<i>Even landing in London or Amsterdam-- there are budget airlines to everywhere.</i>

When you add the cost (especially if there's a potential overnight stay in the arrival city), it will not be any cheaper than flying to Prague--I found a $950 ticket from Hawaii, but that may depend on the date and have no validity in terms of the OP's travel times.

Oh jeeze -- I am NOT suggesting they fly <i>anywhere</i> specifically. Just that they CAN get to Europe cheaply lots of different ways if their main goal is to use that da%@ed return ticket.

<i>I am NOT suggesting they fly anywhere specifically.</i>

But if the cheap airlines do not go from the States to Prague, and don't start out in Hawaii, the additional costs at either end must be taken into account.