More than 30 million people will have visited Greece by the end of this year, making it a record year for Greek tourism and the Greek economy. According to statistics, tourism has added almost $20 billion to the Greek economy in 2017 alone.
Airlines are taking advantage of early bookers and luring them with lower fares for travel to Europe next summer. We searched random cities and random dates to get a sampling of what’s out there.
We’re finding fares for East Coast U.S. cities to Athens during peak season coming in well under $1000 per ticket and West Coast flights slightly higher. Here are some samples:
New York City to Athens July 1-15, 2018 Round Trip
Chicago to Athens July 1-15, 2018 Round Trip
San Francisco to Athens July 1-15, 2018
Book on Tuesdays
According to numerous studies and research, most airlines lower prices or launch sales on Mondays and Tuesdays. According to data from Travelocity and Expedia, Tuesday is the best day of the week to book your flights, especially for leisure travel.
Use Technology
Skyscanner remains the industry leader in locating the best possible fares for when and where you want to travel. Their computer systems scan hundreds of airline websites and travel agencies for sales and discounts.
The best way to get the cheapest flights to Athens? Why, use technology, of course. And on the market today, nothing beats the Skyscanner app. Skyscanner works for you 24/7 to scan hundreds of airline sites and find what you’re looking for based on date and trip duration criteria you select.
After you install the app on your Apple or Android phone, you set an alert for your desired departure city, followed by your arrival city. You select your dates and set the alert. Periodically you’ll get updates on your phone when low fares are available.
We’ve downloaded the app and have set alerts— prices for Fall travel to the Greek capital recently popped up at $349 round trip. Of course, airfares can change on a moment’s notice sometimes as airlines use algorithms and crazy computer metrics to lower and raise fares daily.
Download the iOS app here
Download the Android app here
Don’t have a smart phone? Don’t fret. You can visit the Skyscanner website and set similar alerts on your browser or via email alerts. Visit the Skyscanner website here.
Islands Were Almost Full in 2017
Many people faced disappointment when trying to book last minute hotel stays last summer at popular island destinations and while you’re almost guaranteed to find a seat on a ferry to your island destination, the same doesn’t apply for a place to sleep. Popular destinations like Mykonos and Santorini were experiencing occupancy rates in the high 90% in July and August, leaving many tourist officials to resort to social media to post messages like “we are at capacity, please don’t come.”
Already, we’re seeing islands like Mykonos already filling up fast for Summer 2018.
Curious to see what the rates are at your favorite hotel in Mykonos for next summer? Click here.
Did you know?
High heels on shoes at Ancient Greek sites are a no-no. It’s not just about your comfort navigating marble pathways and rocky ruins— it’s for the good of the actual monuments, themselves. A 2009 law prohibits people from wearing high heels which can put a surprising amount of pressure on the ground, and can chisel away at the architectural sites.