Washington to Abuja American Flights

  About Washington

Washington DC, is the capital city of the United States of America. The city reflects the rich history of the United States with its neoclassical monuments and iconic locations. The place will keep you engaged with its compelling slew of tourist attractions. As the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC has many traditional attractions with important museums and monuments. Make sure to visit all the Smithsonian American museums as they shed light on various cultural and historical significance of America.

Best time to visit Washington DC

Washington DC's summers are the peak season for travel. However, to steer clear off all the touristy crowd and to engage in some real fun, it is best to opt for spring and autumn. Summers in Washington DC are from June to August when the city experiences sweltering heat and a tremendous tourist crowd. Some of the fun events and festivals hosted by the city during this period include Capital Pride Parade, National Mall Fourth of July Celebration and Summerfest DC. While they may seem like enjoyable activities to participate in, the exorbitant prices of surviving a trip might pull you back. Although many locals ring in summers in other parts of the US, tourists might find Washington DC to be a tad bit expensive during peak season. Even hotel rooms in Washington DC are expensive. The months leading up to summer, though, are quite pleasant and even easy on the pockets. Spring brings with it the season of blossoms as the month of March begins with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Watching the cherry blossoms bloom is a trip and definitely worth experiencing. The city also witnesses the National Memorial Day Parade, another interesting festival to be a part of.

Maybe not summer but the season following summer in Washington DC is just as favourable for tourists. The autumn season is just next to perfection and definitely something all tourists would enjoy. The weather is exquisite and calm as the brisk winter air starts to slowly take over the city. Booking a hotel in Washington DC becomes cheap and affordable too as the summer crowd takes away the expensive tags. However, as many business travellers make their way into the city, the hotel deals might still be a hard snag unless you make prior hotel bookings in Washington DC. The city witnesses the H Street festival and Library of Congress National Book Festival during autumn. The cultural festivals with their historical significance only add to the experience one might take in during a trip to Washington DC. If you want to downscale your budget further, then winter is the best time to visit for you. The city streets freeze up while the temperature ranges between 5 degree Celsius to 7 degree Celsius. The perks, though, are the slash in hotel room prices, which is a sweet deal if you want to experience winter in the city.

Places to visit in Washington DC

The first thing to check out would undoubtedly be the Lincoln Memorial. The location would make quite a postcard-worthy click with Honest Abe's memorial in the background. Next, you can visit Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans Memorials, popularly referred to as 'the Wall', which has names of all the Americans who succumbed to the Vietnam War. Just around the Lincoln Memorial is the beautiful Tidal Basin, a must-visit, especially during spring. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a treasure trove which celebrates exquisite aircraft, including Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B and Wilbur and Orville Wright's 1903 Wright Flyer, to name a few. It is a fascinating place and would certainly pique your interest. The city also has the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which showcases the atrocities faced during the World War II. Do not miss the National Gallery of Art and The White House and the Washington Monument.

Things to do in Washington DC

Majority of the things that you can do in the city pertain to some of the sightseeing. Washington DC is recognised to be the city with a plethora of historical monuments and a haven for American history. The city offers a peek into the country's history as well as important events. Aside from indulging in the past of the country, one of the things you should definitely do is get tickets to a show at The John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts. You can explore the US Capitol's Library of Congress to get more understanding of the politics. A picture next to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial also sounds like a good thing to do. You can also take a break from all the history lessons and head to 9:30 Club to relish some live music. The club has hosted many big bands, including RHCP and Nirvana.

Food and Restaurants in Washington DC

Washington DC's food culture is as diverse as the capital can get. There is an abundance of succulent eateries spread across the city. From piquant Spanish delicacies to oyster shots, there are many ethnic and global restaurants that will get your attention. Check out H Street Northeast, in the Atlas District to get some of the ethnic action as there are Belgian, Japanese and many more cultural kitchens. To get the sophisticated gourmet experience at an upscale restaurant, you can visit José Andrés' hotels such as Zaytinya and Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. Old Ebbitt grill and 1789 are also some lovely places where you will get the high-end fine dining experience. However, if you are on a budget, then opt for some eateries such as Ben's Chili Bowl and Good Stuff Eatery. These places have some signature dishes that you shouldn't miss at any cost. From lip-smacking burgers to rice bowls, the two joints offer an interesting palette of flavours in their meals that is worth all the money shelled out. Good Stuff Eatery's burgers are famous as they have been curated by chef Spike Mendelsohn.

Another major highlight to add to Washington DC's food culture are the farmer's markets in the city. Located in the District, a group of farmers huddle up to sell their fresh goods which come in all forms, colours and shapes. You'll find organic vegetables, healthy fruits and a colourful spread of goods at the market. It is a good place to get some of the fruity and healthy veggies action. Columbia Heights Farmers Market and FRESHFARM are two recognised markets that you should check out when in the city. Interestingly, the city also has lovely breweries and brewpubs, which came into existence in the recent past. However, the best way to enjoy the DC spirit would be to indulge in some brunch options. Tabard Inn, Kafe Leopold, Equinox, Cava Mezze, Juniper, Cafe Milano, to name a few, would be the best places to start your brunch rendezvous

How to reach Washington DC

Flight connectivity to Washington DC from India is quite decent but overpriced. There are no direct flights to Washington DC from India and layovers are the only way to reach the capital city. The demand for flights to Washington DC are not as much as for New York City or Chicago. Hence, the connectivity is also quite poor. There are only a handful of airlines that operate from India to Washington. Airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, to name a few, are the only ones that have flight services to Washington DC from India. There are no nonstop or flights to Washington DC from India, and usually, a layover or connecting flight is the only way to go. The United Airlines has flight connectivity to Washington DC from Newark. Many of the flights use the international route of Newark to reach Washington DC. Emirates is the only other airline that stops at Dubai for a layover before flying to Washington DC. Cathay Pacific also has flights to Washington DC from Delhi. Mostly, the connectivity is only from the Dubai and Newark international routes to reach Washington DC. The popular route to Washington DC often chosen by travellers is from Newark

Travellers require a transit visa to enter the USA and to reach Washington DC. Since the flights have connectivity from Newark, the non-immigrants are required to show a transit visa to let the authorities know that you are just taking a connecting flight to a different destination. A transit visa is a type 'C' visa where basically, you need to show at the Newark airport that you are just taking a connecting flight to Washington DC. To acquire these, you could apply for them at the American embassy, or you can do it online. The provisions are faster online and would be beneficial to you. The flight duration to Washington DC from India is approximately 17 hours, which is subject to change depending on the availability of flights. Do not expect cheap flight tickets to Washington DC. Not only is the capital expensive but even flight tickets to Washington DC is quite exorbitant. Even the accommodation is high-priced, and it would be best to make flight and hotel bookings to Washington DC well in advance to avoid expensive rates.

  About Abuja

The city of Abuja, overlooked by the dominating Aso Rock, is the capital city of Nigeria. Located right in the middle of the country, Abuja is a planned city that was developed in the 1980s. It actually managed to replace Lagos to be the new capital of Nigeria.

Best time to visit Abuja

Due to its proximity to the equator, the city of Abuja is hot through most of the year. However, out of the heat that you do face, they are pleasant and mild in some months in Abuja. The city also witnesses some moderate rainfall which adds to the humidity you might face. You will have to prepare yourself mentally concerning the heat as you will face a lot of it. The months January through July though, are pleasant. In fact, January to March is recognised as the best time to visit Abuja. The temperature is at a friendly 26 degree Celsius, and the humidity in the air is quite mild. This helps the tourism industry to attract more crowds. You will actually see a slew of tourists during these months as the mild temperatures are easy on the senses. Due to the peak season though, there is a surge in the hotel prices. You will find cheap hotels also spike up their rates during the peak season. Hence, it would be ideal for making prior hotel bookings to Abuja to avoid the last-minute surge in prices. The good thing is, the flight tickets are quite decent, irrespective of the peak season.

From May through August, you will witness a rise in the humidity level in the air. Even though the temperature is slightly mild, the humidity will make things a little difficult. Travelling within the city or engaging in tourist activities might become tough. You will have to constantly carry bottles of water and ensure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. The humidity will sap out all your energy. Avoiding these months would be the best choice. Unless you're okay with the excess heat, you should at all cost, not plan a trip to Abuja during these months. Instead, you can opt for the months of September through November. These months also see a moderate temperature where the humidity is also not too much. It would be nice to carry equipment such as moisturisers and bottles of water to survive in Abuja. But these mild months would be refreshing and paint a new colour to the vibe of Abuja. You can make prior bookings of flight tickets and accommodations in Abuja to avoid any excess cost. You might even receive some online deals.

Places to visit in Abuja

As part of your Abuja rendezvous, you can start your exploring by checking out the famous Zuma Rock. The rock is composed of gabbro and granodiorite. In the past, the Gbagyi tribe people used the rock to defend themselves from invasions and attacks from neighbouring tribes. You can take up trekking and hiking as an activity to reach the peak of the rock. You should also visit the National Mosque of Abuja. The beautiful structure has a golden dome and boasts Islamic architecture. It is Nigeria's national mosque and holds tremendous religious significance. It was constructed back in 1984 and is open to non-Muslims as well. Aso Rock is another interesting natural granitic rock that is situated on the outskirts of the capital city. Important buildings such as the Supreme Court and the Nigerian National Assembly are both located close by. Another beautiful mosque that you can visit is the An Noor Mosque. The place is quaint and quiet.

Things to do in Abuja

One of the best ways for you to spend your time in Abuja would be to hang out at the Millennium Park. The park is in proximity with the former Presidential Palace. It is beautiful and has the Zuma Rock in the background too. You can actually take a picnic basket and spend your time in leisure at the park. You can also indulge in a boating rendezvous at the Jabi Lake. The scenic landscape is sure to marvel you. You should also visit the National Children's Park and Zoo Abuja. It has some basic animals, including turtles, jackals and more. The IBB International Golf & Country Club is definitely another place that you should visit. The vast expanse is certainly a spectacular sight, plus you can also explore the golf course. Pack yourselves a nice lunch basket and head to Usuma Lower Dam for a lovely afternoon. The place is gorgeous and soothing to the senses, especially since it is not surrounded by the city's noise and bustle. You can also indulge in some waterfalls excursions. The Gurara Falls is one such place that you simply cannot miss. You also should go exploring at the Pedam Lake.

Food and restaurants in Abuja

Abuja's food culture is heavily influenced by the tribal traditions of Nigeria. You would majorly find a lot of dishes that celebrate the Nigerian cuisine and style of cooking. It would actually be a good opportunity for you to try out some exquisite authentic Nigerian cuisine. Their tribal dishes are a rage in the city of Abuja. Over the years though, they have managed to infuse much of their traditional cuisines with European flavours to promote tourism. You will find some lovely African meals favouring European-style cooking. The food culture is a trip on its own and you can make the most of it in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. You can start your culinary excursion in Abuja from the Salamander Café. It is recognised for its cool vibe and manages to attract a slew of native crowds. The quaint cafe offers not just extraordinary coffee but also books to indulge in while you sip on the beverage. The menu is also curated to serve the natives as well as the international crowd. You will find Indian cuisine also in Abuja as the city has the famous Wakkis, a restaurant that boasts Indian cuisine.

From murgh malai to tandoori chicken, if you are in no mood to experiment with the traditional Nigerian cuisine, then you can simply make regular visits to Wakkis. The staff is friendly, and the cooking styles are very indigenous to the raw Indian culture. BluCabana is an interesting restaurant that doesn't just limit to African food but also expands to Middle Eastern cuisine. You will find some exquisite Lebanese food as well as global cuisine such as sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, salads and more. The fish suya is a big seller which basically consists of grilled skewered meat that has been perfectly coated with aromatic spices. At the Bukka at the Hilton, you will find traditional African spread. The dining hall is a vast and beautiful spot which leaves enough room for the fresh breeze to pass through. Not to mention how the classic dishes such as oha soup, pounded yam, jollof rice, egusi soup, to name a few, can be found here. Other restaurants that you can check out are The Charcoal, Vanilla, Jevinik, Dunes Continental and Chez Victor.

How to reach Abuja

As the capital of Nigeria, Abuja enjoys great flight connectivity with other international cities. Abuja does witness some flight action as it is an important city. Although there are no direct flights to Abuja from Indian cities, they do have international airlines that accommodate flights to Abuja. There are many international routes connected to Abuja, such as from Addis Ababa, Kigali, Dubai and Cairo. However, Addis Ababa and Dubai are recognised as the most popular routes to Abuja. Airlines such as RwandAir, Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Air France and British Airways have flight services to Abuja. Most of these airlines have layovers in their domestic cities. You do not need a specific transit visa when travelling to Abuja. A transit visa is only required when you are travelling from European cities. If you do pick Air France as your airlines to travel to Abuja, then you will need a Schengen transit visa. Similarly, the only other route to Abuja where you would require a transit visa is if you travel by Emirates.

The flight duration of Abuja is quite decent. It takes about 12 hours to 15 hours to reach the city. Flying to Abuja is the only way to reach the Nigerian capital. The flight tickets are a little steep. In fact, they actually start from INR 35,000 and from here, the graph only goes up. Since the flight tickets to Abuja are so pricey, the best way to go about booking a ticket would be to search for online deals. It comes in handy to find great flight deals online to Abuja. You will be surprised by the drastic drop in the ticket prices to Abuja with the addition of discounts. This means you will actually have to invest a lot of time to ensure that you get some good flight deals. You can also use this time to make hotel reservations as that would further reduce the total cost of the trip. These can be found online as various platforms and airlines have sale and discounts. Another way to go about this would be to use up your miles if you are collecting them. You might be eligible for some more discounts depending on the program.

  About American Airlines

American Airlines Inc. is one of the major American airlines with its headquarters located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. It is recognised to be the world's largest airline with respect to fleet size. Passengers carried on scheduled, revenge earned on passenger mile, to name a few. American Airlines, along with its regional partners, have been documented to operate about 6,800 flights per day on domestic and international routes. They have reached 350 destinations in more than 50 countries around the world. The airline is one of the founding members of the Oneworld alliance, which is the third-largest airline alliance recognised in the world. Some of the regional services operated under the subsidiary carriers, go by the brand name American Eagle. It is an independent carrier and reaches some of the cities of North America. Dallas/Fort Worth is the largest hub for both, American Airlines and American Eagle for operations. Aside from the Texas city, there are ten more hubs for the airlines to operate from.

Dallas/Fort Worth has the capacity to handle about 200 million passengers in a year. The average passenger traffic on a daily basis is recorded to be more than 500,000. Further, the company is also known to employ over 130,000 staff, as recorded in 2019. American Airlines' AA logo was curated by Goodrich Murphy in 1931. Decades later, the logo was redesigned in 1967 by Massimo Vignelli. American Airlines' earlier liveries were widely diverse. However, a common livery was adopted in the 1930s. The livery featured an eagle painted on the fuselage with the eagle becoming a symbol that further inspired the subsidiary's name, American Eagle Airlines. Eventually, the airlines rebranded and let the employees decide the design for the new livery. Two options were posted by the American Airlines' employees on their website, one with the old one and the other with a modified version of the same. All the American Airlines Group employees were allowed to vote to pick the livery. Eventually, the airlines decided to keep the new look for the livery. The latest design features an abstract American flag painted on the tail with a silver-painted fuselage that is a throwback to the old livery.

In 2019, American Airlines turned into a heritage aircraft with US Airways, Piedmont, Reno Air, TWA, AirCal, America West, as part of their fleet. American Airlines is listed through the parent company, American Airlines Group Inc., under NASDAQ. The company's market capitalisation stands at USD12 billion, as of 2019.

Fleet size of American Airlines

According to 2020's records, American Airlines is known to operate the largest commercial fleet comprising of 870 aircraft. They mainly have Boeing and Airbus. The airline has over 80 per cent of narrow-body aircraft. The fleet mainly comprises of Airbus A320 series as well as Boeing 737-800. American Airlines is the largest A320 series aircraft operator in the world. It is also the largest operator with respect to A319 and A321 variant aircraft. Further on the same, it is the fourth-largest operator of the Boeing 737 family aircraft as well as the second-largest operator of the 737-800 variant. In terms of wide-body aircraft, American Airlines' fleet has an amalgam of Boeing and Airbus airliners. American Airlines is known to be the third-largest operator of the Boeing 787 series as well as sixth-largest operator in the world for the Boeing 777 series. Out of all the aircraft that are operated under American Airlines, Airbus A330 aircraft has retired. Along with the same, Boeing 787 aircraft is also inching towards retirement.

In the 2000s, American Airlines continued to order Boeing aircraft exclusively. However, from 2011, the airlines changed its strategy of ordering Boeing aircraft. Instead, they started combining their aircraft order with 460 narrow-body jets that included 260 Airbus 320 series. Additionally, the airlines also brought Airbus to join the fleet in 2013, following the merger with US Airways. It is known that US Airways exclusively operated Airbus aircraft. However, with the merger, American Airlines also received rights to add Airbus to their fleet and enable operations of the flight under their banner.

American Airline's Baggage Allowance

First-class - American Airline's baggage allowance policy is quite strict, but depending on the cabin type, the rules change. Passengers travelling in first-class have the luxury of carrying three check-in bags in the aircraft. Out of these, two cabin bags are allowed while a complimentary third is a handbag that could either be a laptop bag or a handbag. There are certain restrictions with respect to the contents of the bag. Some items have been disallowed from being carried in the cabin and should be adhered to.

Business-class - The business class allows two complimentary bags for check-in. For cabin baggage, the passengers are allowed to carry a handbag too, which should not exceed a certain dimension as set by American Airlines' standards. These are mostly allowed on long-haul flights taking international routes. The weight of the check-in bags cannot exceed 32kgs. Additional charges will be levied if the weight is over what has been allowed by the airlines. There are certain items that cannot be carried with you in the check-in as well as cabin baggage. Ensure to read about the same on American Airlines' website.

Premium Economy - For Premium Economy class, the airlines allows two complimentary bags for check-in. However, this rule is excluded for flights going to and from Alaska and Hawaii. International routes and long-haul flights of American Airlines offer baggage deals that can be availed on the airlines' website. You can exceed the weight and number of bags but provided you pay an additional sum.

Main Cabin - Two check-in bags are allowed for Main Cabin with additional carryon baggage for the cabin. The weight is the same with first class and business class, with the option of altering their baggage weight and other features. Along with the baggage, the airlines also allows passengers to carry special equipment baggage, including the ones with sports and musical instruments as well as assistive devices for mobility disabled passengers.

American Airline's In-flight services

Flagship first - Flagship first is American Airlines' international First Class cabin. The in-flight services offered in the cabin are exceptional as they offer seats that can be converted to fully flat-beds. There is direct aisle access with a herringbone configuration of 1-2-1. Other premium benefits of American Airline's in-flight services are wider options with respect to food and beverages, larger seats, amenities such as WiFi, power plug points and more. You can ask for blankets and enjoy the magnificent hospitality that is available in the cabin. The crew is also quite friendly and accommodating with special reservations for privacy.

Flagship business - Flagship business is the airline's premium business class cabin that is available on all Airbus A330-200s, Boeing 787-8s, Boeing 777-200ERs, Boeing 787-9s and Boeing 777-300ERs. The seats are comfortable and can be extended to fully lie-flat. The food and beverages are complimentary with an array of options. You can also request for pillows and blankets while you enjoy the cabin's privacy. Plus, they have personalised entertainment decks also for the passengers.

Premium economy - Earlier in 2015, the airlines announced Premium Economy as part of its long-haul wide-body aircraft. The cabin sees an upgrade from the main cabin and is available on most of the Boeing flights that function under the American Airlines wing. The cabin is available on Boeing 777-200s, Boeing 787-9s, Boeing 787-8s, Boeing 777-300s and also Airbus A330-200s. The seats in the premium economy are wider in comparison to the ones in the main cabin. Along with this, the cabin also has several interesting facilities. American Airlines' in-flight services in Premium Economy include enhanced good and drink services. This also includes free alcohol services. There are extensive power supply plugs for laptops, mobile phones, tablets and more.

Main cabin - The main cabin in American Airlines is the economy class. The cabin is available on all mainline as well as regional aircraft of American Airlines' fleets. The economy class boasts increased legroom with less ticket prices. The in-flight services include recliner seats that have about 30 inches of legroom. Long-haul flights also have complimentary food and beverages. You can request for a blanket, pillow, headphones and more.

Popular routes and top cities for American Airlines

Over the years, American Airlines has expanded its horizons to not just cater to domestic routes but also international routes. As of 2020, the airline accommodates flights to connect to about 95 domestic destinations, 95 international destinations in 55 countries sprawled across five continents. Further, on the same, the airline plans to launch flights to Casablanca from Philadelphia. Cities such as New York-JFK, London, Sydney, Vancouver, Toronto, Beijing, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Delhi, Dublin, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Auckland, Seoul, Los Angeles and San Francisco, are well-connected, thanks to American Airlines.

Why travel by American Airlines?

American Airlines has an up-to-date website with all the necessary information regarding flights schedules, web check-ins, flight status, etc. You can also book an American Airlines flight online and upgrade the ticket to premium economy or business class. The airline has the best in-flight services plus impeccable connectivity and hence, should be considered.