Oneworld carrier British Airways and its partners American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Finnair have come up with a lovely fare to sunny San Jose, California. With departure from Budapest, you can buy tickets for as little as HUF 585,600 (~€1,497). Most of the possible itineraries require 2 stops in at least one direction: one in Europe (mostly London) and one in America.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to British Airways with your selected flight dates. You can also check out our flight search to see what American, Alaska Airlines or Finnair have to offer.
If you’d rather visit one of California’s other major cities, tickets to both San Francisco and Los Angeles are available for just above €1,600.
Your first leg is always a European business class flights, either to London or Helsinki. From there, you will connect directly so San Jose (on a British Airways Boeing 787) or via Los Angeles or Seattle. The inbound flight usually follows a similar pattern, though it adds Dallas to the list of possible stopovers.
To maximize your time in a lie-flat-seat instead of flying long stretches in Domestic First recliner seats, we recommend connecting in Los Angeles.
Search & Book
The fare rules give no sales period, only stating tickets have to booked 180 days in advance to get the lowest price. A minimum stay of 6 days or one night from Saturday to Sunday applies to get the lowest fare. Availability is fairly decent after the 180 day period.
Google Flights previews possible itineraries and flight dates reliably. After finding suiting dates, we recommend booking directly with British Airways or American Airlines.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
All airlines involved issue tickets in booking class I. The example in the screenshot above generates the following mileage for Oneworld frequent flyers:
- 18,016 Miles on Royal Jordanian Royal Club
- 16,500 Award Miles + 16,462 Elite Qualifying Miles on Alaska Mileage Plan
- 16,385 Avios + 112 Qpoints on Qatar Privilege Club
- 16,385 Miles on SriLankan FlySmiLes
- 14,832 AsiaMiles + 200 Club Points on Asia Miles
- 14,678 Award Miles + 308 Tier Miles on LATAM Pass
- 14,370 Miles on Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer
- 13,108 Points + 26 Elite Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 12,722 Miles on Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- 10,406 Avios + 1,669 Tier Points on The British Airways Club
- 10,166 Avios + 1,850 Elite Points on Iberia Plus 2025
- 9,806 Points on Finnair Plus
- 9,421 Avios + 175 Tier Credits on Aer Lingus AerClub
- 8,612 Miles on American AAdvantage
- 308 Award Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- Customize Calculation
Since routing options vary widely, you can also use our mileage calculator to find your personal harvest:
Destination
Hotel prices in San Jose usually start at roughly €60, depending on the hotel category. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Information & Tips for San Jose
San Jose, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, is a dynamic city known for its technological innovation, cultural diversity, and year-round pleasant weather. Explore this vibrant destination boasting a thriving tech scene, world-class museums, and stunning natural landscapes.
The Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit San Jose is during the spring and fall seasons, from April to June and September to November, respectively. These months offer comfortable temperatures, with mild to warm weather ideal for outdoor activities. You can explore the city’s beautiful parks, visit nearby vineyards, or take advantage of the numerous festivals and events that take place during this time.
From the airport to the city
When arriving at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), you have various transportation options to reach the city centre. The airport is conveniently located just a few miles from downtown San Jose. The VTA Airport Flyer bus service provides a direct connection to key locations in the city, including the Santa Clara Caltrain station for regional train services. Taxis, ride-sharing services, and rental cars are also readily available at the airport. The journey from the airport to downtown San Jose typically takes around 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic.
→ All Dealz for San Jose
Information & Tips for USA
The United States offers a wide range of tourist sights, from national parks like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon to cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. The currency is the U.S. dollar (USD), and card payments are widely accepted. Prices vary by region but can be high in major cities, especially for accommodation and dining. Weather differs greatly across the country—winters can be harsh in the north, while the south often stays mild; summers are generally hot and humid in many areas.
The U.S. transport infrastructure is highly car-dependent, especially outside major cities. Urban centres like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco have functional public transit, but many other cities have limited options. Between cities, domestic flights are common for long distances, while intercity buses and Amtrak trains cover some routes, though often with slower speeds and less frequency compared to other countries. Without a car, getting around can be inconvenient in many parts of the country.
We’ve compared various esim providers, such as Knowroaming and Ubigi. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for the USA 🇺🇸 Compared
→ All Dealz for USA
Thanks to our source Flyertalk!
Cover Picture: © British Airways