Can't find United business class awards to Europe? Try these 7 routes with great availability
Finding business-class award availability at good prices is often the toughest part of the points and miles game. There are a number of tools that can help you find award availability easier than in the past. However, the pickings remain slim with many airlines and routes when it comes to getting well-priced international business-class awards.
If you are struggling to find the business-class award that you want on United Airlines or another Star Alliance airline, know that some routes are much more generous with award availability than others.
If you can't find what you want to your desired European destination, it may be worth it to check award flights from some United hubs like Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and O'Hare International Airport (ORD). They have flights to many European destinations like Amsterdam, Munich and Frankfurt. Saver business-class availability can be significantly better to and from those destinations.
If you can fly through or from Newark on your way to London, there are many date options; business-class award flights are readily available from 80,000 to 88,000 MileagePlus miles one-way on many dates.
Pro tip: Here are some of our favorite tools for finding award availability on your own.
Below are some routes to search if you want to find lots of Star Alliance business-class availability (sourced with data backed by Awayz by Odynn) that you can book with United MileagePlus miles — or sometimes via even better-priced Star Alliance programs such as Air Canada's Aeroplan.
Related: These are the best rewards card welcome offers of the month
Great business-class availability to Amsterdam through April 2025
Chicago to Amsterdam
We are seeing many award flights available from 80,000 miles plus fees and taxes from ORD to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) in early 2025. This January round-trip nonstop itinerary is one example. It costs 160,000 miles plus $101.60 in taxes.
Houston to Amsterdam
There is also good one-stop availability in February 2025 from Houston to Amsterdam. You can fly round-trip (with a layover each way) from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to AMS for 160,000 MileagePlus miles, plus $107.20 in taxes.
If you have a good stash of points with Star Alliance member Air Canada's Aeroplan program, you can book business-class seats from Houston to Amsterdam via Munich or Frankfurt in November. They start at 70,000 miles, plus tax.
Washington, D.C., to Amsterdam
You can also book round-trip business class travel from IAD to AMS on United in March for 160,000 miles plus $101.60 in fees. Again, some of these are nonstop, and some are connecting (often through the aforementioned cities like Frankfurt and Munich).
Related: Best ways to travel to Europe using points and miles
Great business-class availability to Munich and Frankfurt through April 2025
Los Angeles to Munich
In the spring, you can find good availability for business-class awards from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Munich International Airport (MUC). Flights cost as few as 88,000 miles each way.
Chicago and Detroit to Frankfurt
There's some good award space in February for flights from ORD to FRA for that same award price.
Through April 2025, there are business-class seats in the 80,000-to-88,000-mile range from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to FRA on Lufthansa-operated flights. These same flights are often bookable for 70,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles. (Remember, many types of credit card points transfer to Air Canada's Aeroplan.)
Related: Best websites for searching Star Alliance award availability
Good business-class availability from Newark to London
It can be harder to find great business-class award availability on United flights to London from some of the carrier's hub cities. Flying from (or through) Newark can make things much easier. We saw good availability into April 2025 on this route.
Sometimes the flight with the best availability is one of our favorites: the very late-night departure. It's pretty much ideal if you have that lie-flat seat and can go straight to sleep.
Another thing you may notice is the price for United cardholders is sometimes much lower than for non-cardholders. This is a good reason to be sure you have a United credit card in your wallet.
Related: These are the best hotels in London
Bottom line
While these availability trends are commonly true, they can, of course, fluctuate. If a deal catches your eye, it's always a good idea to go ahead and lock it in. This is especially true if you are booking with a program like United that makes it easy to change or redeposit award flights.
Earning points and miles is fun, but successfully turning them into a dream business-class award flight is even better. With this list of routes as a good starting point, you'll be wheels-up to Europe (in comfort) in no time.
Related reading:
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month