Cheapest ways to fly from the U.S. to Europe on points in coach

Numerous airlines link the U.S. and Europe, from legacy carriers like American Airlines and Air France to upstarts like Norse Atlantic. Nowadays, you can even fly nonstop from smaller cities in the U.S. to Europe, with new routes like Indianapolis (IND) to Dublin (DUB) on Aer Lingus.

But these flights can get expensive, even in economy, during the summer travel surge and other peak times. These are times when points and miles can save you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on your airfare. To discover some of the most effective strategies, including tips on using points, check this guide on the cheapest ways to fly from the U.S. to Europe.

But if you have transferable points like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, what’s the best way to book? Let’s take a look at some of your best options.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Air France and KLM Royal Dutch run a joint loyalty program called Flying Blue. The program prices award tickets dynamically — meaning rates change when you book and fly — but awards from the U.S. to Europe start at 20,000 miles in economy, 35,000 in premium economy, and 60,000 in business class with moderate taxes and fees. It’s common to find awards at these levels (or slightly lower) on Air France, KLM, and Delta flights.

Pay attention to Flying Blue’s Promo Rewards page too. These deals change monthly and offer different routes at extremely low rates. You can often find economy flights for under 20,000 miles with these deals.

American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy transfer to Flying Blue.

Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio, and you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to Flying Blue.

You can also earn Flying Blue Miles with the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard^®.

Compare

Air France KLM Visa Signature^® Credit Card

Bank of America Flying Blue

Annual fee: $89
Our valuation: $700Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.; Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer: 50,000 miles

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada Aeroplan’s award chart (PDF link) is largely distance-based but has dynamic pricing for its own flights and flights operated by select partners like United Airlines and Emirates. You can view its North America to Atlantic award chart below, which covers all flights from the U.S. to Europe.

You’ll find the lowest-cost flights under 4,000 miles from East Coast airports like New York (JFK), Boston (BOS) and Philadelphia (PHL). These cost 35,000 points in economy and 60,000 in business class, plus low taxes and fees.

American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy transfer to Aeroplan.

Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio, and you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to Aeroplan.

You can also earn Aeroplan Points with The Aeroplan^® Card.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is an excellent option for booking Oneworld flights from the U.S. to Europe.

Like Aeroplan, this loyalty program uses a mixture of distance-based and dynamic award pricing, with most flights from the U.S. to Europe starting at 22,500 miles in economy and 45,000 in business class.

Alaska Airlines also partners with a handful of airlines outside the Oneworld alliance too, like Aer Lingus and Icelandair. As a bonus, regardless of the partner you fly with, you can add a free stopover en route to your final destination.

You can transfer Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points to Alaska Airlines.

Marriott transfers process at the same 3:1 transfer ratio mentioned for other loyalty programs in this article.

You can also earn with the Alaska Airlines Visa^®.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic recently moved to dynamic award pricing for its own flights, but this broadly lowered award pricing. You can now find Virgin Atlantic award flights from the U.S. to Europe for as low as 6,000 points in economy, plus moderate taxes and fees.

American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy transfer to Virgin Atlantic.

Marriott transfers to Virgin Atlantic at a 3:1 transfer ratio, with a 5,000 Virgin point bonus awarded when transferring 60,000 Marriott points.

Bottom line

From Aalborg to Zurich, Europe has a lot to offer. Here, we showed you the best ways to use transferable points to book flights from the U.S. to Europe with transferable points programs like American Express Membership Rewards. Please bookmark this page and refer to it the next time you need to book a flight across the Atlantic.

FAQs – How to Book Flights from the U.S. to Europe with Points

What’s the cheapest way to book a flight to Europe using points?

Using Flying Blue Promo Rewards or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is often the cheapest way. Promo Rewards can drop economy redemptions to under 20,000 miles, while Virgin Atlantic offers redemptions starting at just 6,000 points one-way in economy.

Which credit card points can be transferred to book flights to Europe?

Most major programs transfer to airline partners: American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, Bilt Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. These programs support transfers to Flying Blue, Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, and others.

Can I book stopovers on award flights to Europe?

Yes. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan allows a free stopover on one-way award flights, even on partner airlines like British Airways, Finnair, and Icelandair. This is a great way to visit two European cities for the price of one award.

Do Virgin Atlantic award tickets have high fees?

Virgin Atlantic charges moderate taxes and fees on award tickets, especially when flying Virgin-operated flights. However, fees can be higher when booking partners like Lufthansa or Air France in premium cabins.

Are Flying Blue Promo Rewards really worth it?

Yes. Flying Blue Promo Rewards offer significant value with limited-time discounts on select routes. Booking economy flights for 15,000–20,000 miles or business class for 50,000–55,000 miles is an excellent deal compared to standard pricing.