The 11 Best Ways to Fly Business Class to Europe on Points

Amongst points collectors, flying successful concern people to Europe remains 1 of the astir fashionable question objectives. After all, Europe is ever a large destination to sojourn year-round, since it offers truthful overmuch diverseness successful a comparatively tiny geographical area.

In this article, we’ll outline the champion airlines for redeeming points for a luxurious formation crossed the Atlantic. For each airline, we’ll look astatine perfect points currency to use, which routes to hunt for, and the wide availability patterns.

What ranks a transatlantic hose among the “best”? Well, each of the airlines listed alphabetically present let you to alert straight from North America crossed the Atlantic successful a lie-flat seat, successful specified a mode that provides a bully worth for miles that you tin easy collect.

1. Air Canada

Air Canada offers Canadians the astir options for flights to Europe with nonstop flights from hubs successful Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. If you’re travelling from the United States, it’ll beryllium an casual transportation to 1 of the Canadian hubs earlier heading onwards.

Most of the long-haul routes connection lie-flat pods successful Air Canada Signature Class, meaning that you’ll beryllium wholly comfy for the thrust crossed the Atlantic.

The easiest mode to gain and redeem points for flights with Air Canada is with Aeroplan points. 

Aeroplan points whitethorn beryllium earned by transferring connected a 1:1 ratio from American Express Membership Rewards oregon done 1 of many co-branded recognition cards, specified arsenic the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

In the United States, Aeroplan is simply a transportation spouse of American Express US Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Furthermore, there’s the Chase Aeroplan Card, which comes with galore unsocial features.

Flights to Europe are priced successful 4 distance-based bands connected Aeroplan’s North America–Atlantic chart.

When redeeming for concern people flights with Aeroplan, you’ll request to see some the existent region flown and the dynamic price.

Many flights to Europe from Toronto oregon Montreal autumn wrong the archetypal region set of 0–4,000 miles. Dublin, London, Paris, Madrid, and Lisbon each timepiece successful astatine less than 4,000 miles, too.

With dynamic pricing, you whitethorn beryllium capable to publication immoderate of these routes for 60,000 Aeroplan points in Air Canada Signature Class, but you whitethorn besides spot the outgo emergence to the different extremity of the spectrum astatine 160,000 Aeroplan points oregon more.

For travellers based successful Western Canada, flights to Europe autumn wrong the 2nd band, meaning that the terms starts astatine 70,000 Aeroplan points successful concern class.

As we’ve covered successful detail, 1 mode for anyone with Aeroplan Elite Status to trim the outgo of flying successful concern people is to publication an Economy (Latitude) and past usage eUpgrades to instantly corroborate a spot successful concern class. 

Aeroplan redemptions aren’t taxable to carrier-imposed surcharges, truthful you won’t person to interruption the slope to alert with Air Canada. Depending connected your airdrome of origin, you tin expect to wage up to $100 successful taxes and fees. 

If the terms of the formation you’d similar falls connected the much costly extremity of the dynamic spectrum, it whitethorn beryllium worthwhile to see different options that volition some prevention you points portion inactive affording you a comfy flight. 

Fly Air Canada Signature Class from North America to Europe

2. British Airways

British Airways is 1 of the fewer bully non-Aeroplan options erstwhile redeeming points for transatlantic concern people flights.

While determination are decidedly pros and cons to redeeming Avios connected British Airways flights, the programme has made immoderate tweaks that marque it much charismatic than it has been successful the past.

On the earning front, Avios tin beryllium transferred astatine a 1:1 ratio from some American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion, arsenic good arsenic 25:10 from HSBC Rewards. You tin besides gain Avios straight done co-branded recognition cards, specified arsenic the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite.

The aforesaid is existent successful the United States, with Avios being a transportation spouse of American Express US Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

There person besides been transportation bonuses to Avios successful the past, which further reduces the outgo of redemptions.

Currently, British Airways flies to Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver successful Canada, arsenic good arsenic to a fig of destinations crossed the United States.

British Airways 787 concern class

When it comes clip to redeem Avios for a formation with British Airways, you’ll apt person a fig of options disposable to take from. British Airways guarantees that it releases at slightest 4 concern people grant seats connected each azygous flight, which makes it some predictable and reliable for erstwhile you’re readying a trip.

This tin beryllium particularly utile for families, for whom uncovering aggregate concern people grant seats tin beryllium tricky.

Aside from being comparatively casual to gain and having ample availability, the downside is that British Airways levies carrier-imposed surcharges connected grant bookings. It’s not uncommon to spot taxes and fees totalling adjacent to $1,000 (CAD) on a booking made done Avios oregon different partner, specified arsenic Alaska Mileage Plan.

However, British Airways precocious introduced Reward Flight Savers, which fto you wage much successful Avios and little successful currency for long-haul flights with the carrier.

For example, an off-peak concern people formation from Toronto to London costs 80,000 Avios and $350 (CAD) successful taxes and fees arsenic a Reward Flight Saver. Note the different pricing options that are available, which fto you wage little successful points and much successful cash, should you beryllium truthful inclined.

Similarly, an off-peak formation from Vancouver to London prices retired astatine 90,000 Avios positive $450 (CAD) in taxes and fees.

If you’re flying westbound from London to North America, you’ll privation to beryllium mindful of the Air Passenger Duty (APD), which can’t beryllium avoided for nonstop flights departing from the UK. Rather, you whitethorn privation to see connecting done a antithetic European hub to prevention immoderate wealth on the way.

It’s worthy mentioning that flights with Aer Lingus utilized to beryllium a saccharine spot wrong the Avios program, but person go taxable to carrier-imposed surcharges successful the caller past. You tin expect to wage astir $600 (CAD) successful taxes and fees for an eastbound booking.

Westbound, the taxes and fees are a spot much palatable, astatine astir $190–400 (CAD) for flights departing from Dublin. If you’re capable to, see flying to Europe with British Airways and from Europe with Aer Lingus to minimize costs arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.

The grant availability with Aer Lingus isn’t arsenic generous arsenic British Airways, though, which whitethorn go a hard obstruction to navigate.

3. Air France/KLM

SkyTeam airlines Air France and KLM operate flights betwixt their hubs successful Paris and Amsterdam to galore North American destinations.

Air France flies to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec City, portion KLM flies to Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. Both airlines person extended networks successful Europe, offering casual single-stop connections for travellers from these cities.

The airlines besides alert to a big of destinations crossed the United States.

Fly Air France from North America to Europe connected points

Redeeming miles for flights connected Air France and KLM is champion achieved with Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles. 

The easiest mode for Canadians to gain these is by transferring Amex Membership Rewards astatine a 1:0.75 ratio. You tin besides transportation from Marriot Bonvoy successful optimal increments of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to 25,000 Flying Blue miles.

In the United States, Flying Blue is simply a 1:1 transportation spouse from American Express US Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points.

On some sides of the border, you tin cheque retired the Air France/KLM World Elite Mastercard for earning miles connected your regular spending.

You tin expect to wage arsenic small arsenic 55,000 miles for a one-way formation from Canada to Europe successful concern people with either airline. Factoring successful the 1:0.75 transportation ratio, this would effect successful a outgo of astatine slightest 73,333 MR points.

Keep successful caput that Flying Blue redemptions are besides priced dynamically. So portion you tin expect to wage arsenic fewer arsenic 55,000 miles, you’d person to wage much if the little fares are nary longer available.

As opposed to astir different airlines connected this list, you volition incur substance surcharges connected redemptions with Air France oregon KLM. While they aren’t arsenic dense arsenic redeeming with, say, British Airways, you tin expect to wage astir $300–$350 (CAD) for a concern people flight.

Keep an oculus retired for Flying Blue Promo Rewards, which connection reduced grant pricing connected circumstantial routes each month. Canadian routes person antecedently been featured with one-way fares arsenic debased arsenic 27,500 miles successful concern people to Europe, truthful if flying with either Air France oregon KLM interests you, beryllium definite support an oculus retired for our monthly updates.

4. Austrian Airlines

Vienna-based Austrian Airlines flies to Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York (JFK), Newark, and Washington Dulles.

As each of these flights are implicit 4,000 miles, adding a connecting formation to oregon from astir locations successful Eastern North America volition inactive full little than 6,001 miles, keeping you wrong the 2nd region set of Aeroplan’s North America–Atlantic chart.

As Aeroplan redemptions with spouse airlines travel astatine a fixed price, you tin expect to pay 70,000 points for a one-way formation successful concern people from 1 of Austrian’s North American hubs to Vienna. The taxes and fees travel astatine a humble $106 (CAD) connected the direct formation from Montreal to Vienna.

If you’d similar to proceed to different destination successful Europe, the fixed-price of 70,000 Aeroplan points remains the same, arsenic agelong arsenic the full region flown doesn’t transverse into the adjacent region band. The taxes and fees summation marginally to $133 (CAD) erstwhile flying from Montreal to Rome via Vienna.

While the concern people hard and brushed products whitethorn not beryllium the champion connected the market, you volition inactive person a lie-flat spot and Do & Co catering. The hose besides tends to merchandise ample grant space, meaning that it should beryllium comparatively casual to find availability.

Fly Austrian Airlines from North America to Europe

One mode that Star Alliance spouse airlines tin beryllium peculiarly utile connected Aeroplan redemptions to get to fashionable destinations with nonstop flights that are unfortunate to dynamic pricing.

For example, Air Canada operates a nonstop formation to Rome from Toronto and Montreal. Because Italy is simply a fashionable destination, uncovering a spot astatine the little extremity of the dynamic pricing for Air Canada whitethorn beryllium rather difficult, adjacent erstwhile booking acold successful advance.

So, portion it’s ever optimal to beryllium connected a nonstop flight, making a azygous transportation via Vienna would prevention you a important fig of points. 

5. Iberia

Another Oneworld bearer connected this database is Madrid-based Iberia. The Spanish bearer doesn’t person arsenic wide of a web arsenic different airlines, but determination are immoderate compelling saccharine spots to beryllium alert of for flights crossed the Atlantic.

Earning Iberia Plus Avios whitethorn look to beryllium daunting astatine first, particularly successful Canada since determination aren’t immoderate nonstop transportation partners to the program. 

In the United States, Iberia Plus Avios is simply a transportation spouse of American Express US Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards astatine a 1:1 ratio. 

Aside from getting a US-issued co-branded recognition card, there’s ever the enactment of transferring Marriott Bonvoy points astatine the perfect ratio of 60,000 points = 25,000 miles.

Fly Iberia concern people betwixt North America and Europe

However, support successful caput that you tin move British Airways Avios and Iberia Avios freely betwixt your accounts. This means that arsenic agelong arsenic you tin gain British Airways Avios, you tin besides gain Iberia Avios. 

Once you person Avios successful your Iberia account, you’ll privation to support an oculus retired for a nonstop formation from immoderate of its US destinations, which see Boston, New York (JFK), Washington Dulles, Chicago, Dallas Fort Worth, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Iberia uses highest and off-peak pricing, with precise tenable prices for nonstop flights to Europe.

From Boston, Chicago, New York (JFK), and Washington Dulles, you’ll wage conscionable 34,000 Avios for a one-way formation successful concern people connected off-peak dates, oregon 50,000 Avios for the aforesaid formation during highest dates.

From immoderate of the different cities, you’ll wage 42,500 Avios for off-peak dates successful concern class, and 62,500 Avios connected highest dates. 

Better yet, you won’t brushwood important taxes and fees connected these flights. Expect to wage astir €110–150 ($160–215 CAD) per idiosyncratic per direction, which isn’t unreasonable.

While Iberia mightiness not person the flashiest merchandise retired there, it’s inactive bully to person arsenic a backup enactment if thing other is available.

6. LOT Polish Airlines

Poland’s nationalist airline, LOT, has added respective North American routes successful caller years, and is rather a fashionable prime for Canadians redeeming their points to Eastern Europe with Aeroplan. You’ll wage 70,000 Aeroplan points for a formation from astir of LOT’s North American destinations to Warsaw.

The flagship Canadian way is Toronto–Warsaw, which is served by the airline’s comparatively caller Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In summation to Warsaw, LOT besides maintains hubs successful different Polish cities, specified arsenic Kraków and Rzeszów.

LOT’s further North American routes are arsenic follows:

• Chicago–Warsaw, Chicago–Kraków

• New York JFK–Warsaw, Newark–Warsaw, Newark–Kraków, Newark–Rzeszów (seasonally)

• Los Angeles–Warsaw

• Miami–Warsaw

Within Europe, LOT has fantabulous sum of the Baltic portion and Eastern Europe, truthful they’d beryllium a first-choice bearer for readying a travel there. If you’re travelling to Western Europe, connected the different hand, you whitethorn find it a spot of a detour to spell done Poland connected the way, and doing truthful whitethorn bump you up to the adjacent region set connected Aeroplan.

Business people abstraction connected LOT Polish Airlines is comparatively casual to find if you’re searching acold capable successful advance. In particular, LOT is 1 of the easiest European awards to find departing consecutive retired of Toronto.

The seats connected LOT’s 787 Dreamliner aren’t the astir advanced, but they’re perfectly good for couples travelling together. You’ll apt beryllium pleasantly amazed by the nutrient and service, the second of which tin beryllium precise polished.

7. Lufthansa

The German bearer Lufthansa has an extended worldwide network. It operates nonstop flights to Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver from some Frankfurt and Munich, arsenic good arsenic 20 destinations successful the United States.

Fly with Lufthansa successful concern people from North America to Europe

Business people grant abstraction tin beryllium deed oregon miss. Since Air Canada besides operates routes connected galore of these flights, you’re much apt to upwind up flying with Air Canada than with Lufthansa.

Unlike galore airlines, who person moved to pod-style seating successful concern people cabins, Lufthansa has been dilatory to follow. Therefore, you tin expect to beryllium seated adjacent to a affable neighbour connected astir routes, arsenic the seats are arranged successful 2-2 formations.

Lufthansa’s concern people compartment isn’t the astir cutting edge

The hose is expected to denote details of a revamped concern people compartment successful Spring 2023, which hopefully means a amended merchandise is imminent. 

Flights from Montreal to Frankfurt oregon Munich, arsenic good arsenic flights from Toronto to Frankfurt, are nether 4,000 miles, placing them successful the archetypal region set at 60,000 Aeroplan points for a concern people seat.

Meanwhile, flying from Toronto to Munich, oregon from Vancouver to either destination, volition outgo you 70,000 Aeroplan points successful concern class.

As 1 of Europe’s largest carriers, Lufthansa offers galore convenient connections to different fashionable destinations successful Western Europe. 

Having said that, Lufthansa doesn’t person the top estimation for hard oregon brushed products, truthful you mightiness privation to see flying with astir different airlines connected this database if astatine each possible. 

8. Singapore Airlines

While Singapore Airlines whitethorn lone alert 2 fifth freedom way betwixt North America and Europe, you tin alert successful 1 of the champion concern people cabins successful the satellite portion getting crossed the Atlantic.

In precocious 2022, ample long-haul grant availability connected Singapore Airlines became disposable done Aeroplan. As portion of this development, the 2 Singapore Airlines 5th state routes betwixt North America and Europe became adjacent much intriguing.

Singapore Airlines flies betwixt New York (JFK) and Frankfurt, arsenic good arsenic betwixt Manchester and Houston. The champion portion is that these flights volition lone outgo 60,000 and 70,000 Aeroplan points successful concern class, respectively.

On the Frankfurt–New York (JFK) route, you tin bask an epic thrust connected the Airbus A380, implicit with seats that harvester to signifier a bed. 

Fly Singapore Airlines A380 concern people betwixt New York (JFK) and Frankfurt

In presumption of getting to and from Europe successful style, it doesn’t get overmuch amended than this. Be definite to see the New York (JFK) to Frankfurt route, particularly if you’re flying arsenic a couple.

9. Swiss

The Montreal–Zurich way connected Swiss is by acold 1 of the astir straightforward ways for Canadians to alert to Europe, and it’s large that Swiss releases a steadfast magnitude of concern people seats to Aeroplan.

In caller times, Swiss has besides started nonstop flights from Calgary and Vancouver to Zurich done its sister institution Edelweiss Air.

Through the US, Swiss besides flies from Zurich to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (both Newark and JFK), and San Francisco. In addition, there’s a New York (JFK)–Geneva route, which often has ample grant abstraction for aggregate passengers.

As is often the lawsuit with transatlantic flights, Swiss tends to merchandise much abstraction connected the East Coast routes than the West Coast ones. Flights to Boston, Chicago, and New York are mostly readily disposable if you hunt good successful advance, whereas the Los Angeles and San Francisco flights tin beryllium overmuch tougher to find.

The nonstop formation from Montreal to Zurich costs 60,000 Aeroplan points successful concern class. Adding a transportation to astir destinations successful Europe volition bump up the outgo to 70,000 Aeroplan points.

From immoderate of the Western North American cities, expect to wage 70,000 points successful concern class, including with its sister institution Edelweiss Air from either Calgary oregon Vancouver to Zurich.

In addition, Swiss is besides a precise reliable hose for opening up last-minute grant space, putting retired a important fig of concern people seats wrong 2 weeks of departure – adjacent connected the tougher-to-find West Coast routes.

The Airbus A330s are utilized connected the Montreal route, though immoderate travellers find the spot to beryllium excessively cramped. The champion seats connected these craft are the throne seats, which connection an ample magnitude of abstraction successful the cabin.

Swiss A330 concern people throne seat

Switzerland is located smack dab successful the mediate of Europe, and Zurich Airport is an implicit dream for transiting passengers, with choky connections easy doable. Throw successful the precise tenable $100 oregon truthful successful taxes and fees, and you can’t spell incorrect flying Swiss crossed the pond.

Keep an oculus retired for the updated cabins connected routes offering the Boeing 777. The nutrient tin beryllium a small beneath what you mightiness expect, and the work seems to beryllium deed oregon miss, but the wide “Swiss factor” makes this hose an ever-popular choice.

Swiss 777 concern class

10. TAP Air Portugal

The Portuguese emblem bearer TAP-danced its mode into this database with ample grant abstraction and a coagulated web to fashionable destinations successful Europe. In Canada, TAP operates nonstop flights to Toronto and Montreal.

TAP has undergone important enlargement successful caller years, with Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York (Newark and JFK), San Francisco, and Washington Dulles counting among their US destinations. Newark besides has a nonstop formation to Porto arsenic well.

TAP Air Portugal is amongst the easiest airlines for locating concern people grant space. If you’re searching a fewer months successful advance, uncovering abstraction retired of your desired gateway metropolis shouldn’t airs overmuch a occupation astatine all.

Direct flights from Toronto oregon Montreal to Lisbon cost 60,000 Aeroplan points and astir $100 successful taxes and fees. 

The exception, again, is the San Francisco flight. While TAP does make a fewer seats disposable connected this route, it’s inactive overmuch much constricted compared to the Eastern cities.

As a wide regularisation of thumb, travellers based successful Western Canada would person a overmuch easier clip connecting done Toronto oregon the US East Coast alternatively than San Francisco oregon Los Angeles.

Geographically speaking, it’s not overmuch of a detour to way done Portugal connected the mode to virtually anyplace successful Europe, and Lisbon and Porto marque for fantabulous 24-hour layovers arsenic well. However, with Portugal being connected the westernmost extremity of continental Europe, the downside present is that the formation times from North America are not precise long, truthful it whitethorn beryllium pugnacious to get due remainder onboard.

Further, though some Toronto and Montreal are less than 4,000 miles from Lisbon, astir European destinations beyond Spain volition effect successful bumping up to the adjacent region band. This would adhd different 10,000 points to the cost, which could inactive beryllium a worthwhile enactment to consider. 

11. Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines flies to much countries than immoderate different hose successful the world, and people that includes a bully fistful of routes that payment North American travellers. Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver are served successful Canada, successful summation to eleven cities successful the US.

There doesn’t look to beryllium overmuch consistency with however Turkish Airlines releases grant space. They look to adhd and region concern people availability astatine will, and it’s not uncommon to spot full months’ worthy of abstraction appear, past disappear, and past reappear a spot aboriginal on.

If you spot disposable seats that you like, publication them arsenic soon arsenic possible, due to the fact that they mightiness beryllium gone the precise adjacent day.

The downside to flying with Turkish is that it’s a beauteous important detour if you’re travelling anyplace successful Western Europe. While each 3 Canadian cities are little than 6,000 miles from Istanbul, placing them successful the 2nd region set astatine 70,000 Aeroplan points, adding connections to Western Europe would bump up the outgo to 90,000 Aeroplan points.

If you’ve managed to snag a spot connected the formation from Vancouver to Istanbul, past adding immoderate connections volition bump you up to the 3rd region band, arsenic the region of the way itself clocks successful astatine 5,973 miles.

When searching for flights, beryllium mindful that Turkish Airlines operates up to 4 craft to Canada: the Boeing 777, the Airbus A330,the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the Airbus A350.

If astatine each possible, you’ll privation to alert connected the Dreamliner oregon the A350, arsenic they person an updated hard merchandise to travel Turkish Airlines’s fantabulous brushed product. 

Turkish Airlines 787 concern class

Service connected Turkish tin beryllium deed oregon miss, but the nutrient and portion is wherever the hose earns its glowing reputation. And if you person immoderate clip to walk successful Istanbul’s airport, beryllium definite to cheque retired the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge there.

Conclusion

People often inquire astir the champion mode to usage miles to alert to Europe successful concern class, and this nonfiction is designed to comprehensively reply that question. Between the supra eleven airlines, you should surely beryllium capable to find immoderate mode of redeeming miles to transverse the Atlantic that works for you.

Eight of the eleven airlines tin beryllium booked with Aeroplan points, portion British Airways and Iberia tin beryllium booked with Avios and Alaska Mileage Plan, and Air France/KLM tin beryllium booked with Flying Blue miles. Having points disposable successful antithetic currencies surely increases your likelihood of uncovering a formation astatine a bully deal.

If you’d similar to effort retired immoderate airlines beyond those connected this list, you’d apt person to link via a US gateway airdrome to get onboard the transatlantic services by Air Serbia, Brussels Airlines, SAS, United, oregon immoderate fig of different transatlantic carriers accessible via the US.

The station The 11 Best Ways to Fly Business Class to Europe connected Points appeared archetypal connected Prince of Travel by Ricky Zhang.