Cheap flights to
Paris

What we call the Goldilocks Window, about 1-3 months ahead of a domestic flight and 2-8 months before an international flight, is the best time to book flights to Paris. It’s even a little earlier for peak travel times. Paris is busy in the summer, so that means you should start looking for flights in December, even if it seems early. Similarly, if you’re planning to visit Paris over the winter holidays, start looking for flights in June.

Last-minute deals hardly ever come up during peak travel seasons, so it’s best to start looking well in advance to get great deals. We’ve seen fares jump consistently at the 21-, 14-, and 7-day marks, so book before then if at all possible.

The Greek Islands, especially the really popular ones, are often some of the most expensive places to fly in the world. Or at least the places where fares budge the least. That’s why we came up with the Greek Islands Trick. This is where you try to get as close as you can to your desired island as possible, like flying to London and then booking a cheap flight on a budget airline within Europe.

So what does this have to do with Paris? The Greek Island Trick is just a name, but it works for every destination. If you’re hoping to visit Paris in July, but flights are prohibitively expensive, look for flights to any city in Europe. If you find a great deal, snag it, then look for a budget airline flight for the last leg. Flights are often cheaper within Europe as long as you can get to the continent. You could also consider taking a train or driving the last portion of your trip, depending on where you land.

Travelers living near Chicago may have never considered flying out of another city. Why would you when you have one of the nation’s largest airports right there? But we see deals from smaller airports all the time. Consider checking Milwaukee or Indianapolis. Believe it or not, you could even save money by looking at long-haul flights from other big cities, like New York or Atlanta. This trick isn’t only for Chicagoans. It works for any city.

If you see a flight deal for $250 from New York to Paris, it would likely be worth booking a $150 flight from Chicago to New York. Sure, it takes a bit more planning, but could save you hundreds of dollars. So whether you’re in Atlanta, Dallas, New York, or LA, look for flights around the country and see if you can find a deal worth the extra flight.

As we’ve established, summer is a busy time to travel to Paris or anywhere. Fly during shoulder season, like May or September, for cheaper fares. If you really want to travel during summer, the first two weeks of June and the last two weeks of August are typically the cheapest summer weeks. Thanksgiving is also a great time to find cheap international flights, as most people travel within the US.

If you have to travel during peak season, like summer or late December, try to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, which are the cheapest days to fly. Fridays and Sundays are the most expensive.

We know better than anyone that keeping track of airfare takes work. Luckily, flight alerts can take the work off your hands. Set up fare alerts for your travel dates and destination, and you’ll get an email when the fare drops. To get the best deal, set your flight alert up before the Goldilocks Window we talked about before. And if your dates are flexible, set up several alerts for different dates, or join Going, and we’ll alert you when find great deals from your home airport.

Paris is one of the world’s most-visited cities, drawing more than 30 million visitors each year. That means there are plenty of direct flights from about 20 major cities in the US. From most cities in the US, you can reach Paris with only one connection.