Star Alliance member SWISS is selling cheap business class tickets to Boston and New York for merely €1,343. The flights are usually available from Madrid, Valencia, Málaga, Bilbao, Mallorca, and Barcelona at roughly the same price.
The only downside of this deal is Swiss’ rebooking policy. The airline offers no refunds for this fare. While the rebooking fee may be waived, you still have to pay the price difference if you change travel dates.
These flights can be found from the end of May onward, but usually merely from Monday through Thursday. Feel free to try out some dates using our search form below, which will redirect you to SWISS’ booking site.
All trips include a layover in Zurich. In some cases, you can also fly with Lufthansa or United via Germany for a slightly higher price. Should you wish to do that, you’d have to book the flights on Lufthansa’s website.
Search & Book
This fare can be booked for flights without a specific travel period, though availability seems to start in late May 2022. The fare has no expiration date and can thus be withdrawn anytime. Furthermore, you have to stay for at least 3 days and your stay cannot exceed 12 months. The business class tickets have to be booked at least 180 days before departure. Stopovers are not permitted. These flights can’t be cancelled, but can be rebooked without having to pay a rebooking fee.
Google Flights will show you all available dates. You should then book on SWISS’ website.
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
The tickets are issued in booking class P. To give you an example, flying to New York from Madrid would get you roughly:
- 11,766 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 9,470 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 9,412 Award Miles + 1,882 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 9,412 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 9,412 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 9,412 Miles on Asiana Club
- 9,412 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 9,412 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 9,412 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 9,412 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 9,412 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 9,412 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 9,412 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 8,642 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 6,590 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 4,940 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More
- 1,542 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
If you wish to calculate the expected mileage credits for a different route, feel free to use our mileage calculator:
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