Major European Cities - Airports and Airlines to fly from the US
Europe is a popular destination for travelers from the United States, but figuring out which airport to fly into Europe may take some planning.
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Europe is no doubt an extremely popular travel destination from the United States, with tourism very high during summer months. With its huge range of world-class cities and cultures, to historical sights, and culinary delight, there are many reasons to visit Europe on a vacation.
Given the large range of cities and travel destinations, you may be wondering how to begin planning your travel to Europe. Figuring out air travel arrangements to fly across the pond (the Atlantic Ocean) is one of the first major pieces to coordinate. Flights to Europe can cost a bit of money, and there are a myriad of different flight options.
Similar to the US, most cities in Europe can be accessed by airplane. However, flying between the two continents will most likely involve being routed on several flights through major international airline hubs.
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On the home front, you’ll most likely need to fly through Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, or Miami. Some carriers may have additional point-to-point routes originating from medium-sized cities, such as Raleigh-Durham, NC or Portland, OR.
The destination end is no different. If you’re visiting a major European city, there will probably be a direct flight from one of the American cities listed above. But if you’re flying to a smaller or medium-sized city in Europe, such as Oslo, you’ll need to connect through a major European city and airport.
Given the number of options for flights across the Atlantic, you may be wondering which European airport you should go through, and which airline to fly on.
In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of Europe’s busiest airports as well as outline which airlines and airline alliances have a major presence in those cities.
While we’re on the subject of long flights, staying healthy and comfortable on the plane is key to enjoying your vacation. First, you may want to consider taking a comfy neck pillow for the long flight. Additionally, staying properly hydrated while taking international flights is critical to starting your vacation relaxed and comfortable – check out a few of our reusable water bottle recommendations that are perfect for flying and backpacking in Europe.
Airline Alliance Hubs in Europe
If you prefer flying with specific US-based carriers
For frequent flyers, you may have loyalty to a specific carrier and alliance in the US. Before we detail out each city, here’s a quick overview of which European airports are hubs of the world’s three largest airline alliances.
The big-three carriers in the US, including American Airlines fly to Europe and are part of airline alliances that provide onward connections throughout Europe.
Image: Flickr/Colin Brown (CC-BY-2.0)
If you love flying with Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, which are part of oneworld alliance, you’ll most likely be routed through London (LHR) and connect onward with oneworld member British Airways. Another option is to go through Madrid (MAD) and connect with fellow alliance member Iberia.
For those of you who fly Delta Air Lines, part of the SkyTeam alliance, you’ll go through Amsterdam, Paris, or Rome. KLM dominates Amsterdam (AMS), and perhaps unsurprisingly, Air France dominates Paris (CDG). Travelers looking to travel to Italy and Eastern Europe on a SkyTeam carrier will be pleased to know that Rome (FCO) is a SkyTeam hub, served predominantly by ITA Airways.
Lastly, for the frequent United Airlines travelers, major Star Alliance hubs in Europe are located in Frankfurt and Munich (where Lufthansa is dominant), Lisbon, which is home of TAP Air Portugal, or Istanbul, which is dominated by Turkish Airlines.
Major Airports in Europe with flights to/from US
Northern Europe
Northern Europe generally encompasses the Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc. The United Kingdom is also sometimes considered part of Northern Europe, though it is often grouped with Western Europe.
British Airways, part of the oneworld Alliance, has a major gateway into Europe at London Heathrow International Airport.
Image: Flickr/Tony Hisgett (CC-BY-2.0)
London Heathrow (LHR) and London Gatwick (GTW):
Both of London’s busiest airports are heavily used by British Airways, which is part of the oneworld alliance. American Airlines also serves London Heathrow with a number of flights from the United States.
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the United Kingdom, a stopover in London might be worth including into your travel plans.
Amsterdam (AMS):
Another major and popular European city is Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. The country’s main international airport, Schipol Airport is a SkyTeam alliance hub, where KLM is the predominant carrier. KLM serves several American cities alongside alliance partner Delta Air Lines.
Western Europe
Moving counter-clockwise through Europe, this next section will cover Western Europe. This region generally encompasses France, Germany, Switzerland and places in between.
Given that the major countries in this region are France and Germany, the flag carriers of those two countries control most of the flights to and from the US.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG):
Air France has its main hub at Charles de Gualle Airport in Paris, making the city a hub for the SkyTeam alliance. The airline has a number of flights to various cities across the US in conjunction with SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines.
Paris is a popular destination for many European travelers, with its history, culture, and landmarks.
Frankfurt (FRA):
Lufthansa is a major carrier serving Western Europe and a large member of Star Alliance.
Image: Flickr/Markus Trienke (CC BY-SA 2.0)
One of the busiest airports in the world, Germany’s largest airport is controlled by Star Alliance carrier Lufthansa and is also supported by United Airlines.
Lufthansa flies to a number of US cities from Frankfurt including Seattle, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, New York, San Francisco. United Airlines has flights to Frankfurt from a majority of its its US-based hubs.
Munich (MUC):
Germany’s second busiest airport, Munich pretty much mirrors the operation in Frankfurt as far as major airline players go.
United Airlines flies to Munich from a lot of the same cities as it does to Frankfurt. Lufthansa also serves several US cities from Munich, albeit less than those from Frankfurt.
Southern Europe
Rome (FCO):
If you’re looking for an Italian vacation, or at least looking to make Italy your launching point for your European getaway, it would be wise to fly with a SkyTeam carrier such as Delta Airlines or ITA Airways.
ITA is Italy’s flag carrier, making Rome a major base of operations for the airline, connecting the US and the of Europe.
While you’re in Rome, be sure to check out iconic landmarks and sites such as the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Vatican.
Lisbon (LIS):
TAP Air Portugal, which is Portugal’s flag carrier, is part of Star Alliance and one of the major players at Lisbon Airport. Flights to North America serve major cities such as DC, Chicago, and San Francisco. TAP Air Portugal also serves Canadian cities such as Toronto.
If you’re traveling on a Star Alliance carrier, such as United, Lisbon may be a potential gateway and connecting point for you to get to other cities throughout Europe.
Barcelona (BCN):
The Sagrada Familia is an iconic tourist destination in Barcelona, Spain.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Maksim Sokolov (maxergon.com) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Barcelona has many sights to see, but does not have a single-dominant carrier or alliance for flights to and from the US. While that may limit seamless connecting flight opportunities, it does mean that there are a wide range of options from American cities.
United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, representing each of the world’s three major airline alliances connect Barcelona with several of its main hubs in the United States such as Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta.
Madrid (MAD):
The capital city of Spain, Madrid’s airport is dominated by the oneworld alliance. American Airlines flies here from almost all its hubs in the United States such as Charlotte, Philadelphia, New York, Dallas, and Miami.
Iberia, which is the flag carrier of Spain is also part of oneworld alliance, and serves several major US cities to complement American Airlines’ network. Iberia provides many onward connection opportunities for oneworld flyers through many European countries and cities.
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is not as densely populated as the rest of Europe, however still has major cities.
Istanbul (IST):
Turkey’s largest city has a long legacy. The city has served as a capital for many empires throughout world history.
Istanbul also happens to be one of the most populous cities in both Europe and the world. It’s main airport is heavily served by Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey, and a major member of Star Alliance. Serving over 300 destinations across the globe, Turkish Airlines was the largest airline in the world by destination count in 2022, providing many onward connection opportunities through Europe.
Many United Airlines hubs in the United States are served by Turkish Airlines, providing numerous connecting opportunities from your home city.
Turkish Airlines serves Istanbul from a number of destinations in the US, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), pictured above.
Image: Flickr/Tomás Del Coro (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Conclusion
Flying to Europe can be a very exciting trip for American tourists. There are many air travel options within Europe, but flights between the US and Europe are limited to just a handful of cities.
Luckily, all three of the largest carriers in the United States (American, Delta, and United) are part of one of the world’s three-largest airline alliances (oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star, respectively) which makes flying to major European cities as a gateway or connecting hub easy
Popular gateways include Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome (served by SkyTeam), London or Madrid (which are served by oneworld), or Frankfurt, Munich, Lisbon, or Istanbul (which are served by Star Alliance).
Before purchasing your airline ticket, be sure you have a valid passport and/or any necessary travel permits and authorizations. Requirements will vary by country/region, so be sure to do some more research on what’s needed. One important thing to note regarding passports is that many European countries have a requirement that your passport expiration date be a certain time period into the future. So if your passport is about to expire, be sure you don’t fall below the minimum-required time limit before expiration.
Thanks for reading, and happy European travels!
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