Airline alliance SkyTeam has a business class sale going for flights between Madrid and the United States. Various members of the alliance, like Delta Air Lines, Air France, and KLM, sell business class round trips to many airports in the USA for less than €1,500, and even below €1,200 to some destinations, such as San Francisco and Seattle. Fares at this price can be found for flights until early 2022. The availability, however, is not extraordinarily good, so you shouldn’t wait too long before booking.
Currently, you cannot enter the USA as a European tourist. We do not know until when this travel ban will be kept in place, so we recommend booking these flights for 2021, and directly on KLM’s website.
Here are some of the US-cities, that we found at discounted prices:
- San Francisco: €1,162
- Seattle: €1,162
- Washington DC/Baltimore: €1,172
- Houston: €1,172
- Fort Lauderdale: €1,188
- Dallas: €1,188
- Boston: €1,194
- Philadelphia: €1,206
- Daytona Beach: €1,208
- Los Angeles/Ontario: €1,210
- New York: €1,215
- Chicago: €1,216
- Denver: €1,228
- San Diego: €1,231
- Phoenix: €1,282
- Austin: €1,315
- New Orleans: €1,374
- St. Louis: €1,374
- Charleston, SC: €1,425
- Nashville: €1,425
- Savannah: €1,442
- Asheville: €1,442
- Las Vegas: €1,443
- Myrtle Beach: €1,489
Almost all flights have two layovers – either you first fly to Amsterdam/Paris and then have one layover in the USA, or you fly directly from Madrid to New York with Delta and then have a second layover in the USA before flying to your final destination.
We expect further shakeups in the airline industry over the following months. Some services might be cancelled, aircraft changed or downgraded. The schedule we describe may very well change.
By the way, this isn’t our only business class deal from Madrid:
Search & Book
The fare rules state that this offer expires on June 30, 2020. The minimum stay is of one night from Saturday to Sunday. The outbound flight must be from Tuesday to Thursday, while the flight back has to take place from Monday to Wednesday.
We recommend using Google Flights (instructions) to find suitable flight dates. We strongly recommend booking directly with the airlines to benefit from their current cancellation and rebooking policies.
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 flights between Luxembourg and Paris are issued in booking class J, while the long-haul flights are issued in booking class Z. A roundtrip to New York should get you:
- 19,332 Award Miles + 280 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 15,316 RDM + 2,336 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 11,582 Miles on Aeromexico Club Premier
- 11,488 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 10,582 Miles on Aerolíneas Argentinas AerolíneasPlus
- 10,582 Miles on CSA OK Plus
- 10,582 Miles on GOL Aéreos Smiles
- 9,768 Miles on Saudia Alfursan
- 9,768 Award Miles on Etihad Guest
- 9,670 Miles on Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
- 9,572 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- 9,572 Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 9,572 Miles on Air Europa Suma
- 7,756 Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
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