Which Airline Loyalty Program Is Best for Flying to Europe?

The Short Answer

The programs that most often deliver the lowest prices for Europe award flights are British Airways Avios, Iberia Plus, Alaska Mileage Plan, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Air France/KLM Flying Blue. These frequently beat the big U.S. carriers on both economy and business class redemptions to Europe.

For North Atlantic routing beyond the main hubs, the Iceland and Nordics award guide covers short-haul sweet spots that pair well with European awards.

Once you know the program, pick the city pair from all award destination guides or jump to the dedicated Europe miles guide for routing detail.

For business class round-trips, you can find prices as low as 81,000–110,000 miles on Avios and Iberia programs, while many other carriers start higher. Economy awards follow a similar pattern, with Iberia and Avios programs again among the cheapest options.

The Contenders by the Numbers

Here is how the major programs compare on transatlantic awards using our current chart data:

• British Airways Avios: 44,000 miles economy round-trip, 110,000 miles business round-trip
• Iberia Plus: 34,000 miles economy round-trip, 81,000 miles business round-trip (strong to Spain)
• Alaska Mileage Plan: 50,000 miles economy round-trip, 100,000 miles business round-trip
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 50,000 miles economy round-trip, 95,000 miles business round-trip
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue: 60,000 miles economy round-trip, 100,000 miles business round-trip
• Air Canada Aeroplan and United MileagePlus: 65,000–70,000 miles economy round-trip, 120,000 miles business round-trip

Partner awards on these programs can be higher than the numbers above — always check the search tool for your specific route.

Fees Change the Ranking

Paper prices only tell part of the story. Programs like British Airways Avios and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club often add significant fuel surcharges when you book their own metal or certain partners. These fees can erase the apparent savings on business class awards to Europe.

Programs such as Aeroplan, United MileagePlus, and Turkish Miles&Smiles generally pass through lower (or no) carrier surcharges on many routes. The difference is large enough that a higher-mileage award with low fees can easily beat a lower-mileage award with high fees. See our guide on how to avoid fuel surcharges for the current best practices.

Which Banks Get You There

The winners above are reachable with the major transferable currencies. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers 1:1 to United, British Airways Avios, Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, and Iberia Plus. American Express Membership Rewards reaches Delta, Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, and Flying Blue. Capital One Miles transfers to Aeroplan, Avios, Virgin Atlantic, and Iberia Plus. Bilt Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points also reach several of the top programs.

Having points in at least two of these currencies gives you the best shot at finding award space and the lowest total cost (miles + fees) to Europe.

Run Your Own Route

The best program for your trip depends on the exact cities, dates, and cabin you want. Award space and pricing change constantly, and partner availability often beats the home carrier.

Run your specific route in the search tool and compare a few programs side-by-side. For deeper planning on Europe awards, see our Europe award guide.