International Flight Deals

International is where shopping around pays off most, because the fare depends heavily on which carrier you fly and how you route. The same US-to-overseas trip can be hundreds of dollars cheaper connecting through an airline's home hub — a Gulf carrier via the Middle East, a European carrier via its capital — than on a nonstop, and the baggage and seat rules that come with the fare vary just as much. The routes below have the lowest recorded fares from the main US gateways.

The headline fare is only part of the picture abroad. A checked bag included on one airline is a paid extra on another; a long layover on the cheapest itinerary can cost you a hotel; and a fare that looks cheap may land at an inconvenient hour. The cheapest trip is the fare, the bags, and the timing together, not the lowest number in isolation.

Timing matters too: international fares are usually best two to five months out, and peak season — summer to Europe, the December holidays everywhere — should be booked as early as you can.

Fares shown are recorded lows, not live quotes. Agents compare Gulf, European, and US carriers side by side, baggage allowances included, so the cheapest fare is also the cheapest trip.