As airfares to Europe drop, here’s how to snag the best deals to your preferred locations

Airline tickets from Anchorage to Europe are super cheap right now.

I hesitate to use the phrase “on sale” because air carriers are not actively marketing these rates, which range from $480 to $600 round-trip. But the fares are there if you know where to look.

Last week, prices dropped to more than 20 European cities, including Warsaw, Lisbon, Madrid, Copenhagen and Zurich. The fares change a little bit each day, depending on the routing.

If there is a particular European city you want to visit, check the fares right now. The best rates for travel are in April, but it’s also worth checking in September, October and November.

Before checking on the favorite destinations, let’s review prices for Anchorage’s only European destination, Frankfurt, Germany.

Two airlines fly during the summer months: Condor and Discover (formerly known as “Eurowings Discover”). The cheapest round-trip fares on both airlines were listed at more than $1,000 for the whole summer.

But last week, Discover dropped the rates to $785 round-trip between June 7 and June 25. Or, fly July 9-16 for as little as $728 round-trip. Booking with Discover Airlines is a little tricky. Discover is part of the Lufthansa family of airlines, including Swiss and Brussels Airlines. To get the best price, book at Lufthansa’s Star Alliance partner, united.com.

Condor’s flights during the same time frame range from $1,000 to $1,250 round-trip. Fares are subject to change without notice.

London is the most popular European destination for Americans. As prices dropped last week, all three airline conglomerates, or “alliances,” were piling on to offer the cheapest tickets: Delta, KLM, AirFrance and Virgin Atlantic with SkyTeam; United and Lufthansa with Star Alliance; and American, British Airways and Alaska Airlines with oneworld.

Travelers can get a ticket to London next week on Delta for as little as $656 round-trip.

If you’re collecting Alaska Airlines miles, fly on American and British Airways for as little as $569 round-trip on March 31, returning April 9. Beware, though: The price is nice but the routing is wild. You’ll fly Anchorage to Dallas with American, then on to Orlando. From there, catch British Airways to London.

The springtime discounts go through May 17. Fly May 8-17 on Delta for $622 round-trip.

If you’re planning for a fall trip, prices range from $590 round-trip on Delta, starting on Sept. 11. All three airline alliances offer fares between $600 and $650 through Jan. 31, 2025.

Paris is another incredible European gateway for Alaskans. Prices start at $536 round-trip on United for travel starting March 17. I keep singing “April in Paris” to myself while checking available dates into May. Fly May 5-14 for $522 round-trip on United.

After a spike during the summer, prices fall again to $522-$536 round-trip starting on Aug. 11 through Jan. 31, 2025. You may have to move your flight from day to day to find the best prices, though.

Headed to Italy? All roads lead to Rome. Fly with United Airlines from Anchorage to Denver, then to Chicago and finally to Rome on March 31. If you return on April 10, the price is as low as $508 round-trip. Prices go up in the summer, but drop again in the fall to as low as $514 round-trip, starting Nov. 4 through Jan. 30, 2025.

Barcelona is one of my favorite European cities. It often has some of the cheapest tickets, too.

Fly United from Anchorage to Denver, then to Montreal and finally catch an Air Canada flight to Barcelona on April 9. Prices start at $489 round-trip. The fares jump around from day to day. That seems to be a pattern with United. Fly May 4-14 for as little as $485 round-trip on United.

After going up in the summer, prices dip once again below $500 between Sept. 21 and Jan. 31: $489 round-trip on United. Fares are higher over the Christmas holiday, though.

Athens is near the top of my list for where to go next. It’s the natural gateway to visit timeless destinations like Corfu, plus Mykonos, Santorini and the other islands in the Aegean Sea. Fly on United for as little as $509 round-trip, traveling April 8-17. Fly April 15-23 on American for even less: $505 round-trip. Prices start to climb after that and really don’t come down to that level again. Yet. Remember — fares change all the time.

Whether you choose one of my favorite cities (above) or there’s another destination on your list, be prepared to dig a little bit to find the cheapest rate. The fares vary from day to day and it makes a difference if you fly midweek or on the weekend.

All of the rates listed here are Basic Economy, which means you’ll have to spend $180-$200 per person extra to get a pre-assigned seat, one checked bag and mileage credit.

If you want to fly Premium Economy to London from Anchorage, the cost is around $1,900 round-trip. To fly lie-flat business class, it’s a little more than $4,000. Depending on the airline, you’ll get the best seat on your transatlantic flight. Sometimes it may be worth it to get the cheapest ticket and then take the airline up on a last-minute upgrade.

If Europe is in your sights, grab one of these cheap seats quickly. Because when the airlines are mad at each other, the travelers win. And right now, they are really mad!

(Sources for fares and airline routing: Google.com/flights, delta.com, united.com)