Cheapest ways to fly from the U.S. to Europe on points in coach
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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: the number of miles depends on the route, the date, and demand, and Flying Blue does not publish a fixed minimum for flights between the U.S. and Europe. Taxes and fees are moderate. Compare prices on flyingblue.com before you transfer points, including on Air France, KLM, and Delta flights.
Pay attention to Flying Blue’s Promo Rewards page too. These deals change monthly and discount selected routes. In October 2026, the routes listed there carried a 25% discount.
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®.
- Annual fee
- $89
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$650Total$650Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $650
- Welcome offer+ 100 Experience Points (XP)After $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. The same offer also awards 100 Experience Points (XP), which are status credits rather than spendable miles.
- 50,000 miles
Apply Now
on Bank of America's website
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 32,500 points in economy and 60,000 in business class on partner airlines under the chart in effect since June 1, 2026, 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.
- Annual fee
- $195
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,610Total$1,610Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,610
- Welcome offerAfter $4,000 in 3 months
- Up to 115,000 points
Apply Now
on Chase's website
Atmos Rewards (formerly Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan)
Atmos Rewards (formerly 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 partner awards to Europe starting at 22,500 points in economy and 45,000 in business class on flights of 1,501 to 3,500 miles, such as New York to London or Dublin. Flights of 3,501 to 5,000 miles start at 27,500 and 55,000 points.
Atmos Rewards also partners with a handful of airlines outside the Oneworld alliance, like Aer Lingus and Icelandair. As a bonus, the Atmos Rewards award chart terms allow one stopover of up to 14 days per one-way on eligible international award itineraries (checked October 2026).
You can transfer Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points to Atmos Rewards.
Marriott transfers process at the same 3:1 transfer ratio mentioned for other loyalty programs in this article.
You can also earn with the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card from Bank of America.
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 one-way in economy on Saver reward seats (New York to London, for example), plus taxes and fees that start at $93.10, according to Virgin Atlantic in October 2026.
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 discount selected routes each month, while Virgin Atlantic Saver reward seats start at 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. Atmos Rewards (formerly Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan) allows one stopover of up to 14 days per one-way on eligible international award itineraries, including partner awards on 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. In October 2026, the routes on the Promo Rewards page carried a 25% discount. Compare the promo price with the regular price for the same flight before you transfer points.
