Off to Europe This Summer? Consider Alternatives to the Continent’s Busiest Airports

Even if you have a misconnect at one of these alternative airports, you can use the extra day to explore a new

AP/Frank Augstein, file
Travelers at Heathrow Airport, which recently apologized to passengers whose travels have been disrupted by staff shortages, June 22, 2022. AP/Frank Augstein, file

Remember when summer was synonymous with serenity, at least some form of it, and airplanes actually departed on time? Well, hold on to those memories, because it’s 2022 and the public is champing at the bit to travel after two pandemic years and, in Europe at least, soaring demand for flights is running up against lingering staff shortages, wreaking havoc at major international gateways.  

Earlier this month London’s Heathrow imposed a cap on flights to limit departing passenger numbers to 100,000 a day until mid-September. Major airlines had already scrapped hundreds of flights because they could not cope with demand, but it was not enough to head off the problems.

By October’s end, British Airways will have slashed more than 10,000 short-haul flights from the holy trinity of London airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City Airport. That puts the kibosh on many Britons’ summer getaway plans, especially if they had already purchased tickets, but it also gives reason to American travelers who count on London stopovers before heading elsewhere to rethink their summer flight strategies. According to the flight-data specialist FlightAware, Heathrow, along with Frankfurt Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, rank near the top of a list of the world’s hundred busiest airports where at least 20 percent of flights have been delayed between June 1 and June 24. 

That is a vexing new travel reality, because it means that even if your flight is not delayed, chances are good that major hubs like de Gaulle will be very crowded almost every hour of the day. Judging from some of the scenes coming out of London this month, lines to clear passport and border control are likely to be long to meltdown-inducing levels. For those who still care about mask enforcement, meanwhile, expect that to lean to the lax regardless of prevailing health advisories. 

So, what’s a savvy traveler to do? Easy: Skip the backlogged big boys and choose a second-tier airport. 

Of course, if you have a business trip to London or need to check on your cottage at the Cotswolds, you’ll need to keep that stiff upper lip and fly in and out of a probably miserable British airport. If you are flying from JFK, Newark, or another major East Coast airport and are unable to book a nonstop flight to your final European destination, though, you have options. Even if you have a misconnect at one of these alternative airports, you can use the extra day to explore a new city. That sure beats sleeping on the floor of a terminal at Heathrow or Frankfurt while waiting for a connecting flight that might have just been canceled. So, did somebody say Rome?

Rome Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci)

The best thing about landing at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, technically Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, is that you don’t have to look very far for a cappuccino superior by several orders from most any you had from whence you came. Flights from JFK top out at a little more than eight hours, and if you arrive early in the morning you can easily make connecting flights to other Italian cities or southern Mediterranean destinations like Sicily and Malta. Fiumicino itself is a short taxi ride from the airport where the Tiber meets the sea. The town is full of excellent gelateria, pizzerias, and cozy trattorias.

A view of Rome’s Fiumicino airport. The New York Sun/Anthony Grant

Dublin Airport

A New York to Dublin flight takes scarcely longer than a hop to the Coast, which is great. What is also great about Dublin’s airport is that it is one of the main operational bases for Ryanair. Despite the many horror stories associated with the much-mocked budget airline, the company runs a tight ship and has experienced almost none of the turmoil seen at many European low-cost airlines this summer. The  quickest and least expensive, if not most elegant, way to get to any number of sunnier spots in Europe from brisk Dublin is by hopping aboard a Ryanair flight. 

Stockholm Arlanda

Whether you are a fan of ABBA, Greta Garbo, or expanded NATO membership, Sweden has something for everyone. It also has a world class airport in Stockholm Arlanda, from which it is easy to get to the city center by taxi or train. It also happens to be a great airport for making connections to other Scandinavian cities and destinations in Europe. Finnair operates good nonstop flights from JFK to both Stockholm and Helsinki. In this reporter’s experience, a stopover in Stockholm tends to be more convenient than making flight connections through either Oslo or Copenhagen.

Madrid–Barajas Airport

Madrid’s Barajas airport is  huge — in Europe, only Paris-Charles de Gaulle is bigger. Its sprawling Terminal 4, designed by the architect Norman Foster, could be said to resemble a spaceship. It is debatable whether Madrid or Barcelona makes for the better entry point to Spain, but for connecting flights to both the Balearic Islands and the increasingly popular Canary Islands, Madrid is generally going to be your best bet.

Zurich Airport

Switzerland’s Zurich Airport is so immaculately clean that it doesn’t even feel like an airport. Summertime in the Alps is always tempting, but Zurich is also a great gateway to cities in central and southern Europe as well as more far-flung locations such as Tel Aviv and Cairo.


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