Deal Alert: US to Europe on Full-Service Carriers From $295 Round-Trip
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you're using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you'll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia's courtesy cancellation if you're unable to get the time away from work or family.
Flights to major destinations in Europe can be had for cheap with this sale from Star Alliance and SkyTeam carriers. We are seeing cheap flights from across the US to Paris (CDG), Madrid (MAD), Zurich (ZRH), Dublin (DUB), Geneva (GVA) and Barcelona (BCN). Note that most of these fares are in basic economy so expect to pay for a checked bag or seat selection, however you will still earn miles and enjoy a free meal even if you go with the cheapest option.
This sale appears to be quite wide, so even if your airport is not listed below, it's worth searching to see if you can find some good deals — smaller non-hub airports seem to have decent fares, although you'll still have to shell out a little more cash than if you were flying out of city like New York or Boston.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: Delta, Air France, United, Swiss, TAP Portugal, Air Canada
Routes: JFK/EWR/MIA/BOS/ORD/SFO/BWI/DFW/FLL/ATL and likely more to CDG/MAD/BRU/ZRH/DUB/GVA/BCN
Cost: $295+ round-trip
Travel Dates: January-May — although most availability from February through April
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare booked direct with the airline or via amextravel.com), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
New York (JFK) to Barcelona (BCN) for $295 round-trip on TAP Portugal via Priceline:
Newark (EWR) to Paris (CDG) for $303 round-trip on Air Canada via United:
Boston (BOS) to Paris (CDG) for $330 round-trip on Delta:
Dallas (DFW) to Zurich (ZRH) for $338 round-trip on United:
New York (JFK) to Brussels (BRU) for $343 round-trip on TAP Portugal via Priceline:
Baltimore (BWI) to Paris (CDG) for $359 round-trip on United:
San Francisco (SFO) to Paris (CDG) for $375 round-trip nonstop on Air France via Delta:
New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) for $397 round-trip on TAP Portugal via Priceline:
Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) for $400 round-trip on Delta:
Chicago (ORD) to Paris (CDG) for $409 round-trip on United:
Your Purchase
Don't forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.