Star Alliance carrier Lufthansa is currently offering discounted tickets for premium economy class flights to numerous destinations. While we covered eastbound destinations here, we want to highlight their great fares to the American West Coast separately.
The short trips between Amsterdam and Germany are regular economy flights, but your long haul segments guarantee a little extra space, comfort and attention. Further, two checked bags up to 23 kg are included in all fares. These flights are available in October 2020 as well as April and May 2021.
Worldwide travel restrictions are in place to slow the spread of Covid-19. We strongly recommend gathering detailed information about the travel and quarantine restrictions that apply to your desired origin and destination.
A good start is the International Air Transport Association (IATA) website. It provides current updates on a country’s immigration policies. Even better, the Covid-19 Travel Regulations Map is one of the most useful tools you can find.
Other destinations like New York, Miami and Toronto are available for slightly less than €700 as well.
All trips consist of an economy short-haul trip to Frankfurt and a long haul flight in premium economy. To San Francisco, may sit in United Airlines’ premium economy, which is considered an equal, if not superior product in comparison to Lufthansa.
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.
Search & Book
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find any fare rules for the deal. The availability varies from city to city, but is often good during the following travel periods:
- August through October 2020
- April and May 2021
The best way to find cheap fares is to use Lufthansa and its best price search. Even though you may be able to find cheaper prices through various OTAs using our flight search, we’d recommend you book on Lufthansa.com.
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
Long haul tickets are issued in booking class N, while the short Economy-Class flight from Amsterdam to Munich/Frankfurt is issued in class Y. Most Star Alliance carriers will credit 100% of your travel distance. A trip via Frankfurt to San Francisco yields the following Mileage:
- 17,740 CV Points on Vistara Club Vistara
- 13,870 Award Miles + 200 Points on Miles&More
- 13,870 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 13,870 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 13,370 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 12,370 Miles on Asiana Club
- 12,370 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 12,054 Award Miles + 1,636 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 12,054 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 12,054 Award Miles + 11,826 Tier Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 12,054 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 11,872 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 11,826 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 11,826 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 11,826 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 11,826 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
- 11,598 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 8,416 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
Lufthansa Premium Economy Class
If you’re longing for further information about Lufthansa’s Premium Economy product, we have just the right review for you:
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