Portuguese Star Alliance member TAP is offering nicely priced fares from Barcelona to Boston, Massachusetts. You can purchase a ticket for a round-trip for only €198! You can also reach New York for just €10 more. All flights mentioned require a change of planes in Lisbon. Sadly, the mentioned fare does not include checked bags. The cheapest tickets with a piece of hold luggage up to 23 kg is available on TAP’s website for €331.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to TAP with your preselected flight dates. You can also check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €40 cheaper.
TAP mainly uses Airbus A321LR aircraft to serve Boston and New York. These come with the usual A320 family 3-3 seating pattern in economy, but feature a generous 79 cm seat pitch and personal entertainment in every seat back.
Search & Book
The sales period for these tickets ends on January 15, 2023, but they might sell out earlier. You need to stay at least five days or one night from Saturday to Sunday in the US to get the lowest fare. You may not stay longer than a month. Further, tickets are available for all trips ending on December 31, 2023, or earlier. These tickets are only available for trips in the first and last three months of 2023.
Google Flights (instructions) will find all connections for you. Just choose the dates that work for you and have then book on TAP’s website or on our Travel Dealz flight search to compare prices from OTAs. Booking over TAP’s website is roughly €50 more expensive, but recommendable when booking tickets including luggage.
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
TAP is issuing these tickets in booking class O, a discounted economy booking class which should roughly get you:
- 1,842 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
- 760 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 760 Award Miles on Emirates Skywards
- 760 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 760 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 612 Miles on Hainan Fortune Wings Club
- 380 Miles on Azul TodoAzul
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
Information & Tips for Boston
Boston is one of the most important cities in the history of the USA and also the state capital of Massachusetts. Next to its historic significance, the city boasts a number of tourist attractions.
Careful: Flights to Boston are usually very cheap from Europe (starting at €200 without checked baggage), but the hotel prices are among the most expensive in the USA!
The Best Time to Visit
The best time to travel to Boston is from late summer to autumn. While the beginning of the summer can still be rainy and cool, the weather from August to October is most suitable for touristic purposes – temperatures are mild and precipitation is comparatively low.
From the Airport to the City Center
A free shuttle bus takes you from the terminals to the Airport Station of the MBTA Blue Line, from there you can take the Blue Line to the city centre (approx. 7-10 minutes). Tickets cost $2.50. A taxi to the city centre costs between $20 and $30, depending on the traffic and the exact destination. Uber and Lyft are slightly cheaper.
→ All Dealz for Boston
Information & Tips for New York
It is THE dream destination in the USA. The 5 districts of New York City offer more than any other metropolis in the world. And due to the high number of flights to New York, it is usually the cheapest way to get to the USA.
The Best Time to Travel
The best travel time with moderate temperatures is from April to June and from September to November. Summers can bring heat waves with high humidity. Winters are often snowy and very cold.
From the airport to the city
New York City is served by three commercial airports: John F. Kennedy Intl. Airport in Queens (probably the most famous), Newark Intl. Airport in Newark, New Jersey (which is not located in NYC, but serves the metropolitan area just like the others) and LaGuardia Airport also in Queens (which is closest to the city).
John F. Kennedy Intl. Airport
Public transport: From Manhattan by subway or LIRR to Jamaica (price varies from $2.75 – $10.00), continue with AirTrain to JFK ($8). Travel time 45 – 60 minutes.
Taxi: To Manhattan $62.50 (+ $5.50 toll), 45 – 90 minutes depending on traffic.
Newark Intl. Airport
Public transport: Almost $20 with a combination of AirTrain Newark and NJ Transit to Penn Station. Almost 45 minutes drive.
Taxi: To Manhattan $50 – $70 (+ $8 toll), journey time 35 – 60 minutes depending on traffic.
LaGuardia Airport
Public transport: LaGuardia is only served by buses, these are slow and don’t have much space to store luggage, but with $2,75 they are very cheap.
Taxi: To Manhattan $20 – $30, journey time 15 – 30 minutes depending on traffic.
→ All Dealz for New York