NEW YORK, NY — Travelers looking to use points and miles for Europe have several strong options, but the best choice depends on cabin, departure city and how flexible your dates are. Airline award pricing, surcharges and route availability can make the difference between a good deal and a costly one.
This guide highlights some of the most useful redemption paths for flights from the U.S. to Europe, including first class, business class, premium economy and economy.
First-class awards can work, but surcharges can be steep
British Airways first class can be booked with Avios, with one-way prices starting at 75,000 Avios on off-peak East Coast routes to London and rising to 110,000 Avios on peak longer-haul flights from the Midwest and West Coast.
The catch is the added cost: taxes, fees and surcharges can run about $1,500 each way, and paying more Avios does not remove them. American Airlines AAdvantage can be a better fit for some travelers, with first-class British Airways awards starting at 85,000 miles plus similar fees.
Business-class sweet spots are strongest on Iberia and Flying Blue
Iberia offers some of the best business-class values to Madrid from major U.S. gateways. One-way awards from JFK, Boston and Dulles cost 40,500 Avios on off-peak dates and 59,000 Avios on peak dates, plus about $125 in fees.
Air France and KLM also offer attractive saver-level business-class pricing through Flying Blue. Limited-capacity awards can be booked for 60,000 miles one way between North America and Europe, with better winter availability and occasional monthly Promo Rewards discounts.
Premium economy and economy can stretch rewards further
For travelers who do not need lie-flat seats, Iberia premium economy can be a useful middle ground. Off-peak one-way awards to Madrid start at 29,500 Avios from JFK, Boston and Dulles, while flights from Dallas, Chicago, Orlando and Miami cost 36,750 Avios.
In economy, American Airlines-operated flights to Europe can start at 21,000 miles one way with only $5.60 in taxes and fees. Aer Lingus can be even cheaper for Ireland, with off-peak economy awards from the Northeast starting at 13,000 Avios each way and reasonable added charges.
Credit card bonuses can help travelers build balances quickly
The article points to several current welcome offers that can help travelers collect transferable rewards for Europe trips, including bonuses from Chase Sapphire Preferred, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, the American Express Platinum Card, Capital One Venture X and Ink Business Preferred.
It also notes that summer travel usually requires booking as early as possible, since award space to Europe can tighten quickly as demand rises. Flexible travelers often get the best value by comparing programs before transferring points.
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