Oneworld members British Airways and American Airlines have started a price war with SkyTeam members Delta and Virgin Atlantic. As part of this war, you can benefit from tickets starting at £686 (~€804). Both alliances offer two checked bags, each weighing 23 kilos.
If you are fine with booking through online travel agencies, the price gets even better: €767 (~£655) with Oneworld and €759 (~£648) with SkyTeam.
Oneworld
Our availability calendar highlights all possible Oneworld flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to British Airways with your preselected flight dates. You can also check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €30 (~£26) cheaper.
You can also found lots of flights dates for €850 (~£726) or less in 2023.
SkyTeam
Our availability calendar highlights all possible SkyTeam flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to KLM with your selected flight dates. You can also check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €70 (~£60) cheaper.
If you fly SkyTeam you can choose between Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A350-1000s, carrying a 2-4-2 configuration and Delta’s Boeing 767s, featuring a 2-2-2 configuration.
When choosing Oneworld, you’ll choose between AA’s & BA’s Boeing 787s or Boeing 777s. The former have 2-3-2 configuration and the latter have a 2-4-2 configuration at both airlines.
Search & Book
Neither alliance’s fare rules provide an expiration date. A minimum stay of a Saturday night and a maximum stay of 12 months applies, regardless of your airline choice. The travel period is also identical lasting from October 31, 2023 to April 2024, with SkyTeam flights limited to the first three days of the week.
You can use our calendar above that will show you availabilities. Once you selected your dates, it will forward you to either KLM’s or British Airways’ website. It may also forward you to the Travel-Dealz Flight Search, where you can book through online travel agencies (OTAs). With all their disadvantages, it may be worth it to consider them, as they offer prices of up to €70 (~£60) less. You can also search more specifically on Google Flights (instructions) for example by setting filters. You can then use our Go2 browser extension to book your flights.
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
British Airways issues tickets in booking class T. This is what a BA roundtrip from Gatwick would earn you:
- 7,612 Avios + 50 Qpoints on Qatar Privilege Club
- 6,920 AsiaMiles + 40 Club Points on Asia Miles
- 6,920 Miles on Alaska Mileage Plan
- 6,920 Points on Finnair Plus
- 6,920 Miles on Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- 6,920 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
- 6,920 Points + 8 Elite Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 6,920 Miles on Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer
- 6,920 Miles on Royal Jordanian Royal Club
- 6,920 Miles on SriLankan FlySmiLes
- 6,920 Avios on Aer Lingus AerClub
- 1,252 Miles on American AAdvantage
- 1,206 Avios + 180 Tier Points on British Airways Executive Club
- 1,206 Avios + 850 Elite Points on Iberia Plus
KLM issues tickets in booking class A, while Virgin Atlantic issues tickets in booking class K. The former offers less miles, but more programs, while the latter is the opposite. This is what a trip from Heathrow booked on KLM’s website would earn you:
- 10,326 RDM + 1,722 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 7,572 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 6,884 Miles on Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
- 6,884 Award Miles + 100 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 6,884 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- 6,884 Miles on GOL Aéreos Smiles
- 6,884 Award Miles on Etihad Guest
- 3,442 Miles on Aeromexico Club Premier
- 3,442 Miles on Aerolíneas Argentinas AerolíneasPlus
- 3,442 Miles on CSA OK Plus
- 3,442 Miles on Saudia Alfursan
- 3,442 Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 3,442 Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 3,442 Miles on Air Europa Suma
- 1,868 Award Miles + 32 XP on Flying Blue
Destination
Hotel prices in New York City usually start at roughly €125, depending on the 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.
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 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
Cover Picture: © British Airways