The Best U.S. Airports for Cheap International Flights in 2021, According to the Experts

With three airports and flights to just about anywhere you could want to go, New York City is one of the best markets in the U.S. for scoring international flight deals. But the Big Apple isn't the only bargain gateway for Americans looking to escape abroad without breaking the bank.

By examining the bargains it sent to customers in the first six months of the year, Scott's Cheap Flights set out to determine the best and worst airports in the U.S. for international flight deals. As you might expect, New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport tops the list. "There are a ton of planes traveling between JFK and the rest of the world every day, and all those routes and airlines mean — yep, you guessed it — a whole lot more deals," Scott's Cheap Flights says.

Another airport serving the New York area, Newark International Airport in nearby New Jersey, came in second with Scott's Cheap Flights finding more than 200 flight deals from the United Airlines hub during the period. Chicago O'Hare — a hub for both United and American Airlines — came in third, followed by Los Angeles, Washington Dulles, Miami, and San Francisco. Boston, Philadelphia, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport rounded out the top 10.

Scott's Cheap Flights sent travelers 140 flight deals from DFW in the first half of 2021. Among the best deals the Scott's Cheap Flights team found: DFW to Milan for under $600 and DFW to Nairobi for $621 round trip. Aperitivo or epic safari, anyone?

While the best deals tend to be in large cities served by lots of airlines, deals from smaller airports are fewer and further between. Airports in Albany, Sacramento, Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Cincinnati offered far fewer deals to far fewer destinations, according to Scott's Cheap Flights.

Scott's Cheap Flights surfaced just 24 deals from Long Beach, California, between January and June with a relatively high average roundtrip price of $523. But that doesn't mean Long Beach travelers are out of luck when it comes to flight deals. Long Beach Airport is just under 23 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, which is the number four U.S. cities for international flight deals, according to Scott's Cheap Flights.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a Travel + Leisure contributor who has visited 47 U.S. states and 50 countries on six continents. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.