4 Ways to Fly to Europe Using Fewer Points or Less Cash!

June 4, 2017 By Million Mile Secrets

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Million Mile Secrets reader, Matt, tweeted:

What are the cheapest cities to fly to in Western Europe?

Great question, Matt!

The best deals can be different depending if you’re redeeming miles & points or booking paid airfare.

For example, one great option to Europe is using British Airways Avios points for flights to Dublin.

Or for inexpensive paid airfare, you can consider flights on low-cost airlines like Norwegian Air and WOW Air to destinations like Iceland, London, Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen.

A great part about flying to Europe cheaply is you can travel around to other destinations using budget airlines like RyanAir or via Europe’s extensive rail network.

Cheap Flights To Europe — You Can Explore Europe for Less When You Book Great Deals Using Miles, Points, or Cash

I’ll share how to get to Europe for cheap!

4 Cheap Ways to Get to Europe

Folks looking to get to Europe cheaply can consider these 4 options.

Keep in mind, your departure city is also a big factor in finding the best deals.

Remember it’s easy to book cheap travel around Europe once you’re there. For example, team member Harlan recently flew to Brussels and took a train to Amsterdam.

And don’t forget about using Numbeo to help you decide on the perfect destination in Europe for your preferences and budget.

1. Ireland British Airways Avios Points

Link: Sweet Spot: Fly to Ireland From 6 US Cities for Only 26,000 British Airways Avios Points Round-Trip

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus partners with British Airways, which means you can redeem your British Airways Avios points for an Aer Lingus award flight.

You can fly from these cities to Dublin for 13,000 British Airways Avios points one-way in coach during the off-peak travel dates:

Boston
Chicago
Hartford
Newark
New York (JFK)
Washington, DC

And during peak travel, you’ll pay 20,000 British Airways Avios points for the same one-way flights.

Note: You can NOT book Aer Lingus award flights on the British Airways website. So you must call British Airways to book at 800-247-9297.

To earn British Airways Avios points, you can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott.

2. Frankfurt Using Singapore Airline Miles

You can book cheap Singapore Airlines award flights between New York (JFK) and Frankfurt.

For a one-way award flight, you’ll pay:

22,500 Singapore Airlines miles in coach
65,000 Singapore Airlines miles in Business Class
76,000 Singapore Airlines miles in First Class

You can fly to Frankfurt, then take a ~1 hour flight to Florence, Italy!

It’s easy to earn Singapore Airlines miles because they’re a transfer partner of all 4 major flexible points programs:

3. Norwegian Air and WOW Air

Both WOW Air and Norwegian Air offer low-cost flight options to Europe.

You can find especially cheap airfare when tickets go on sale!

Between the 2 airlines, you can find cheap flight options to:

Amsterdam
Barcelona
Berlin
Brussels
Copenhagen
Cork
Dublin
Edinburgh
Frankfurt
Iceland
London
Paris
Stockholm

When there’s a sale, it’s possible to book a round-trip ticket for as little as ~$200! That’s an INCREDIBLE deal!

Just remember, these airlines charge for things like seat selection, large carry-on bags, and checked bags. So run the numbers to figure out the total amount you’ll pay.

That said, I flew WOW Air to Iceland and had a very good experience.

4. Book a Fare Sale

I try to let y’all know whenever there’s a great fare sale to Europe!

These sales are unpredictable, but can often launch fare wars between major airlines, like American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines. We’ve seen round-trip airfare sales like:

But you’ll want to act quickly when you see a deal you’re interested in because they don’t typically last long!

Million Mile Secrets team member Meghan recently booked a fare sale to Europe. She paid less than $500 per person for a United Airlines flight to Barcelona. The same flight typically costs more than $1,200!

Bottom Line

For cheap award flights to Europe, consider using British Airways Avios points for award flights on partner airlines Aer Lingus or Air Berlin. You’ll find flights to Berlin, Dublin, and Dusseldorf.

Or you can redeem Singapore Airlines miles to get to Frankfurt. Remember, Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of all 4 flexible points programs.

If you’re paying cash for airfare to Europe, you can find find great deals on low-cost airlines like WOW Air and Norwegian Air. But consider these airlines charge extra fees if you check bags or for seat selection.

Booking a fare sale can also be a fantastic way to fly to popular destinations in Europe. Team member Meghan recently booked a family getaway to Barcelona by taking advantage of a United Airlines sale!