Flying to the USA

Man In Airport

With around 15,000 airports, which make up a third of the world’s total, there’s no shortage of places to fly into the United States. If you’re considering emigrating to the US, the following will give you an idea about how and who you can fly there with, travel times, costs and the best ways to book your flight.

The major international carriers for the United States are American Airlines, Delta, United, British Airways, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Air Canada.

The major international hubs include:

  • New York: John F Kennedy Airport (JFK)
  • Florida: Miami International Airport (MIA)
  • California: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
  • Texas: Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Costs and time

Flights to the US vary hugely in time and price. New York can be reached in just over seven hours and you can score a real bargain from the UK to the two main airports of New York -John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). To give you an idea, a one way flight from London Heathrow to JFK Airport is around £300 one way (but can be even lower). Return is from £400 upwards. JFK Airport has 7 operating airline terminals and more than 125 aircraft gates.

Flights to the west coast, arriving at airports such as Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), will take you there in around 11 hours. If you’re headed to Florida, arriving at the international airports of Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), Orlando Sanford (SFB), and Tampa (TPA), expect around nine hours in the air.

Navigating US airports

All the major airports are well serviced with public buses, taxis and even express trains. In key UK holiday destinations like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami for example, there are excellent public and private transfer options, some of which run 24 hours a day. Remember to have local currency (US dollars) for buses and taxis. Also, it’s worth noting that most US taxis charge a state tax, per baggage item excess, and expect a tip.

Best places to book your flight to America

Rather than relying on one search to find the cheapest flight, try to get into the habit of cross-checking at least three. If you like a particular airline, sometimes it’s worth checking directly on their website for flights which can sometimes prove to be cheaper, or may not show up in flight comparison searches. And of course try to book as early as you can. The best fares are generally to be had in the initial release 11 months before the flight date.

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