Star Alliance members Air Canada, SWISS, United, and Lufthansa are currently selling very cheap flights from Barcelona to Chicago. Even if you book the Standard fare, which would then include luggage, it would still be a great price. Also, unlike most similar deals, the flight times are great for these flights.
There are many different ways to fly this route, flying with SWISS via Zurich being one of the better ones, and flying with Air Canada being one of the most available ones. If you’re flying via Montreal, as in the screenshot above, the flight to Chicago is then operated by Air Canada Express – Sky Regional.
No matter which airline you select, you’ll always enjoy complimentary food and drinks on your flight.
Search & Book
It is unknown, until when this deal will remain valid. Your flights have to take place from Monday to Thursday in January or February 2020. Your stay has to be at least 7 days long, and may not exceed 12 months.
Google Flights (instructions) is a great website to find available dates, but our Travel-Dealz flight search will then find you cheaper prices for those dates. You can also book directly at the airline’s website (e.g. swiss.com), which would cost a bit more, but might be the wiser choice, especially if you want to add a piece of luggage to your trip.
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.
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.
Information & Tips for Chicago
Chicago is the third largest city in the USA with about 2.7 million inhabitants and an important economic and cultural center. The city attracts about 55 million visitors every year and has a lot to offer in terms of tourism.
Best Time to Visit
The best weather for tourists is in May, June, September and October. Summers can become very hot and humid, winters are often associated with snow storms and double-digit temperatures below zero.
From the Airport to the City Center
Two commercial airports serve the metropolitan area of Chicago, the larger Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (DCA). Long-haul flights are serviced by ORD, which is also a hub for Star Alliance carrier United Airlines and Oneworld carrier American Airlines. MDW mainly serves domestic flights and is Southwest’s hub.
Chicago O’Hare Intl. Airport
By CTA train (Blue Line, journey time 35 – 50 minutes) the journey from the airport to the city costs $5, in the other direction only $2.25. A taxi costs – depending on traffic – between $40 and $50, Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper. The journey time can vary between 30 and 60 minutes.
Chicago Midway Intl. Airport
This airport can also be reached by CTA train (Orange Line, travel time 25 minutes, same prices as ORD). Taxis take about 30 minutes and cost $30 to $40, Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper.
→ All Dealz for Chicago
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