To the concern of some and the delight of others, the Euro (EUR) and United States Dollar (USD) are almost level for the first time in years.

At the time of writing, one euro is equal to $1.06, an incredible figure when we see that four years ago, in 2011, the average monthly exchange rate stood at almost $1.37 for every euro.

What will this mean for the American tourist traveling to Ireland this summer? Savings, of course! If the exchange rate stands as is for the remainder of the year, American travelers can catch their flights with a lot less holiday pocket money weighing down their wallets.

IrishCentral calculated the difference between the cost of a five day trip to Dublin in 2011 and the cost of a trip this year.

Taking place between July 6 and July 10, this trip for two includes flights from New York to Dublin, a four night stay in the Westbury hotel in Dublin city center, four-day car rental, tickets for a Trinity college tour and daily lunch and dinner.

In 2011, this short break would most likely have amounted to $5,658.61 for a couple. In 2015, this same trip will cost $4,378.20, over a $1,200 saving. (Prices are calculated maintaining 2015 prices in euro. These original euro prices may also have altered since 2011 for the worse or for the better.)

2015 figures per person:

  • Return flights with Aer Lingus: $899
  • Four nights in the Westbury Hotel (TripAdvisor): $1,032
  • Four day rental of Toyota Corolla (rentalcars.com): $72.88
  • Lunch x 5 days (Price based on medium soup and salad at KC Peaches, Nassau Street): $40
  • Dinner x 5 days (Price based on set meal option at Fade Street Social by Dylan McGrath): $132.50
  • Trinity College Tour: $12.72

2011 figures per person:

  • Return flights with Aer Lingus: $1,161.91
  • Four nights in the Westbury Hotel (TripAdvisor): $1,333.81
  • Four day rental of Toyota Corolla (rentalcars.com): $94.19
  • Lunch x 5 days (Price based on medium soup and salad at KC Peaches, Nassau Street): $51.69
  • Dinner x 5 days (Price based on set meal option at Fade Street Social by Dylan McGrath): $171.25
  • Trinity College Tour: $16.44

We can also see massive savings when adding other features to the trip. Catching a Go Bus from Dublin City Center to Galway city will now cost you just under $13 instead of almost $17.

Instead of renting a car, you may instead want to avail of the Paddywagon Tours, who run day trips from Dublin, Cork and Belfast and longer overnight multi-day tours. In 2011, a two day tour could have set you back $192 per person. Now, it costs just $148.73/person.

Although differences may seem low in places, a saving of around $600 per person for a five-day trip is quite dramatic and not one to be ignored.

Of course, the downside of only now beginning to plan your summer trip to Ireland is that many of the best hotels are already fully booked, but there are still an abundance of less expensive options via Airbnb and other homestay sites. 

American tourists will just have to hope that the current exchange rate continues and with tensions in Greece still playing havoc with growth prospects for the euro and the continuing growth of the USD against many of its peers, we look set for a lengthy stretch of USD strength against the euro.