1) Transatlantic on ULCCs (Norse / PLAY / LEVEL / French bee)
Why it’s cheapest: bare-bones fares, constant fall/winter promos, lots of alt airports.
- Airlines & deal pages to watch: Norse Atlantic, PLAY (Iceland stopover), LEVEL (BOS↔BCN), French bee (SFO↔Paris ORY). French bee+3Norse Atlantic Airways+3PLAY+3
- Alt U.S. gateways: NYC (JFK/EWR/SWF), BOS, BWI, MCO, LAX, SFO. Alt Europe: LGW, ORY, BCN, KEF (then connect). PLAY
- Date-flex: target Tue/Wed; use open-jaw (e.g., into LGW, out of ORY). PLAY routinely runs %-off sales in your window. PLAY+2PLAY+2
Example total prices (replicable)
| Origin region | Long-haul core | Sample dates | Alt airports | Ballpark fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Coast | JFK → LGW (Norse)o/w | Any Tue in Oct/Feb | Also BOS/ BWI → LGW | from ~$98–$150 one-way. Skyscanner |
| New England | BOS ↔ BCN (LEVEL)RT | Dec–Jan | Also JFK/EWR ↔ BCN | ~$350–$351 RT seen on LEVEL site. Level+1 |
| West Coast | SFO → ORY (French bee) o/w | Nov–Feb | Also LAX → ORY | from ~$271 one-way (French bee site). French bee |
Add a cheap positioning leg to BOS/JFK/SFO if needed (Southwest/Avelo/Breeze/Frontier often <$49–$99). Keep bags lean; ULCC extras add up. French bee fare families are here. French bee
2) Transpacific on ZIPAIR (to Tokyo, then beyond)
Why it’s cheapest: à-la-carte long-haul, frequent promos; October pricing is historically low.
- Gateways: LAX, SFO, SJC, HNL (plus Houston IAH seasonal launched 2025). expedia+1
- Proof of low promos: IAH inaugural sales from $333 o/w; ZIPAIR confirms seasonal sales and current ticket windows. October typically the cheapest month. ZIPAIR+2Zipair+2
- Date-flex: search whole-month on ZIPAIR; check HNL (often cheaper) and ±3 days around Tue/Wed. Skyscanner
Example total prices (replicable)
| Origin region | Long-haul core | Sample dates | Alt airports | Ballpark fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Coast | LAX/SFO/SJC → NRT (ZIPAIR) o/w | Oct–Feb (avoid holidays) | Consider HNL → NRT | ~$330–$400 one-way during promos. Skyscanner |
| South/Central | IAH → NRT (ZIPAIR)o/w | After Mar 4 windows; fall sales recur | Also connect via LAX/SFO | promo $333 one-way (inaugural reference). ZIPAIR+1 |
Then use an ultra-cheap regional hop (Peach/Jetstar/JAL super-saver) to add Kyoto/Osaka/Sapporo.
3) Caribbean & Latin America for winter (JetBlue / Arajet / Copa / Frontier)
Why it’s cheapest: heavy capacity Jan–Feb + aggressive promos.
- Tools & airlines: JetBlue Best Fare Finder for calendar-low fares (NYC↔SJU/SDQ often $76–$159 o/w); Arajet DR hub with U.S. sales from US$86; Copa hub deals via Panama; Frontier GoWild for ultra-flex hops. Frontier Airlines+4JetBlue+4JetBlue+4
Example total prices (replicable)
| Origin region | Long-haul core | Sample dates | Alt airports | Ballpark fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Coast | NYC ↔ SJU (JetBlue)RT | Jan–Feb | Also BOS/MCO/FLL | lows from $76 one-way on Best Fare Finder. JetBlue |
| NY/NJ | EWR ↔ SDQ (Arajet) RT | Late Oct–Nov | Also BOS/MCO | recent displays ~$285–$424 RT (site samples). Arajet |
| Nationwide flex | Frontier GoWild + DR/PR hops | Non-peak dates | Any Frontier city | pass as low as $299 (book dom. 1 day / int’l 10 days out). CT Insider+1 |
Alt airports & ±3-day play
- NYC sphere: JFK / EWR / SWF (Stewart) for PLAY, plus BWI; sometimes cheaper than JFK/EWR. PLAY
- SoCal/Bay: LAX, SJC (ZIPAIR), SFO (ZIPAIR, French bee). expedia+1
- Florida: MCO/FLL/MIA for Caribbean and Europe sales. Use JetBlue’s calendar to scan whole months. JetBlue
Fill-in-the-blanks (ready to paste)
I am planning a trip to [pick one per month]
- Oct: London (LGW) via Norse (JFK/BOS/BWI/SWF flex) — target Tue/Wed. Skyscanner
- Nov: Barcelona (BCN) via LEVEL from BOS — look for ~$351 RT windows. Level
- Dec: Paris (ORY) via French bee from SFO — from ~$271 o/w. French bee
- Jan: San Juan (SJU) via JetBlue — find lows on Best Fare Finder. JetBlue
- Feb: Tokyo (NRT) via ZIPAIR from LAX/SFO/SJC/HNL — October/February are typically cheapest. Skyscanner
Trip Details: Duration: 2–3 weeks each
Accommodation: Apartment/guesthouse in a central neighborhood (cheap off-season rates).
How to replicate these totals from any U.S. city
- Reposition to the cheap gateway, then go long-haul (use Frontier/Avelo/Breeze/Southwest flash fares; GoWild pass works if you can book close-in). Frontier Airlines+1
- Search whole months (JetBlue Best Fare Finder; PLAY/LEVEL calendars) and slide ±3 days. JetBlue+2PLAY+2
- Open-jaw into one cheap city/out of another (e.g., JFK→LGW, CDG→JFK; SFO→ORY, BCN→BOS). ULCC extras (bag/seat/meals) are à-la-carte—price those in.