British Airways First Class Flights from London to the USA and Mexico Starting at £2,251 / €2,600 in Early 2023

Oneworld partners British Airways and American Airlines offer first class flights to US cities from London. You can travel to many US cities from January to March 2023. The cheapest place is Nashville starting at £2,251 (~€2,566), followed by New York City at just £2,281 (~€2,600). You can reach Atlanta or Boston under £2,400 (~€2,736) and West Coast cities such as San José or San Diego under £2,600 (~€2,964).

All fares include three checked bags (32 kg each), access to the First lounge at Heathrow and a first class flight across the pond. Many itineraries include a short American Airlines domestic first class flight.

You can travel to the following cities:

• Nashville at £2,251 (~€2,566) (1 stop)
• New York at £2,281 (~€2,600) (non-stop)
• Atlanta at £2,342 (~€2,670) (non-stops available)
• Philadelphia at £2,342 (~€2,670) (non-stop)
• Chicago at £2,342 (~€2,670) (non-stop in Jan-Feb, 1 stop in March)
• Boston at £2,346 (~€2,674) (non-stop)
• New Orleans at £2,347 (~€2,675) (1 stop)
• Denver at £2,347 (~€2,675) (1 stop)
• Washington DC at £2,442 (~€2,784) (non-stop)
• Mexico City at £2,443 (~€2,785) (non-stop)
• San José, California at £2,542 (~€2,898) (non-stop)
• Houston at £2,542 (~€2,898) (non-stop)
• Las Vegas at £2,547 (~€2,903) (1 stop)
• San Diego at £2,547 (~€2,903) (1 stop)
• Phoenix at £2,551 (~€2,908) (1 stop)
• Dallas at £2,642 (~€3,012) (non-stop)
• Seattle at £2,642 (~€3,012) (non-stop)

To find available dates, click the links above which will lead you to BA’s best price calendar. You can also use our search box which will also lead you to BA’s website. There is good availability for all destinations but only between January and March 2023.

You will always cross the Atlantic first. On many routes, you can choose between American Airlines and British Airways. Where you need a connection, you would fly one of American Airlines’ domestic or regional jets in domestic first class. Compared to European short-haul business class, US carriers offer a much better hard product (2-2 recliner seats), but a bit inferior soft product.

British Airways First Class

British Airways’ first class is not as glamorous as its Middle Eastern or Asian competitors. On the other hand, it’s often offered for prices that are not very far from what others charge for business class. All tickets include a 3x 32 kg baggage allowance, access to first class lounges (where available) and exquisite catering.

The seats are 1.98 m long and also more spacious than those in the new business class Club Suite. However, there are only doors in the latest product on board a few of the Boeing 777 planes. Depending on the type of aircraft, the cabin consists of 8 to 14 first class seats.

You can find relevant reviews below:

• Review of British Airways’ first class in a Boeing 787 at One Mile at a Time
• Review of British Airways’ first class in an Airbus A380 at You have been upgraded
• Review of British Airways’ first class in an Airbus A380 at The Points Guy

American Airlines First Class

At American Airlines, there is only a real first class named Flagship First in the Boeing 777-300. The alignment is like in business class (1-2-1) and otherwise, the seat is (unfortunately) more reminiscent of a good business class, but at least it is a lot more spacious. The swivel function of the seat is quite unique so that you can look straight ahead through the window during the flight.

Especially the soft product still has a lot of room for improvement. Here are a few relevant reviews:

• Review of American Airlines’ First Class in a Boeing 777 at One Mile at a Time
• Review of American Airlines’ First Class in a Boeing 777 at God Save the Points
• Review of American Airlines’ First Class in a Boeing 777 at Travel Codex

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Search & Book

The promotion will expire on October 25, 2022. You need to spend six nights or a Saturday night at your destination, but no more than a year. The travel period lasts from January to March 2023.

The best way to look for dates is to use the links above that will guide you to BA’s well-hidden low-fare calendar. Google Flights does not show a few connections but has more reliable results than it had with the Budapest deal. We do not recommend booking first class flights through OTAs.

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 three main reasons for that:

1. The Covid-19 Pandemic
   During the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, planning international travel got more and more risky because of ever-changing restrictions. In contrast to many online travel agencies, most airlines modified their terms & conditions to become more customer friendly. Rebooking conditions are eased, change fees are waived and cancellations are much easier when there is no third party involved.
   
   Further, by adding an OTA to your plans, you increase the risk of one service provider involved going bankrupt. Now, the airline and the online travel agency involved could vanish along with your money.
   
2. 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 you information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. 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.
   
3. Baggage Fees
   Economy fares not including hold luggage are more and more common. 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.

Mileage

British Airways issues long-haul flights in booking class A and US domestic first class in booking class J. This is what you would get for a flight to Nashville with a connection in Chicago. (Tip: select an AA flight with a BA code-share, so it counts as a BA flight if you’d like to get Oneworld Sapphire)

To calculate your exact mileage, you can use our mileage calculator below or our status calculator.

Destination

Hotel prices in US cities usually start at roughly €100, depending on the location and hotel category. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search 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.

→ All Dealz for USA

Cover Picture: © British Airways