Star Alliance member TAP Air Portugal has put a decent price tag on business class on business class flights from Barcelona and Madrid to Chicago. You can also reach the Windy City from two Spanish airports with a stop in Lisbon. Lounge access 2×32 kg checked bags and two transatlantic crossings in a lie-flat seat are included in these prices, that go as low as €1,378.
Our availability calendar previews all available flight dates for less than €1,500. It forwards you directly to flytap.com with preselected flight dates. You can also fire up our flight search, as OTAs sell these tickets up to €100 cheaper.
TAP deploys their new Airbus A330-900 NEO aircraft on flights between Lisbon and Chicago, with lie-flat-seats in a 1-2-1 pattern up front. Our author Ditmar recently tested the product onboard an Airbus A321 between Lisbon and Washington.
Not too long ago, TAP’s Executive Class was infamously subpar. By now, however, all planes have been equipped with new seats that can be converted into fully flat beds and offer quite a high comfort. The service is also said to be very friendly.
Search & Book
The fare expires is valid without a sales or travel period. A minimum stay of five days or one Saturday night is necessary to get the lowest fare. Availabilities from Barcelona are limited to late 2023, with Madrid showing almost daily flights at the lowest fare in 2024.
Google Flights previews prices accurately, although our flight search above can be easier to find durations. We recommend looking for flight dates there and purchasing your tickets on the airline’s website. Although you could save up to €100 by booking through OTAs using our flight search.
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
TAP issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class J. For the Madrid to Chicago flight, you can earn the following mileage:
- 20,642 Miles on Hainan Fortune Wings Club
- 19,996 Miles on Miles&More
- 19,996 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More 2024
- 18,396 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 17,272 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 17,272 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 17,272 Award Miles + 8,636 Tier Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 17,272 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 17,272 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 17,272 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 14,680 Miles on Azul TodoAzul
- 12,956 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 12,956 Award Miles on Emirates Skywards
- 11,228 Miles on GOL Aéreos Smiles
- 10,796 Award Miles + 1,798 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 10,796 Miles on Asiana Club
- 10,796 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 10,796 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 10,796 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 10,796 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
As this is basically one of the shorter routings, other routings may even get you a slightly higher number of miles. Feel free to use our mileage calculator to see how many miles you’d get for your itinerary:
Destination
Hotel prices in major US cities usually start at roughly €100, 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 USA
The USA offers many sights, natural wonders and cultural significance. Thanks to numerous airlines offering flights across the Atlantic, it is always pretty inexpensive to get there. Alternatively, you can also cross the Atlantic by boat.
Immigration, ESTA & Visa Requirements
The USA has one of the strictest entry regulations in the world. Most EU citizens, among others, are lucky to be able to participate in the so-called Visa Waiver Program. If you get an electronic entry permit (ESTA) for approximately €20, you don’t need a visa for entry.
The Best Time to Visit
Due to its sheer size, the perfect time to visit the USA varies greatly from region to region. In winter, Florida is very popular due to the mild temperatures. In the summer the West and East Coasts are flooded by tourists which drives up the prices for hotels and flights and during the Indian Summer in late autumn New England is a very popular destination. The hurricane season between July and September can be dangerous in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida and the southern states are regularly struck by these tropical storms. Blizzards occur from the East Coast to the Midwest during the winter months and regularly put air traffic and public life on hold.
Currency
The US dollar is widely used throughout the world and accepted as a currency in most tourist hotspots worldwide. That being said, carrying cash isn’t necessary in the US, all you need is a credit card! These are very common in the USA and are accepted pretty much everywhere without any issues. If you already have a credit card in your wallet, you should make sure that it does not charge a foreign currency fee if possible. Carrying a few dollars in cash doesn’t hurt though. You might need cash e.g. for the bus ticket if you want to buy it directly from the driver. Most of the time you even have to give exact change.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
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
Information & Tips for Chicago
Chicago is the third largest city in the USA with about 2.7 million inhabitants and an important economic and cultural center. The city attracts about 55 million visitors every year and has a lot to offer in terms of tourism.
Best Time to Visit
The best weather for tourists is in May, June, September and October. Summers can become very hot and humid, winters are often associated with snow storms and double-digit temperatures below zero.
From the Airport to the City Center
Two commercial airports serve the metropolitan area of Chicago, the larger Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (DCA). Long-haul flights are serviced by ORD, which is also a hub for Star Alliance carrier United Airlines and Oneworld carrier American Airlines. MDW mainly serves domestic flights and is Southwest’s hub.
Chicago O’Hare Intl. Airport
By CTA train (Blue Line, journey time 35 – 50 minutes) the journey from the airport to the city costs $5, in the other direction only $2.25. A taxi costs – depending on traffic – between $40 and $50, Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper. The journey time can vary between 30 and 60 minutes.
Chicago Midway Intl. Airport
This airport can also be reached by CTA train (Orange Line, travel time 25 minutes, same prices as ORD). Taxis take about 30 minutes and cost $30 to $40, Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper.
→ All Dealz for Chicago
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange