Getting to Europe is cheaper this summer — but everything costs more when you're there

A last-minute summer flight to London or Rome costs less than it did a year ago, but the good news ends at the customs checkpoint.

A last-minute summer flight to London or Rome costs less than it did a year ago, but the good news ends at the customs checkpoint. U.S. travelers to the U.K. and Europe are finding their dollars don’t go as far as they did just months ago.

Exchange rates haven’t been kind to Americans abroad this year.

The dollar index — which tracks the greenback against a handful of other major currencies — has plunged 10.3% so far this year, its worst half-year performance since 1973, largely due to President Donald Trump’s ongoing global trade war. While some analysts expect a partial rebound for the dollar this month, its worth has fallen against both the euro and pound. Today €1 now buys about $1.17, versus only $1.08 a year ago. In the U.K., £1 fetches $1.36, about 8 cents more than in early July 2024.

Some of the currency swings have been quite recent. A ticket to a London play that cost £100, or about $134.68, at the beginning of June would cost $136.16 now. A three-night Barcelona hotel bill of €850, about $965 a little over a month ago, will set you back $996 today.

If you’re going to cancel an international trip, it’s not going to be because of the dollar.