SkyTeam member ITA Airways has put a decent price tag on business class tickets from major Spanish cities Barcelona and Madrid to Boston, Los Angeles and Miami, selling tickets for as little as €1,418. They require a short layover in Rome and therefore a slight detour each way. While priority services and lounge access are included in this fare, some SkyTeam frequent flyer programs don’t credit ITA tickets.
You can find the following fares with departure from Madrid:
Departures from Barcelona come with the following prices:
The airline also offers discounted premium tickets to New York from both airports.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates for less than €1,500 for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to ITA Airways with your selected flight dates. You can also check what OTAs on Skyscanner have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €100 cheaper.
ITA Airways deploys Airbus A330-900neo aircraft on all long haul flights between Rome and the United States. These feature state of the art lie-flat-seats in a 1-2-1 pattern. On some days, an Airbus A350-900 operates the flights to Los Angeles, with the same business class product.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, these tickets are available for trips of at least three days or one night from Saturday to Sunday. You have to purchase them at least 180 days before departure to get the lowest fare. Availabilities start in late August 2024 and run all the way through March 2025.
Google Flights will show you additional flight dates. We recommend buying tickets in ITA Airways’ website, even if Skyscanner advertises cheaper connections.
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
ITA issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class I. A trip from Madrid to Los Angeles earns the following:
- 28,664 Award Miles + 210 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 21,498 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- 21,498 RDM + 2,866 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 21,498 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 17,916 Award Miles + 102 XP on Flying Blue
- 17,916 Miles on Air Europa Suma
We advise consulting the program you wanted to credit these flights for further information. Some major SkyTeam programs like Delta SkyMiles don’t credit ITA tickets.
Destination
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 Miami
Miami is the largest metropolitan region in Florida, although the city itself has only a population of about 400,000. Also called “Capital of Latin America”, the city has a lot of influences from Central and South America which give it its unmistakable character. Miami can be reached quite cheaply from Europe, fares of under €300 are now the norm and from time to time there are also bargains for under €200! Miami International Airport is served by numerous European airlines and American carriers also offer transatlantic flights.
The Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Miami is between November and May. At this time of year the weather is warm but moderate and the water temperatures are perfect for swimming. During the Hurricane Season from the beginning of June to the end of November, hurricanes and tropical storms with strong winds and extremely high precipitation can occur.
From the Airport to the City Center
The Metrorail Orange Line to Downtown costs US$2.25 (~€2.10) per person and takes only 15 minutes to get to the city centre. A taxi costs about €20-25, while the Miami Beach Bus will take you directly to the beach. For $2,65[7c] it leaves every 30 minutes from the airport to Miami Beach.
→ All Dealz for Miami
Information & Tips for Boston
Boston is one of the most important cities in the history of the USA and also the state capital of Massachusetts. Next to its historic significance, the city boasts a number of tourist attractions.
Careful: Flights to Boston are usually very cheap from Europe (starting at €200 without checked baggage), but the hotel prices are among the most expensive in the USA!
The Best Time to Visit
The best time to travel to Boston is from late summer to autumn. While the beginning of the summer can still be rainy and cool, the weather from August to October is most suitable for touristic purposes – temperatures are mild and precipitation is comparatively low.
From the Airport to the City Center
A free shuttle bus takes you from the terminals to the Airport Station of the MBTA Blue Line, from there you can take the Blue Line to the city centre (approx. 7-10 minutes). Tickets cost $2.50. A taxi to the city centre costs between $20 and $30, depending on the traffic and the exact destination. Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper.
→ All Dealz for Boston
Information & Tips for Los Angeles
The metropolis in California, USA is especially famous for Hollywood. But Los Angeles offers much more to discover.
→ All Dealz for Los Angeles
Thanks to our source, YHBU!