A winter trip to France or Italy means fewer crowds, cheaper hotel rates and the chance to warm up with plenty of pasta, cheese and wine.
Luckily, multiple airlines have widespread winter availability to French destinations such as Nice, Lyon and Toulouse, as well as Italian destinations such as Bologna, Milan and Venice.
There are round-trip rates starting around $480 from cities across the U.S.
Deal basics
Airlines: American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Iberia
Routes: From Austin, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Newark, San Francisco and Seattle to multiple cities in Italy and France
How to book: Search Google Flights, then book directly through the airline’s website
Travel dates: November 2023 through March 2024; includes Thanksgiving
Book by: As soon as possible
Blackout dates: Christmas and New Year’s Eve
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Sample flights
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), starting at $491
- Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to BLQ, starting at $494
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), starting at $486
- Miami International Airport (MIA) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), starting at $486
- New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport (LYS), starting at $483
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to BLQ, starting at $491
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE), starting at $507
If you live in Chicago and want to spend Valentine’s Day in Italy, you could score a $478 round-trip flight.
Although the departing flight is operated by British Airways, you still have the option to book through American Airlines if you’re loyal to the carrier. The return flight is operated by Iberia.
These fares include one carry-on bag per person. A checked bag costs $75 each way.
If those dates don’t work for you, you’re bound to find another date that does since there is wide-open availability on this route.
Or, if you still haven’t booked Thanksgiving travel, skip the turkey and head to Venice.
You can book through British Airways or American for $500.
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
Bottom line
These flights are more than $200 cheaper than usual for travel to Italy and France this winter. Plus, since you’ll be visiting these destinations during the offseason, you’ll probably find cheaper hotel rates and won’t have to deal with huge crowds.
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