Cheapest place in Europe to fly into: choose from these 3

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is one of the cheapest airport hubs in Europe for connecting flights. Flights into Václav Havel Airport in Prague (PRG) are frequently cheaper than comparable routes into other major European cities.

This is partly due to increased competition among low-cost carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air, which offer many affordable flight options to and from Prague.

However, if you’re coming from the US, you might be better off flying into London or Zurich or other cheap international hubs first, especially if you’re coming from the West coast of the US.

From there you can take a cheap flight to Prague on Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air. How cheap?

Look at the cheapest ticket price (above) I found in mid-February of 2024 for a flight in April of 2024. Below is the screenshot. $56 For the round-trip ticket from London as an example. You have a choice of an early flight or a very convenient early afternoon flight.

Once in Prague, you can take advantage of the city's low cost of living as well.

How much for a hotel in Prague?

How cheap is staying in Prague? A basic hostel dorm bed can be found for $15-20 per night. A basic hotel room should be around $35-45.

Getting around Prague

And if you want to take into consideration the cost of getting around the city itself, public transportation is also rather affordable. A 24-hour transit pass costs approximately $6. This ticket will allow you to explore Prague's historic center and major attractions without relying on expensive taxis.

Meals

How much will you need for the average meals? Basic meals at cafes and restaurants start at around $5-8.

Prague also has many attractions and affordable activities.

Budget Friendly Activities and Attractions

Prague offers a wide variety of free and low-cost activities.

Free activities

Enjoy a walk along the medieval Charles Bridge and admiring the Gothic architecture along the river.

Visit Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock.

Many of Prague's amazing churches like the Church of Our Lady Before Týn are free to enter and you can enjoy their beautiful interiors.

There are a few municipal parks and gardens to relax, like Petřín Hill and Kampa Island. You can buy food in a supermarket and have a picnic on a lawn.

Budget-friendly activities

Some top budget-friendly options include museums and live music in bars.

If you are an art lover, you can visit top galleries like Museum Kampa, which has a regularly changing collection of modern Central European art and only charges a $5 admission fee. Those interested in history can check out landmarks like the Lennon Wall, a memorial wall for John Lennon.

The Municipal House has free guided tours, but don’t forget to tip the guide.

Even entertainment is inexpensive - many bars, clubs and live music venues charge no cover, you will only pay for your drink(s).

Another cheap place in Europe to fly into is Sarajevo.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo is fast becoming a popular destination for a city break because of its affordability. Sarajevo is not only a cheap place to fly into, you will save a lot of money staying there, compared to most other countries in Europe.

In fact, it is even cheaper than Prague. Let’s look at everything that makes Sarajevo such a cheap destination to fly into.

Low-cost air tickets

Carriers like Wizz Air, EasyJet, and Ryanair have greatly increased their routes to Sarajevo Airport in recent years.

Look at the cheapest ticket price (above) I found in mid-February of 2024 for a flight in April of 2024. Below is the screenshot. $45 For the round-trip ticket to Sarajevo from London, not bad at all! Especially for a convenient 8 am flight.

BTW, Google Flights will refer you to Kiwi.com, as they usually offer cheaper flights. You might start wondering, if the kiwi website even legal. Read my comprehensive review about that in my other post. 

Wizz operates multiple flights weekly from cities like London Luton, Rome, Milan, Paris Beauvais for as little as $35 each way.

EasyJet connects Sarajevo to airports in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy with fares starting under €50. Even major routes from Ryanair base airports like Brussels Charleroi and Frankfurt Hahn start around €30-€40 each way.

No Airfare Taxes or Fees

Many popular tourist destinations in Europe have added various passenger taxes and tourist fees onto airfares in recent years. However, when flying into Sarajevo there are no extra charges beyond the direct ticket cost. Airlines do not pass on taxes to the consumer for international flights to Bosnia.

This keeps Sarajevo among the most affordable cities to access by air for a European break.

This low-cost access opens up affordable flights from across Western Europe to Sarajevo.

Sarajevo is a gateway to Montenegro and Serbia

Sarajevo is located in the Dinaric Alps of Bosnia and Herzegovina and can be efficient entry point for broader Balkan travel. And there are many reasons to visit Montenegro and Serbia!

One of the reasons is that Montenegro is a great destination for a city break. 

There are no railroads connecting Sarajevo to other countries, but there are numerous, and rather convenient buses.

Driving through scenic mountains to neighboring countries is part of the appeal of a Sarajevo trip. Read about my detailed account of picturesque scenery you’ll see from a Sarajevo to Montenegro (Podgorica) bus ride & everything involved.

The city is also 2-hour drive from another epic town of Mostar, or 4-hour bus ride to Serbian capital Belgrade. There is also 5-hours bus to coastal cities like Split in Croatia.

With newly access through budget carriers, you can use the city as a budget base to explore multiple destinations in a single trip.

Cheap to get around Sarajevo.

Inexpensive transportation options help stretch travel funds from the airport further.

Public buses run every 30 minutes for just 3 BAM (approximately $1.55) each way into the city. Shared airport shuttles cost around 10 BAM. Even regular taxi rides are a reasonable 20-30 BAM max. With these affordable options, you won’t need to spend more than 15 € to reach your accommodation from SJJ airport.

Cheap stays and food

In Sarajevo, you can find a great variety of affordable accommodations. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, centrally located hostels offer beds for as low as $12 per night.

You can also find budget hotel rooms starting under $25. In fact, you can a find a private room for a week in the center for just above $100.

Another option is booking apartments on Airbnb, which offer good value at prices ranging from $30-50 per night.

With such cheap places to stay and affordable flight costs, you'll have more money to spend on enjoying the local food, drinks, and activities, which are also reasonably priced in the city.

Driving through scenic mountains to neighboring countries is part of the appeal of a Sarajevo trip. You bus ride won't be dull and you will enjoy your scenery at every turn.

Looks at this delicious burger and fries. All together they were $5 in the historic and cultural city center, Bascarsija.

Free and low coast activities

Many of Sarajevo's most famous attractions cost nothing.

You can wander around the charming cobblestone alleys of the Baščaršija quarter. 

Or visit the impressive 16th century Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (free during certain hours) and explore the Tunnel Museum underground without having to pay any entry fees.

The burger and homemade fries were delicious in city center, Bascarsija restaurant, and the total price was 8.88 BAM, or around $4.50

There are also many amazing back alleys to walk, feeling lost in time and vary happy (at least I was happy!:). Look at these awesome old stairs in an narrow alley of the hilly area of Sarajevo. 

The main famous attraction – funicular is €10 for a round trip ride.

Don’t miss visiting amazing exquisite old churches and the Moorish synagogue there, only €3.

Sarajevo is a wonderful destination and a cheap place to fly into and stay there.

And now let’s look at the third cheap place to fly into – Budapest.

Budapest, Hungary as a cheap place to fly into

Consider Budapest, if you are looking for an air ticket to a cheap European destination. Budapest is not exactly a cheap destination nowadays for everything, but you can get an air ticket to there for cheap. You can also find affordable food and hotels to stay there. Getting around is very cheap as well.  

Low-cost airline access

Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport has many flights from budget airlines such as Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet. Wizz Air has bases in various cities in Central and Eastern Europe, offering flights from Brussels, London Luton, and Paris for as low as $30 each way.

EasyJet also flies to Budapest from major Western airports, with prices starting around $50. Ryanair offers competitive fares from places like Frankfurt Hahn or Brussels Charleroi, starting at around $40 for a round trip.

Here is a screenshot of a $59 round-trip air ticket from London to Budapest on Ryanair. You have a choice of two convenient options.

These low-cost options make it affordable to visit Hungary's capital city.

Close to many other countries

Budapest is a great place to fly to if you want to explore other countries nearby. Vienna and Bratislava are both less than 3 hours away by public transportation, and you can even take a day trip to beaches in Croatia or Slovenia from Budapest.

Because it's in the middle of Central Europe, Budapest is a convenient and affordable hub for visiting other parts of Eastern Europe.

Cheap stays

Budapest provides decent budget accommodation close to attractions. Beds in centrally-located hostels start around $18. Clean, simple hotel rooms exist under $40.

Free and low-coast activities

You can visit many of Budapest's top attractions without paying an admission fee. Places like the famous Heroes' Square and Castle District have no entry fee.

A fun walk along the Danube promenade also won't cost you anything extra.

By planning your days around these free attractions and exploring the city's charming cafes and restaurants, you can have a great experience in Budapest without spending a lot of money, especially considering the affordable flight into the city.

I hope you found my run-down of these 3 cheap places to fly into useful. Would you like to check out other notable European destinations I have covered? 

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