Is American or British Airways better to Europe?

British Airways scores 8.8/10 against American at 7.5/10 on seat, screens, lounge and fare. On the four dimensions we can verify, American wins 0 and British Airways wins 1. Service and food are not scored here because they cannot be read off a spec sheet.

Which is cheaper, American or British Airways?

On the 261 routes where both were priced for the same week (November 8–14, 2026), American was cheaper on 117 and British Airways on 144. Every pair of fares is the same departure and return date in the same cabin, so the difference is the airline rather than the dates or the cabin.

Does the aircraft change the answer?

Yes. American scores 10/10 on the 787-9P (Flagship Suite) and 8/10 on the 777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business). British Airways scores 10/10 on the A350-1000 / 787-10 / 777 (Club Suite) and 5/10 on the 787-8 / some 787-9 (old Club World). Check the equipment on your date before deciding.

Has Jon flown either of these?

Neither, so this page is product facts and fares only. Any review we publish of either will be labeled Researched until that changes.

Head to head

American vs British Airways

British Airways scores 8.8/10 against American at 7.5/10 on seat, screens, lounge and fare.

By Jon Miksis · cabin data verified September 1, 2026 · fares for travel November 8–14, 2026

Best product each one flies

Scored on what can be verified. Service, food and ground recovery are absent deliberately: they need someone in the seat, and they live in the reviews rather than here.

One caveat on the Value line, stated rather than buried: Value is computed from business fares, and a carrier with too few of them does not get a Value score at all. Where you see a dash, we have fewer than three priced business routes for that airline and did not want to invent a figure from one or two — so its product score is the mean of three dimensions rather than four, and it is not directly comparable to a score built on hundreds of fares. The airlines with the most fares behind them are named on the business-class ranking, and where each of these two sits among every carrier we price, on seat and on fare, is on The Best Airlines to Fly to Europe.

American

787-9P (Flagship Suite)

Seat: 10/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 2/10
Product score: 7.5/10

British Airways

A350-1000 / 787-10 / 777 (Club Suite)

Seat: 10/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Product score: 8.8/10

One thing separates them: value

Value: British Airways
Median premium over the cheapest carrier on the same route: 2/10 against 7/10.

Level on seat and IFE and lounge & bags

As almost every pair is. Of the 31 business cabins we have verified, 28 score 8 on screens and power and 29 score 10 on lounge and bags — because those two dimensions describe what a business fare includes rather than which airline sold it to you. Lounge access, two checked bags and a carry-on are close to the definition of the cabin.

The one genuine differentiator on screens is free wifi, and only Delta and JetBlue offer it. Seat and Value are where carriers separate, which is why they lead this page.

Where both were priced on the same dates

Every fare is November 8–14, 2026, so a difference between two rows is a difference between two airlines and nothing else. These are economy fares, while the cabin scores above describe the business product — read them as how each airline prices against its competitors, not as what its business seat costs.

Route	Cabin	American	British Airways	Cheaper
JFK → BCN	economy	$682	$809	American by $127
JFK → MAD	economy	$686	$706	American by $20
JFK → MXP	economy	$712	$871	American by $159
BOS → FCO	economy	$719	$735	American by $16
ATL → DUB	economy	$757	$743	British Airways by $14
IAD → MAD	economy	$752	$745	British Airways by $7
AUS → DUB	economy	$784	$746	British Airways by $38
DFW → BCN	economy	$750	$747	British Airways by $3
SFO → BCN	economy	$757	$750	British Airways by $7
ATL → BCN	economy	$757	$750	British Airways by $7
ORD → MAD	economy	$757	$754	British Airways by $3
ATL → MAD	economy	$762	$755	British Airways by $7
ATL → MXP	economy	$763	$756	British Airways by $7
AUS → BCN	economy	$793	$760	British Airways by $33
DEN → BCN	economy	$782	$760	British Airways by $22
TPA → BCN	economy	$763	$959	American by $196
PDX → DUB	economy	$804	$765	British Airways by $39
PDX → FCO	economy	$777	$770	British Airways by $7
MIA → LIS	economy	$770	$818	American by $48
IAH → DUB	economy	$773	$846	American by $73
ORD → BCN	economy	$811	$774	British Airways by $37
IAH → MAD	economy	$783	$775	British Airways by $8
AUS → MAD	economy	$783	$775	British Airways by $8
PHX → BCN	economy	$817	$779	British Airways by $38
PDX → BCN	economy	$803	$779	British Airways by $24
MIA → MAD	economy	$781	$779	British Airways by $2
AUS → ZRH	economy	$859	$780	British Airways by $79
IAH → BCN	economy	$782	$819	American by $37
IAH → MXP	economy	$786	$937	American by $151
TPA → MXP	economy	$786	$938	American by $152
BNA → LIS	economy	$786	$787	American by $1
BNA → MAD	economy	$793	$786	British Airways by $7
DFW → LIS	economy	$790	$812	American by $22
DFW → MXP	economy	$790	$797	American by $7
DEN → MAD	economy	$794	$831	American by $37
PHX → MAD	economy	$803	$795	British Airways by $8
JFK → LHR	economy	$796	$796	level
BOS → MXP	economy	$798	$1066	American by $268
SFO → MAD	economy	$806	$799	British Airways by $7
AUS → LIS	economy	$800	$860	American by $60
PHL → DUB	economy	$827	$800	British Airways by $27
PDX → LIS	economy	$821	$801	British Airways by $20
TPA → FCO	economy	$801	$991	American by $190
BOS → EDI	economy	$803	$810	American by $7
PDX → MAD	economy	$804	$821	American by $17
LAX → MAD	economy	$814	$806	British Airways by $8
AUS → MXP	economy	$806	$962	American by $156
DEN → MXP	economy	$806	$998	American by $192
BNA → BCN	economy	$848	$808	British Airways by $40
BNA → MXP	economy	$849	$809	British Airways by $40
DFW → MAD	economy	$813	$811	British Airways by $2
PHX → LIS	economy	$821	$814	British Airways by $7
IAH → ZRH	economy	$819	$1018	American by $199
PHL → MAD	economy	$821	$819	British Airways by $2
PHX → AMS	economy	$827	$820	British Airways by $7
SEA → AMS	economy	$827	$820	British Airways by $7
PDX → AMS	economy	$827	$820	British Airways by $7
LAS → AMS	economy	$1101	$820	British Airways by $281
ATL → AMS	economy	$827	$820	British Airways by $7
MIA → AMS	economy	$827	$820	British Airways by $7
LAX → MXP	economy	$821	$908	American by $87
DEN → LIS	economy	$821	$967	American by $146
BOS → LHR	economy	$823	$823	level
LAX → CDG	economy	$832	$826	British Airways by $6
IAH → CDG	economy	$842	$826	British Airways by $16
PHX → MXP	economy	$826	$956	American by $130
SEA → CDG	economy	$844	$826	British Airways by $18
SFO → MXP	economy	$826	$890	American by $64
PDX → MXP	economy	$826	$961	American by $135
ATL → CDG	economy	$844	$826	British Airways by $18
TPA → DUB	economy	$829	$896	American by $67
TPA → LIS	economy	$830	$837	American by $7
AUS → AMS	economy	$1066	$831	British Airways by $235
ATL → MUC	economy	$847	$833	British Airways by $14
PDX → ZRH	economy	$839	$952	American by $113
PHL → ZRH	economy	$881	$844	British Airways by $37
DFW → DUB	economy	$845	$877	American by $32
BNA → DUB	economy	$845	$874	American by $29
SAN → MAD	economy	$855	$849	British Airways by $6
ATL → ZRH	economy	$1176	$849	British Airways by $327
MIA → DUB	economy	$849	$882	American by $33
IAH → LIS	economy	$861	$855	British Airways by $6
LAS → LIS	economy	$926	$857	British Airways by $69
SAN → DUB	economy	$861	$928	American by $67
DFW → CDG	economy	$864	$943	American by $79
PHX → ZRH	economy	$864	$982	American by $118
DFW → FRA	economy	$868	$962	American by $94
LAX → LIS	economy	$869	$927	American by $58
SAN → ZRH	economy	$869	$994	American by $125
PHL → MUC	economy	$870	$1098	American by $228
PHX → FCO	economy	$965	$874	British Airways by $91
MIA → BCN	economy	$891	$882	British Airways by $9
SEA → LHR	economy	$995	$883	British Airways by $112
ATL → EDI	economy	$913	$898	British Airways by $15
SEA → LIS	economy	$902	$955	American by $53
PHL → LIS	economy	$917	$906	British Airways by $11
DEN → AMS	economy	$909	$1028	American by $119
DFW → ZRH	economy	$913	$920	American by $7
LAX → BCN	economy	$923	$915	British Airways by $8
SAN → FCO	economy	$922	$915	British Airways by $7
SAN → LIS	economy	$917	$925	American by $8
IAH → FCO	economy	$919	$985	American by $66
BNA → CDG	economy	$925	$963	American by $38
PHL → CDG	economy	$1031	$928	British Airways by $103
PHL → FCO	economy	$934	$931	British Airways by $3
SAN → MXP	economy	$967	$936	British Airways by $31
PHL → BCN	economy	$961	$958	British Airways by $3
DFW → EDI	economy	$1411	$961	British Airways by $450
MIA → EDI	economy	$985	$965	British Airways by $20
AUS → FCO	economy	$970	$1016	American by $46
PHL → EDI	economy	$1003	$973	British Airways by $30
LAX → EDI	economy	$975	$988	American by $13
BNA → MUC	economy	$1220	$984	British Airways by $236
DEN → EDI	economy	$1029	$988	British Airways by $41
DFW → FCO	economy	$1002	$1011	American by $9
BNA → EDI	economy	$1023	$1012	British Airways by $11
SAN → BCN	economy	$1060	$1022	British Airways by $38
AUS → EDI	economy	$1023	$1054	American by $31
TPA → EDI	economy	$1023	$1112	American by $89
LAS → EDI	economy	$1386	$1024	British Airways by $362
SEA → FCO	economy	$1046	$1039	British Airways by $7
PHX → EDI	economy	$1055	$1040	British Airways by $15
AUS → CDG	economy	$1244	$1044	British Airways by $200
TPA → LHR	economy	$1311	$1049	British Airways by $262
DEN → CDG	economy	$1051	$1324	American by $273
ORD → EDI	economy	$1078	$1056	British Airways by $22
SAN → EDI	economy	$1077	$1063	British Airways by $14
SAN → MUC	economy	$1065	$1327	American by $262
SAN → AMS	economy	$1227	$1066	British Airways by $161
IAH → EDI	economy	$1148	$1101	British Airways by $47
DFW → LHR	economy	$1105	$1105	level
LAS → MXP	economy	$1443	$1111	British Airways by $332
SEA → BCN	economy	$1145	$1138	British Airways by $7
BNA → ZRH	economy	$1149	$1142	British Airways by $7
LAS → DUB	economy	$1167	$1154	British Airways by $13
LAS → BCN	economy	$1162	$1155	British Airways by $7
PDX → EDI	economy	$1173	$1188	American by $15
ORD → CDG	economy	$1203	$1210	American by $7
BNA → AMS	economy	$1305	$1204	British Airways by $101
PHX → CDG	economy	$1244	$1226	British Airways by $18
TPA → AMS	economy	$1227	$1260	American by $33
LAS → CDG	economy	$1244	$1251	American by $7
LAS → ZRH	economy	$1249	$1256	American by $7
PHX → DUB	economy	$1281	$1256	British Airways by $25
PDX → CDG	economy	$1308	$1277	British Airways by $31
LAS → MAD	economy	$1336	$1328	British Airways by $8
LAX → LHR	economy	$1331	$1331	level
MIA → LHR	economy	$1331	$1331	level
PDX → FRA	economy	$1340	$1333	British Airways by $7
SAN → FRA	economy	$1340	$1333	British Airways by $7
LAS → LHR	economy	$1354	$1341	British Airways by $13
AUS → LHR	economy	$1412	$1399	British Airways by $13
PHX → MUC	economy	$1429	$1432	American by $3
PHL → LHR	economy	$1445	$1445	level
PHX → FRA	economy	$1499	$1492	British Airways by $7
LAS → FCO	economy	$1500	$1493	British Airways by $7
BNA → LHR	economy	$2115	$1623	British Airways by $492
PHX → LHR	economy	$2084	$1633	British Airways by $451
ORD → LHR	economy	$1707	$1707	level
IAH → DUB	business	$4354	$10878	American by $6524
AUS → DUB	business	$4415	$4425	American by $10
TPA → DUB	business	$4431	$6654	American by $2223
PDX → MAD	business	$5475	$4911	British Airways by $564
BOS → LHR	business	$6617	$5287	British Airways by $1330
PDX → MUC	business	$10515	$5449	British Airways by $5066
TPA → BCN	business	$5474	$5489	American by $15
AUS → MAD	business	$5475	$5490	American by $15
AUS → BCN	business	$5488	$5503	American by $15
BNA → BCN	business	$5488	$6693	American by $1205
PDX → BCN	business	$6864	$5489	British Airways by $1375
AUS → EDI	business	$6326	$5649	British Airways by $677
TPA → MXP	business	$5677	$5692	American by $15
BNA → MXP	business	$5677	$6792	American by $1115
PDX → EDI	business	$6326	$5682	British Airways by $644
SEA → EDI	business	$6339	$5724	British Airways by $615
BOS → BCN	business	$5795	$5810	American by $15
PDX → MXP	business	$5985	$6002	American by $17
AUS → FCO	business	$5998	$6013	American by $15
PDX → FCO	business	$5998	$6013	American by $15
BNA → FCO	business	$5998	$7193	American by $1195
TPA → FCO	business	$6012	$6027	American by $15
JFK → LHR	business	$6047	$6047	level
DEN → MAD	business	$6775	$6056	British Airways by $719
ORD → CDG	business	$10366	$6117	British Airways by $4249
SEA → MAD	business	$10230	$6120	British Airways by $4110
BNA → CDG	business	$6149	$7294	American by $1145
PDX → DUB	business	$6230	$6240	American by $10
LAS → EDI	business	$10590	$6235	British Airways by $4355
MCO → EDI	business	$6314	$8062	American by $1748
BNA → EDI	business	$6326	$6467	American by $141
DEN → EDI	business	$7126	$6361	British Airways by $765
DFW → MXP	business	$6445	$6461	American by $16
TPA → EDI	business	$7216	$6526	British Airways by $690
PDX → LIS	business	$6554	$6569	American by $15
SFO → FCO	business	$6555	$6570	American by $15
SEA → MXP	business	$6557	$6575	American by $18
IAH → MAD	business	$6775	$6804	American by $29
DEN → MXP	business	$6799	$6816	American by $17
DEN → FCO	business	$6812	$6827	American by $15
DFW → FRA	business	$6838	$6858	American by $20
PHL → BCN	business	$6930	$7384	American by $454
AUS → ZRH	business	$6950	$6965	American by $15
IAH → EDI	business	$7779	$6954	British Airways by $825
MIA → EDI	business	$7869	$7034	British Airways by $835
SFO → EDI	business	$7893	$7043	British Airways by $850
SAN → MAD	business	$7057	$7073	American by $16
AUS → MXP	business	$7127	$7142	American by $15
DEN → CDG	business	$7260	$7275	American by $15
PHX → DUB	business	$8480	$7283	British Airways by $1197
DFW → EDI	business	$7319	$7326	American by $7
PHX → ZRH	business	$10442	$7327	British Airways by $3115
BOS → EDI	business	$8216	$7405	British Airways by $811
IAH → FCO	business	$7563	$7703	American by $140
DFW → FCO	business	$7572	$7592	American by $20
ORD → BCN	business	$8569	$7613	British Airways by $956
ORD → EDI	business	$8556	$7634	British Airways by $922
PHL → ZRH	business	$7765	$8535	American by $770
DFW → BCN	business	$7813	$7839	American by $26
DEN → BCN	business	$8854	$7829	British Airways by $1025
AUS → LIS	business	$10046	$7871	British Airways by $2175
IAH → BCN	business	$9054	$7929	British Airways by $1125
SFO → MXP	business	$7961	$7976	American by $15
PHX → EDI	business	$8556	$8123	British Airways by $433
SEA → BCN	business	$9888	$8178	British Airways by $1710
DFW → LHR	business	$9166	$8208	British Airways by $958
LAS → LIS	business	$16406	$8271	British Airways by $8135
PHL → LIS	business	$9091	$8361	British Airways by $730
SAN → EDI	business	$9113	$8385	British Airways by $728
PHX → FCO	business	$8417	$8519	American by $102
SFO → MAD	business	$9669	$8631	British Airways by $1038
IAH → ZRH	business	$10376	$8739	British Airways by $1637
LAS → LHR	business	$8812	$8807	British Airways by $5
BNA → MUC	business	$9211	$9226	American by $15
AUS → LHR	business	$10352	$9222	British Airways by $1130
LAS → MXP	business	$10431	$9338	British Airways by $1093
IAH → LIS	business	$10878	$9358	British Airways by $1520
AUS → MUC	business	$9381	$9431	American by $50
PHX → MXP	business	$9402	$9395	British Airways by $7
SAN → MXP	business	$9605	$10753	American by $1148
SAN → FCO	business	$9702	$9717	American by $15
ORD → LHR	business	$9947	$9927	British Airways by $20
MIA → LHR	business	$9967	$9967	level
PHL → LHR	business	$10002	$10557	American by $555
PDX → FRA	business	$10535	$10032	British Airways by $503
BNA → ZRH	business	$10044	$10059	American by $15
BNA → LHR	business	$10202	$10967	American by $765
LAS → DUB	business	$10325	$10335	American by $10
TPA → MUC	business	$14417	$10330	British Airways by $4087
LAS → BCN	business	$10425	$10440	American by $15
LAS → MAD	business	$10430	$10445	American by $15
SAN → ZRH	business	$10444	$10459	American by $15
LAS → MUC	business	$10515	$10530	American by $15
PHX → BCN	business	$10518	$11740	American by $1222
SAN → FRA	business	$10535	$10552	American by $17
LAS → CDG	business	$10605	$10620	American by $15
LAS → ZRH	business	$10644	$10659	American by $15
LAS → FCO	business	$10746	$10761	American by $15
SAN → BCN	business	$11925	$10840	British Airways by $1085
TPA → CDG	business	$11005	$11030	American by $25
SAN → CDG	business	$11506	$11523	American by $17
LAX → LHR	business	$12367	$12367	level

What happens if the aircraft swaps

Both carriers are paying-the-same-fare-either-way propositions on some frames. The worst product each one flies:

American

777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business)

Seat: 8/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 2/10
Product score: 7/10

British Airways

787-8 / some 787-9 (old Club World)

Seat: 5/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Product score: 7.5/10

American: Reverse herringbone, direct aisle access from every seat, no privacy door.

British Airways: The outgoing yin-yang cabin: eight seats abreast, half of them rear-facing, and window seats requiring a climb over a stranger. A materially worse product at the same fare.

Common questions

Is American or British Airways better to Europe?: British Airways scores 8.8/10 against American at 7.5/10 on seat, screens, lounge and fare. On the four dimensions we can verify, American wins 0 and British Airways wins 1. Service and food are not scored here because they cannot be read off a spec sheet.
Which is cheaper, American or British Airways?: On the 261 routes where both were priced for the same week (November 8–14, 2026), American was cheaper on 117 and British Airways on 144. Every pair of fares is the same departure and return date in the same cabin, so the difference is the airline rather than the dates or the cabin.
Does the aircraft change the answer?: Yes. American scores 10/10 on the 787-9P (Flagship Suite) and 8/10 on the 777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business). British Airways scores 10/10 on the A350-1000 / 787-10 / 777 (Club Suite) and 5/10 on the 787-8 / some 787-9 (old Club World). Check the equipment on your date before deciding.
Has Jon flown either of these?: Neither, so this page is product facts and fares only. Any review we publish of either will be labeled Researched until that changes.

Deal alerts on American and British Airways

American or British Airways, whichever drops first

American carried a $86 median premium in our grid and British Airways $89; the cheaper of the two changes route by route, and neither is cheapest every week. An alert from your airport catches whichever falls under the field, which is a better bet than picking one airline in advance.

I have used Going for six years, and it is how I hear about a fare below the floor before it is gone.

Go Elite for business-class deals Or start on the free plan

Alerts from your home airport on the free plan, no credit card. Premium adds mistake fares and delivers every deal first, with a 14-day free trial; code JON25 takes 25% off. Elite is the tier with business and first class deals.

Affiliate links. We earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. How we handle this. Offer terms as confirmed on 2026-09-04.

Join the Club, free

One email a week: the Europe fares worth acting on, the new transatlantic routes, and first look at the tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.