Travel to Europe is more affordable this summer due to a strong US dollar. Currently, the US dollar buys about 20% more foreign currency in many countries. Most popular destinations are UK, France, and Italy.
WARWICK, R.I. – Hopper and InsureMyTrip data teams report an increase in travel to Europe this summer. Researchers also found what airports offer the most savings and how the latest data trends can aid travelers when comparing travel insurance benefits.
Pricing for European travel driving spike
Travel to Europe is more affordable this summer due to a strong US dollar. Currently, the US dollar buys about 20% more foreign currency in many countries.
“With the strong US dollar, it is not surprising to find more Americans booking trips to Europe and taking advantage of a bargain,” says Cristian Potter, data scientist at InsureMyTrip. Flight prices may also drop due to competition with foreign air carriers as well as cheaper oil.
Upcoming Popularity and Pricing for Travel to Europe (May-August)
Most popular destinations: UK, France, Italy
This list shows the most popular European destinations for this summer (June 2015 – August 2015). Results were based off customer data at InsureMyTrip.
- United Kingdom
- France
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Germany
Best time to fly to Europe
Booking flights for the right locations at the right times, you can save as much as $600 per ticket, according to the latest research from Hopper. Advanced purchase can also save travelers money on travel as prices increase as the departure day nears. On average, same day tickets from the US to Europe cost $1,173 and the price drops down to $1,042 if purchased between 60 and 179 days in advance.
- Best day to buy is Tuesday
- Best day to depart is Tuesday
- Worst day to return is Saturday
“In general, high-season travel means booking early is your best bet for big savings, but you don’t want to book too early and miss the best possible deal,” said Patrick Surry, chief data scientist at Hopper. “To ensure you’re booking at the right time, we suggest downloading Hopper’s free app to get notified about the best time to book your specific trip.”
European airports by popularity and price (red=high, blue=low) for travel in May-August 2014. Based on searches in March.
Best travel insurance to Europe
InsureMyTrip says travelers can use data results provided by Hopper to make smarter choices about their travel insurance purchase.
“If you have several flight connections or if you are traveling through a busy airport, you may want to compare policies that have short travel delay benefit windows,” says Lynne Peters, InsureMyTrip’s Insurance Product Manager.
Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider. While the limit of coverage is important ($150-$300/day with a $300-$1600 maximum limit), travelers should look closely at the window required to trigger the benefit which is generally between 5 and 24-hours. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.
In addition to travel delay benefits, travelers can also use data to help compare the following benefits also available under comprehensive travel insurance plans:
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Baggage Delay
- Cancel For Any Reason
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
