One of the best things that I have discovered in almost 10 years of flying from the east coast of the United States to Europe, is creating your own stopover.
A stopover simply put is an extra-long layover. A stopover will likely be around 24 hours or maybe even a bit longer. Airlines use stopovers for all different reasons. Many different airlines have built in stop overs when you book a certain itinerary. Airlines like Iceland Air and TAP Portugal are known to have stopovers. A stopover can be a great way to get to see multiple places within the cost of one flight.
Over the years I have discovered that I like to create my own stopovers. A DIY stopover if you will. My home city is Philadelphia and I am lucky enough to be close to PHL, EWR, and JFK airports. This is a great advantage when flying as I have many airports to choose from and price out.
One of my most favorite things to do now is simply fly to Paris! I have discovered throughout extensive planning and years of traveling that I can often find the best deals to Paris. Paris also has multiple airports, and all are easy and convenient from the east coast.
Here’s one example of how it could look: This past summer we spent two weeks in Malta, flew to Paris for a day and then flew home. The cost of the Malta to Paris flight was about $90. We got a whole day in Paris, and a direct flight home from CDG instead of a 2-stop flight home from Malta that would have cost twice as much!
Another example is this Spring we are going to drive the Romantic Road in Germany. We will fly into Munich and drive for the week until we reach Frankfurt. Instead of trying to get back to Munich or flying from Frankfurt, we’ll take the train to Paris and spend the weekend there before taking the quick and easy direct flight home.
Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world so it works out beautifully that a stopover there is so convenient for my location. Paris is now my main access point for most places I would want to travel to in Europe. I know that there are other cities that would work in this same way for me. Other great stopover cities would include Rome, Lisbon, Amsterdam, and Madrid. All of these cities often have direct and reasonably priced flights from my area.
All you have to do is find a city that works for you. From the West Coast to Europe these might be completely different. West Coasters may have access to stopovers in Asia or in the Eastern US or Canada. Find the stopover that works best for you and brings you to a city that you love! Save money on flights and enjoy an extra night in one of your favorite places.
If you’re looking for more tricks like this, or want help finding a stopover that works for you, head to my contact and send me a message! I am always happy to help!
Plan for me dani 