by Krish Patel
London consistently ranks as one of the most visited cities across the world. It’s home to incredible museums, sites, and serves as a global business center. And, Heathrow Airport (LHR) serves as a major travel hub for travelers flying into London or transiting with a connecting flight onto another destination.
That said, London is still worth visiting on its own, and there are thankfully plenty of options for New York-based travelers when it comes to airlines, as this is the world’s most lucrative route. From the party vibes on Virgin Atlantic to the classic elegance of British Airways and fantastic sleep experience on United, it is undeniably hard to choose which airline to fly for your next trip across the pond!
With Business Class tickets costing thousands of dollars just for a six to seven-hour flight, it’s essential to choose the right carrier for you to maximize your points and miles.
British Airways Club World Suites
If schedule is what matters to you most, British Airways is the undisputed winner on this route. The carrier operates up to nine daily flights between JFK and Heathrow using its Boeing 777 aircraft, though you can still expect to board one of their 787 Dreamliners for this flight. Nearly every BA aircraft operating JFK-LHR features the Club Suite Business Class product, which includes sliding doors and direct aisle access for elevated privacy.
Awards on this route generally start from m 88,000 British Airways Avios during off-peak dates and 99,000 Avios for peak travel times. About 70% to 80% of the year falls under off-peak travel, making this redemption somewhat accessible. Travelers can also transfer an array of credit card points, such as Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou points, and Chase Ultimate Rewards to British Airways Club at a 1:1 ratio. Amex and Chase are especially notable options because they frequently run 20% to 30% transfer bonuses to British Airways, which can be ideal if you have an eligible credit card. Cards such as The Platinum Card from American Express ($895 annual fee) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795 annual fee) earn transferable points on shopping, retail, dining, and travel purchases.
On paper, paying through British Airways Avios sounds like the most optimal redemption. The key trade-off with booking British Airways Club World involves the additional taxes and fees. While other airlines on this route may charge as little as $5.60 in taxes and fees, British Airways can frequently incur high surcharges that exceed $400 per person. Additionally, BA charges extra for advanced seat selection, which costs an extra $80 to $150 on top of the fuel surcharges.
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
Virgin Atlantic operates half the number of daily flights between New York and London, but its in flight experience is unmatched. Passengers traveling on the airline’s flagship A350-1000, which is commonly used for JFK-LHR, can expect a fun, swanky onboard vibe. This includes an onboard lounge called ‘The Loft,’ as well as bold mood lighting and friendly service. If you’re departing New York, you also have access to the fantastic Delta One Lounge, which includes a sit-down brasserie, spa treatments, and high-end showers.
But don’t get excited yet! While Virgin Atlantic is the undisputed favorite operating this route, award availability isn’t as easy to find with Virgin as some of the other airlines. Virgin Atlantic uses dynamic pricing, meaning that the required number of miles vastly fluctuates depending on travel demand. If you’re lucky enough to secure ‘Saver’ award availability through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, expect one-way Business Class fares to start from 29,000 points, though be prepared for an additional $700 to $1,000 in fuel surcharges.
What’s good about booking Upper Class awards through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the sheer number of airline credit card partners. You can transfer Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt points to Virgin Atlantic. Capital One and American Express often run 30% transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, making it a favorite in the frequent flyer community.
It can be a great idea to book Virgin Atlantic Business Class when you stumble across saver-level awards, though that can be very difficult. Standard pricing typically jumps around between 150,000 and 350,000 Flying Club points, and the bad news is that surcharges remain incredibly high whether there is saver or standard-level award space.
United Polaris Business Class
Besides British Airways, United Airlines is in a league of its own when it comes to dominating the London route. The Star Alliance carrier has a massive presence at LHR, running multiple daily flights between London and each of its U.S. hubs.
United operates seven daily flights between Newark and London Heathrow, mostly using its High-J configured Boeing 767-300s, as well as 777-200ERs and 787-9 aircraft. The High-J 767s have a whopping 46 Polaris pods, which generates a ton of premium revenue on the NYC-London corridor. Choosing United Polaris for the transatlantic crossing is a practical choice for New Jersey-based business travelers or folks living in west Manhattan who want to avoid the long commute on the Van Wyck Express to JFK, but still arrive in the U.K. feeling refreshed and well-rested. During the evening, there is a United flight that departs Newark for London practically every 40 to 60 minutes. A Business Class ticket with United grants passengers Polaris Lounge access, lie-flat seats, high-quality Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, and Brooks Brothers amenity kits.
Folks with Premier status or a United Airlines co-branded credit card have access to discounted award prices, allowing travelers to bypass the dynamic pricing that non-cardholders usually face. Standard pricing for a one-way award in United Polaris on this route often exceeds 200,000 MileagePlus miles. However, MileagePlus elites with a card such as the United Club Infinite ($695 annual fee) can find one-way awards for Polaris Business that start from 80,000 miles plus $5.60 in surcharges. When searching united.com, it’s best to search flexible dates in your desired month of travel, so that you can find a redemption that makes sense.
American Airlines Flagship Business
American Airlines and British Airways share Terminal 8 as close Oneworld alliance partners. While BA handles up to nine flights per day, American only operates three to four London-bound flights out of JFK. American usually sends its Boeing 777-300ERs or brand-new 787-9P aircraft from JFK to Heathrow, both of which feature massive Business Class sections. The premium-heavy 787-9s include Flagship Business Suites with sliding doors, high-end side consoles, and lie-flat beds. So, it’s worth seeking out the 787-9P if you can.
What’s more, the 787s with Flagship Suites also feature eight Business Class Plus Suites in the bulkhead rows. Designated by the airline as ‘Flagship Suite Preferred,’ these suites have 42% more living space and 19% more bed space than the standard Business Class pods.
Flyers can book American Airlines Business Class through the carrier’s AAdvantage program, though you also have the option to book via Atmos Rewards, the combined loyalty program of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. American uses a dynamic pricing model, meaning that award rates can fluctuate dramatically. While saver awards start from 57,500 American miles one way, you can expect rates to exceed 200,000 if there is no saver award space left.
Meanwhile, Atmos rewards uses a fixed awards chart for travel on partner airlines. For flights to Europe between 1,501 and 3,500 miles, Alaska will charge somewhere around 45,000 points one-way for Business Class plus $25.60.
Delta One Business Class
Just like American and British Airways in Terminal 8, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic dominate JFK Terminal 4. Delta runs two daily flights from New York to London, typically using its Boeing 767-400ERs and Airbus A330-900neos, both of which feature private Delta One Suites. Guests traveling aboard the A330-900 can expect sliding doors and wide seats that recline into luxurious beds. While the 767 has a narrower Business Class seat without a door, Delta has still installed crisp, modern entertainment screens with curated content and included thoughtful touches like an adjustable lamp and memory foam padding. But no matter the aircraft, you can count on sleek Missoni amenity kits, plush mattress pads, and fine dining.
Terminal 4 also offers a dedicated Business Class check-in wing exclusively for Delta One and Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers, with lounge-style seating and free snacks and refreshments. There’s even a private TSA security checkpoint that leads you straight to the Delta One Lounge, which is easily my favorite Business Class lounge operated by a U.S. carrier. If you value the ground experience, reliable inflight service, and high-quality amenities, then Delta is the right airline for you!
Delta is probably the most difficult airline on this list when it comes to finding award space. If you try to book Delta One Business Class from JFK to LHR through the SkyMiles program, you can expect awards to hover near 295,000 points one-way or sometimes even exceed 300,000 miles. However, cardholders with a co-branded Delta and American Express credit card will receive a 15% discount on award flights, though the final price is still very expensive. No matter how many points a frequent flyer has, spending them with Delta SkyMiles for a one-way Business Class ticket to London is almost never worth it.
However, Delta’s joint-venture with Virgin Atlantic means that passengers can book Business Class flights operated by Delta through Virgin Flying Club. Rather than a chaotic dynamic pricing model, Virgin Atlantic uses award charts for Delta-operated flights, where one-way Delta One awards start from 50,000 points. Virgin is also a transfer partner of multiple credit card points as mentioned earlier, making the Flying Club loophole a very optimal choice for a loyal Delta flyer.
JetBlue Mint
Lastly, there’s JetBlue Mint, the boutique Business Class option competing with the likes of other legacy airline products on this route. While every other airline deploys its flagship widebodies, JetBlue runs its A321LRs twice a day from JFK Terminal 5 into London Heathrow. The JetBlue A321LR features 24 Mint Suites arranged in a 1-1 layout, with the two bulkhead suites designated as the Mint Studios. Thanks to the smaller narrowbody Business Class cabin, service is designed to be faster and more efficient. Mint customers also enjoy Tuft & Needle bedding, as well as tapas-style small plates for breakfast or dinner.
JetBlue is unique in that it uses a revenue-based pricing model, meaning that if a Business Class seat is available in cash, it’s also bookable on points. If there is high travel demand and the cash prices for Mint are high, then the award price available in TrueBlue points will also be high. For one-way transatlantic flights in JetBlue Mint, JetBlue will typically charge anywhere from 75,000 to over 200,000 TrueBlue points. JetBlue’s transfer partners include Chase and Citi, both of which are 1:1, providing better value than the 1,000:800 transfer ratio from Amex to JetBlue.
Bottom Line
The New York to London market is a very competitive one, with six different carriers offering their own unique Business Class product. Each is special in its own way, though the right airline for you may depend on the aspect you value most. Award availability is easiest to come around with American Airlines and United thanks to the consistency of saver award availability. However, if you have multiple types of credit card points, transferring them to British Airways or Virgin Atlantic is ideal because it gives travelers flexibility. At the end of the day, it all comes down to pricing and convenience. A traveler based in New Jersey or Manhattan could easily choose one of United’s flights to London, while an NYC businessman could value American and British Airways’s sheer volume of flights out of JFK, which depart nearly every hour.