The Best Way to Fly to Europe with Points

With tons of carriers flying into the region from the U.S., Europe is one of the best places for American travelers to visit on points and miles. But if you're not sure how to make the most of your hard-won travel rewards, don't worry — we're here to help, whether you're looking to fly business class or find a cheap redemption option in economy.

Read on to learn all about how to find and book award flights to Europe with points.

How many miles or points do I need to fly to Europe?

The number of miles or points you need for a free flight to Europe depends on the airline, loyalty program, and if you're traveling in economy or booking a business class seat. 

In the past, we’ve seen flights to Europe for as low as 15,000 miles one way, though 25,000 points is more common. For business class, 50,000 points is a great fare. 

Which airlines and alliances fly to Europe? 

Covering nearly 60 carriers collectively, the big three airline alliances — Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance — fly from the U.S. to Europe.

When should I book flights to Europe with points? 

You should book flights to Europe with points at least six months in advance, and more (11-12 months) if you're looking for business class seats.

That’s because award availability is known to dwindle the closer you are to departure (though sometimes additional seats are released at the two-week mark), making it harder to find seats, especially if traveling with a partner or group.

Which frequent flyer programs are best for travel to Europe with points and miles? 

The best frequent flyer program for travel to Europe with points and miles depends on your specific travel needs, the cities you're flying to and from, and your preferred airlines. 

However, programs like American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, and United MileagePlus are solid options, thanks to their extensive transfer-partner networks, competitive redemption rates, and low taxes and fees.

That said, award space can vary from one codeshare partner to the next, even on the same flights, so be sure to take a look at all the airline loyalty programs involved to make sure you’re maximizing your miles and getting the best deal.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada Aeroplan offers competitive award rates, especially for premium cabin redemptions on partner airlines, like United. It also allows a stopover for an additional 5,000 miles. Fuel surcharges can be high on some partner airlines, though.

One of our favorite Aeroplan point options is redeeming them for United flights. As you can see below, a one-way, nonstop United flight in economy costs 35,000 points.

You can transfer points to Aeroplan from your credit card issuer, including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

This program allows you to book flights on Air France and KLM from North America to Europe. We like Air France-KLM Flying Blue due to its many transfer partners. Flying Blue miles can be transferred from programs such as Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards. 

Of the loyalty programs, Air France-KLM Flying Blue has some of the cheapest options for getting to Europe from the U.S., with award redemptions starting at just 20,000 each way in economy.

KLM also frequently runs Flying Blue Promo Rewards, offering heavily discounted fares in economy, premium economy, and business class.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 

A great program to use if you're based on the West Coast, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers exceptional value with its miles, especially for premium cabins. Its partner airlines include British Airways, Icelandair, and Finnair — although its network isn't as robust as the major alliances, and some partners have high fuel surcharges. 

For instance, you’ll find decent award redemption rates on British Airways — 35,000 miles in economy and 70,000 miles in business — but the airline also passes on high fuel surcharges, which may be a deterrent.

American Airlines AAdvantage

As a member of the Oneworld alliance, American Airlines partners with British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, and others, but it also partners with non-alliance carriers, like Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue. You’ll often find competitive award space to Europe here, especially during off-peak times.

In this case, you can find nonstop flights from New York to Paris starting at just 19,000 AAdvantage miles one-way, which is an excellent deal for a transatlantic flight. American doesn’t pass on high fuel surcharges either.

Delta SkyMiles

One of the best ways to book award flights to Europe, Delta SkyMiles offers good availability and the flexibility to mix partners on a single award ticket, with the added benefit of no fuel surcharges on Delta-operated flights. As part of the SkyTeam alliance, its airline partners include Air France and KLM.

Because its program doesn’t utilize an award chart, Delta does sometimes require more miles for redemption than other programs. If you need to boost your balance, you can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards to book flights with Delta SkyMiles.

United Airlines MileagePlus

Partner to an extensive network of Star Alliance airlines, including LOT Polish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, and Turkish Airlines, United MileagePlus is one of our favorite ways to book a business-class flight to Europe.

On its own metal, you’ll find decent economy and even premium economy prices, such as this flight from Washington (IAD) to Paris (CDG), starting at just 40,000 miles each way.

Thanks to its Star Alliance partners, United offers lots of options for flights to Europe, and it's also notable for not passing along fuel surcharges on award tickets. However, saver award availability can be limited on popular routes, such as Newark to London. You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards.

What are the best European destinations to fly to on points?

These are the easiest — and cheapest — European cities to fly to on points:

• London (LHR or LGW)

• Paris (CDG)

• Dublin (DUB)

• Zurich (ZRH)

• Frankfurt (FRA)

• Munich (MUC) 

• Amsterdam (AMS)

• Madrid (MAD) 

What are the best stopover destinations for travelers to Europe?

Plenty of major U.S. cities offer nonstop service to Europe. But if you're looking to extend your trip with a stopover, Toronto and Montreal are always a good time. Within Europe, Milan, Paris, London, Lisbon, Madrid, and many other cities are excellent options for an overnight or multi-day layover. 

Booking an award flight to Europe with point.me

Now that you know how to get to Europe using points and miles, let’s take what we’ve learned and book a flight with point.me.

First, you’ll input your arrival and departure airports, dates, number of passengers, and fare class.

Next, you’ll filter by preferred airline, number of stops, travel times, and loyalty programs, sorting the results to your liking.

Below, you’ll see your results.

Select your preferred flight. Any transfer bonuses will be noted, and you’ll also see the programs you can use to transfer points.

Next, you’ll select a way to book. 

Finally, you’ll be taken to a page where you can book your flight through your preferred airline.

Too much work? Our full-service concierges are standing by to assist!