Got any plans for Summer 2020? How about going to the U.S.A.? Both Oneworld and Skyteam alliance members just started a nice business class sale for business class tickets out of Prague, starting as low as €1,405 for a roundtrip. This fare is only valid for departures in July & August 2020.
These flights offer a variety of possible combinations with a single stopover that might happen at an European or American Star Alliance hub. Long haul Oneworld flights are either on American Airlines or British Airways metal. Air France, Delta or KLM handle Skyteam flights.
Search & Book
Fare rules issued by all airlines are very similiar. They explicitly state a travel period from July 1 through August 31, 2020. Tickets have to be issued before September 6, 2019. A minimum stay of at least six days applies as well as a maximum stay of one year. The lowest fare shows daily availability during the travel period.
You can look up suiting flight dates on Google Flights (instructions). However, fares are only displayed until the middle of July. Since availability is great, we recommend to use either our flight search or look for flights directly at the involved airlines websites like ba.com for Oneworld and KLM for Skyteam.
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
Oneworld
Participating Oneworld members issue tickets in booking class I. This is a full fare business class ticket, generating 150% of your travel distance in award miles with most Oneworld frequent flyer programs, no matter who issues the ticket or operates the flight. Since routings vary widely, we recommend using wheretocredit.com or Britsh Airways’ Mileage Calculator for further information.
Skyteam
Delta Air Lines, Air France and KLM issue tickets in booking class Z. This is a full fare booking class in all cases, as well. Again, since routings and operating carriers vary to a high degree, we recommend to use wheretocredit.com to check your personal itinerary.
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
Cover Picture: © Gary
Comments (2)
Any possibility to add more than PHL / LHR stopovers? I would love to fly this as MR, so any further stops are welcome :)))
Hi Lukas! Guess, you’re looking for a Oneworld run? I just gave it a try and was able to put together PRG-LHR-JFK-PHL-ATL-LGA-PHL-LHR-PRG. Not rich in variety;) But gets you close to Sapphire. Might be possible for SkyTeam as well. Just try fiddling around with Google Flights’ multi-city trip!