Three great reasons to book a Europe trip right now

Italy is just one of your European options this summer.

Could this be the Year of European Travel? We think so. The dollar is up and the Euro has hit a 10-year record low, which means you’ll now get more baguette for your buck. The British pound is down, too, as are airfare and hotel prices‚ by 6% and 3%, respectively. According to Orbitz Senior Editor Jeanenne Tornatore, “From London to Paris, Dublin, Rome or Barcelona, even the most in-demand destinations are offering discounts and the dollar is stretching so much further.”

To sweeten the deal, Orbitz is now offering travelers a 50% discount on select European hotels and an instant $150 off four-night flight and hotel vacation packages booked before June 30, 2015 for travel through September 30, 2015 (use promo 150VACA). Click here to book a Europe trip.

Best Ways to Stretch the Dollar

1. Thanks to the British pound’s decline against the U.S. dollar, England is cheaper than it was six months ago. Summer is one of the best times to visit the U.K., with warmer temperatures and grandstand events like Wimbledon in late June and early July and the opening of Buckingham Palace to tourists when the Royal Family is away for their summer holiday.

2. Meanwhile, Eastern Europe touts even bigger savings than its Western counterpart. Hungary and Poland deliver savings of 25 and 16 percent respectively. Spring is the most favorable time to visit Budapest, with flowers in bloom and the city opening up to celebrate the end of winter with the Annual Budapest Spring Festival. Poland is equally inviting in spring before the summer crowds arrive, with Fashion Week taking place in Lodz in April and the Mountain Balloon Festival outside the Krakow city limits among the highlights.

3. Tapping into travel rewards such as Orbitz Rewards, and airline and hotel programs, can help take an overseas trip from a dream to a reality. From flight upgrades to hotel accommodations, a trip to Europe is the time to dust off those loyalty points to make a good trip even better. Plus, if ever there was a time to cash in on flight upgrades – a long flight to Europe is the time to do it.

Tagged: Europe