With more than 50 ways to fly to Europe, it’s easier than ever to travel to the other side of the world.
The Qantas Australia-London air route via the eastern hemisphere was once so popular it was nicknamed the ‘Kangaroo Route’ with heaps of Aussie travellers boomeranging between Australia and the UK via Asia and the Middle East. The launch of the Qantas direct flight from Perth to London, clocking in at around 17 hours, is a real game changer. This non-stop service really challenges the capabilities of what new aircraft such as the 787 Dreamliner can offer travellers.
Now, there’s more than 50 ways to fly to the UK and Europe. Whether you’re travelling for business a few times a year or that big annual trip; in business class, premium economy or economy; here’s all the ways you can fly to Europe with some surprising stopovers and top tips from our Travel Experts to save on your Euro trip.
Top tips for flying to Europe
- It’s cheaper to fly to Paris or Rome than London if you can. Paris Charles de Gaulle is also a great way to avoid the congestion of London Heathrow.
- Look for great airfare deals to Europe, such as Scoot fares to Athens or Berlin.
- Check out the seasonality before you book. February is the cheapest time to travel to the UK and Europe, while the summer months (June to September) and December to January is high season and airfares will be more expensive due to higher demand.
- If you’re flexible with dates and itinerary, March, May and October are other great months to nab a good deal on an airfare to Europe.
- Budget doesn’t stretch to business class? Consider a mixed-class airfare where you can fly one leg in economy and another in business class on the same fare to save on the price of a full airfare in business.
- Plan ahead! For earlybird airfares to Europe for the summer months, look at booking your ticket in September or October the prior year to take advantage of the best deals in market.
- Ask your consultant about open-jaw airfares, where you can fly into one city and out of another. You can also opt for different stopover destinations on the way over and back.
- Sometimes a stopover or two on the way to the UK and Europe can work out to be cheaper than the cost of a direct flight. Ask your consultant about the best value options for flights to Europe.
Via Asia
There’s so many routes to Europe via Asia, you can easily book flights and schedule a stopover in one or more cities, depending on which airline you travel with. Stop in East Asia with Air China, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Japan Airlines or Korean Airlines. Or visit Southeast Asia with British Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Royal Brunei Airlines, Scoot, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways or Vietnam Airlines.
- Air China with a stop in Beijing
- All Nippon Airways with a stop in Tokyo
- British Airways with a stop in Singapore
- Cathay Pacific with a stop in Hong Kong
- China Airlines with a stop in Taipei
- China Southern Airlines with a stop in Guangzhou
- Garuda Indonesia with a stop in Bali or Jakarta
- Japan Airlines with a stop in Tokyo
- Korean Airlines with a stop in Seoul
- Malaysia Airlines with a stop in Kuala Lumpur
- Philippine Airlines with a stop in Manila
- Qantas with a stop in Singapore
- Royal Brunei Airlines with a stop in Bandar Seri Begawan
- Scoot with a stop in Singapore
- Singapore Airlines with a stop in Singapore
- SriLankan Airlines with a stop in Colombo
- Thai Airways with a stop in Bangkok
- Vietnam Airlines with a stop in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City
Via Africa
It is also possible to travel to Europe via Africa, offering up some amazing stopover opportunities in South Africa and Mauritius.
- Air Mauritius with a stop in Mauritius
- South African Airways with a stop in Johannesburg
Via the Middle East
Destinations in the Middle East are becoming increasingly popular as stopover options on the way to Europe. With a wide network of onward destinations, a variety of cabin classes, and some of the most comfortable economy seats in the sky, it’s no wonder flying via the Middle East is an easy option for Australian travellers. It’s also one of the quickest routes from Australia to Europe in terms of total travel time.
- Emirates with a stop in Dubai
- Etihad Airways with a stop in Abu Dhabi
- Qatar Airways with a stop in Doha
Via the Americas
Aussies can also fly to Europe via the Americas on a variety of different carriers and selection of stopover cities. The flying time is often longer than routes through Asia or the Middle East, but travel via the Americas does open up some interesting stopover options en route to Europe.
- Air Canada via Vancouver, and some selected destinations in Canada
- Air New Zealand via Auckland and Los Angeles
- American Airlines via Los Angeles, and some selected destinations in the USA
- Delta Air Lines via Los Angeles, and some selected destinations in the USA
- LATAM Airlines Group via Santiago, and some selected destinations in South America
- United Airlines via Los Angeles, San Francisco or Houston, and some selected destinations in the USA
Airline networks and partners
While many European-based airlines don’t service Australia directly, arrangements with partner carriers allow Aussie passengers to fly into Europe via many cities across the globe. Itineraries with Air France, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic (as well as British Airways, which also flies into Sydney via Singapore) opens up a world of choice on how and where you can fly into Europe.
Australia-based carriers Qantas and Virgin Australia can also offer routing around the world, thanks to their extensive networks and airline partnerships. With Qantas, you can choose to fly to Europe via Asia, Africa and the Americas.
- Via Asia: Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Finnair, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia
- Via Africa: Lufthansa, Qantas, Swiss International Airlines and Turkish Airlines
- Via the Middle East: Air France, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia
- Via North America: Air France, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia
- Via South America: Finnair, Lufthansa, Qantas and Swiss International Airlines
Check out our flight deals to Europe here, or talk to a Flight Centre Business Travel consultant today.
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