It’s a phenomenon that I love, but one that is putting serious pressure on airfare from the US to Europe this summer: Americans are flocking to Europe to see Taylor Swift…and saving money doing so. It’s a win-win situation and part of Swiftonomics.
Swiftonomics Puts Upward Pressure On Airfare To Europe
We are approaching Memorial Day Weekend, the kick-off to the busy summer season, and this year stands to be even busier than ever in terms of transatlantic travel due to one person, whose name is Taylor Swift. Her worldwide “Eras Tour” moves to Portugal this weekend where United Airlines tells Live And Let’s Fly that its demand for airfare to Lisbon has risen 25% for this weekend compared to last summer.
In July, Swift will perform in Germany and Italy, where United reports a 45% increase in demand over 2023 in flights to Munich and Milan. Why?
It’s just another example of Swiftonomics, this idea that Swift influences the economies of every city that she visits. But it makes all the more sense here:
- Tickets to Swift concertss are absurdly expensive in the USA
- Tickets to Swift concerts are reasonably priced in Europe
- In some cases, the cost of airfare + hotel to Europe and the cost of a Swift ticket are LESS than simply attending a Swift concert in the USA
That last point is key: and explains a “catch-22” now available to Swifties who may not even be regular travelers. Why not combine a Swift concert with a European vacation? Talk about having your cake any eating it too!
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CONCLUSION
If you’re wondering why you are having trouble finding flights to Europe this summer, you might want to blame Taylor Swift! 😉
In all seriousness, it’s going to be a rough summer for award travel. If you were hoping for last-minute tickets to Europe at “saver” rates we are already seeing the impact of this at Award Expert: seats are fewer and far between.
The blame lies on Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button.
Paris Olympics?
Actually not. Delta was running a huge sale to Paris in the summer just a few weeks ago. Many people are want to be as far as possible from Paris during the Olympics, prices will be inflated, lots and lots of people and always the security risk.
I thought Kyle said it was the Boomers fault?
It’s a lot of parents “spoiling” their “princesses”. Paying $800+ per person for a 3 hour show is not how I would want my family members spending money in a world where I would rather see that money donated for the well-being of girls in war zones. But everyone has different values, different value for money, different priorities and different ways of dealing with demands.
“Americans are flocking to Europe to see Taylor Swift…” That was enough for me to read.
What were the Taylor Swift ticket prices in the US vs Europe?
I know aftermarket same-day and next day tickets in pairs were picked up for between $150-300 each in Stockholm for the Era tour concert nights.
I haven’t been following the prices closely by any means, but I have children who are appropriately aged to be interested in going to a Taylor Swift concert.
There wasn’t a huge difference for prices in the mid-size? US markets– Cincinnati, Nashville, New Orleans, Tampa, etc… when compared to London. Think around $1200 per ticket for decent seats, 4 together. Sometimes I have found some cheaper– I think once I saw some in the $800s.
I did notice less demand for Amsterdam compared to London when I looked several months ago., but these were still north of $600, if memory serves. I didn’t look throughout Europe, just London and Amsterdam based on our summer travel plans (UK and France– not olympics).
We rented or bought the movie version of the concert for around $20 or $30, and I have a very nice TV and sound system. The kids had some friends over for a little party. Seemed like a much better deal.
Europe-US-Europe airfare this summer is pretty cheap, and much much cheaper than US-Europe-US airfare for the summer. I have had no problem finding good airfare deals that way and the delta between US-origin and EU-origin pricing is the greatest I have seen it in at least 10 years for my booking and travel patterns.
I was around for the Taylor Swift concerts in Stockholm a few days ago and hotel rooms using points were way more available than they were when Beyoncé was in town in 2023. For what it costs me to host 20 last-minute foreign visiting concert goers in Stockholm, I can only host a small fraction of that in a major US city for such concerts.
It was not much different last summer at this time in Paris when Beyoncé was in Paris for her concert. Lots of visiting Americans combining cheaper concert tickets with a vacation abroad.
Was also there. Had planned the trip in spite of the concert, not seeking it. but saw suite tickets near face value so treated my spouse and had a blast – airline lounge style in the venue.
Around town felt like maybe 25% of the tourists were concert related, the rest ‘normal’ tourist stuff.
At the concert it felt like 75% non US. So while a lot of US people are traveling it’s still small relative to the venues, events.
At our hotel yes plenty of concert related guests and as you said great value with points even without inflated concert room pricing.
I’ll be in Madrid during her shows. Had to cancel a dinner at my favorite spot since it’s near to the Bernabéu.
Not looking forward to that hot mess at all.
Taylor who?
She and/or her music seems to have way less name recognition/affiliation among 30-80 year old Scandinavians than among Americans. She and/or her music also seems to have way less name recognition among 5-15 year old Scandinavian kids than Rick Astley. Yes, Rick Astley from the late 1980s is back in vogue with all the Rick Roll meme stuff out there which seems extra popular among Scandinavian kids.
Maybe the Olympics?? Vacations?
Pretty sure you have no idea what a catch-22 is.
To be fair, she is the cause of most problems.