Indianapolis is a compact, award-winning Midwest airport, and its cheapest flights are almost all transatlantic — a tight cluster of European fares from Madrid to Brussels that give central Indiana a direct-ish reach across the ocean.
Indianapolis International (IND) is regularly voted one of the best airports in North America, and getting downtown is cheap if not lightning-fast: IndyGo Route 8 runs from the airport’s Ground Transportation Center to downtown in about 45 minutes for just $1.75, seven days a week, every 30 minutes. A bus-rapid-transit Blue Line is under construction along the same corridor but won’t open for a few years, so Route 8 is the current budget option. Most visitors with onward plans rent a car (IND’s rental process is famously smooth), but for a straight trip downtown, the bus does the job for pocket change.
As a base, Indianapolis is a transatlantic-leisure airport. There’s little cheap short-haul here — the value is a cluster of European fares that let central Indiana skip Chicago for the European trip.
Spain and the cheapest entry
The single cheapest fare is the gateway: Madrid (€650) — Spain’s grand capital, with onward connections across Iberia and into Latin America via the strong Madrid hub. For a first hop across the Atlantic from the Midwest, it’s the best-value pick, and a brilliant base for exploring Spain or continuing south to Andalusia and beyond.
Central Europe and the Low Countries
The board fills in the European map. Vienna (€696) opens Austria and central Europe, Dublin (€701) reaches Ireland with the bonus of US preclearance home, and Brussels (€734) covers the Low Countries and the EU’s de facto capital. These cluster within about €40 of each other, so it’s worth watching which dips first and shaping the trip around it — all three are strong central-European gateways.
Scandinavia and Italy
Two more routes round out the spread. Stockholm (€709) reaches Scandinavia — elegant, island-strewn and a gateway to the Nordics — while Venice (€712) opens northern Italy and the romance of the canals. Neither is cheap in absolute terms, but both are reasonable transatlantic fares for a mid-sized airport, and each saves the time and hassle of connecting through busier Chicago.
A note on these US-origin fares
This is a leisure-transatlantic board, and the figures are the lowest verified levels — they move sharply by season. European fares from the US Midwest are cheapest outside the summer peak: spring, autumn and deep winter hide the best numbers. Because Indianapolis isn’t a major hub, these fares depend on connecting itineraries via larger gateways, so flexibility on a single stop usually unlocks the prices shown.
Cheapest destinations from Indianapolis right now
Good-price round-trip targets from aifly’s own tracked fares — “good price” means book at or below this; nothing here is invented or scraped from third parties. The live deal page for each route shows the current fare.
| Destination | Good price | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Madrid | €650 | €650 — Spain's grand capital and a gateway onward into Iberia and Latin America. Cheapest here. |
| Vienna | €696 | €696 to Austria's imperial capital and central Europe. |
| Dublin | €701 | €701 to Ireland, with US preclearance on the way home — arrive domestic. |
| Stockholm | €709 | €709 to Scandinavia's elegant, island-strewn capital. |
| Venice | €712 | €712 to the canals and the gateway to northern Italy. |
| Brussels | €734 | €734 to the Low Countries and the EU's de facto capital. |
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest flight from Indianapolis?
Madrid at around €650 is the cheapest — Spain's capital with onward connections across Iberia and into Latin America via the Madrid hub.
How do I get from Indianapolis Airport into the city?
IndyGo Route 8 runs from the airport's Ground Transportation Center to downtown in about 45 minutes for just $1.75, seven days a week, every 30 minutes. A Blue Line BRT is under construction but not open yet.
Is Indianapolis a good airport for cheap flights to Europe?
It's primarily a transatlantic-leisure airport, with a tight cluster of European fares from Madrid (€650) to Brussels (€734), giving central Indiana direct-ish reach across the Atlantic without connecting through Chicago.
Can you fly direct to Ireland from Indianapolis?
Yes — Dublin at around €701, with the bonus of US preclearance on the way home, so you arrive back in the States as a domestic passenger.
Do these Indianapolis fares include a checked bag?
Transatlantic economy fares from the US vary — some bundle a bag, many charge separately on basic-economy tickets. Confirm the allowance for your specific fare at booking.
How current are these Indianapolis prices?
They're the lowest verified round-trip fares we've tracked recently and shift with season and demand. Use each as a benchmark and book when you see a fare at or below it, ideally outside the summer peak.
Seasons, carriers and airport details verified June 2026 and can change — confirm current conditions before you book.