Best months to fly standby to Europe from the United States

How full flights from the United States to Europe have run, month by month, from the records airlines file with the U.S. government. For each month: how many of the routes ScanSeats can measure ran usually open on every airline, and the airline routes with the most room. ScanSeats has 53 route pages from the United States to Europe.

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The months with the most room

January (9 of 12 routes usually open on every airline), February (7 of 11 routes usually open on every airline), October (6 of 20 routes usually open on every airline).

The months with the fewest routes usually open

May (0 of 24 routes usually open on every airline), June (0 of 22 routes usually open on every airline), December (0 of 13 routes usually open on every airline). Plan ahead in these months.

Month by month

How full flights from the United States to Europe have run, month by month
Month	Routes usually open on every airline	Airline routes usually open that month	Years on record
January	9 of 12 routes	United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 53 percent full American Airlines, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 61 percent full British Airways, Houston (IAH) to London (LHR): 68 percent full	2024 to 2026
February	7 of 11 routes	United Airlines, Houston (IAH) to London (LHR): 53 percent full British Airways, Houston (IAH) to London (LHR): 58 percent full American Airlines, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 62 percent full	2024 to 2026
March	3 of 17 routes	American Airlines, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 70 percent full United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 72 percent full Lufthansa, Chicago (ORD) to Frankfurt (FRA): 75 percent full	2024 to 2026
April	4 of 19 routes	United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 63 percent full American Airlines, Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR): 72 percent full Lufthansa, Chicago (ORD) to Frankfurt (FRA): 74 percent full	2024 to 2026
May	0 of 24 routes	United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 67 percent full JetBlue Airways, New York (JFK) to Dublin (DUB): 76 percent full	2024 to 2026
June	0 of 22 routes	None usually open	2023 to 2026
July	1 of 23 routes	American Airlines, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 66 percent full Norse Atlantic UK, Orlando (MCO) to London (LGW): 68 percent full United Airlines, Washington (IAD) to Paris (CDG): 70 percent full	2023 to 2025
August	1 of 21 routes	British Airways, Houston (IAH) to London (LHR): 70 percent full United Airlines, Washington (IAD) to Paris (CDG): 72 percent full Norse Atlantic Airways, New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO): 78 percent full	2023 to 2025
September	1 of 20 routes	JetBlue Airways, New York (JFK) to Dublin (DUB): 70 percent full United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 72 percent full Scandinavian Airlines, New York (JFK) to Copenhagen (CPH): 73 percent full	2023 to 2025
October	6 of 20 routes	United Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 54 percent full Virgin Atlantic, Miami (MIA) to London (LHR): 63 percent full American Airlines, Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR): 66 percent full	2023 to 2025
November	2 of 12 routes	United Airlines, Houston (IAH) to London (LHR): 70 percent full Lufthansa, Chicago (ORD) to Frankfurt (FRA): 75 percent full JetBlue Airways, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 75 percent full	2023 to 2025
December	0 of 13 routes	JetBlue Airways, New York (JFK) to London (LHR): 78 percent full Virgin Atlantic, Miami (MIA) to London (LHR): 80 percent full	2023 to 2025

How we count: a route counts in a month only when every airline on it flew at least once a day that month, with two or more years on record. Usually open means 80 percent full or less on average for that month. The airline routes listed come from those counted routes and are themselves usually open that month, the emptiest three, each airline once; a route can list an airline that is usually open while another airline on it is not. Months are ranked only with at least 5 counted routes. These are how full flights have run, not live seats, standby lists, or fares. Check with your airline before you travel.

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