Yep, the world economy’s tanking. What’s a traveler to do? Stretching your moolah requires an open mind, a dash of adventure, and, in some cases, flexing those long-forgotten travel muscles.
One easy way to warm up the pecs - book trips on Europe's low-cost airlines, like easyJet, Ryanair, AirBerlin, or (our favorite name) Wizz Air. Sure, their boarding process resembles a cattle drive and they fly to places you may never have heard of. But some of these small cities are wonderful destinations like Riga in Latvia, Biarritz in southwestern France, and Zadar on Croatia's Dalmatian Coast. And their Third World pricing - $20 from London to Milan – can’t be beat.
Once you're seated, these discounters are as comfortable as any major airline, with new planes and friendly service. Just keep in mind: Some carriers fly into airports that are some distance from their advertised destination. Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is over 100 km away from the city, and so is Paris Beauvais. Although, in some cases, you may prefer the second airport; Bergamo, Italy is much nicer than Milan.
For help putting together the best low-cost itinerary, try sites such as momondo and wegolo.com.
