USA: Star Alliance Flights starting at €219 pp from Germany (w/o Luggage, min. 2 Passengers)

In recent months, the Star Alliance airlines have been very reluctant to offer good deals to North America from Central Europe. Now, Lufthansa and United are back with an amazing deal to the USA: If you are travelling as a couple, you can book flights to New York for €219 per person from numerous departure airports in Germany. You can depart until March 31.

The easiest way to book the offer is using the following form. Simply select the desired route and travel dates, and then press one of the two buttons. We will then forward you to Lufthansa.com for booking. Please note that the departure must take place no later than March 31, 2022.

Below you will find the prices to New York depending on the departure airport:

• Münster/Osnabrück: €219 pp
• Stuttgart: €221 pp
• Hannover: €221 pp
• Nuremberg: €222 pp
• Hamburg: €223 pp
• Berlin: €223 pp (select dates for €207 pp)
• Bremen: €225 pp
• Dresden: €227 pp
• Leipzig: €227 pp
• Düsseldorf: €229 pp
• Munich: €266 pp
• Friedrichshafen: €272 pp
• Frankfurt: €272 pp (non-stop)
• possibly others

New York is the cheapest destination of this deal. However, other destinations in the USA are also possible. Below are other destinations with sample prices from Hamburg:

• New York: €223 pp
• Chicago: €270 pp
• Boston: €270 pp
• Washington, D.C.: €272 pp
• Detroit: €275 pp
• Atlanta: €306 pp
• San Francisco: €320 pp
• Los Angeles: €320 pp
• Charlotte: €330 pp
• Houston. €335 pp
• Dallas: €340 pp
• possibly others

The regular economy fare with a 23 kg baggage allowance starts at €274 pp. At United, seat selection would then even be free before the check-in. In addition, United status customers then benefit from other advantages such as free same-day changes and free access to Eco+ with more legroom (on United flights).

Search & Book

According to the fare rules, the flights can be booked until March 6, 2022. However, we do not believe that the fare will really be available for that long. You should book as soon as possible if you’re interested.

The minimum stay requirement is 6 days or one night from Saturday to Sunday, and according to the rules, you can spend a maximum of 3 months at the destination. The ESTA travel authorization (if eligible) costs US$14 (~€13) and is valid for a maximum stay of 90 days in the USA.

You can find available dates quickly and easily with the help of Google Flights (instructions). You have to filter the travel duration to find the cheapest flights. They can then be booked by entering the access code LGPARTYOF2 on Lufthansa.com.

This is a Star Alliance fare that does not include check-in luggage. Additionally, some other disadvantages may apply, especially when flying with United:

Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian

Lufthansa Group airlines call this fare Economy Light. You can select your seats during the check-in process. While these airlines still allow Star-Alliance-Gold customers to bring one 23kg bag, it is said that this benefit will soon be eliminated without much warning.

United Airlines

The long-haul United Basic Economy allows Star-Alliance-Gold customers to fly with 2 x 23 kg luggage, or even 3 x 32 kg if you’re a MileagePlus frequent flyer. Nevertheless, there are other restrictions:

• You cannot reserve your seats. Even at the time of check-in, you’ll be automatically assigned a seat, which you cannot change.
• You’ll be the last one to board the plane (except if you’re a frequent flyer).
• Additionally, if you’re a MileagePlus-customer:
  • No free Economy-Plus upgrades
  • Only 50% PQM instead of 100%, and only 0.5 PQS per flight
  • No modifications (e.g. Same Day-Changes) possible
  • Upgrades are not permitted

Air Canada

On flights with Air Canada, there is also a Basic Economy, but it is not quite as restrictive as United’s. If you have a Star-Alliance-Gold-Status, you can give up a 23 kg luggage, and Air-Canada-Altitude status holders can even be allowed up to 3 x 32 kg.

Other restrictions include:

• You can reserve seats, but at a higher price than usual for Economy.
• For Air Canada Altitude customers:
  • 25% miles for transatlantic flights, none for domestic.
  • Upgrades are not permitted.
  • From Prestige 25K onwards you can select your seats.

If you feel that these restrictions are unbearable, you should book over the airline’s website, such as Lufthansa.com, and select the rate that includes luggage for roughly €100 more.

Mileage

Tickets are issued in booking class L and T. To give you an example, a non-stop United round trip in L from Berlin to New York should roughly get you:

If you fly with Lufthansa, you’ll get double status miles at Miles&More for flights in the first half of 2022. However, other programs are likely to be more attractive due to the higher mileage credit. Alternatively, you can book Lufthansa flights with United to bypass revenue-based mileage.

Hotels

Hotels in the USA usually cost between €50 and €285, depending on the city and hotel category. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is searching 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

Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange