Best time to buy US to Portugal Airline Tickets

General
1

My wife and I are taking a trip to Lisbon in 2025 in late October/early November. We wanted Premium Economy and tickets for that are around $1,600 round trip for each one of us through American. Is this a good deal or is there generally a better time to check for a cheaper price? Our dates aren’t too flexible and it will be a Sunday to Friday trip (10 days) thanks for your help…

2

I would say that’s about typical.

IF TAP serves your airport and you are looking to get to Portugal as cheaply as possible, they are also an option.

3

Sky said:
I would say that’s about typical.

IF TAP serves your airport and you are looking to get to Portugal as cheaply as possible, they are also an option.

Thanks, it seemed reasonable and Google Flights said it was a low price… I was just going to get an American Airlines card for the 50k free miles but wanted to see if I should hold off on purchasing all together. Thanks for your help!

4

@Drew
If you’re willing to roll the dice, you can buy economy with AA and then periodically check for upgrade offers in the app or on the website. Pricing bounces around constantly, even if the number of seats doesn’t change. I’ve snagged Econ → PE for sub $400 several times for Portugal or Spain. I will generally fly there on PE so I can sleep and just take MCE seats on the way back since it’s a daytime flight and not as big a deal if I don’t get a good offer. TAP’s comfort seats aren’t really PE, but they are fine and you’re more likely to get a direct flight. ORD → LIS is an easy flight if that’s an option for you. Note they don’t fly every day of the week year-round, though.

5

For an upgraded economy ticket it’s pretty good (not just the better economy seats, right? A separate class of seat?). I fly UAL and TAP, typical economy pricing is between 900-1200 for most east coast & midwest routes. At times I can do r/T LIS to EWR for 700, but that’s definitely not typical. You don’t say where you are coming from though. I’ve also flown Air Canada, but that forces a stop in Canada, which is fine if I’m having a connection anyway and is sometimes easier than IAD / EWR etc.

6

1-3 months before departure is usually the cheapest.

Not sure what premium economy entails but I’d consider $1600 for regular economy pretty expensive. Economy tickets for Lisbon to NYC cost around €400-600.

7

@Sloane
Premium economy has better meals, larger seats and more recline (although it’s not all the way flat) free entertainment and free bedding and pillow. I’d do economy if it was just me but the wife insists!

8

@Drew
Never have had a great meal on a plane regardless of cabin and entertainment/pillow/blanket are table stakes on almost all overnight flights. Space is the real thing you are paying for here. Price still seems steep as many others are saying. You can use price tracking through Google Flights or many other similar services…

9

@Winter
Yea based on google flights it looks like the economy tickets are cheaper than normal I just wasn’t sure if premium economy price was higher than typical thanks!

10

TAP has cheap redemption options using Aeroplan.

11

Blaze said:
TAP has cheap redemption options using Aeroplan.

And Delta on Virgin right now.

12

Blaze said:
TAP has cheap redemption options using Aeroplan.

Sorry what is a redemption option??

13

Drew said:

Blaze said:
TAP has cheap redemption options using Aeroplan.

Sorry what is a redemption option??

Transfer MR/UR to AC for TP award flights using Aeroplan (or book VS using DL miles).

14

@Blaze
Careful, TAP doesn’t offer all their seats to Aeroplan.

15

Kim said:
@Blaze
Careful, TAP doesn’t offer all their seats to Aeroplan.

True but I’ve redeemed up to 8 in J IAD-LIS off peak.

16

We went last year booked premium economy Newark to Lisbon on United in Feb for a May trip and it was $2600 each so that price sounds like a good one.

17

Dezi said:
We went last year booked premium economy Newark to Lisbon on United in Feb for a May trip and it was $2600 each so that price sounds like a good one.

Awesome thank you! Based on what I’ve seen it looks like a good price but I have analysis paralysis and always look for the best deals.

18

I don’t recommend Air Canada unless you like having every single leg delayed, but I was able to get last minute regular economy tickets to Lisbon for $1300 (a week out, December 2024).

19

I would consider that very expensive if you’re from the east coast.

20

I paid 2400 for PE Delta in a June flight (rdu to lis), so I’d say that’s a good price. I watched prices for a while as well.