American, Delta, and United are all adding new transatlantic flights next year. A look at the schedules and current pricing turned up three worth knowing about this week, including a trip to Portugal from just 21,000 miles.
Boston to Porto From 21,000 American Miles
American is adding a new flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to Porto (OPO) next year, one of several new routes that will use its Airbus A321XLR.
But Philadelphia doesn’t have to be the starting point to get that price.
On March 29, for example, American is selling an itinerary from Boston (BOS) to Porto for 21,000 AAdvantage miles plus $5.60 in economy. The trip connects in Philadelphia before continuing on American’s new nonstop to Portugal.
Change the date to April 4, and the same 21,000-mile price is available out of Los Angeles (LAX).
Newark to Luxembourg From 36,000 United Miles
United’s new flight from Newark (EWR) to Luxembourg (LUX) is one of the more unusual additions to next summer’s transatlantic map.
It’s already bookable with MileagePlus miles, too.
On April 28, the nonstop costs 40,000 United miles plus $5.60 in economy. Eligible United cardholders can book the same flight for 36,000 miles plus $5.60.
Luxembourg probably isn’t the first airport that comes to mind for a trip to Europe. But its location is part of the appeal. The country borders France, Germany, and Belgium, putting the new nonstop within easy reach of several places that might otherwise require a connection anyway.
Detroit to Athens From 29,700 Delta Miles
Delta is adding the first nonstop flight between Detroit (DTW) and Athens (ATH) next summer, and seats are already bookable with SkyMiles.
On July 20, Main Basic starts at 35,000 SkyMiles plus $6 one way. Eligible Delta cardholders get a 15% discount through TakeOff 15, dropping the price to 29,700 miles plus $6.
There is a tradeoff for taking the cheaper option.
Main Basic charges a fee to cancel or change the ticket, doesn’t include advance seat selection, and charges for the first checked bag. Main Classic on the same flight costs 45,800 miles, or 38,900 miles with the cardholder discount, and offers more flexibility, advance seat selection, and a free checked bag.
That’s a difference of 9,200 miles for cardholders. On a trip being booked nearly 10 months ahead, paying more miles for the extra flexibility could make sense.
Search for Your Own Trip
These prices are snapshots of a moment in time and can move up or down. Changing the dates, departure airport, or cabin can also produce very different results.
That’s particularly useful with new routes. United’s Luxembourg flight starts in Newark, while American’s new Porto nonstop starts in Philadelphia. But as the Boston and Los Angeles examples show, itineraries don’t necessarily start there.
Search these routes on other dates, try another departure airport, or see what else is available for a trip to Europe.
