Planning to visit Lisbon but worrying about the flight tickets? Then worry not as you can easily get cheap flights to Lisbon by being little flexible and by choosing the off peak months. Best deals to this beautiful place can be achieved by you by understanding the cheapest days, months and by knowing about the routes that affect the traveling. Continue reading below to get into these details and to learn about some tips and tricks to lock in the best deals for your upcoming vacation.
What Month is Cheap to Fly to Lisbon?
One of the easiest tips for reducing the costs of travelling to Lisbon is to avoid the peak seasons. Demand fluctuates during the year and when you understand how much people are travelling less (local residents, tourists etc) you can pick up a definite bargain on flights to Lisbon while not really compromising on the weather or experience.
- The cost of flying is typically the lowest during the winter months (November to March), because there are fewer tourists in the region during this time and the airlines reduce prices to sell out empty seats.
- Often as a result of the reduced travel demand in January and February combined with increased competition, the lowest fares of the year are seen on this period.
- For those travelers who want to enjoy some beautiful weather and moderately priced tickets, shoulder seasons are a favorite (April – May and September – October).
- Tourist demand is at its highest during school holidays (June to August), and so are the airfares. Tourism for the ‘warm' weather period has also made it into peak season with all routes to the city enjoying high demand.
- When you book on weekdays outside of peak periods, it will help you to further reduce your total cost, especially if combined with flexible date searching, within these more affordable months.
- If possible, plan your holiday just before or after a big holiday as prices tend to get discounted around the major holidays.
- Just remember the local Portuguese festivities and holidays like the celebrations of the saint in the summer (June) can keep prices elevated beyond the "peak season".
Which days of the week are the lowest priced days to fly to Lisbon?
In addition to selecting the right month, the day you travel can also influence the ticket cost you'll pay. When looking for Lisbon flight deals, expect the prices to vary from day to day, depending on how busy the airline is during the week, and be careful to take advantage of the discounts.
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the lowest-cost days to fly, as there's a noticeable dip in business and leisure travel on the middle days of the week.
- Thursdays might also provide a narrow window of opportunity for people who are returning home instead of traveling out on the weekend, as there may be a slight discount.
- The days that are the most expensive to fly are generally Fridays and Sundays as these are the most popular days to start and end a vacation.
- Sometimes it's more affordable to arrive by plane in the morning on a weekday than on a Friday evening.
- When booking, flexible date search enables you to see a week or month at a time and avoid committing to an individual date that might cost more.
- Sometimes, it can save you a significant sum on the entire ticket price to select an alternative date, even by just one day on either side of your date, so you might want to tap a few combinations before you make your decision.
- The return day is also a factor in round trip pricing, and also on the combined round trip as a whole, the midweek trip combined with the midweek return may be the lowest.
What US Cities Fly Nonstop to Lisbon?
The advantages of having a nonstop route are twofold: not only does it save on travel time, but it can also be more predictable on pricing due to the fewer time changes involved and the risk of missed layovers or extra fees.Scoring a cheap airfare to Lisbon becomes much easier if you look into the right hub cities. Currently, there are no direct flights from the United States.
East Coast Departure Cities
The character of the East Coast is primarily due to the shorter transatlantic routes and greater competition between carriers serving this region; it has the broadest selection of nonstop service.
- It was the busiest US flight to Lisbon with many daily flights operating to and from New York (JFK and Newark/EWR).
- Boston (BOS) has year round non-stop service and is particularly well-served during the summer travel season.
- There are several regular departures per week to and from Washington D.C. (IAD) all year round.
- Miami (MIA) serves as a gateway for people traveling from Latin America or the southeastern part of the U.S.
- Philadelphia (PHL) has a nonstop service generally available in the season from spring to fall.
The interior and west coast departure cities.
There are also good direct routes, though they are somewhat longer on the routes further from the Atlantic coast, where travelers can still rely on them.
- For residents of the Midwest, Chicago (ORD) offers convenient nonstop flights.
- The longest of the US nonstop routes is San Francisco (SFO) offering a direct option to travelers on the west coast, but with a long flight time.
- Portuguese national carrier has the longest routes available to the U.S. overall and some major American carriers have routes to select cities like New York, Washington and Philadelphia.
- When you're traveling without a stop you can expect total travel time to range from 7 to 12 hours, depending on your departure city and the wind.
- With this number of direct routes, it is a relatively new phenomenon; there were only two or three US cities that had direct service to Lisbon, not too long ago.
Why Is It Expensive to Fly to Lisbon?
Despite all these constant services, securing flights to Lisbon Portugal can still turn out to be more expensive than it seems at some times of the year. The high prices for travelers traveling to Lisbon can be attributed to several factors, including demand, distance, and less competition on certain routes.
- Of course, transatlantic distance is the factor of added expense of travelling by air, which will be borne by the passenger, whatever airline they use.
- Smaller US cities are not competing against each other on a nonstop basis, which leaves fewer carriers competing on a direct basis to bring the prices down.
- A growing demand for tourism has been making Lisbon one of the most dynamic destinations in Europe in recent years, soaring prices during the most sought-after travel periods.
- Fares are highest during the peak season, particularly during the summer and larger holiday seasons, when demand exceeds supply.
- The higher the price, the less seats are available; the more time that passes, the more the airlines can jack up the ticket.
- If you start at a smaller regional airport, you might not have as many options either and will likely have to pay an additional connecting fee for the flight to get from the regional airport to your final destination.
- International fares may also be influenced from one season to the next by currency exchange rates and other fuel price trends, without being affected by demand.
- In a few countries like the USA and Canada, planes are not available on all of their wide-body routes so once those lower fare brackets are full, the remaining seats will cost a lot more to late-bumrushers.
How Far in Advance to Book Flights to Lisbon?
Airfares often follow a predictable trend as the date of leave nears, so finding the best time to book flights to Lisbon can make a huge difference in the final cost. It often requires a bit of timing, but it pays for anyone who wants to find budget flights to Lisbon.
- The ideal times to buy a cheap international flight, such as one to Lisbon, are between one and three months ahead.
- Those people who make their holiday bookings about 6 weeks in advance, typically save more than those who make their bookings very late.
- To avoid being disappointed in seating during the busy summer season, it is advisable to book four to six months ahead of time as seats in the lower fare classes are likely to fill up sooner.
- Tours during the off season (the winter months) give you more leeway for travel as there is less demand and the price does not rise as rapidly as close to the departure date.
- It is not always the case that an earlier booking will get you a lower fare, as airlines have yet to publish their best rates more than 8 or 9 months in advance.
- By tracking the prices and making fare alerts for a few weeks in advance, the true deal can be identified instead of just a temporary dip in prices.
- For major holidays like Christmas or spring break, plans must be made even earlier than the regular planning period because demand often increases well in advance of the planning period.
Which are the cheapest airlines to fly to Lisbon?
It is as important to pick the right airline as it is to pick the right days.If you want to book flights to Lisbon, some carriers are geared towards budget-conscious travelers, and others may only have a few discount flights worth keeping an eye on on regular routes.
A full-service carrier is any company that provides all of the following:
Despite their somewhat outdated service, traditional full-service carriers still provide one of the best values on this route, especially when their discount economy fare classes are in sale.
- TAP Air Portugal is the airline with the most direct flights to and from the United States, and often has an economy ticket class designed for budget-minded flyers.
- Both Delta and United have non-stop flights from certain cities and sometimes even run competitive seasonal promotions to compare with Portugal.
- For those who book in advance, it is often possible for American Airlines to offer a non-stop flight from Philadelphia that is not just reasonable in price, but also seasonal.
Use the resources of the European connections to create budget options.
If you're at ease with a layover, the low cost European carriers can make the price of the last leg to Lisbon much less expensive than a one-ticket nonstop fare.
- If you are travelling to Europe through a European connection low cost carriers can make an easy and more financially viable trip to Lisbon than a direct ticket.
- Discount or basic economy tickets typically involve sacrificing other benefits (e.g., no free checked bag, limited choice of seats, etc.), and it's important to consider the overall price, not just the base price.
- Loyalty program members can also get more value from miles or benefit from partner airline discounts especially in off-peak hours.
- You can sometimes find discounted fare deals first through an airline's signup for alerting you to deals.
Which Airports in Lisbon Should You Choose for Cheaper Arrivals?
Not all visits to Portugal need to end at the main airport. If you are desperate to find last-minute flights to Lisbon expanding your search to alternative gateways might just save your budget, particularly if you are planning to tour the country on land anyway.
The Main Gateway: Humberto Delgado Airport
Porto is the capital of the Portuguese-speaking nation and its major airport is the most convenient and has the shortest transfer to the historic city center.
- Lisbon's primary airport, Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS), is the easiest airport to reach, being only a short distance from the city center.
- It's typically the busiest and during peak season sometimes the priciest of the three airports to fly into.
Alternative Portuguese Airports
If flexibility of arrival is desired then the other two airports in Portugal are worth considering, as fares may vary significantly between them.
- The airport of Porto (OPO) in northern Portugal is cheaper to fly into, especially with budget airlines and the airport to Lisbon is easily reached by train in about three hours.
- For instance, Faro Airport (FAO) located in the Algarve's south offers lower prices at times and is perfect for those who want to go to the beach while spending time in Lisbon.
- A fare comparison of going into all three airports before booking can be quite useful and may be able to save you a few dollars during peak season when fares into the main airport tend to rise the most.
- Don't always assume that the lowest price isn't the lowest overall price if you factor in the cost and time it will take to go from that airport to onward travel.
- Known as a "one way," travelers who have the time or flexibility to get on a flight at one airport and off at another sometimes find that they can book a cheaper total ticket price.
Are Connecting Flights to Lisbon Cheaper Than Direct Flights?
Convenience is the draw of nonstop flights, but they may be more costly than they are convenient. When looking for Cheap Flights to Lisbon opting for a layover can mean a lot more competition between airlines linking up itineraries and that's a good thing.
- The chances are that connecting flights will be cheaper than non-stop flights because there is more competition between airlines and routes.
- Popular connections are in the main European hubs, where there's a competition in pricing on the final leg to Lisbon.
- The converse is that travelling time is longer, with several hours of added time being spent, as opposed to a direct flight plus the extra risk of a missed connection.
- Others allow passengers to use their connecting flights for a few days free of additional airfare in a free stopover program where they visit a “stopover” city.
- Going through another area besides the obvious one can sometimes reveal a much lower price that's worth the extra traveling time.
- The downside to overnight connections is that they are not as comfortable, but so are the ones in which they are used and the price is lower.
- For those who have the flexibility to consider both non-stop and connecting flights in tandem, it is best to calculate the true savings from flights to Lisbon before booking.
- When doing it by leg instead of a single “tour” sometimes the total cost is less, but there is a higher risk should one be delayed.
Quick Recap: Smart Habits for Cheaper Lisbon Airfare
A few trusted habits will distinguish the travelers who always get the best deals from the ones who overpay. These tips don't need to be insider information, they only take planning and patience to get to "book.
- Be flexible in travel dates and months as far as possible.
- Accept bookings 1-3 months out, 4-6 months out for summertime travel.
- Make a comparison of non-stop and connecting flights along with multi-airport flights before finalizing a flight plan.
- Watch prices for a couple of weeks and not just the first time you search for a watch so that you will have a benchmark of what is a good price.
- Be flexible with layovers and alternate PT airports, as both can have a beneficial impact on total cost.
Final Thoughts on Booking Cheap Flights to Lisbon
Ultimately getting cheap flights to Lisbon just requires some smart planning, flexibility in your schedule and booking tickets in advance. Your vacation to this place can be pocket friendly by keeping in mind the above-mentioned things. And now here comes the best part that matters the most. It is making the smart travel moves to get cheap deals before they are gone!