The era of cheap flights touches down in Europe.

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Author: Mulrine, Anna

Travel

Andrew Bleiman waited until the last minute to plan his spring break with buddies during their semester abroad in Belgium. "Everyone told us we'd waited too long," says the University of Pennsylvania senior. He didn't want to take a train: His destination was Greece and he had only two weeks to travel. Nor did he want to take the overnight ferry from Italy. "I heard it's cold, and maybe fun for two hours," says Bleiman, 21.

Then he found Europebyair.com and bought a handful of one-way flight coupons for $99 each. Not only did he and his pals get to Greece; they also touched down in Rome and Venice. "Our friends who took the ferry were bummed out," he says.

It used to be that European air travel was the province of jet-setters from Monte Carlo or business travelers from Milan. But with the 1997 deregulation of Europe's skies, the era of discount air travel has arrived on the Continent. Low-cost carriers such as EasyJet, Go, and Ryanair, modeled after no-frills Southwest Airlines, have made their name in the United Kingdom and are expanding throughout Europe with one-way flights for as little as $7.

No freebies. To snag those deals, typically $80 round trip, it's important to book early. And recognize that low cost comes with caveats: Service on these start-ups, where even grapefruit juice isn't gratis, is sparse. And you may end up at airports a long cab ride from the main cities.

With flights as far east as Moscow and as far south as Lampedusa (an Italian island west of Malta), Europebyair.com offers some of the best deals of the season. Board a flight from Berlin to Venice for $99. For the same price, the site offers one-way hops that connect more than 150 European cities. You can also buy a FlightPass good for unlimited travel ($699 for 15 days, $899 for 21).

Looking for bargains on EasyJet, Go, or Ryanair? Best to do your browsing online, where the primo deals are posted first. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) is offering London-to-Frankfurt flights for $7 at current exchange rates, and London to Venice for $11. The company touts its service as no-frills: Not even Cokes are free, and the carrier cut ice cubes after the caterer started charging for them.

Late for a flight on EasyJet? The airline (www.easyjet.com) doesn't offer rebookings if you are delayed getting to the gate. It will sell your seat and send you packing. Still, business is good: The carrier is adding flights into Amsterdam and Barcelona.

At Go (www.gofly.com), you'll be charged a $5 fee to use a credit card, although they'll waive it if you use a debit card. And get familiar with the airlines' hubs: Transportation there might cost as much as the flight. EasyJet's Gatwick terminal is 28 miles south of London ($26 for a roundtrip train), and a Ryanair flight to Paris lands in Beauvais, 50 miles north of the capital.

The competition has also paid off for those willing to see Europe at a slower pace: Eurail now offers a five- to 10-day Selectpass (previously, the shortest pass was 15 days) for travel within any three bordering countries from $328. Now, says Bleiman, "If we could get some $99 flights over to Europe, we'd be all set."

PHOTO (COLOR): See the Parthenon and other European sites with bargain airfares.

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By Anna Mulrine