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 (~€1,487). 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:
- 24,601 Award Miles + 18,321 Elite Qualifying Miles on Alaska Mileage Plan
- 19,827 Avios + 400 Tier Points on British Airways Executive Club
- 18,033 Miles on American AAdvantage
- 18,016 Miles on Royal Jordanian Royal Club
- 17,571 Avios + 1,230 Elite Points on Iberia Plus
- 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
- 12,806 Points on Finnair Plus
- 12,722 Miles on Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- 9,421 Avios on Aer Lingus AerClub
- 308 Award Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
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 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
Thanks to our source Flyertalk!
Cover Picture: © British Airways