Book now: Enjoy widespread award availability for flights to a reopening London, with options including business class

The UK has announced that starting August 2, 2021, fully vaccinated U.S. travelers will no longer be required to quarantine. This is fantastic news for anyone planning to visit London, as it removes the need for a 10-day quarantine and multiple COVID tests. Even better, a recent search by the TPG team found a broad range of award space available from the U.S. to London, including in premium cabins.

Award space is available from London’s reopening in August through the end of the year, with the best rates found in late summer and early spring of the following year. While most availability is from the East Coast, there are also saver-level awards from other parts of the U.S.

Here's a roundup of available deals with major carriers including American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, United, and the newest addition to the transatlantic market, JetBlue.

The offer

Airlines: American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines

Routes: Flights from major U.S. cities to London Heathrow (LHR)

Cost: Starting at 10,000 miles one-way in economy, 45,000 miles in business class, and 78,000 miles in first class

Travel Dates: From August 2021 through May 2022

How to Book: Use the airline’s website to search for available award space and complete your booking by following the instructions provided on screen.

Pay taxes and fees using: The Platinum Card® from American Express (earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with the airline, up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (earn 3x points on travel), or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (earn 2x points on travel) for added travel protections on your award flight.

American Airlines

American Airlines offers direct flights to London-Heathrow (LHR) from various U.S. cities, with the best nonstop availability typically found from East Coast hubs such as New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Philadelphia (PHL), and Miami (MIA). Other cities may require connecting flights. Saver-level business and economy award space is generally available through the end of the year, but Flagship First class awards are more limited.

American Airlines operates a range of aircraft, including Boeing 787-8s, 787-9s, 777-200s, and 777-300ERs on its London routes. While business class seating varies by aircraft, all configurations provide direct aisle access and lie-flat beds. Hot meals are available again, and American's Flagship lounges are set to reopen in the fall.

Example itineraries

One-way flight from Boston (BOS) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from Miami (MIA) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) in November

How to book

The most efficient way to book American Airlines award flights is often through their AAdvantage program. One-way saver awards are priced at 30,000 miles for economy or 57,500 miles for business class. During off-peak periods, economy flights can be booked for just 22,500 miles. Additionally, taxes and fees for flights to the U.K. are as low as $5.60, though the return trip incurs higher fees due to U.K. taxes and Airport Passenger Duty, which apply to all airlines, not just American.

If you're having difficulty finding award availability, consider using AA's calendar view or third-party tools like ExpertFlyer or SeatSpy.

Here are some ways to earn extra AAdvantage miles:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. Earn 2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. ($450 annual fee)
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first three months. Earn 2x miles on gas, dining, and eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1x mile on all other purchases. ($99 annual fee, waived the first year; see rates and fees)
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months. ($99 annual fee, waived the first year)

The details for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card were collected independently by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

British Airways

The London-based British Airways operates the most U.S.-to-London routes, with flights from nearly all major U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. You'll also find service to mid-sized cities like Austin, Nashville, and Philadelphia. Many of BA's U.S. routes have resumed, with others set to restart as the U.K. reopens for travel.

One advantage of flying with BA is its generous award space. It’s fairly easy to find available awards in all cabins — including first class — on many BA routes. However, there’s a significant downside: the taxes and fuel surcharges are quite high, regardless of who you book with.

For instance, a round-trip business class flight from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow (LHR) on BA comes with $1,785.83 in taxes and fees. This amount will be similar whether you book through British Airways Avios, American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or other Oneworld partners.

The only exception to this fee structure is Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Booking a BA flight through Asia Miles can often result in significantly lower fees. For example, a round-trip business class flight from JFK to LHR only incurs $732 in taxes and fees. You can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Marriott Bonvoy to Asia Miles.

You can often find a great deal on BA premium economy when booking with American Airlines miles. For a one-way flight to London from the U.S., you’ll pay just under $250 in taxes and fees, along with 40,000 miles. While these tickets can be pricey, this option is worth considering if you want to avoid the hefty surcharges on business class tickets.

When booking with BA Avios, the cost depends on your flight’s distance and the number of segments. Longer flights require more Avios, and you’ll pay for each segment separately. For example, if you add a domestic connection on American Airlines, you’ll need to use Avios for that leg as well. You can explore the full Avios award chart in our comprehensive guide.

Example itineraries

Round-trip flight from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to London Heathrow (LHR) in business class during October

Round-trip flight from Dallas (DFW) to London-Heathrow (LHR) in premium economy for January

Round-trip flight from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow (LHR) in business class for September

Round-trip flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to London-Heathrow (LHR) in economy for January

How to book

To book with Avios, visit BA's Book With Avios page, search for your desired flight, and you’ll see all available options in the center of the screen. Select the flight you wish to book and follow the on-screen instructions. You can also find BA flights on most partner airline websites.

You can transfer points from Amex, Capital One, Chase, and Marriott to BA Avios. Additionally, you can earn Avios through the British Airways Visa Signature® Card, which currently offers 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 within the first three months of account opening.

Delta

Delta currently operates nonstop flights to London from Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), and Seattle/Tacoma (SEA). They plan to resume flights to London-Heathrow (LHR) from Detroit (DTW) on October 30th and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) on October 31st. Pre-pandemic, they also offered a flight from Los Angeles, but it appears that route will not be returning anytime soon.

Award availability in economy is generally consistent, but Premium Select and Delta One awards can be much harder to find. You may have better luck booking with Delta’s partner Virgin Atlantic (more on that later). If you're fortunate, you might score a seat in a recently refurbished Delta One suite.

Our searches suggest that booking round-trip awards can sometimes offer better value. For example, economy awards can be as low as 23,000 SkyMiles each way when booking a round-trip, whereas one-way flights may cost 35,000 miles or more.

Example itineraries

Round-trip flight from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) in December

Round-trip flight from Atlanta (ATL) to London (LHR) in November

Round-trip flight from Boston (BOS) to London (LHR) in November

How to book

If you have a significant number of Delta SkyMiles, you can book your awards through Delta's SkyMiles program. However, we recommend considering other programs, as award availability can be limited, and using SkyMiles for these flights might not be the best value.

If you decide to use SkyMiles, Delta charges as low as 35,000 miles for economy and 120,000 miles for Delta One, plus $5.60 in taxes. However, availability is scarce for upcoming dates, with most flights available in October and November.

When saver availability is offered, it's worth considering booking through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or KLM/Air France Flying Blue for potentially lower mile costs. For example, you can find one-way awards starting at just 10,000 miles in economy or 47,500 miles in business class. More details will be provided later in the article.

At the moment, Delta SkyMiles has one transfer partner for credit cards: American Express Membership Rewards. You can transfer your Membership Rewards points to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, but there is a fee of $0.0006 per mile (up to $99) to cover federal excise taxes, so keep this in mind when transferring for large international awards.

United

United operates nonstop flights to London from Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington D.C. (IAD). Service from Denver (DEN) and Los Angeles (LAX) will resume at the end of October.

There is daily nonstop availability from Houston throughout August, with frequent service continuing in February and March 2022. Chicago also sees substantial availability around these times, though not as much as Houston. San Francisco has limited availability in early August but no availability later in the year.

While United has not yet set a specific date for reopening its Polaris Lounges, the airline has significantly advanced its cabin refurbishment program. The high-quality Polaris business class suites are now available on nearly all long-haul flights.

Sample itineraries

One-way flight from Houston (IAH) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from San Francisco (SFO) to London (LHR) in August

How to reserve your flight

You can book these awards easily via United's MileagePlus program, which offers economy awards starting at 30,000 miles one-way and business class from 60,000 miles, with an additional $5.60 in fees. However, close-in bookings may incur higher rates. You can also transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio using cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred to top off your United balance.

When saver awards are available, consider booking through partners like Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles or Air Canada Aeroplan, where you can often get better deals. Turkish charges only 45,000 miles one-way for business class to Europe, while Aeroplan typically requires 55,000 to 57,500 miles, depending on the route.

You can easily earn Turkish miles by transferring points from Capital One or Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Aeroplan is also a transfer partner of Capital One and American Express Membership Rewards. A great way to accumulate these points is through cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards, which currently offers 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months.

If you can find round-trip saver availability, ANA Mileage Club offers an even more affordable option, charging only 88,000 miles for a round-trip business class ticket. Just be aware that one-way tickets cannot be booked with ANA Mileage Club.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic offers nonstop flights from multiple U.S. cities to London (LHR), including Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York–JFK (JFK), Orlando (MCO), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle/Tacoma (SEA), and Washington D.C. (IAD), starting from August 6, 2021.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club boasts one of the most rewarding award charts around, with exceptional availability across most U.S. airports throughout the fall. Economy flights can be as low as 20,000 Flying Club miles one-way for peak dates, while Upper Class awards start at 57,500 miles plus taxes. However, be prepared for hefty taxes, particularly in Upper Class, where fees can reach up to $724.

Sample itineraries

One-way flight from Boston (BOS) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) to London (LHR) in August

One-way flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR) in September

One-way flight from Washington D.C. (IAD) to London (LHR) in August

Booking your flight

You can easily book flights using the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program. When searching for award availability, make sure to check the peak and off-peak dates. For 2021, peak travel periods are from January 6 to March 25, April 18-20, June, September 6 to October 14, and October 27 to December 10.

An additional advantage of Flying Club is how effortlessly you can accumulate points, even if you're not flying with Virgin Atlantic or its partners. The program is a transfer partner with several major points systems:

American Express Membership Rewards (1:1, instant transfer)
Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1, instant transfer)
Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1, instant transfer)
Marriott Bonvoy (3:1, with a 5,000-point bonus when transferring 60,000 points, 24-hour transfer)

This opens up numerous possibilities for accumulating transferable points to Flying Club if you find the perfect reward for your trip. Keep in mind that Virgin Atlantic now uses separate award charts for each of its partner airlines, including Delta. Despite a devaluation in October, you can still find excellent rewards with Delta.

JetBlue

JetBlue fans were excited when the airline teased the possibility of London flights in late 2018. After a few delays, the wait is nearly over. Starting August 11, 2021, flights between New York-JFK and London Heathrow will be available, with London Gatwick joining the list on September 29, 2021. JetBlue also has plans to add nonstop service between London and Boston Logan next summer.

JetBlue will operate its New York-London routes using an Airbus A321LR, which features 114 seats and 24 Mint suites. For more details, check out our guide on where to sit when flying JetBlue's A321LR to and from London. Additionally, the food JetBlue intends to serve on these transatlantic flights looks absolutely delicious.

While cash prices are reasonable on many dates, if you're planning to use JetBlue TrueBlue points for your flight, you'll be pleased to know that there’s often plenty of award availability. However, be prepared—booking JetBlue Mint awards for transatlantic flights with points can get quite costly.

Sample itineraries

Currently, nonstop JetBlue flights are available from New York-JFK to both London Heathrow and London Gatwick. Below are a few examples of award pricing on these routes.

One-way flight from New York (JFK) to London in October

One-way flight from London to New York (JFK) in October

One-way flight from New York (JFK) to London in March

One-way flight from London to New York (JFK) in March

How to make a booking

Booking JetBlue awards is straightforward through the JetBlue TrueBlue program. One-way economy awards from the U.S. typically start at around 33,900 points, and from London, they begin at about 52,500 points. Earning JetBlue points is simple too—you can earn them with the JetBlue Plus Card or JetBlue Business Card. Additionally, points can be transferred from various major reward programs, including American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

The information regarding the JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business cards has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The card details provided here have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

According to TPG's assessments, JetBlue points are valued at 1.3 cents each. Therefore, transferring points to JetBlue may not be worthwhile unless you're just a few points short of your desired redemption. If you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, consider whether using the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal for a paid booking might offer you more value.

You can also redeem Emirates Skywards miles for JetBlue flights, including booking JetBlue Mint with Emirates miles. It's a fantastic deal—just 64,000 miles for a Mint seat from JFK to LHR, which is much cheaper than booking via TrueBlue. However, availability can be tricky to find, and you'll need to call to complete the booking. Be sure to follow the steps outlined in this post.

Maximize your spending

When paying taxes and fees on your award ticket, use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases and provides travel protection in case things go awry. The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Sapphire Preferred are all great options for this.