That's why off-season travel to Europe continues to grow. More Americans went to Europe between October and April last year than visited Europe the entire year just 15 years ago. This winter, the European Travel Commission expects nearly 6 million Americans to visit Europe in the same seven-month season, half the yearlong total. Helping augment this flood of Americans is the stronger dollar, which is buying 13 percent more than it was a year ago. But lower airfares are the main catalyst.
Parsons says consolidators offer better deals than the airlines.
Consolidators obtain seats in bulk through contracts with the airlines, then resell them to consumers at low prices. You don't see good deals like this very often to Helsinki. And I think there may be room for still lower fares. Consolidators have another advantage, Parsons said. On some fares and some routes, travelers can stay longer than the usual 30-day ticket expiration allows, a plus for those planning longer stays, such as students studying abroad.