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Deal alert: Fly to Zurich from major US cities for less than $500 round-trip next ski season

Michaela Barrett
Articles
Michaela Barrett is a news intern with TPG for the summer of 2022 and a rising senior at Wake Forest University. She's lived in three countries and loves traveling, but will always call Cape Town home.
June 30, 2022
•
6 min read
Zurich
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Book within the next one to three days and score tickets to Zurich for ski season at ultra-discounted rates. Round-trip flights from New York City, Baltimore, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., are available for less than $510.

Flights from Denver and Minneapolis to Zurich are also available for closer to $600.

Expect to fly Icelandair for all routes excluding San Francisco, which will be on TAP Air Portugal.

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Deal basics

(Photo by Bruno Hotz Uster Schweiz/Getty Images)

Airlines: Icelandair and TAP Air Portugal.
Routes: New York, Baltimore, Boston, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver and Washington D.C., to Zurich.
How to book: Seach Google Flights and book directly with the airline.
Travel dates: September 2022 to April 2023; exact availability depends on the route.
Book by: One to three days.

Scott’s Cheap Flights was the first to point out this deal to us. Premium members pay $49 per year to get alerts for flights discounted up to 90%. You can try it out for free for 14 days. If you’re looking to get deal alerts for premium economy, business class and first class too, you can sign up to be an Elite member for $199 per year.

Related: 5 winter wonderland escapes in Switzerland to visit now

Sample flights

Most round-trip flights in this deal are less than $500. We’ve chosen to include flights from Minneapolis and Denver that are a little more expensive because it's still a great deal for travelers located closer to those airports.

Flights starting at $478 to Zurich Airport (ZRH) are available from:

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  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
  • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
  • Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
  • Dulles International Airport (IAD).
  • O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

San Francisco-based travelers can fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), starting at $507. Travelers can also book flights from both Minneapolis−St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Denver International Airport (DEN) starting at $587.

Search Google Flights and take a look at the booking calendar for your desired route to make sure you're getting the best rate. Choose your travel dates and flights accordingly.

For example, let's say you want to book the aforementioned flight from ORD to ZRH, as shown below. Google Flights list the price as $446 because that is the cheapest option available, but we recommend booking directly through the airline's website for $487.

(Screenshot from google.com)

Head directly to the airline’s website to book your flights.

You can view a breakdown of the flight charges by clicking on the box that lists the total price on the passenger information page.

(Screenshot from icelandair.com)

The cheapest option available is Icelandair’s Economy Light fare, which does not include a checked bag or allow for changes to the flight. One carry-on item up to 22 pounds is included in the fare. Upgrading by one fare class to Economy Standard costs $60; in return, you'll receive a checked bag and the ability to make changes (with applicable fees).

Economy Light fares are nonrefundable. However, Icelandair does offer a full refund without penalty if you cancel within 24 hours of booking when your reservation is made a week or more before the flight departure.

Icelandair has five fare options on international flights. Take a look at what features the other fares offer, as well as what extra charges are for additional services like checked baggage and seat selection, to decide what is best for you.

Related: Watch us fly Icelandair 2 different ways: Business class vs. economy

Maximize your purchase

Use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express. This card earns 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. With the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve you earn 3 points per dollar on airfare. When you book airfare using the American Express® Gold Card directly with the airline or through Amex Travel you earn 3 points per dollar. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel purchases. This post explains how to make the most of airfare purchases.

Bottom line

A deal that involves flights for less than $500 from major U.S. cities to Zurich during ski season (and a little longer) is a gift for ski bums. Even for those of us that don’t dabble on the slopes, a snowy Switzerland sounds like a fun winter getaway.

Flights for less than $600 from Denver and Minneapolis to Zurich are also rare.

If you want to take a trip to Europe in the fall or winter this is a great deal to take advantage of.

Featured photo by Daniel Frauchiger/Getty Images.

Featured image by 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.