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Top seven US cities for a Swedish getaway

Sometimes you’ve just got to get away – like over-the-Atlantic-Ocean-away. Luckily, this spring SAS is kicking off new direct lines to the US. Here are the top destinations – straight from Stockholm.

Published: 1 December 2015 10:01 CET
Updated: 1 December 2015 12:01 CET
Top seven US cities for a Swedish getaway
Photo: Bert Kaufmann/Flickr

Connections between Sweden and the US have never been better. Arlanda Airport was selected last year for US preclearance, and flight prices keep going down even as airlines like SAS open brand new routes direct from Stockholm to the US. Why shouldn’t you take advantage of it?

And thanks to upgraded cabins, extra points for travellers, and special deals on loyalty cards, there’s no better time to fly SAS.

So here they are – four fabulous US destinations straight from Stockholm, and an extra three from nearby Copenhagen and Oslo.

Los Angeles


Photo: Marika Bortolami/Flickr

Straight from frigid Stockholm to sunny LA? It’s a dream that’s about to become reality. Starting on March 14, 2016 (when Stockholm is typically still buried under a half metre of slush), SAS will be flying directly from Arlanda to LAX.

During the summer there will be daily departures, and the 11-hour flight includes free meals and entertainment and SAS’s unbeatable onboard customer service. That means you’ll be relaxed and ready to hit the beach as soon as you arrive.

With the SAS EuroBonus American Express  Premium Card you can also chill at SAS airport lounges. With SAS EuroBonus American Express Elite Card you even get concierge service – so you can start living it up LA-style before you even hit the tarmac.

Chicago


Photo: Giuseppe Milo/Flickr

Culture vulture? Perhaps the Windy City is the place for you. SAS already flies directly from Stockholm five or six days a week, and the city is a classic and enthralling metropolitan hub any time of year.

Boasting Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, and Michigan Avenue, Chicago is a delightful destination for the urban art-lover and seasoned shopper alike. And don’t forget, when you shop with a SAS EuroBonus American Express Card you’ll also earn extra points on everything you buy – now that’s a deal.

New York


Photo: Curimedia/Flickr

Of course, no list of American Getaways would be complete without the unspoken cultural capital, New York, New York.

Hop on one of the many SAS flights from Stockholm, and in just eight hours you can be taking it all in – perhaps listening to the New York Philharmonic Symphony, enjoying the view from the Empire State Building, or strolling through Times Square.  

Read also: Top UK getaways from Sweden

Remember that your SAS EuroBonus American Express Card also gets you exclusive offers on concerts and events, so hitting up Broadway doesn’t have to break the bank.

Washington


Photo: Nicolas Raymond/Flickr

Sometimes called the most ‘European’ city in the US, Washington, D.C. is a great getaway destination. Even if politics isn’t your thing, there’s something for everyone in the US capital city. The compact city is full of hidden gems – like the International Spy Museum, a technicolour church, and a musical pond.

Of course, the numerous memorials and museums are also worth a visit, as your history buff friends will tell you. Why not go together? If you have a SAS EuroBonus American Express Card – whether Classic, Premium, or Elite – you can get extra points and travel 2 for 1. 

Bonus: Top direct flights from Copenhagen/Oslo

One of the great things about Stockholm is it’s so close to other Scandinavian hubs – giving you even greater access to direct flights across the Atlantic. Don’t mind a Scandinavian transfer? Here are your best options.

Miami


Photo: Mohmed Althani/Flickr

You’ll have to make the short trip to Oslo or Copenhagen first for this one – but it’s worth it for Miami, right? Starting in autumn 2016, SAS can fly you straight to the Magic City seven days a week.

Whether you’re “bouncin’ in the club” or “bringin’ the heat” on the beach, there’s no denying Miami is where it’s at. The Sunshine State has become one of the most popular US destinations for Swedes lately, and it’s no wonder.

San Francisco


Photo: Nicolas Raymond/Flickr

Want to visit the Paris of the West? Baghdad by the Bay? Silicon Valley? All of the above? Luckily, they’re all the same – and SAS is flying directly from Copenhagen to San Francisco. Go forth and see the Golden Gate!

Boston


Photo: Jeff Gunn/Flickr

Ah, beautiful Boston. The Red Sox, Museum of Science, and the clam chowder of kings. With daily flights from Copenhagen starting in March 2016, you can feel free to hit up Freedom Trail or Fenway Park as much as you like.

This article was produced by The Local in partnership with American Express.

TRAVEL NEWS

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail operator and the GDL train drivers' union have reached a deal in a wage dispute that has caused months of crippling strikes in the country, the union said.

Published: 26 March 2024 09:55 CET
German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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