Stunning Lockdown Tactical Fares: East Coast from $633 to $1,400 and West Coast from $1,560, round-trip to the Azores, Portugal, and all over Europe. On TAP, a Star Alliance member, netting United award miles and elite-qualifying points.
FCF doesn’t report on mistake fares for several reasons including the fact that they can net you pain. But we sure as heck report on fares that look like mistake fares but aren’t.
That’s the case with a $633 round-trip fare to the Azores in Portugal in Business Class. Unmistakably great.
As you’re undoubtedly aware, Europe is off-limits to U.S. travelers at the time of writing this report, but these fares apply for later this year and into 2021. So let’s get to it, or as we like to say, there are…
GREAT FARES ON TAP
TAP, Portugal’s national carrier, offers more than just one “one-off” fares. Let’s take a look at some numbers that are tastier than a Portuguese custard tart (well, almost…).
Best in show is: Boston to Ponta Delgada (the Azores) $633 round-trip (valid for travel October 2020 through July 2021).
But also amazing are: Nonstop TAP Business Class to Lisbon R/T; from Newark, $1,152 (compared to $3,347 on United); from Washington, DC, $1,400 ($3,299 on United); from Chicago, $1,560 ($3,347 on United connecting via Newark); and from San Francisco, $1,560 ($3,500 on United connecting via New).
More great TAP fares to Porto and Faro.
To Porto: from Newark, $1,150; from Miami, $1,204; from Washington, DC, $1,401; from San Francisco, $1,461; and from Chicago, $1,511.
To Faro: from Washington, DC, $1,401; and from San Francisco, $1,561
MORE GREAT BUSINESS CLASS FARES FOR TRAVEL
ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE ON TAP ROUND-TRIP
> Boston to Berlin for $1,503
> Miami to Madrid for $1,904
> New York to Milan for $1,878
> New York to Amsterdam for $1,772
> Chicago to Rome for $2,002
> Chicago to Zurich for $2,112
> San Francisco to Amsterdam for $2,202
FREE UPGRADES FROM ECONOMY
For travel in summer 2021, which is peak season for economy fares to Europe (based on sample travel dates of June 23-July 7), you can book Newark-Lisbon nonstop in Business Class on TAP for just $1,152. Economy during the same time window is $1,249 for a nonstop flight on United. So that’s a less-than-free upgrade. It’s like they’re paying you to get a better flight! That’s why it’s super important to check those prices before committing to a cabin when you’re booking right now.
TWO EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS
FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
For a small fee (or sometimes no fee at all), some airlines allow a stopover in their hub city on published Business Class fares. FCF wrote about TAP’s free stopover in Portugal when traveling to other parts of Europe here.
LISBON FOR $2.00
$2.00? Yup. (No mistake fares or typos here.) Get two European cities for the price of one plus half a cup of coffee. Let’s say you want to travel from Boston to Berlin and the lowest Business Class fare is $1,505 round-trip with TAP. Now, for $1,507 (a mere $2 more) you can fly from Boston to Berlin and stop off in beautiful Lisbon.
ELITES PAY A PRICE
Currently, we’re seeing TAP undercutting all major U.S. airlines (American, Delta, and United) from their major hub cities.
American Airlines example: It’s $2,201 from Chicago to London on TAP, while American’s fares are often $3,349. That’s a difference of $1,148/34%.
Delta Airlines example: Newark to Frankfurt on TAP is $2,080, while Delta’s fares are often $3,537 (from JFK). That’s a difference of $1,457/41%.
United Airlines example: It’s $1,152 from Newark to Lisbon on TAP, while United’s fares are often $3,347. A difference of $2,195/66%.
As TAP is a Star Alliance member, you’ll earn United award miles and Premier qualifying points (PQPs). For TAP J class Business Class fares, you earn 125% award miles and a maximum of 1,000 PQPs.
That’s the cost of being an elite-focused traveler. If you’re an elite who’s locked into one airline, then you’re getting diddled.
DON’T USE MILES TO UPGRADE
WHEN FARES ARE THIS LOW
You can buy an economy ticket on United from Newark to Lisbon for $979 (T class) plus a co-pay of $1,100 (total $2,079) and 40,000 miles round-trip to upgrade for travel Feb. 4 to Feb. 11, for example. Or, you could book TAP in Business Class to Lisbon for just $1,152.
TAP’S BUSINESS CLASS SEAT
Fly in comfort with TAP’s lie-flat Business Class seats, available on all U.S. flights to the Azores and Portugal. TAP’s new A330-900neo aircraft has its newest seat—with 34 seats configured in 1-2-1 layout.
FCF’S ELEVATOR PITCH FOR
PORTUGAL AND THE AZORES
Portugal: Charming historic cities such as Lisbon and Porto. The spectacular Algarve beaches (the area’s capital is Faro). The hiking paradise of Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela. Monsanto, a village built from boulders. A train ride through the Rio Douro valley, famed for its port (the one you drink). Portugese tarts (mmm, did we already mention them?)
The Azores: A Portugese island chain about 850 miles west of the mainland, this is an inviting water paradise with whale watching, snorkeling and diving. The Sete Cidades, a three-mile-diameter volcanic crater. The historic hub of Ponta Delgada. Biking and hiking. Delicious local cuisine.
THE RISK OF BOOKING TICKETS NOW
Due to The Lockdown, the current “change fee waiver” policy for TAP allows a one-time change without a fee for tickets issued by September 30, 2020, for travel by November 30, 2020, but fare differential is charged when applicable. See FCF’s risk-of-booking widget here to get info for TAP. The normal change fee with no waiver before departure is $300, plus the fare difference. Cancellation is $250 before departure.