We know traveling first class isn’t in everyone’s financial wheelhouse. But if you can afford it, there is a big sale right now for seats in the front of the cabin for flights to Europe. American and British Airways have cut prices on first-class fares to some of the most popular destinations on the continent, including London, Milan, Paris, and Rome. This is an excellent way to fly overseas in comfort in lie-flat seats.
The travel window for this sale is during peak summer travel season, July and August. Some routes have some availability into March 2025, so if you prefer to make your plans further on down the road, make sure to search for your preferred destination. You may get lucky. Also, many routes are nonstops, but some of the best prices involve itineraries with layovers.
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Deal basics
Airlines: American Airlines, British Airways
Routes: Round-trip first class from various U.S. cities to London, Paris, Milan, and Rome
How to book: Browse Google Flights, then book directly with the airline
Travel dates: Mainly for travel in July and August 2024.
This deal was originally sent out by the deal alert company Going. Sign up for Going to get up to 90% off select flights via its Premium membership, which users can try for free for 14 days and then $69 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite tier for $199 per year for access to all the Premium deals, plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.
You can also sign up for a free trial through this link.
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Sample flights
European destinations that are part of this sale include:
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London, England
- Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Paris, France
- Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milan, Italy
- Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), Rome, Italy
U.S. cities featured in this deal:
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, MA
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Dallas, Texas
- William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York City, NY
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, CA
Let’s start in New York City. American has first-class cabins available to Rome (FCO) for only $2,639 roundtrip in July.
That’s a fantastic price for first-class to the Ancient City, per Google Flights data.
You can find this same excellent price in August for this route on American.
There is good availability for flights from New York City to Milan. You can fly from Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) in August for $3,056 round-trip. Please note there is a layover at Heathrow Airport each way.
You can save big money on flights to Paris from Miami in July. American has first-class seats from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for $3,082, a major discount for this route. Even taking into account the layover each way, it’s still an incredible deal.
Miami to Rome (FCO) is another major bargain. We found good availability for this route in August that’s less than half the usual cost.
San Francisco to Rome is also available at a huge discount. You can fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Rome in August for less than $4,000, which is an incredible savings.
Some of the best fares we found in this deal were from Texas to England. American has first-class seats departing from George Bush InterContinental Airport in Houston (IAH) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) in late July for just $3,748 round-trip.
Boston to London also has good availability, although the price depends on the date. We found this itinerary in July from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to London for $2,718 round-trip.
Related: The best cheap (or absolutely free) things to do in London
Maximize your purchase
When you book this deal or any flights, be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
Bottom line
Not all first-class cabins are created equal, so remember to check the model of the airplane that will be flown on the routes you’re interested in. Also, if Paris is your destination of choice in this deal, make sure to read TPG’s tips for the best ways to get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the city.
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