United, American, BA, Iberia, and Lufthansa have round-trip flights from Houston (IAH) to Milan, Rome, or Dublin (MXP, FCO, DUB) for $419-$450 with a connection. Flights are between October to March. Extended weekends available.
Lufthansa “Light Fares” allow for a carry-on bag (17.6-lbs @ 21.6 x 15.7 x 9 inches) and also a very small personal item such as a laptop bag (11.8 x 15.7 x 3.9 inches). The weight limit will probably be the limiting factor for those of you who wish to avoid bag fees. Prioritizing heavier items in your “personal item” may be a good way to lighten your carry-on bag. You can avoid seat selection fees by accepting the randomly assigned seat at the gate.
Fares to Europe have been at a low level for the past 3 weeks. We’re tracking all of the fares under $580 in our previous post (link to post).