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Fly business class to Spain from Los Angeles and San Francisco from $2,599 round-trip

May 14, 2024
5 min read
Puerta del Sol (Madrid)
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Turkish Airlines is joining the growing list of carriers offering steep discounts on business-class travel to Europe. Right now, you can book business-class seats from major West Coast departure cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco to iconic Spanish destinations like Barcelona and Madrid for less than $2,600 round-trip.

The travel window for this sale runs from November through March of 2025 — if you want to spend Thanksgiving in Spain, the sale includes the holiday. The flights all involve layovers in Istanbul, with some options including stops as long as 17 hours. The good news is almost every itinerary we saw involved an individual business-class suite for the longest portion of the flight. If you book this deal, you may want to consider planning a daytrip in Istanbul to get the most out of a potentially long stop in one of the world's most exciting and historic cities.

Deal basics

Airlines: Turkish Airlines

Routes: Round-trip business-class flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Barcelona and Madrid

How to book: Browse Google Flights, then book directly with the airline

Travel dates: From November through March 2025 (Thanksgiving holiday included)

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.

Turkish Airlines Business Class
Turkish Airlines business class. CHRIS DONG/THE POINTS GUY

Sample flights

We found flights in November from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) for as low as $2,809 round-trip. That's an excellent price for business class, especially considering you're getting an individual suite for the journey from LAX to Istanbul Airport (IST).

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Look at how much you're saving with these fares, according to Google Flights.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

We found the same discounted price for routes in March from LAX to BCN. Note the extended layovers each way.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

The deals are even better in March on travel from Los Angeles to Madrid. You can book Turkish Airlines' business class out of LAX to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) for only $2,599 round-trip.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

Related: How to travel to Madrid on a budget and still have a great time

The best option we saw for travel over Thanksgiving was this itinerary from LAX to MAD that gets you into the capital the day before the holiday. It's available for $2,705 round-trip, yet another solid deal.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

November has good availability for flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to BCN. Here's one mid-November itinerary from San Francisco to Barcelona for less than $2,800 round-trip.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

The same route is available for a slightly higher price in January.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS

If Madrid is your preferred destination, we suggest searching in February and March. We found good availability from SFO to MAD for $2,809 round-trip.

Related: More miles, fewer smiles: Turkish Airlines publishes new (devalued) award charts

Maximize your purchase

When you book this deal or any other flight, be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:

Bottom line

Not all business-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. Most options we saw in this deal are for business-class suites, and Turkish Airlines is still in the process of updating its business-class product. However, the carrier does have a reputation for serving the best on-board catering in the industry, so you'll be in for a culinary treat if you book this deal.

Related reading:

Featured image by DOMINIC DÄHNCKE/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
  • Annual Fee

    $325
  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.