So far in 2026, I’ve nixed three trips from my travel schedule due to rising flight costs. While there’s always a bump in fares during summer, many routes are now exorbitantly priced thanks to factors like rising fuel costs and soaring travel demands.
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In short, it’s a great time to re-learn how to save on airfare.
Dollar Flight Club is a perennial option if you want to save up to 20% on flights, including international flights to Europe. The platform works by charging a small subscription fee for access to its list of flight deals.
You can join the club if you’re looking for consistent reminders and live alerts on great airfare. If not, you can get a leg up by checking out their latest report, which covers the most affordable domestic and international destinations, along with tips on where round-trip flights are the most affordable.
Here’s what we can learn about how to save on airfare from the 2026 Dollar Flight Club report.
Tips on how to save on airfare
Before we dive into Dollar Flight Club’s suggestions, let’s take a look at their tips for landing affordable flights. These apply to bookings for summer travel.
- Book earlier rather than later. Last-minute trips are having a moment in the travel world—but true savings come when you book ahead of time.
- Be flexible on when and where you go. Some destinations are more affordable in summer; within that category, some might be cheaper in July versus June, for example.
- Consider flying into a non-hub, then traveling via train or bus to your final destination. Some large airports have higher price tags.
- Avoid basic economy and go for main economy. Basic economy prevents you from rebooking or otherwise altering your flight plans, which could get pricey down the line.
- Consider pushing your trip to Europe to autumn. Summer fares are extraordinarily high at the moment.
- Use fare alerts. If you sign up for Dollar Flight Club, use their alert features. If not, Google Flights is a solid bet.
Affordable domestic destinations this summer
You can save big on airfare by staying stateside this summer. Here’s where you can find the cheapest fares around the United States.
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Orlando, Florida
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Houston, Texas
- Dallas, Texas
- Atlanta, Georgia
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Miami, Florida
- Chicago, Illinois
- Nashville, Tennessee
Most affordable European destinations this summer
To reiterate: round-trip flights to Europe aren’t cheap, even at their lowest. That being said, if you want to swing a visit across the pond this summer, here’s where to go in terms of popular Western European destinations.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Dublin, Ireland
- Helsinki, Finland
- Oslo, Norway
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Barcelona, Spain
- London, England
- Rome, Italy
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
Affordable international destinations this summer
Here’s where to look for affordable round-trip flights around Mexico and the Caribbean this summer. According to the Dollar Flight Club report on how to save on airfare, Americans can expect reasonable rates around the Caribbean. Also, Toronto.
- Leon/Guanajuato, Mexico
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Guatemala City, Guatemala
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Toronto, Canada
