An Ex-EU Fare is a discounted long-haul business class ticket originating from a continental European hub to avoid high UK or US departure taxes and surcharges.
The "Ex-EU" strategy is one of the most powerful tools for European and North American travelers looking to slash premium cabin costs. The UK levies an incredibly high Air Passenger Duty (APD) on premium cabin departures from London. Additionally, flights originating in major US hubs are priced at a premium due to high local demand. To circumvent this, you book your main long-haul flight starting from a secondary European city—like Dublin, Oslo, Stockholm, or Lisbon. For example, a direct business class flight from London to Tokyo might cost £4,500. But if you book Dublin to Tokyo (connecting through London on the exact same long-haul flight), the price might drop to £1,800. You simply buy a cheap $50 positioning flight to get to Dublin first. The savings are massive, easily justifying the minor inconvenience of an extra short flight. Dublin is particularly popular for US-bound travelers because it offers US Customs Preclearance, meaning you land in the States as a domestic passenger.
Absolutely not. If you miss the first leg (e.g., you do not show up in Dublin and try to board in London), the airline will instantly cancel your entire itinerary.
Dublin has low departure taxes, excellent connectivity to London and the US, and US Preclearance facilities, making it highly efficient.
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