business travel from uk to usa

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B-1 Temporary Business Visitor

You may be eligible for a B-1 visa if you will be participating in business activities of a commercial or professional nature in the United States, including, but not limited to:

• Consulting with business associates
• Traveling for a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or a conference on specific dates
• Settling an estate
• Negotiating a contract
• Participating in short-term training
• Transiting through the United States: certain persons may transit the United States with a B-1 visa
• Deadheading: certain air crewmen may enter the United States as deadhead crew with a B-1 visa

You must demonstrate the following in order to be eligible for a B-1 visa:

• The purpose of your trip is to enter the United States for business of a legitimate nature
• You plan to remain for a specific limited period of time
• You have sufficient funds to cover the expenses of the trip and your stay in the United States
• You have a residence outside the United States that you have no intention of abandoning, as well as other binding ties that will ensure your return abroad at the end of the visit
• You are otherwise admissible to the United States

For information on applying for a B-1 visa, see the “Department of State” link.

Noncitizens seeking a B-1 visa from certain countries may be able to enter the United States without a visa. For information about exemptions from the visa requirements, see the Customs & Border Protection page.

If you are in the United States in another valid nonimmigrant status, you may be eligible to change to B-1 status. To change to B-1 status, file a Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status . For more information, see the Change my Nonimmigrant Status  page.

At the port of entry, an immigration official must authorize your admission to the United States, and, if you are eligible for admission, you may be admitted initially for the period necessary to carry out your business activities, up to a maximum period of 1 year. If you who wish to stay beyond the time indicated on the Form I-94 without departing from the United States, you must file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and submit any required supporting documents to USCIS. For more information, see the  Extend my Stay  page.

Your spouse and children are not eligible for a dependent visa. Each of your dependents who will be accompanying or following to join you must apply separately for a B-2 visa and must follow the regulations for that visa.

Certain personal or domestic servants accompanying or following to join individuals in a B, E, F, H, I, J, L, or TN nonimmigrant classification, personal or domestic servants of U.S. citizens who have a permanent home or are stationed in a foreign country, as well as certain employees of foreign airlines, may be eligible for B-1 nonimmigrant status if their activities in the United States are in connection with their foreign employment. Such activities are not considered, for purposes of the B-1 classification, to be prohibited local “employment” or “labor for hire” within the United States.

While these B-1 nonimmigrants are not required to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS before engaging in their approved B-1 activities, they may still receive an EAD upon request by filing Form I-765. Note, however, that if such persons engage in activities outside their B-1 nonimmigrant status, such as working for another employer in the United States, they will be found to have violated their B-1 nonimmigrant status. They also may not remain in the United States for longer than the authorized period of stay in B-1 nonimmigrant status.

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Business Customs

UK business customs are similar to those in the United States. The UK is a diverse and multi-ethnic society.

Some fundamental cultural differences between the U.S. and the UK remain. Variations in pace and style may be most noticeable, and sustained personal contact with potential business partners is expected. Prompt acknowledgment of correspondence, longer lead time for appointments, adherence to appointment schedules and greater formality in the conduct of business is the norm.

British executives typically communicate by phone and e-mail. The British are less likely to seek legal advice and guidance than their U.S. counterparts, although a litigation culture is developing along the lines of the U.S. model – i.e., no win, no fee cases have recently been permitted.

Travel Advisory

The State Department’s Consular Information Sheet for the United Kingdom provides information for travel to the United Kingdom. The State Department’s Travel Alerts provides information on travel warnings .

The U.S. Embassy London website has information for both U.S. visitors to the UK and for UK citizens seeking to travel to the United States.

Visa Requirements

UK Visa Information can be found on the UK Visas and Immigration website, as well as the British Embassy in Washington website.

The UK uses electronic gates at the border for UK citizens, EEA nationals, and citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.

For nationalities not already using the e-gates upon entry, Registered Traveler is a fee-based service to expedite entry into the UK.

U.S. Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States are advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should go to the following link(s): State Department Visa Website .

The local currency of the United Kingdom is the Pound Sterling (£, GBP). Visa and Mastercard are accepted widely throughout the UK, while American Express is only accepted in the major cities. Many businesses in the UK’s major cities are now cashless and accept contactless credit card payments. 

LINK is the primary ATM network in the UK and most ATMs offer free cash withdrawals, although foreign withdrawal fees may apply. In major cities, ATMs from US banks can be found.  Traveler’s checks may not be used in lieu of local currency and must be exchanged for cash at a bank before use.

Telecommunications/Electronics

Wireless internet connection is widely available across the UK in hotels, cafes/restaurants, and transportation hubs. Internet Service Providers also provide wireless connection in public areas for a small fee. 

Most U.S. cell phone carriers offer international plans that extend to the UK. Alternatively, SIM cards can be purchased at all major transportation hubs in the country. The UK power socket differs from that of the U.S. in both voltage and shape, with  the U.S. operating on a 120V supply voltage and the UK outlets provide a 240V. Depending on the U.S. appliance or electrical item voltage limit, either a plug adaptor will be required (for appliances capable of 110-240V) or a step-down Transformer (for items only capable of 110V).

Transportation

The UK is easily accessible from most major airports in the United States and Europe. The UK’s main access points are its airports in London (LHR, LGW, STN, LTN), Manchester (MAN), Edinburgh (EDI), Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS), Glasgow (GLA), and Belfast (BFS). The UK can also be entered from Europe via train using the Eurostar high-speed rail service, which stops in London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet, and Ashford. It is also possible to drive from France to the United Kingdom via the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle.

Within the UK, there are several viable public transportation options, including the National Rail system, buses, and city specific railways. Taxi and car services are also available in major cities. 

The UK does not have an official language. Welsh is however the official language of Wales. English is the de facto language of the UK and is its primary business language. Please note that British English does differ from American English in both spelling and vocabulary. 

The UK is home to the National Health Service, which is a publicly funded healthcare system. While the NHS remains free for ordinary residents, travelers may be charged for using NHS services. Please consult the Department of Health and Social Care’s guidance for overseas visitors . UK private healthcare is alternatively available for those who wish to take out a private plan with an international provider. Overall, both countries have similar world class health outcomes.

Consult the Center for Disease Control Notice for Travel in the United Kingdom for information on recommended vaccinations and the current public health status of the UK. 

Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays

From the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March, the UK follows Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). During the other half of the year, the UK uses British Summer Time. Both time systems are 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Note that the UK typically uses a 24-hour clock instead of the 12-hour clock used in the U.S. 

Business hours in the UK generally run from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The UK celebrates several Bank Holidays each year. The name and date of each holiday can be found on the government’s Bank Holiday website. In addition to these official holidays, some UK businesses close for extended periods during July and August as many UK workers take time off during this time. 

Temporary Entry and Personal Belongings

A government-issued passport is needed when entering the UK. You may also need to declare certain goods upon entry into the UK. Please see the governments advise on Entering the UK for more information.

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Warnings and insurance

This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you: 

• women travellers
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• volunteering and adventure travel

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and  get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

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The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out  more about  FCDO  travel advice .

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Business-class battle: The best lie-flats between the US and London

International airlines are facing some stiff competition on bread-and-butter routes between the U.S. and London.

JetBlue recently began offering regular service between New York-JFK and London Heathrow (LHR), with flights between New York and London's Gatwick Airport (LGW) launching soon, followed by Boston (BOS)-London in 2022.

With fares of around $2,000 round-trip, the new addition has already begun to have a chilling effect on transatlantic airfares, which often peaked well above $6,000 in the business-heavy New York-London market.

Now, with JetBlue setting a new fare floor while offering a fantastic redesigned suite , airlines are competing on price and product. So, which lie-flat reigns supreme? Let's take a look at what's flying between the U.S. and London to find out.

Flights to London

London is connected to cities all across the U.S., but no market is nearly as saturated as New York, which often offers some 25 daily flights in each direction.

Before we dig in, it's important to note that London is primarily served by five airports:

• Heathrow (LHR): London's largest and best-known hub handles the vast majority of U.S. and other intercontinental flights
• Gatwick (LGW): The city's second-largest airport primarily facilitates leisure traffic
• Luton (LTN): Far out in the suburbs, Luton is an ultra-low-cost carrier hub
• Stansted (STN): Ryanair and other low-cost Europe flights, plus a small number of long-hauls
• City (LCY): The smallest and most convenient of the group, City was long connected with New York-JFK via a small Airbus A318 that British Airways retired during the pandemic

Most U.S. flights arrive at Heathrow, but with tight slot controls, it's not easy for carriers to add new service. JetBlue has secured temporary slots, and hopes to make its residency permanent soon.

If you're traveling to London, you'll most likely land at Heathrow — in fact, you can currently fly there nonstop from more than two dozen U.S. cities, or you will be able to soon.

The airlines offering nonstop service to Heathrow now and/or later in 2021 include:

• American Airlines: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, Seattle
• British Airways: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Washington
• Delta: Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Seattle
• JetBlue: New York
• United: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington
• Virgin Atlantic: Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington

New York is the only city to have nonstop flights operated by all six airlines, though United has announced plans to add LHR flights from Boston — as has JetBlue, in 2022.

Beginning Sept. 29, 2021, JetBlue will offer the only service between New York City and Gatwick Airport — also with the carrier's new Mint business class, on the Airbus A321LR.

British Airways operates a very small number of leisure flights between the U.S. and Gatwick, including seasonal service to Las Vegas (LAS) and Orlando (MCO), which the airline serves year-round from Heathrow.

TUI also has a seasonal flight between Gatwick and the Orlando area, flying from Sanford (SFB) for the time being, before moving to Melbourne (MLB) next year. TUI doesn't offer a lie-flat product, however, so you won't see it appear on this particular list.

Making your pick

If you have a strong preference for Gatwick — perhaps to connect to a low-cost-carrier flight booked on a separate itinerary — JetBlue's JFK flight could be especially appealing. For most U.K.-bound travelers, however, Heathrow is the best option, thanks to its sheer volume of nonstop flights.

For anyone who frequents TPG, there's a good chance you'll be booking your flight with miles, or at least considering your options there. As exciting as it may be to try a new product, even a relatively low $2,000 fare may seem unappealing if you're sitting on a stash of United miles and can fly Polaris to and from London for 120,000 miles round-trip.

Related: The best ways to travel to Europe using points and miles

Business travelers and anyone booking a cash ticket are more likely to prioritize flight timing, trip duration and the onboard product, though. Especially if you're deciding between all six carriers, this is the list for you.

American, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, United and Virgin Atlantic are all flying their latest lie-flat products to London — while you may see older seats mixed in, for the purposes of this guide, I'm focusing on each airline's best. Following JetBlue's industry-leading introduction to the transatlantic market, here's where we currently stand.

1. JetBlue Mint

JetBlue is the latest airline to offer flights across the pond, but even though Mint's a fresh addition, it quickly unseated the competition .

The airline is currently flying its brand-new Airbus A321LR between New York and London, with Boston service launching in 2022. While the A321LR is a narrow-body plane, with a single aisle, it sports Airbus' Airspace cabin, which feels especially spacious and fresh, with extra privacy at the front of the plane.

JetBlue's latest Mint cabin is onboard, arranged in a 1-1 configuration with a total of 24 suites. The first two rows are branded as studios and carry a $300 upgrade premium, with extra space, larger screens and pajamas. The remaining 22 suites are still especially comfortable, though. Each offers a sliding door, a high-end entertainment system and a Tuft & Needle mattress embedded within each seat.

The onboard service and catering is exceptional, too. JetBlue created the menu in partnership with New York City-based Delicious Hospitality Group (DHG), with meals catered by Do & Co. Most of the dishes I ate were absolutely restaurant quality — among the very best I've had on a plane.

Still, Mint isn't perfect. Notably, JetBlue is the only carrier on this list to exclude lounge access, but the airline's onboard product is so strong that we're willing to make do with a subpar offering on the ground. Also, while the airline doesn't offer a lounge at JFK, it's possible that JetBlue could contract with third-party locations in London, giving business passengers a posh alternative to the departure gate ahead of their return flight to the U.S.

What we love: Restaurant-quality meals, attractive fares, outstanding service, comfortable bed and bedding, a sliding door at every seat

Where it's flying: New York currently, Boston flights launching in 2022

Lowest redemption rate: 160,000 TrueBlue points round-trip (plus $300 in taxes)

2. Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Suite

Compared with the legacy carriers on this list, Virgin Atlantic is especially small, but this U.K.-based airline really packs a punch. The carrier's "Clubhouse" lounges are truly exceptional, and the new Airbus A350-1000 offers flyers a big step up across the plane.

This is the first aircraft type to offer the airline's Upper Class Suite , a 1-2-1 lie-flat business-class product with a sliding door at every seat. While we found the door to be a bit less practical than we had initially hoped — it's more of a slide-out panel than a proper door — the overall product is a big step up, landing it an excellent 87% score from TPG . The big downside here is that the suite is only flying on Virgin's A350s, and, so far, the carrier has just seven of the planes in its fleet.

That said, it's a fairly easy ticket to land — Virgin Atlantic offers some of the best award availability we've seen across the pond, with low-level redemptions available on many routes and dates. Just be warned: As with British Airways, redemptions come with sky-high surcharges, totaling $750 (or more!) each way.

What we love: Exceptional ground experience and Clubhouse lounges, great food and drinks, comfy mattress pad, onboard lounge, arrivals lounge at LHR (temporarily closed)

Where it's flying: Los Angeles and New York, with more routes likely to be added soon

Lowest redemption rate: 47,500 Virgin points each way (plus $750+ in surcharges)

3. British Airways Club Suite

British Airways was one of the first global carriers to offer a lie-flat seat in business class — on many planes, that same product is still flying today. With a 2-4-2 configuration and a mix of forward- and rear-facing seats, it can be cramped and even a bit awkward, with some passengers within line of sight of a neighbor.

Club Suite helps minimize both concerns. Laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration, there's a sliding door, like on Virgin Atlantic, but it's a bit too short to be completely effective — TPG's Ben Smithson even described it as "fairly pointless" in his review . Still, he really enjoyed the product overall, especially when it was time to get some shuteye, saying it was "one of the better flat beds" he's experienced.

For now, Club Suite is available on all of BA's Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing 787-10s, along with roughly 20 Boeing 777-200ERs and 777-300ERs. More 777s are due to be updated by the end of 2021, and the rest of the carrier's 787 Dreamliners could score the new suites in the years to come. A handful of the airline's suite-equipped planes remain grounded during the pandemic. While the product is only available on a half-dozen U.S. routes right now, it could be added to more soon.

What we love: Great lounge at JFK (temporarily closed), decent space and storage, sliding door, excellent White Company bedding, arrivals lounge at LHR (temporarily closed)

Where it's flying: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Lowest redemption rate: 50,000 Avios each way (plus $750+ in surcharges)

4. United Polaris

If there's an award for "most improved," it would almost certainly go to United Airlines. Before its fleet-wide Polaris rollout, one version of the carrier's long-haul business class was such a disaster that it was often referred to as " dorm-style ." Yikes!

With a 1-2-1 configuration and stylish design, United Polaris offers flyers loads more personal space — and looks good doing it, too. On the amenity front, the airline partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue on some top-notch bedding and rolled out high-end Polaris Lounges at most major hubs, from Newark to San Francisco .

While you'll still find an older version of the airline's business class on a very small number of London-bound flights, those planes are in the process of being updated, and most should be done by the end of this year. To make sure you're getting the best product, look for either a 1-2-1 or 1-1-1 seating arrangement, on the 777/787 and 767, respectively.

What we love: Consistent seat across updated aircraft, comfy Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, excellent Polaris Lounges (temporarily closed), arrivals lounge at LHR (temporarily closed)

Where it's flying: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington

Lowest redemption rate: 60,000 MileagePlus miles each way (plus $340 in taxes for flights departing London)

5. American Airlines Flagship business

When I first flew on American's 777-300ER to London, back in the summer of 2015, it easily would have topped my list of best products across the pond. The 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone seating arrangement is still competitive, and spacious, but as the first carrier to roll out major international upgrades, AA has since fallen a bit behind.

Personally, I prefer the product on American's flagship 777-300ER, but the airline flies a mix of planes (and seats) to London — all of which are more than adequate for the hop across the pond. Still, while AA's Casper bedding is top-notch, a combination of the airline's sub-par catering, lackluster service and less consistency among its updated international fleet lands American one spot shy of the bottom of our list.

Note that both AA and British Airways also offer first-class products on select flights between the U.S. and London, however you'll typically pay considerably more for a seat that's just barely a step above what you'll find in business class.

What we love: You'll fly on a large Boeing 777 or Dreamliner, Flagship Lounge access, Casper bedding, Bang & Olufsen headphones, arrivals lounge at LHR (temporarily closed)

Where it's flying: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, Seattle

Lowest redemption rate: 57,500 AAdvantage miles each way (plus $340 in taxes for flights departing London)

6. Delta One

The airline's flagship Delta One Suite would arguably be the most appealing product on this list. Problem is, while it's available on the airline's flights between Atlanta (ATL) and Amsterdam (AMS) and Paris (CDG), you won't find it on flights to London — at least not right now.

What you can fly is an updated version of Delta's 767 business class , which — while a massive improvement from the older seat — isn't spacious or private enough to land a spot any higher here. That said, actually redeeming miles for a flight in our lowest-ranked product is easier said than done — redemption rates are obnoxiously high, consistently priced at 320,000 SkyMiles and up.

Notably, unlike with the Delta One Suites , the updated seats flying to London don't include doors. They're also considerably narrower than their A350 and A330neo counterparts, though they do offer a similar aesthetic. While substitutions are always possible, you can generally confirm which cabin you'll have before you book. The latest version of the Delta One seat is currently available on select Boeing 767-400ERs — specifically, you're looking for the version with a total of nine rows of business seats, rather than 10.

What we love: Updated cabins, high-quality food and drinks, Westin bedding, Tumi amenity kits, access to Virgin's arrivals lounge at LHR (temporarily closed)

Where it's flying: Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Seattle

Lowest redemption rate: 285,000 SkyMiles each way, but most flights start at 320,000 (plus $340 in taxes for flights departing London)

Bottom line

American, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, United and Virgin Atlantic have all invested considerable sums in their international products, and it really shows. While the experience can definitely vary from one airline to the next, no matter which you choose, you can expect to get a filling meal, reliable service and a comfy lie-flat seat.

With a brand-new business seat and elevated soft product , JetBlue has managed to unseat our former top contender, Virgin Atlantic, which remains a fantastic pick for transatlantic travel.

Still, if JetBlue's new flights aren't convenient or you'd rather earn or redeem another airline's points, I wouldn't sweat it — no matter which carrier you choose, you'll be in for a transatlantic treat.

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Rules for travelling to the USA from the UK explained: tests, vaccines and more

The US eased travel restrictions for visitors from the UK in November 2021, with rules around testing eased in June 2022. Find out what all this means for your trip.

Can I travel to the USA?

Yes. Since November 2021, international travellers from the UK have been able to visit the USA. Between November 2021 and May 2023, this was on the condition that travellers were fully vaccinated. We were on the first flight out in early November 2021, so have first-hand experience of the process.

What Covid tests do I need to travel to the USA?

As of June 2022, the requirement for air travellers to show proof of a negative test to enter the USA has been dropped.

"We are able to take this step because of the tremendous progress we've made in our fight against the virus. We have made lifesaving vaccines and treatments widely available and these tools are working to prevent serious illness and death, and are effective against the prevalent variants circulating in the US and around the world," a senior official said in a statement.

Do I need to be vaccinated to go to the USA?

At the time of writing (2 May 2023), yes – most international air travellers need to show proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the USA. Any vaccine approved for use by the World Health Organisation or by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be accepted, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and others. The final vaccine dose must have been administered at least 14 days before travelling.

From 11 May 2023, the US will end the vaccination requirements for interntational travellers. This is when the coronavirus public health emergency ends.

Can unvaccinated people travel to the USA?

Until 11 May, to enter the USA unvaccinated you must have been granted an exception or be a US Citizen, US National, or US Lawful Permanent Resident. You can find out if you qualify as an exception to the rules by reading the list outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

After 11 May, you don't need to be vaccinated to travel to the USA.

Do I need to wear a face mask in the USA?

Rules on wearing masks differ in each state and in different settings, so it's important to check before you travel, however there are currently no states requiring people to wear masks in public spaces. You may be required to wear a mask in certain settings, such as healthcare facilities.

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Crossing the Atlantic with Business Class Flights to the USA

As one of the largest countries in the world, the United States of America offers visitors a large range of sights, activities and reasons to visit, and with flight times from the UK starting at around 7 hours and going up from there it makes sense to organise business class flights to the USA.

From business meetings in New York or Chicago, family holidays to Disneyland in Los Angeles or Orlando, and road trips along Highway 1 or Route 66, this vast country has something for everyone. Ensure you arrive refreshed for your meeting or relaxed for your holiday by flying business class to the United States and make the most of the facilities including lounge access, a-la-carte dining and fully flat beds.

Business Class Flights to The USA

• Business class flights from £1,574
• First class flights from £2,395

The USA, America, The United States, or the US; no matter what you call the 3rd largest country in the world, it has drawn the British people to it for over 300 years. Whether a first-time visitor wanting the family-friendly beaches and theme-parks of California and Florida, to a business conference in the cities of New York, Las Vegas, or Atlanta, or the outstanding natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Northwest, or Hawaii, this diverse country ticks all the boxes!

Along with the distinct regions comes a blend of cultures that have shaped the cuisine in America. No trip would be complete without a bagel from New York, a slice of pizza from Chicago, gumbo from New Orleans, or steak from Texas!

From luxury holidays to self-drive adventures; from shopping weekends in world-famous cities to horse riding on the wide-open plains; no matter the reason for wanting to visit, our specialists will find you the cheapest business class flights to America so that the journey is just as enjoyable as the destination.

Guide to The USA’s Regions

America spans six time zones from the Eastern Seaboard to Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean, so being able to know what you are looking to experience on your holiday will help you make the most of this trip of a lifetime. Our team are experts in luxury holidays and will help tailor the trip specifically to your needs.

Northeastern America

With some of the country’s most visited destinations, the northeast region of the USA is famous throughout the world.

Cities such as New York , Washington D.C. , Philadelphia , and Baltimore have all grown so large that they feel like one very large metropolis. With famous movie and TV sites in abundance, famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, and the White House, and world-class boutique shops, restaurants, and business venues, it’s hard to look past this region.

Connected by fantastic rail links, New England and the historic city of Boston is a favourite amongst those looking to experience some gentle outdoors. The Autumn foliage that usually shows in late September to late October is an annual attraction that has people flocking from the world over. As well as this, the coastline from Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, all the way up to the seaports of Maine, offer fantastic world-renowned seafood dishes.

Not to be missed on any northeast USA itinerary, a visit to the majestic Niagara Falls with a ride on the Maid of the Mist will provide memories to last a lifetime!

Southeast America

Warm tropical beaches, a fusion of cultures and cuisine, and the Kennedy Space Center ; Florida and The Keys is a destination that has something for everyone! Take a self-drive holiday from Miami down to Key West on the Overseas highway, crossing 42 bridges over sparkling blue water, create memories for the family at Disneyland or Universal Studios in Orlando , or tour the alligator infested waterways of the Everglades on an airboat, this corner of America contains some of the most diverse activities possible for intrepid travellers.

With cheap business class flights available to many world-class cities such as Miami, Tampa , and Orlando, planning your luxury holiday to the southeast region of the USA has never been better.

To the west of Florida, and creating the divide between the East and the West, the Mississippi River is of enormous importance to The United States, opening into the Gulf of Mexico at the city of New Orleans . This major artery has created a vibrant and diverse city with a blend of food and cultures that has become world-renowned. Music flows from all corners of the city, with a concentration in the French Quarter of bold, brassy jazz amongst the historic buildings.

The region known as The Deep South encompasses the states of Georgia and South Carolina and provides a holiday steeped in history. The business city of Atlanta is in stark contrast to the opulent plantation houses in the countryside, while the tree-lined streets of Savannah and the cobbled streets of Charleston can create an amazing self-drive adventure in the region.

Central America

The southern half of Central America is home to a diverse mix of landscapes. From the arid plains of Texas to the rugged mountains of Colorado, the region is known for its natural beauty.

Using Las Vegas or Phoenix as an arrival point for some of the most recognisable sights in the world, a self-drive luxury holiday to the United States can take in the Grand Canyon, the red cliffs of Sedona, the sandstone marvel of Antelope Canyon, and the unmistakable national parks of Zion and Bryce Canyon. Denver offers a gateway into the snowfields of Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge, as well as an extended trip to include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mesa Verde and Arches National Park.

The wild expanses of The Rockies in the states of Montana and Wyoming offer stunning natural vistas in spades! Whether driving the Going To The Sun road in Glacier National Park, taking in the bison and elk roaming in Grand Teton National Park, or seeing Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, this rugged and remote region can provide outstanding holidays for those looking for a different natural experience.

Western America

The sunny state of California holds a lot of draw cards for holidaymakers. With sandy beaches and world-class restaurants and accommodation in San Diego , Los Angeles , and San Francisco , travellers can see some of America’s big ticket items such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Santa Monica Pier, and Hollywood, all in a relatively short time.

A self-drive holiday along Highway 1 can take in the seaside towns of Santa Barbara and Monterey, and has been voted one of the best coastal drives in the world! Alternatively, the National Parks of Yosemite and Sequoia in the Sierra Nevada Mountains keep nature lovers happy with ample walking and activities available.

Oregon and Washington States, known as The Pacific Northwest, are often overlooked as destinations, but for those looking for vibrant cities paired with fantastic coastal scenery and amazing mountain vistas, the region is hard to beat!

Portland in Oregon is an alternative city with a focus on amazing food, coffee, and drinks scene; while Seattle operates with a unique music culture and has excellent opportunities see wildlife on both land and in the water. A self-drive luxury holiday provides travellers with a wealth of natural attractions, with highlights including Mount St Helens, Olympic National Park, Columbia River Gorge, Cannon Beach, and Crater Lake National Park.

Alaska & Hawaii

The wild and extreme expanses of Alaska are home to a myriad of distinct areas, but for most the best way to view this state is from a cruise up the Inside Passage from Vancouver , Canada to Anchorage, Alaska. Winding through fjords with whales, orcas, and several species of marine life along the journey, an Alaskan cruise is a fantastic way to view the state in comfort.

The islands of Hawaii to the west of continental USA can be as relaxing or adventurous as a traveller wants. With palm tree-lined beaches, tropical rainforests, active volcanoes, and a distinct culture, Hawaii makes for a fantastic escape. Those looking for resorts providing everything at their fingertips should look no further than Honolulu on Oahu with its spectacular surfing beaches and the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbour, while travellers looking for a little more nature and relaxation will prefer Maui for its vegetation, Big Island for its volcanoes, or Kauai, the location for the Jurassic Park movies!

The Benefits of Business Class Flights to the USA

Aside from the fantastic business class lounge access with complimentary food, beverages, and wi-fi, or the restaurant-quality cuisine served in your spacious and comfortable seat onboard, the benefits of business class flights to the USA are less tangible… but even more important.

The smaller cabin size, dedicated check-in counters, priority boarding, and fast-track security all mean one thing – service. With the additional service levels comes a more personalised experience and a more comfortable and less stressful journey. This makes even more sense if you are visiting the United States for only a few days on business and want it to run efficiently so as to make the most of your time.

With an almost guaranteed overnight flight back from the USA to the UK, the ability to recline your seat into a fully flat bed where you can stretch out for a decent night’s sleep ensures that your return flight is just as relaxing as the initial flight… if not more. And with your final memory of your trip as the gourmet breakfast and hot shower available in the Arrivals Lounge at selected airports, the benefits of flying business class to the USA are evident even after landing.

The Best Deals on Business Class Flights to the USA

Whether travelling to the USA for one week, one month, or an extended holiday, the specialists at Just Fly Business can help plan your dream itinerary. From visiting family or business associates to tailormade itineraries and family holidays, the knowledgeable team can make expert recommendations while providing fantastic value.

Our specially contracted rates mean we can offer the best deals on business class flights to the USA, so give us a call today on 020 8417 1366 and see how much we can save you for your trip.

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Flights to USA

An adventure for every kind of traveller

New York flights from

£ 395

Los Angeles flights from

£ 474

San Francisco flights from

£ 475

• Premium Economy
• Business/Club

Young adults

12 to 15 years

2 to 11 years

Under 2 years

2 to 17 years

Book flights to the USA

The United States of America needs no introduction. From the west coast’s towering Redwoods and glamorous beaches to the east coast’s famous skyscrapers and historic landmarks, every trip uncovers something new. Discover culturally diverse cities, iconic film locations and national parks teeming with natural beauty.

Fly to the USA with British Airways and tick off all the country’s unmissable experiences. Grab a warm drink at a New York coffee shop on a blustery autumn day, or ride the biggest roller coaster at one of Orlando’s sprawling theme parks. You can spot your favourite celebrity’s name on Los Angeles’ famous Hollywood Boulevard, or tuck into the all-you-can-eat buffets on the Las Vegas strip. There’s history around every corner on Boston’s leafy streets, while Miami’s beach scene and Latin influences make for a laid-back break. All you have to decide is where to go first. Book your holiday to the USA today.

Our cheapest return flights to the USA

• Jul 2024 £ 1057 Find  
• Aug 2024 £ 509 Find  
• Sep 2024 £ 403 Find  
• Oct 2024 £ 406 Find  
• Nov 2024 £ 400 Find  
• Dec 2024 £ 403 Find  
• Jan 2025 £ 424 Find  
• Feb 2025 £ 397 Find  
• Mar 2025 £ 395 Find  
• Apr 2025 £ 397 Find  
• May 2025 £ 397 Find  
• Jun 2025 £ 467 Find  

How many passengers? Explanation of 'young adults'.

Usa flight faqs, how long is a flight to the usa.

Your flight time to the USA from London depends on your destination. Jetting off to Los Angeles on the west coast can take over 11 hours, while you'll be in the air for eight to nine hours on a flight to New York or Florida. Flight times to the central states will sit somewhere in between.

Which airports does British Airways fly to the USA from?

We fly to the USA from London Heathrow and London Gatwick.

What's the cheapest month to fly to the USA?

Use our low fare finder to discover the cheapest time to visit the USA. You might find it’s cheaper to visit one state during the summer, and another during the winter – it depends on what’s going on there. New York is a popular spot for a Christmas city break, while Orlando’s prices often drop in late August and early September.

When's the best time to visit the USA?

The best time to visit depends on where you want to go. Try Los Angeles in the spring if you want to avoid the sweltering heat of summer. Don’t miss Boston in the autumn – its bright foliage is made for social media. Visit at Halloween and take a trip to nearby Salem, all dressed up for spooky season. Miami is ideal for a winter break, as the weather is pleasant and less humid than in the summer.

Is the USA cheap to visit?

You can make your trip to the USA fit your budget with a little pre-planning. There are lots of affordable hotel chains across the country, and prices are often cheaper if you choose to stay outside city centres. Portion sizes at restaurants are famously large, so you can easily split dishes and reduce the cost of meals. Or, make sure you’ve got a hotel room with a fridge – you can save half of your dinner for the next day. Beer is often a cheaper option at bars than wine or spirits, and public transport in cities will save you a few dollars.

Is it easy to get around the USA?

It's possible to travel from coast to coast in the USA on the Amtrak train. In some regions you'll find several places worth visiting that are a short road trip away from each other. You can rent a car and drive from New York City to the capital, Washington DC, in four hours, and tick off several states on the way.

Why visit the USA?

There really is something for everyone on a trip to the USA. You can kayak through national parks spotting wild animals in Yosemite, restock your wardrobe in Dallas’ huge shopping malls or marvel at historic sites in Massachusetts. Just decide on the kind of getaway you want – and with a little planning, you can do it all before you fly home.

Why fly British Airways?

With outstanding service starting the minute you book, you can choose to fly with hand baggage only or pick a price including a 23kg checked baggage allowance and free seat selection 24 hours before you fly. On board our planes, you’ll find HEPA-filtered air, quality catering and a warm, uniquely British welcome. Sit back, relax and let us take care of you every step of the way.

New York flights

• Flights to New York

From £395 return

from London , Mar 2025

New York: Highlights

• Make the most of the city’s skyscrapers with a visit to the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center.
• Walk across the iconic Brooklyn bridge and snap pictures of the quaint brownstones lining this borough’s streets.
• Stroll around Central Park and keep an eye out for the statues dedicated to the likes of Shakespeare and Beethoven.

Orlando: Highlights

• Let the wand choose the wizard in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios.
• Work on your golf swing at one of Orlando’s many golf courses.
• Hop in a rental car and visit the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, just an hour from the city.

Orlando flights

Flights to Orlando

From £451 return

from London , Jan 2025

Miami flights

Flights to Miami

From £470 return

from London , Apr 2025

Miami: Highlights

• Build sandcastles on the legendary Miami Beach while enjoying great views of the city’s skyline.
• Climb into an airboat and zoom across the swampy Everglades, keeping watch for alligators.
• Join a tour of the Art Deco District to learn about the city’s architecture and street art.

Los Angeles: Highlights

• Hike up to the Griffith Observatory for panoramic views of Los Angeles and a close-up of the Hollywood sign.
• Grab a bite to eat at Santa Monica Pier, the official end of Route 66. It’s marked with a plaque naming it the ‘end of the trail’.
• Take a tour through Beverly Hills to see the homes of the rich and famous, including Madonna and Halle Berry.

Los Angeles flights

• Flights to Los Angeles

From £474 return

Las Vegas flights

• Flights to Las Vegas

From £591 return

Las Vegas: Highlights

• Try and win your fortune on the slot machines in the casinos. Don’t miss Caesars Palace for a taste of the Vegas of the past.
• Catch the Bellagio’s fountains dancing after dark. The show starts every 15 minutes in the evening.
• Drive out of the city to see the unforgettable Grand Canyon in all its glory.

Boston : Highlights

• See 16 of Boston’s historical highlights on the Freedom Trail. Join an official walking tour for facts on all the stops.
• Embrace the American pastime of baseball by seeing the Boston Red Sox play on their home turf at Fenway Park.
• Pick up souvenirs – and lunch – at the city’s best markets, where street performers put on shows to entertain shoppers.

Boston flights

Flights to Boston

From £424 return

from London , Nov 2024

USA Travel Essentials

Flight time.

GMT -4 to -10

Visa requirements

British passport holders don’t need a specific visa to enter the United States thanks to the Visa Waiver Program. However, you do need an ESTA which permits travel for 90 days or less. You can find out more information at the IATA Travel Centre .

Baggage essentials

Economy (Euro Traveller) customers who have purchased a flight that includes checked baggage can check in one bag weighing up to 23kg. Business (Club Europe) customers can check in two 32kg bags. Families travelling in either cabin with young children can also check in one collapsible push chair and one car seat.

Travel classes

Choose economy (World Traveller) for great value fares and family-friendly service, or opt for premium economy (World Traveller Plus) to land a wider seat, longer legroom and priority boarding with an extra checked bag. Business (Club World)) allows you to work or relax in style with lounge access and fully flat beds, or indulge with First class for the most exceptional comfort and fine dining in your own private suite.

You might also be interested in...

• Flights to California
• Flights to Cincinnati
• Flights to Denver
• Flights to Phoenix
• Flights to San Francisco
• Flights to San Jose

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Discover a land of lobsters and lighthouses in the summer or autumnal forests in the fall

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Global tech outage hits airlines, banks, health care and public transit

In the u.s., hundreds of flights were canceled friday morning and some public transit systems reported impacts..

A defective update from U.S. cybersecurity software company CrowdStrike crashed Microsoft Windows systems around the globe Friday . The tech outage disrupted operations across industries such as banks, hospitals and 911 call centers, plus grounded flights and hampered public transit systems and. Although a fix was deployed to restore most systems by the afternoon to return to normal, ripple effects may be felt throughout the weekend, experts warn. 

CrowdStrike , which advertises being used by over half of Fortune 500 companies, said one of its recent content updates had a defect that impacted Microsoft's Windows Operating System, adding the incident was "not a security incident or cyberattack."

"Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement on Friday afternoon. "We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery."

The company's CEO, George Kurtz, apologized for the disruptions in a post on X, noting the issue has been identified and isolated and a fix has been deployed. CrowdStrike is "working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on." Meanwhile, Microsoft said, "the underlying cause has been fixed" and impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services have been recovered, though the company continues to monitor the issue.

Kurtz went on to warn in his statement, "We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that you’re engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives."

In the U.S., thousands of flights were canceled Friday morning . American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were among those who grounded flights less than an hour after Microsoft said it resolved a cloud-services-related outage that impacted several low-cost carriers.

“Every line is long,” said Chance Ortego, 31, whose flight to New York was canceled Friday morning.

Public transit systems in the U.S. also reported temporary impacts, but for the most part, trains and buses were running as scheduled. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C., said its "website and some of our internal systems are currently down," but trip-planning applications were later restored. In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority also said some of its MTA customer information systems were temporarily offline until around 5:30 p.m.

Around the world, the outages disrupted London's Stock Exchange, caused major train delays in the U.K., sent British broadcaster Sky News off air, forced medical facilities in Europe and the U.S. to cancel some services and caused disruptions at airports in Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong and India.

Widespread economic impact from the outage is expected to be small, even though many companies were still trying to resume full operations by the time the stock market closed.

Travel disruptions: Over 2,000 US flights canceled amid global IT outage

Developments:

◾ More than 5,000 flights were canceled globally as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern, about 4.6% of all scheduled commercial flights for the day, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

◾ Some U.S. border crossings saw impacts amid the outage: Traffic stalled on the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, Canada, as well as at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the Detroit Free Press reported . CBP One, the Customs and Border Patrol app, and the agency’s border wait times website, each appeared to experience outages.

◾ U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, in the wake of the outage. CrowdStrike shares closed down 11.1% at $304.96, with analysts predicting the outage would cost the company money to fix and restore trust with its customers. It was the lowest close for the shares since May 2. Microsoft shares fared better, closing down only 0.74% at $437.11.

◾ Krispy Kreme gave away free doughnuts  Friday due to the global tech outage.

◾ Some Starbucks locations were reportedly taking only cash Friday, and customers reported being unable to use the coffee chain's mobile app.

◾ Some had a sense of humor through it , with workers who had to muddle through expressing their wishes for a digital snow day from the office − "Knock Teams out" − as the outage didn't equate to a work stoppage for all.

◾ Dubai International Airport said on X it was operating normally following "a global system outage that affected the check-in process for some airlines." It added the affected airlines "promptly switched to an alternate system, allowing normal check-in operations to resume swiftly."

CrowdStrike impact: How a global IT outage unraveled the world's tech

How the CrowdStrike outage played out throughout the day:

Portland issues emergency declaration

Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration Friday over the tech outage, with a statement noting the outages are affecting city servers, employee computers and emergency communications.

Meanwhile, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management increased its state activation level from "normal" to "partial," citing the tech outage. A post on X says a "partial" activation is for incidents that require "significant monitoring or resources," with additional emergency operations staffing from other agencies, functions and supporting organizations.

- Bailey Schulz

What is CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike is a popular cybersecurity software company created in 2012 by CEO George Kurtz, along with Dmitri Alperovitch, and Gregg Marston.

According to its website, CrowdStrike has the "world's most advanced cloud-native platform that protects and enables the people, processes and technologies that drive modern enterprise."

Alperovitch, CrowdStrike's former Chief Technology Officer, is a member of the Biden administration's Homeland Security Advisory Council , which is meant to provide advice and expertise to support decision-making "across the spectrum of homeland security operations."

- Gabe Hauari , Bailey Schulz

What caused the CrowdStrike outage?

According to an alert sent by CrowdStrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the company's "Falcon Sensor" software caused Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the "Blue Screen of Death." 

Kurtz said "there was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts" but customers “remain fully protected,” according to a post on X . He also reiterated that Friday's outage "was not a security or cyber incident."

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, said she spoke to Kurtz Friday and confirmed the incident did not appear to be related to a cyber attack.

“At this point, we believe that it is an IT-related patch, an issue with that patch,” she said while speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. "I think they're determining what went wrong there."

‘I’m just hoping to make it onto a flight’

Chance Ortego had reached the finish line of a nearly two-week work trip when he saw the news all air travelers dread: his flight was delayed. 

Ortego was in the AirTrain en route to his flight from San Francisco International Airport when he heard other travelers discussing the outage. After checking the status of his 7:05 a.m. Delta Air Lines flight to New York – which was pushed back nearly three hours – he rebooked another flight at 9:15 a.m. 

He later learned his original flight had been canceled. Ortego was among the thousands of passengers around the world facing delays, cancellations and problems checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in a massive IT outage that grounded U.S. flights early Friday. 

“I was already planning to sleep,” said Ortego, who works in health care. “Now I'm just hoping to make it onto a flight.” 

Inside the airport, there was more chaos than a typical travel day as airlines recovered from the outage. Many screens were blank except for an error message and airport personnel made announcements directing questions about flights to airlines.

All U.S. airlines issued travel waivers for those affected to easily rebook their plans. Those who opted to cancel can rest easy knowing the Department of Transportation classified the cancellations and delays as controllable, thus airlines are responsible for upholding the commitments they've made to customers when it comes to policies like rebooking or hotel and meal vouchers as the mess gets sorted out. 

- Nathan Diller

Impact on the economy

The outage isn’t expected to have any effect on the broader economy unless it persists for days.

“At this point, the IT outage is more a nuisance than an economic event,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “If it drags on into early next week, the economic damage will begin to mount.”

If the outage is limited to a day or two, canceled flights can be rebooked and banking transactions can be completed later.

“There is plenty of time for activity to be recovered over the remainder of the month,” says Jonathan Miller, senior U.S. economist at Barclays.

- Paul Davidson

Outage impacts US public transit websites, ticketing

Major cities were generally able to keep trains and busses running, but tech issues have been causing problems with ticketing and other tech systems, leading to delays in some cases.

The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority reported website and other tech issues, but said trains and buses were running as scheduled.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City reported problems with "customer information systems" but said it's buses and trains were unaffected. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was not affected but urged riders who might be using public transit to any area airports to check with their airlines before traveling for updates.

New Jersey Transit said some of its ticketing machines may have been impacted but its buses and trains were, for the most part, running on time. Some trains were out of operation Friday due to repairs that had to be made because of the intense heat that blanketed the region all week.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday morning that commuter rail lines were affected, though it noted traffic is typically lighter on Fridays than other days. Delays on some lines were as long as 45 minutes, the Tribune reported. Chicago Transit bus and rail service was not affected but some CTA customers were unable to add value to their payment cards via the app or machines overnight, but the issue has been resolved.

Some transit systems, including Metro Transit in Minneapolis and Cincinnati Metro reported temporary disruptions to websites, trip planners, social media and other applications but no impact to its bus or trains.

- Phaedra Trethan

Despite summer break, schools disrupted by IT issues

The CrowdStrike outage crashed some computers at colleges Friday and hampered a popular software for enrolling students in K-12 schools for the fall.

The University of Rochester, a private school in New York, told students to keep rebooting their systems until the problem was fixed. The University of Alabama’s technology office said its campus computers using Microsoft Windows crashed. Rutgers University and the University of Kentucky also reported disruptions. 

Despite the summer break, K-12 schools in Maryland and Kansas said they were having problems with PowerSchool, a widely used software for grading and student enrollment. An update posted to the company’s webpage Friday morning said the outage was impacting all its major products, including its enrollment feature. 

- Zachary Schermele

911 call centers disrupted

State and local law enforcement agencies across the country reported disruptions to 911 services after the outage hit.

National reports of 911 outages peaked at more than 100 on Friday just before 3 a.m. according to Downdetector .

Agencies in at least seven states reported temporary outages, including the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office and Faribault Police Department in Minnesota, 911 systems New Hampshire , Fulton County, Indiana , and Middletown, Ohio . 

Non-emergency and 911 calls to multiple dispatch centers in Alaska "were not able to be answered" for around seven hours overnight, Austin McDaniel, communications director for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, told USA TODAY in an email.

"Dispatch centers switched to analog phone systems or to partner dispatch centers that were not impacted to continue taking calls," he wrote. Systems in the state were back up as of 4:23 a.m. local time.

The Phoenix Police Department was also impacted ‒ 911 call centers could take calls, but had to dispatch officers manually, the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported .

The Federal Communications Commission said in an email to USA TODAY that it was aware of reports of disruptions to 911.

"We’re closely working with other federal agencies to provide assistance and determine the extent of these service disruptions.”

- Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Biden briefed on global outage as federal agencies assess impacts

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the CrowdStrike outage and his team is in touch with the cybersecurity firm, as well as with impacted companies and agencies, according to the White House. Biden will receive "sector-by-sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed," the White House added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it is working to "fully assess and address system outages."

DHS added it's working alongside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as well as CrowdStrike, Microsoft and federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners to get a grasp on the incident and its impacts.

Over 2K US flights canceled amid outage

Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA said operations were no longer impacted as of 10:53 a.m. ET, but it continues to monitor the situation and warned the global IT issue could continue to affect flights this weekend.

There were more than 2,500 U.S. flights canceled and more than 7,900 delays as of 3:25 p.m. EDT, according to flight-tracking website  FlightAware .

Most airlines were able to resume operations as the morning progressed, but many said they expected disruptions to continue throughout the day.

Read more about the outage's travel impacts

Hospitals cancel nonemergency services

Hospitals across the U.S. and overseas were impacted by the outage, which forced some to cancel elective surgeries and halt visitations as well as outpatient services.

Mass General Brigham in Boston canceled previously scheduled nonurgent surgeries, procedures and medical visits, according to a statement sent to USA TODAY. In the same area, Tufts Medical Center told media outlet WHDH it’s still assessing the outage’s effect on clinical and surgical operations.

In Texas, Ben Taub Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital suspended "hospital visitation and patient information," citing a "Microsoft Windows failure," according to a statement from Harris Health System . Cincinnati Children's Hospital said many of its Microsoft-based computer systems are down because of the outage, which forced the hospital to cancel early morning appointments.

"We are in touch with the hospital field and the federal government and monitoring the situation closely to better understand its scope and impact," said John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national adviser for cybersecurity and risk. 

Two hospitals in northern German cities canceled elective operations scheduled for Friday but continued to provide patient care and emergency services.

Outages exposes fragility of internet infrastructure

While there were reports of companies gradually restoring their services, analysts weighed the potential of what one called the biggest-ever outage in the industry and the broader economy.

"This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core Internet infrastructure," Ciaran Martin, Professor at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre, told Reuters.

"IT security tools are all designed to ensure that companies can continue to operate in the worst-case scenario of a data breach, so to be the root cause of a global IT outage is an unmitigated disaster," said Ajay Unni, CEO of StickmanCyber, one of Australia's largest cybersecurity services companies.

Outages ripple far and wide

From the United Kingdom to Singapore, the effects of tech outages were far-reaching on Friday.

British broadcaster Sky News went off-air and train companies in the U.K. reported long delays. Departure boards at several U.K. airports appeared to freeze, according to passengers who posted reports on social media.

London's Stock Exchange reported experiencing disruptions. Some hospitals also reported difficulties processing appointments and several chain retail stores said they couldn't take payments. The soccer club Manchester United said on X that it had to postpone a scheduled release of tickets.

In Australia, media, banks and telecoms companies suffered outages.

There was no information to suggest the outage was a cybersecurity incident, the office of Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator Michelle McGuinness said in a post on X.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said some of its systems were offline due to a worldwide technical outage, but have since been restored. It said MTA train and bus services were unaffected.

Spanish authorities reported a "computer incident" at all its airports.

Berlin's main airport said check-ins were delayed because of a "technical fault."

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, warned passengers of potential disruptions which it said would affect "all airlines operating across the Network." It did not specify the nature of the disruptions.

There were reports a shipping terminal in Gdansk on Poland's Baltic coast was not operating normally.

NetBlocks, a digital-connectivity watchdog, said that the outage reported by global airlines, corporates and infrastructure services firms and others was having "minimal" impact on global Internet connectivity.

Contributing: Reuters

What we know about CrowdStrike’s update fail that’s causing global outages and travel chaos

A faulty software update issued by security giant CrowdStrike has resulted in a massive overnight outage that’s affected Windows computers around the world , disrupting businesses, airports, train stations, banks, broadcasters and the healthcare sector.

CrowdStrike said the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, but was the result of a “defect” in a software update for its flagship security product, Falcon Sensor. The defect caused any Windows computers that Falcon is installed on to crash without fully loading.

“The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” said CrowdStrike in a statement on Friday . Some businesses and organizations are beginning to recover, but many expect the outages to drag on into the weekend or next week given the complexity of the fix. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told NBC News that it may take “some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover.” In a later tweet , Kurtz apologized for the disruption.

Here’s everything you need to know about the outages.

What happened?

Late Thursday into Friday, reports began to emerge of IT problems wherein Windows computers were getting stuck with the infamous “blue screen of death” — a bright blue error screen with a message that displays when Windows encounters a critical failure, crashes or cannot load.

The outages were first noticed in Australia early on Friday, and reports quickly came in from the rest of Asia and Europe as the regions began their day, as well as the United States.

Within a short time, CrowdStrike confirmed that a software update for Falcon had malfunctioned and was causing Windows computers that had the software installed to crash. Falcon lets CrowdStrike remotely analyze and check for malicious threats and malware on installed computers.

At around the same time, Microsoft reported a significant outage at one of its most used Azure cloud regions covering much of the central United States. A spokesperson for Microsoft told TechCrunch that its outage was unrelated to CrowdStrike’s incident .

Around Friday noon (Eastern time), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on X saying the company is aware of the CrowdStrike botched update and is “working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”

What is CrowdStrike and what does Falcon Sensor do?

CrowdStrike, founded in 2011, has quickly grown into a cybersecurity giant. Today the company provides software and services to 29,000 corporate customers, including around half of Fortune 500 companies, 43 out of 50 U.S. states and eight out of the top 10 tech firms, according to its website .

The company’s cybersecurity software, Falcon, is used by enterprises to manage security on millions of computers around the world. These businesses include large corporations, hospitals, transportation hubs and government departments. Most consumer devices do not run Falcon and are unaffected by this outage.

One of the company’s biggest recent claims to fame was when it caught a group of Russian government hackers breaking into the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. CrowdStrike is also known for using memorable animal-themed names for the hacking groups it tracks based on their nationality, such as: Fancy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU; Cozy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR; Gothic Panda , believed to be a Chinese government group; and Charming Kitten , believed to be an Iranian state-backed group. The company even makes action figures to represent these groups, which it sells as swag .

CrowdStrike is so big it’s one of the sponsors of the Mercedes F1 team , and this year even aired a Super Bowl ad — a first for a cybersecurity company. 

Who are the outages affecting?

Practically anyone who during their everyday life interacts with a computer system running software from CrowdStrike is affected, even if the computer isn’t theirs. 

These devices include the cash registers at grocery stories, departure boards at airports and train stations, school computers, your work-issued laptops and desktops, airport check-in systems, airlines’ own ticketing and scheduling platforms, healthcare networks and many more. Because CrowdStrike’s software is so ubiquitous, the outages are causing chaos around the world in a variety of ways. A single affected Windows computer in a fleet of systems could be enough to disrupt the network. 

TechCrunch reporters around the world are seeing and experiencing outages, including at points of travel, doctors’ offices and online. Early on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration put in effect a ground stop, effectively grounding flights across the United States, citing the disruption. It looks like so far the national Amtrak rail network is functioning as normal. 

What is the U.S. government doing so far?

Given that the problem stems from a company, there isn’t much that the U.S. federal government can do. According to a pool report, President Biden was briefed on the CrowdStrike outage, and “his team is in touch with CrowdStrike and impacted entities.” That’s in large part because the federal government is a customer of CrowdStrike and also affected.

Several federal agencies are affected by the incident, including the Department of Education , and Social Security Administration, which said Friday that it closed its offices as a result of the outage.

The pool report said Biden’s team is “engaged across the interagency to get sector by sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed.” 

In a separate tweet, Homeland Security said it was working with its U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA, CrowdStirke and Microsoft — as well as its federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners — to “fully assess and address system outages.”

There will no doubt be questions for CrowdStrike (and to some extent Microsoft, whose unrelated outage also caused disruption overnight for its customers) from government and congressional investigators. 

For now, the immediate focus will be on the recovery of affected systems.

How do affected customers fix their Windows computers?

The major problem here is that CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor software malfunctioned, causing Windows machines to crash, and there’s no easy way to fix that. 

So far, CrowdStrike has issued a patch, and it has also detailed a workaround that could help affected systems function normally until it has a permanent solution. One option is for users to “reboot the [affected computer] to give it an opportunity to download the reverted channel file,” referring to the fixed file.

In a message to users , CrowdStrike detailed a few steps customers can take, one of which requires physical access to an affected system to remove the defective file. CrowdStrike says users should boot the computer into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment, navigate to the CrowdStrike directory, and delete the faulty file “C-00000291*.sys.”

The wider problem with having to fix the file manually could be a major headache for companies and organizations with large numbers of computers, or Windows-powered servers in datacenters or locations that might be in another region, or an entirely different country.

CISA warns that malicious actors are ‘taking advantage’ of the outage

In a statement on Friday, CISA attributed the outages to the faulty CrowdStrike update and that the issue was not due to a cyberattack. CISA said that it was “working closely with CrowdStrike and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners, as well as critical infrastructure and international partners to assess impacts and support remediation efforts.”

CISA did note, however, that it has “observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity.” The cybersecurity agency did not provide more specifics, but warned organizations to stay vigilant.

Malicious actors can and will exploit confusion and chaos to carry out cyberattacks on their own. Rachel Tobac, a social engineering expert and founder of cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, said in a series of posts on X to “verify people are who they say they are before taking sensitive actions.”

“Criminals will attempt to use this IT outage to pretend to be IT to you or you to IT to steal access, passwords, codes, etc.,” Tobac said.

What do we know about misinformation so far?

It’s easy to understand why some might have thought that this outage was a cyberattack. Sudden outages, blue screens at airports, office computers filled with error messages, and chaos and confusion. As you might expect, a fair amount of misinformation is already flying around , even as social media sites incorrectly flag trending topics like “cyberattack.”

Remember to check official sources of news and information, and if something seems too good to be true, it might just well be.

TechCrunch will keep this report updated throughout the day.

TechCrunch’s Ram Iyer contributed reporting.

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Mass IT outage: here's a list of companies and operations affected

• A huge global IT outage is disrupting flights, banks, retailers, and media outlets.
• The widespread disruptions have been linked to an issue with the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
• Operations affected include airlines in the US and Europe, supermarkets, and some 911 lines.

A mass IT outage has hit flights, banks, retailers, and media outlets around the world.

The issues appear to be linked to the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike .

Microsoft also acknowledged the issue in an X update early Friday, writing, "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions."

Here are some of the companies and operations affected.

Numerous airlines grounded flights early Friday morning, including the big three US carriers: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines. In statements, they all cited technology issues.

Delta and American had both canceled their ground stops by 7 a.m. ET.

A United spokesperson told Business Insider that it was holding all aircraft at their departure airports while it works to restore systems. "Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations," they added.

American has blamed the issues on CrowdStrike, saying they were because of a "technical issue with Crowdstrike that is impacting multiple carriers," according to BBC News.

The budget airlines Frontier, Allegiant, and Spirit also issued ground stops which were later canceled.

Frontier's was issued on Thursday night. "Flight operations are currently being impacted by a major Microsoft technical outage," it said in a statement.

Spirit said it was unable to rebook affected customers because of the outage.

Disruption also extended to Europe. The continent's largest airline, Ryanair, advised passengers to arrive early as the outage caused "disruption across the network."

KLM also said it had to "largely suspend operations" as the outage made "flight handling impossible."

British Airways, Wizz Air, Turkish Airlines, Eurowings, Lufthansa, and Qantas were also among those who said they were affected.

According to a Facebook post from Alaska State Troopers , emergency lines in the state are also affected.

The post said: "Due to a nationwide technology-related outage, many 911 and non-emergency call centers are not working correctly across the State of Alaska."

"We appreciate your patience and will update you when we know more," the statement added.

The major UK airports Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton have reported issues, with some warning of delays and disruption.

Related stories

An X post from Gatwick Express , a train service for the airport, said the company was unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, "leading to potential short-notice cancelations, particularly on the Thameslink and Great Northern networks."

A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport confirmed to BI that whiteboards were being used to handwrite flight information before systems were later restored. Whiteboards were also used at Singapore Changi Airport.

Hospitals and doctors' surgeries

Several hospitals and doctors' practices appear to have been affected by the outage.

In the UK, the NHS' EMIS system, which doctors use to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions, and make referrals, appears to be having issues .

A spokesperson for the NHS told BI in a statement: "The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices."

They said that long-standing measures were in place to manage disruption and that there was no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as normal.

"Patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise and only contact their GP if it's urgent, and otherwise please use 111 online or call 111," they added.

Two German hospitals canceled elective operations scheduled for Friday, Reuters reported.

NYCT Subway

Commuters in New York City and DC may also face delays Friday morning.

In an X post, the NYCT subway said: "Train arrival information is unavailable for A/B/C/D/E/F/G/J/M/N/Q/R/Z/Rockaway Park Shuttle/Franklin Av Shuttle due to a worldwide technical outage. Train service is unaffected."

The post said the tech outage also impacted Subway officials' ability to see train locations.

Broadcasters

Sky News also appears to have been hit by the outage. The UK news channel has been showing archive footage and briefly displaying an error message.

The news site appears to be up and running at the time of writing.

London Stock Exchange

The London Stock Exchange's website was also experiencing issues.

"RNS news service is currently experiencing a third-party global technical issue, preventing news from being published on www.londonstockexchange.com ," the company said in a statement.

"Technical teams are working to restore the service. Other services across the group, including London Stock Exchange, continue to operate as normal," it continued.

Retailers and fast-food giants

Bloomberg reported that McDonald's Japan suspended about a third of its stores in the country on Friday. The issue was with the stores' cash registers, the report said.

The grocery-store chain Woolworths told BI that some stores had "been impacted as a result of the global IT issue." All but six stores were open for business, but some had fewer functioning checkouts.

Delivery delays

FedEx and UPS are warning of delivery delays because of the outage.

In a statement on the company's website , FedEx said it was experiencing "substantial disruptions throughout our networks due to a global IT outage experienced by a third-party software vendor." The company said parcels due to be delivered on Friday might face delays.

A UPS spokesperson told BI that it continues to operate effectively but there may be some service delays due to third-party outage "impacting some UPS computer systems in the U.S. and Europe."

Some US state driver services are down

Drivers in some states are unable to access services because of the outage.

Georgia's Department of Driver Services posted on X that "due to the global Microsoft/Crowdstrike outage, DDS services are unavailable at this time."

Tennessee's Department of Safety and Homeland Security said some Driver Services Centers may not be able to process transactions, according to a post on X.

North Carolina's Department of Motor Vehicles driver license and plate agencies are also impacted and unable to assist customers, according to a CNN report.

Bloomberg reported that at the Ocean Park Marriott in Hong Kong, staff were using pen and paper to check guests in and said the outage was affecting their systems globally.

Marriott International later told CNN in a statement that "certain hotel systems" have been affected.

"We are actively working with our vendors to resolve issues that have impacted certain hotel systems," the company said in a statement to the publication. "We apologize for any inconvenience that guests may experience."

Watch: Global computer glitch grounds flights, knocks out 911

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