats and frequent flyer advice along with being a point of contact for when things change.
Need more inspiration? Check out what the ‘RUSSH’ editors say are their essentials for European summer.
