The Cheapest Ways to Fly to Europe Using Points and Miles

Whether you’re fantasizing about touring the ruins of Athens, eating your way through Italy or exploring the art scene in Berlin, chances are a European vacation is on your list. While airfare to Europe has been dropping over the years, thanks to low-cost carriers and basic economy deals, it can still be tough to budget for a big trip. That’s where points and miles come in. Stock up on the right points currency and you can fly to Europe on points and save your cash for fun once you get to your destination.

» Learn more: How to choose a credit card for Europe travel

Here are five of the cheapest ways to fly to Europe using points and miles:

American Airlines AAdvantage

At 45,000 miles round-trip, American Airlines’ off-peak economy class awards to Europe are a bargain. The airline defines “off-peak” travel to Europe as Jan. 10 to March 14 and Nov. 1 to Dec. 14. If you can make these dates work, this is a great way to get to Europe on points. Best of all, you can swing it with a single credit card welcome bonus thanks to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.

» Learn more: Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card review: Worth the fee for airline loyalists

Delta SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles are vastly underestimated as a rewards currency. While the airline’s dynamic pricing model can make redemption rates unpredictable, you can find some incredible deals when it comes to flights to Europe. For example, in October and November, you can find fares between San Francisco and London for as low as 22,000 miles and $182 round-trip.

Delta’s price calendar is a great tool to determine the lowest redemption rates year-round. It’s definitely a good idea to book in advance — having a nice stash of Delta SkyMiles on hand helps. Currently, the Delta SkyMiles credit cards are offering higher welcome bonuses. With these increased welcome bonuses, you can book at least two round-trip tickets between San Francisco and London — assuming you get in on the 22,000-mile redemption rate.

» Learn more: What does the new SkyMiles Card welcome bonus get you?

Korean SkyPass

Korean SkyPass has some of the cheapest options if you’re looking for award flights to Europe. A round-trip economy class award costs just 50,000 miles while business class is just 80,000. Korean SkyPass is part of the SkyTeam alliance, providing plenty of partner booking options to Europe including flights on Delta and Air France.

The one downside is that ever since Korean SkyPass ended its relationship with the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program, there is no longer a way to transfer points to your SkyPass account. The only other option is to pick up one of the co-branded SkyPass credit cards:

• Skypass Visa Business.

• SKYPASS Visa® Signature Credit Card.

• Skypass Visa Classic Card.

• SKYPASS SkyBlue Visa® Card.

• SKYPASS Visa® Secured Card.

ANA Mileage Club

All Nippon Airways Mileage Club has several sweet-spot redemptions, and flights from the U.S. to Europe is one of them. A partner award ticket to Europe costs just 55,000 miles round-trip in economy or 88,000 in business class. Considering how easy it is to earn ANA miles, you should have no problem saving up for an award. ANA is a transfer partner of AmEx Membership Rewards, meaning you can top off your Mileage Club account with rewards from the following credit cards:

• American Express® Gold Card.

• American Express® Business Gold Card.

• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Terms apply.

» Learn more: American Express Gold Card review: Dining rewards royalty

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers some of the cheapest award flights to Europe. You can fly between the U.S. and U.K for as little as 20,000 miles and $350 round-trip. That’s a spectacular deal, especially if you’re flying during the summer months when fares tend to be higher. Since the taxes on these awards are higher than usual, it’s important to compare these rates with the cost of paid airfare to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

• Boston, Newark, New York JFK, Washington DC: 20,000 miles and $350.

• Atlanta, Miami, Orlando: 25,000 miles and $435.

• Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle: 30,000 miles and $475.