UK to the USA flights – ultra low cost Economy and Business Class options

In the recent excitement over the ultra-cheap WOW flights from Gatwick to the US, beginning in early 2015, it’s easy to forget that there are currently budget airline options from the UK to the US available – jet2.com and Norwegian.

With WOW flights getting everyone frantically searching for cheap US-Europe fares, I thought it was worth a reminder that Norwegian is now fully operational, and jet2.com begins flying to the US on Thursday 30 October, in two days time. You can get a flight from the UK to New York (Newark) this week, for example, at £328 all-in return with Jet2.com.

Plus, for those of you to whom the budget airlines do not appeal, we’ve got details of a great value Business Class fare to the US with British Airways. You just have to be a little bit creative.

The ultra-cheap budget option

First up, a reminder that Norwegian is currently flying from Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and New York (JFK).

There are some very competitive fares currently available with Norwegian, including:

• Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale for £332.40 (November)
• Gatwick to Los Angeles for £362.40 (November)
• Gatwick to New York (JFK) for £362.40 (December)

Meanwhile Jet2.com starts flights to New York (Newark) from Manchester on Thursday 30 October, and from East Midlands (13 Nov), Leeds Bradford and Newcastle (20 Nov) and Glasgow (27 Nov). As noted above, you an currently get a return from Manchester for £328.

Other great value options include Glasgow to New York return at £339 in December and East Midlands to New York for £344 in November.

The ultra-cheap business class option

With thanks to Raffles at headforpoints for this one, provided you start your flight from Dublin, you can benefit from a combination of i) the current BA sale and ii) swerving UK departure taxes on BA Business Class flights to the US. This results in some really great value fares.

Notably, as a result of the combined savings, you can get a Business Class return to much of the East coast of the US (plus Calgary and Las Vegas) for just over €1200.

Here’s an example of the Dublin to Boston flight:

However, perhaps the standout value flight is Dublin to Miami, Business Class, for €1246:

Please not that both of the dates above are examples only – availability is much wider than simply the flights illustrated. That said, you need to book by 12 November 2014, and travel between 22 November 2014 and 5 September 2015.

But I don’t want to leave from Dublin!

Fair point, but that’s the catch to get the cheap ticket. For example, the cheapest BA flight to Florida on the same dates as the example above, departing and returning from London, is €2476, i.e. pretty much double.

The trick is to get an ultra-cheap Ryanair or Aer Lingus flight out there. Yes, you will then fly to the US via London, but that’s just how it works. Make a weekend of it in Dublin first, perhaps…