Cheap Flights To Phoenix

Waiting to Board with Alex Berger

Cheapflights: What’s your routine when you fly?

Alex Berger: I start thinking about the trip and what I'll need a few weeks before my departure. The actual execution though starts 36 hours before my flight and takes the form of checking my flight details every two hours out of paranoia, then starting to pack at 11:30 p.m. the night before my flight.

CF: What is your biggest travel pet peeve?

AB: Rude and oblivious people. They make everything take longer than it should, put everyone in a bad mood and generally make a mess of things. The other is the lack of clocks in airports. It always amazes me how difficult it is to find the time in an international airport.

CF: What kind of trip type do you prefer?

AB: I’m a hostel kind of backpacker. I travel solo but am extremely social. Hostels give me a casual environment where I can meet other like-minded people from all over the world. I’m not overly organized and seldom have a guidebook, preferring to rely on online research and people’s recommendations instead. From there I make sure to see the major attractions but relish the opportunity to get lost and just wander through destinations. I absolutely love mountains and waterfalls, but am just as drawn to the ocean.

CF: Although it’s hard to choose, tell us what your favorite destination is.

AB: Scotland. From the capital of Edinburgh to the wild and rugged cliffs of the Orkney Islands it’s an amazing place: Incredible waterfalls, beautiful mountains, stunning fjords, mesmerizing history, rich culture and of course ancient cities and castles.  Just make sure the visit is in the summer!

CF: Cheapflights is all about value. What location do you think offers the best value for travelers?

AB: This is a tough one. It depends on how (and when) you travel as well as what you’re looking for. I can give you a dozen cheap places or 100 which are off the beaten path but offer amazing experiences and insights. To pick one though? Impossible. Instead, I’ll go with Dublin Airport. While the city of Dublin itself is overrated and overpriced, Dublin Airport is typically the cheapest airport in Europe to fly into. Combine an international flight into Dublin with a cheap discount air ticket and you’ll find yourself with a very budget friendly portal into the whole of Europe. Since Europe in general is fairly expensive, every Euro saved is a Euro spent on future travel.

Cheap summer flights to Phoenix make it a destination to consider ...

When people are looking for a summer getaway the thought of Phoenix usually draws more laughter than interest, at least among people who know that the average daily high temperature in July is about 110F. But having lived in Phoenix for 6 summers I can tell you that for short-term visits the heat isn’t a problem for most people, and there are many other reasons why summer is actually ideal.

Add in the fact that cheap flights to Phoenix are easy to find during summer (and most of the year, in fact) and you’ve got a holiday far nicer and cheaper than you might have imagined was possible.

You may remember America West Airlines, which was based in Phoenix before it merged with (and took the name of) US Airways. They still have a very busy hub there, which competes heavily with Southwest Airlines, who also have a busy hub in Phoenix, meaning that most destinations have two cheap airlines to choose from, keeping all prices low.

At the moment you can fly from New York to Phoenix for around $270 round-trip, or $230 round-trip from Washington DC . From Chicago it’s actually $310, but from nearby Milwaukee it’s only $240 – definitely worth the short trip for most people. From Austin it’s only $240 as well, or from California it’s only a bit over $100 from almost any major airport.

But really go to Phoenix in summer? Yes.

Everyone knows that the desert conditions in central Arizona produce “dry heat” but not everyone has experienced 110F in dry heat so they may not realize that it’s actually quite invigorating, at least for a week or so. The “real-feel” temperature is actually below 100F most of those days, so it’s more comfortable than Atlanta, Miami, or even Chicago during much of the summer.

But the best reason to go is that Phoenix is filled with 4- and 5-star resort hotels that are very busy from January through March, but mostly empty during summer. This means that most of them cut their prices in half or even more, and crowds are never an issue. Does a 4-star resort with a huge pool for under $100 per night sound nice? If you do get a bit hot you can take a dip, but it’s actually much nicer than most people expect.

Phoenix and its stylish suburb called Scottsdale also have loads of trendy restaurants and shops that are all air conditioned and more affordable during summer. Even the golf courses cut their rates in spite of the fact that it’s very pleasant until 3pm most of the time. Get a tee time by 8am and you’ll be playing one of the best rounds of golf of your life, for a price you might not believe.

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