Journey to Europe utilizing factors and miles: Find out how to redeem your rewards for flights

Europe is a well-liked vacation spot for factors and miles collectors due to its wealthy historical past, various cultures, wonderful seashores and connoisseur delicacies. Nonetheless, with new routes, mileage devaluations and airline partnerships, maintaining monitor of the highest methods to fly to Europe with factors and miles is difficult. Nonetheless, there are wonderful journey choices in your bank card factors.

Proper now, the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) has its highest-ever supply of 100,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. That is sufficient to e-book round-trip flights to Europe in lie-flat enterprise class.

No matter your finances in your subsequent journey, this information will assist guarantee you may receive nice worth out of your factors and miles redemptions in your European trip with correct planning.

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e-book first-class flights with factors and miles

For the final word option to journey to Europe in type and luxury, listed below are our suggestions for reserving first-class seats with factors and miles.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa’s first-class product is likely one of the finest within the sky, providing a unbelievable onboard expertise together with caviar, canapes and advantageous wines. In the event you’re touring from Frankfurt Airport (FRA), it’s also possible to entry Lufthansa’s particular first-class terminal, which has personal customs and immigration services, a top-tier lounge and a chauffeur who takes you on to the tarmac subsequent to your aircraft.

The airline often solely opens first-class award availability to accomplice airways inside three days previous to departure.

Lufthansa operates quite a lot of these plane on routes between the U.S. and Germany (some characteristic top quality solely seasonally):

• Between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and the next airports: Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS), Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA), Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD).
• Between Munich Airport (MUC) and the next airports: BOS, Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN), EWR, ORD, New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), LAX, MIA, San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN) and SFO.

Lufthansa’s much-delayed new Allegris first-class seat is now flying on some Airbus A350 plane. Nonetheless, it isn’t at present bookable with any factors and miles. As a substitute, you should utilize the next accomplice factors and miles to e-book it:

• Air Canada Aeroplan: 90,000 factors from the East Coast or 100,000 factors from the Midwest and West Coast, plus round $50 in taxes and costs, for a flight to Germany; taxes and costs for a flight from Europe to the U.S. will price round $200.
• Avianca LifeMiles: 130,000 miles (plus some money for the low taxes and costs) to journey from the U.S. to Germany.
• United MileagePlus: 140,000 miles to 165,000 and about $140 in taxes and costs for a flight from the U.S. to Germany.

British Airways

Whereas British Airways’ first-class product would not have as many bells and whistles as Lufthansa’s, reserving with factors and miles is far simpler. Plus, for those who’re flying from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) in top quality, the Concorde Room is likely one of the finest airport lounges in Europe.

First-class flights on British Airways to London begin from 68,000 British Airways Membership Avios on off-peak dates for shorter flights from the East Coast, 80,000 Avios on peak dates from the East Coast, 85,000 Avios on off-peak dates for longer flights (reminiscent of these from California) and 100,000 Avios on peak dates for those self same longer flights, together with flights from the Midwest and the West Coast.

Sadly, British Airways imposes giant surcharges, airport charges and authorities taxes on first-class tickets, which price round $700-$800 every means. As first-class flights are excluded from British Airways’ Reward Flight Saver possibility, paying extra Avios can not cut back these surcharges.

American Airways AAdvantage award charges are cheaper for first-class British Airways tickets to the West Coast, as American Airways makes use of a region-based award chart reasonably than a distance-based one. Whatever the origin within the U.S. or date of journey, American Airways first-class flights begin at 85,000 AAdvantage miles plus comparable charges, taxes and surcharges for these award flights. Due to this fact, think about AAdvantage as an alternative for longer flights to Europe.

Associated: Nonetheless higher than enterprise class: A evaluation of British Airways First on the 777 from London to Washington

Ebook business-class flights with factors and miles

Desire a lie-flat mattress for an in a single day flight that arrives in Europe so you may really feel rested and refreshed? Listed here are our business-class redemption suggestions.

Iberia

One redemption for journeys to Europe that continues to offer terrific worth is obtainable by Iberia. Iberia operates flights from ORD, IAD, BOS, LAX, MIA, JFK, SFO, Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport (SJU) and Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) to its most important hub at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), with flights from Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) additionally beginning later this yr.

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Iberia costs its flights based mostly on distance and whether or not your journey falls on peak or off-peak dates. 4 of its departure gateways supply spectacular worth; for those who depart from JFK, BOS, IAD or ORD, this is what you may pay for one-way business-class flights:

• Off-peak dates: 34,000 British Airways Membership or Membership Iberia Plus Avios and about $120 in charges
• Peak dates: 50,000 British Airways Membership or Membership Iberia Plus Avios and about $120 in charges

Tickets on Iberia flights longer than 4,000 miles (any flights departing from Miami or cities west of Chicago) are pricier. Nonetheless, an off-peak fare to Madrid from these locations will price 42,500 Avios for flights 4,001 to five,500 miles lengthy or 51,000 Avios for flights 5,501 to six,500 miles lengthy, which remains to be a wonderful deal.

Air France and KLM

One other one of many business’s nice candy spots to Europe is reserving flights on Air France or KLM via the Flying Blue program. Whereas flights are priced dynamically, limited-capacity Saver fares price simply 60,000 miles in enterprise class from wherever in North America to wherever in Europe.

Availability throughout the winter months is often good; throughout summer time, seats at these costs come and go typically in waves. Availability from JFK could be simple to search out in case you are versatile — as there are quite a few each day flights — whereas seats from the West Coast could be tougher to search out.

Additionally, keep in mind to observe Flying Blue’s month-to-month Promo Rewards, the place choose routes are discounted by 25%, making the award costs even cheaper.

Associated: Non-public suites and high-tech touches: What it is like flying Air France’s new enterprise class

Ebook premium financial system seats with factors and miles

Premium financial system can present a more cost effective halfway level, which provides extra space and luxury than financial system with out breaking the financial institution.

Iberia

Like its engaging business-class redemption pricing, Iberia’s premium cabin charges for flights to Spain are additionally very cheap.

If you do not have sufficient miles to stretch for a flat mattress in enterprise class for in a single day flights to Europe, think about premium financial system as an alternative. It provides a wider seat, a smaller, extra intimate cabin, extra legroom and elevated meals and drinks service than the economy-class cabin. Passengers additionally obtain a small amenity package and noise-canceling headphones.

From DFW and MIA, anticipate to pay 31,750 Avios for off-peak journey or 43,750 Avios for peak season flights. Throughout off-peak instances, you may e-book a premium financial system ticket for simply 25,500 Avios from JFK, BOS and IAD to Madrid; on peak dates, you may want 35,000 Avios.

Associated: Is Iberia premium financial system price it on the Airbus A330 from Madrid to Dallas?

Air France and KLM

Each Air France and KLM supply premium financial system class on most transatlantic routes. Whereas Air France’s product has room for enchancment, TPG charges KLM’s premium financial system as one of many world’s finest. It gives an elevated expertise above financial system class, together with lobster for dinner (on choose routes), which is nearly unparalleled in premium financial system.

Whereas Flying Blue costs its awards dynamically, this system has standardized saver-level pricing for all one-way flights between the U.S. and Europe, no matter origin or vacation spot. Due to this fact, saver-level premium cabin award seats price simply 40,000 miles.

Ebook financial system flights utilizing factors and miles

In search of the most cost effective option to fly to Europe? Listed here are our financial system suggestions for redeeming factors and miles for flights to Europe.

Virgin Atlantic

You may e-book economy-class flights to Europe via Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, beginning at simply 6,000 factors every means from the East Coast or 9,000 factors every means from the West Coast. That is an impressive deal. Search for the red-tagged “Saver” flights for the bottom costs.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership just lately switched to dynamic award pricing, so redemptions are priced based on demand. Redemptions can attain as excessive as 100,000 factors on peak dates for a single financial system flight, which isn’t an important deal.

Aer Lingus

If you wish to fly to Eire in financial system class, redeeming Avios via the Aer Lingus AerClub program or British Airways Membership is a terrific deal.

Aer Lingus routes from the Northeast to Eire require simply 13,000 Avios every means on off-peak dates. This contains flights from JFK, BOS, ORD, IAD and Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL). Charges, taxes and surcharges are cheap and must be not more than $100. Nonetheless, peak journey dates require 20,000 Avios every means.

Longer flights from Florida, Washington, and California to Eire price a barely larger 16,250 Avios every means on off-peak dates or 25,000 Avios on peak dates. This might nonetheless be a very good deal if nonstop money fares are costly.

Find out how to earn factors and miles to e-book flights to Europe

The next playing cards all at present supply substantial welcome bonuses with factors or miles which you can switch to some or all the above applications to e-book flights to Europe:

• Chase Sapphire Most popular Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases inside the first three months of card membership.
• The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles whenever you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and costs): Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Backside line

Redeeming factors and miles for journey to Europe could be complicated. With so many airways flying on seemingly countless route mixtures throughout the Atlantic, planning a European getaway with rewards can rapidly overwhelm you. In the event you plan to go to Europe in the summertime, reserving as early as attainable is finest to maximise your probability of discovering the proper flight on the proper value.

Nonetheless, this information will assist you save time (and factors or miles) when discovering one of the best flight choices in your hop throughout the pond. Verify TPG repeatedly as we share last-minute award offers from the U.S. to Europe, Asia and past.