American Express Membership Rewards points are 1 of the most flexible types of points. That’s because you can transfer them to certain airlines to get Big Travel with Small Money on flights to Europe.
Starwood points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and Citi ThankYou points are also transferable. American Express Membership Rewards points aren’t the easiest to use compared to Chase Ultimate Rewards points, but there are a few good uses which I’ll describe in this post.
You Can Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Air Canada to Fly to Milan, Italy
The Ultimate Guide to American Express Membership Rewards Points:
Part 1 – All the Ways to Get to Europe
Part 2 – All the Ways to Get to India
Introduction to American Express Membership Rewards Points
Link: American Express Membership Rewards
Link: American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners
You can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points to certain airlines and hotels.
But you must have a card that is part of the American Express Membership Rewards First Program. I’ve listed eligible cards below.
American Express Membership Rewards Points Are Transferrable to Starwood Hotels Like the Westin Excelsior, Rome
You can earn transferrable American Express Membership Rewards points from the:
American Express Platinum Card (personal)
American Express Platinum Card (business)
American Express Mercedes-Benz Platinum Card
American Express Premier Rewards Gold
American Express Business Gold Rewards
American Express Everyday Preferred
American Express Everyday
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to these airlines:
Aeromexico (1,000 American Express Membership Rewards points: 1,600 Aeromexico ratio)
Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
Alitalia MilleMiglia (1:1 ratio)
ANA (1:1 ratio)
British Airways Avios (1:1 ratio)
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
Delta Skymiles (1:1 ratio + $6 fee per 10,000 points)
El Al (1,000 American Express Membership Rewards points: 20 El Al)
Emirates (1:1)
Frontier Airlines (1:1 + $6 fee per 10,000 points)
Hawaiian Airlines (1:1 + $6 fee per 10,000 points)
Iberia Avios (1:1 ratio)
JetBlue (250 American Express Membership Rewards points: 200 JetBlue + $6 fee per 10,000 points)
Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio)
Virgin America Elevate (200 American Express Membership Rewards points: 100 Elevate + $6 fee per 10,000 points)
Virgin Atlantic Flying Red (1:1 ratio)
You Can Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to 18 Airlines
Transfers of American Express Membership Rewards points usually take ~2 days, but depending on the airline it can take longer.
Note: You’ll pay a fee of 0.06 cents per mile up to a maximum of $99 when you transfer points to US airlines. So you’ll pay 60 cents per 1,000 American Express Membership Rewards points you transfer (or $6 per 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points).
On the other hand, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Starwood Preferred Guest points to US airlines for free.
Using American Express Membership Rewards Points to Get to Europe
Here are some programs that are great for flights to Europe!
If you don’t have the time or don’t want to book your own award tickets, you can use an award booking service.
1. Air Canada
Link: Air Canada award chart
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Air Canada Aeroplan miles at a 1:1 ratio. And you can use these miles for flights on Star Alliance carriers (such as United Airlines) to Europe! Booking through Aeroplan from the US to Europe depends on which region of Europe you’re visiting: Europe 1 or Europe 2.
Air Canada Aeroplan Europe 1 includes:
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Spain (including Balearic Islands; excluding Canary Islands)
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Flying from the US or Canada to Europe 1, you’ll pay:
30,000 Aeroplan miles 1-way in coach
45,000 Aeroplan miles 1-way in Business Class
62,500 Aeroplan miles 1-way in First Class
You Can Fly First Class 1-way to Madrid, Spain, for 62,500 Aeroplan Miles
Air Canada Aeroplan Europe 2 includes:
Albania
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bosnia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Romania
Russia (Western)
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Turkey
Ukraine
From the US or Canada to Europe 2, it costs:
37,500 Aeroplan miles 1-way in coach
52,500 Aeroplan miles 1-way in Business Class
72,500 Aeroplan miles 1-way in First Class
52,500 Aeroplan Miles Gets You 1 Business Class Ticket to Santorini, Greece
Fuel Surcharges
You pay fuel surcharges when you use Aeroplan miles on some airlines, but you do NOT pay fuel surcharges on the following airlines:
Air China
Air India
Brussels Airlines
EgyptAir
Ethiopian Airlines
EVA Air
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
Singapore Airlines
SWISS Air
Turkish Airlines
United Airlines
You pay low fuel surcharges (~$60 per segment) on LOT Airlines.
However, you pay hefty fuel surcharges if you book flights on Air Canada or Lufthansa.
You’ll Pay High Fuel Surcharges If You Use Aeroplan Miles on Lufthansa
Best Star Alliance Airlines to Use Aeroplan Miles for Flights to Europe
For flights to Europe, you should look for flights on the following airlines:
Brussels Airlines (flights to Brussels)
LOT Airlines (flights to Warsaw – with low fuel surcharges)
Scandinavian Airlines (flights to Stockholm and Copenhagen)
Singapore Airlines (coach from New York to Frankfurt)
SWISS Air (flights to Zurich and Geneva)
Turkish Airlines (flights to Istanbul)
United Airlines
However, Aeroplan’s award engine won’t find every flight connection. If you have several connections or want a stopover on an award, call Aeroplan at 800-361-5373.
2. United Airlines
United Airlines has the most flights between the US and Europe. United Airlines is a Star Alliance partner. So you can use your Aeroplan miles on United Airlines.
You can fly from Newark to:
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Belfast
Berlin
Birmingham
Brussels
Dublin
Edinburgh
Frankfurt
Geneva
Glasgow
Hamburg
Istanbul
Lisbon (not shown on map)
London
Madrid
Manchester
Milan
Munich
Oslo
Paris
Rome
Shannon
Stockholm
Stuttgart
Zurich
All The Places In Europe You Can Fly On United Airlines From Newark
You can fly on United Airlines from Washington, DC (Dulles) to:
Amsterdam
Brussels
Dublin
Frankfurt
Geneva
London
Manchester
Munich
Paris
Rome
Zurich
United Airlines’ European Destinations From Washington, DC
You can fly from Chicago to:
Amsterdam
Brussels
Frankfurt
London
Munich
Paris
You Can Fly On United Airlines to Six Different Cities in Europe From Chicago O’Hare
United Airlines flies from Houston (IAH) to:
Amsterdam
Frankfurt
London
United Airlines Flies to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and London From Houston
United Airlines flies from San Francisco (SFO) to:
Frankfurt
London
Paris
From San Francisco, You Can Fly On United Airlines To Frankfurt, London, Or Paris
From Los Angeles, you can fly to:
London
United Airlines’ Only European Destination From Los Angeles Is London
3. Swiss
Swiss isn’t a direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards points. So you have to transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points to Aeroplan miles, then you can use them on Swiss.
You can fly on Swiss to Zurich from:
Boston
Chicago
Los Angeles
Miami
Montreal
Newark
New York (JFK)
San Francisco
Eight Cities in the US That Fly to Zurich
You can fly to Geneva from:
Montreal
Newark
New York
Toronto
Washington, DC
You Can Fly to Geneva From Montreal, Newark, New York, Toronto, and Washington
4. Turkish
You can use Aeroplan miles transferred from American Express Membership Rewards points to fly to Istanbul from:
Boston
Chicago
Houston
Los Angeles
Montreal
New York (JFK)
Toronto
Washington, DC
All the Places You Can Fly From on Turkish Airlines
5. SAS
You can use your Aeroplan miles to fly coach and Business Class on Scandinavian Air Systems (SAS). Scandinavian Air Systems flies to a number of Nordic cities from several US cities.
A. Copenhagen
You can fly to Copenhagen from:
Chicago O’Hare
Newark
San Francisco
Washington, DC
B. Stockholm
You can fly to Stockholm from:
Chicago O’Hare
Newark
C. Oslo
You can fly to Oslo from:
Newark
Scandinavian Air Systems Flies From Chicago, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington to Scandinavia
6. LOT
You can also use Aeroplan miles to fly on LOT Polish Airlines in coach and Business Class to Warsaw from:
Chicago
New York (JFK)
Toronto
Washington
You Can Fly to Warsaw From Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Washington, DC
You will pay some fuel surcharges of ~$60 per segment on LOT.
7. Brussels Airlines
After transferring your American Express Membership Rewards points to Aeroplan miles, you can use them on Brussels Airlines.
You can fly in coach and Business Class to Brussels from:
New York (JFK)
Washington, DC
Brussels Airlines Flies From New York and Washington, DC to Brussels
8. Singapore Airlines
You can use Aeroplan miles to fly on Singapore Airlines on the following routes:
New York (JFK) to Frankfurt
Houston to Moscow (DME)
You Can Fly on Singapore Airlines From New York to Frankfurt and Houston to Moscow
However, you can only redeem for flights in coach, because Business Class and First/Suites Class are unavailable to Aeroplan members.
9. ANA
Link: ANA award chart
ANA is a direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards points.
ANA has a distance-based award chart, similar to British Airways Avios points. This means you pay for an award based on the distance you fly.
ANA is also a Star Alliance member, so you can redeem for flights on partners like United Airlines, Air Canada, and Lufthansa.
ANA Distance-Based Award Chart
The ANA award chart is very useful for flights between the East Coast and western Europe.
A round-trip journey between 4,001 to 7,000 flown miles costs:
38,000 ANA miles in coach
63,000 ANA miles in Business Class
90,000 ANA miles in First Class
A flight between Newark and London is 3,465 miles each way or 6,930 miles round-trip. So you could fly round-trip coach for 38,000 ANA miles + taxes!
You Can Fly Round-Trip Coach From Newark to London for 38,000 ANA Miles
Meanwhile, a round-trip journey between 7,001 to 9,000 miles flown costs:
43,000 ANA miles in coach
68,000 ANA miles in Business Class
100,000 ANA miles in First Class
A flight from Chicago to Frankfurt is 4,343 miles 1-way or 8,686 miles round-trip. So you’d pay 43,000 miles in coach or 68,000 miles in Business Class!
A Round-Trip Coach Flight From Chicago to Frankfurt Is 43,000 ANA Miles or 68,000 ANA Miles for Business Class
However, ANA charges fuel surcharges on some Star Alliance airlines. So if you want to fly to Europe with minimal fuel surcharges, you should look for flights on:
United Airlines
Air Canada
A. Using ANA Miles on United Airlines
ANA allows 3 stopovers in addition to the destination. However, you must book a round-trip flight, but you can return to any city in the country you departed. So you could fly from Newark and return to Washington, DC.
From the East Coast, you can redeem 1-way flights to Europe for fairly cheap using United Airlines miles. You should book with Aeroplan miles from the West Coast because you gain more flexibility with different airline partners.
1. Newark
You can fly from Newark to:
Amsterdam – 3,656 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Barcelona – 3,848 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Belfast – 3,177 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Berlin – 3,980 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Birmingham – 3,392 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Brussels – 3,681 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Dublin – 3,193 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Edinburgh – 3,268 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Frankfurt – 3,869 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Geneva – 3,878 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Glasgow – 3,228 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Hamburg – 3,824 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Istanbul – 5,029 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Lisbon (not shown on map) – 3,384 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
London – 3,465 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Madrid – 3,606 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Manchester – 3,354 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Milan – 4,010 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Munich – 4,052 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Oslo – 3,697 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Paris – 3,649 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Rome – 4,293 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Shannon – 3,095 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Stockholm – 3,930 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Stuttgart – 3,936 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Zurich – 3,945 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
All The Places You Can Fly On United Airlines From Newark
2. Washington, DC
United Airlines flies from Washington, DC (IAD) to:
Amsterdam – 3,867 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Brussels – 3,892 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Dublin – 3,404 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Frankfurt – 4,080 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Geneva – 4,091 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
London – 3,677 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Manchester – 3,565 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Munich – 4,263 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Paris – 3,861 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Rome – 4,505 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Zurich – 4,157 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
United Airlines’ European Destinations From Washington, DC (Dulles)
3. Chicago
You can fly from Chicago to:
Amsterdam – 4,120 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Brussels – 4,159 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Frankfurt – 4,343 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
London – 3,953 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Munich – 4,530 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Paris – 4,152 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
You Can Fly on United Airlines to 6 Different Cities in Europe From Chicago O’Hare
If you don’t live in Newark, Chicago, or Washington, DC, you can book connecting United Airlines flights to these cities. But those flights will count against the total distance on your journey.
B. Using ANA miles on Air Canada
Air Canada has many flights from Canada to Europe. You can find award seats in coach and Business Class.
Air Canada is a Star Alliance partner, and many Star Alliance partners fly to the US and Canada. So, you can fly from the US to Canada and then to Europe!
1. Toronto
You can fly from Toronto to:
Athens - 5,063 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Barcelona – 3,998 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Copenhagen – 3,907 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Dublin - 3,278 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Edinburgh – 3,330 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Frankfurt – 3,952 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Geneva – 3,990 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
London – 3,556 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Madrid – 3,774 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Munich – 4,138 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Paris – 3,751 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Rome - 4,415 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Venice - 4,270 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Zurich – 4,044 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
You Can Fly From Toronto to 14 European Cities on Air Canada
2. Montreal
You can fly from Montreal to:
Athens – 4,754 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Brussels – 3,461 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Frankfurt – 3,648 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Geneva – 3,680 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
London – 3,249 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Paris – 3,442 flown miles 1-way (22,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Rome – 4,103 flown miles 1-way (38,000 Aeroplan miles) or 30,000 United Airlines miles
Air Canada Flies from Montreal to Athens, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, Paris, and Rome
You have to book a connecting flight on Air Canada or United Airlines to Toronto or Montreal to fly these flights. And those connecting flights would count towards the total distance traveled.
But you can NOT have an open-jaw flight between the US and Canada. So you can NOT begin your trip in Newark and end your trip in Toronto because that would be an open-jaw between 2 countries. But you can have a stopover in Canada on your way to Europe!
10. Delta Airlines
Link: Delta award charts
Delta Airlines is a direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards points. Delta Airlines is known for not having many saver award flights, but you may be able to find a seat.
From the US or Canada to Europe, you will pay:
60,000 Delta miles round-trip in coach
125,000 Delta miles round-trip in Business Class
162,500 Delta miles round-trip in First Class
You are allowed 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw on an award ticket!
A. Atlanta
You can use Delta Airlines miles to fly from Atlanta to:
Amsterdam
Brussels
Düsseldorf
Frankfurt
London
Madrid
Manchester
Munich
Paris
Stuttgart
Delta Airlines’ European Destinations From Atlanta
B. New York
From New York, you can fly to:
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Brussels
Dublin
Frankfurt
London
Milan
Paris
Zurich
Delta Airlines Flies From New York to 9 Cities in Europe
C. Newark
You can fly from Newark to:
Amsterdam
Paris
From Newark You Can Fly to Amsterdam and Paris on Delta Airlines
D. Detroit
You can use Delta Airlines miles to fly from Detroit to:
Amsterdam
Frankfurt
London
Paris
You Can Fly From Detroit to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, and Paris
E. Minneapolis
From Minneapolis, you can fly to:
Amsterdam
London
Paris
Delta Airlines Flies from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, London, and Paris
F. Boston
You can fly from Boston to:
Amsterdam
London
Paris (seasonal)
From Boston, You Can Fly to Amsterdam, London and Paris
G. Los Angeles
You can use Delta Airlines miles to fly from Los Angeles to:
London (begins October 26, 2014)
You Can Use Delta Airlines Miles to Fly From Los Angeles to London
H. Salt Lake City
From Salt Lake City, you can fly to:
Amsterdam (begins May 1, 2015)
Paris
Paris and Amsterdam Can Be Reached via Salt Lake City on Delta Airlines
I. Portland
You can fly from Portland to:
Amsterdam
Delta Airlines Flies From Portland to Amsterdam
J. Seattle
Using Delta Airlines, you can fly from Seattle to:
Amsterdam
London
Paris (CDG)
Out of Seattle, You Can Fly to Amsterdam, London, and Paris
K. Seasonal routes to Paris
Delta also flies to Paris on a seasonal basis from:
Cincinnati
Chicago
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Seasonally, Delta Flies From Chicago, Covington (Cincinnati), Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh to Paris!
Note: Alaska Airlines is a partner of Delta Airlines, so you can use them to connect to gateways like Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles.
11. Air France
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Air France.
You Can Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Fly to Paris on Air France
You can fly on Air France to Paris (CDG) airport from:
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago (ORD)
Detroit
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
Minneapolis
New York (JFK)
San Francisco
Washington (IAD)
You Can Fly to Paris From These US Cities on Air France
You should search for Air France flights on the Delta Airlines website, because Delta Airlines shows more Air France flights.
12. KLM
You can fly on KLM from Amsterdam to:
Atlanta
Chicago (ORD)
Dallas (seasonal)
Houston
Los Angeles
New York (JFK)
San Francisco
Washington DC (IAD)
KLM Flies to Amsterdam From 8 US Cities
13. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic flies to London from:
Atlanta (October 27, 2014)
Boston
Las Vegas (to London-Gatwick)
Los Angeles
Miami
Newark
New York (JFK)
Orlando (to London-Gatwick)
San Francisco
Washington DC (IAD)
<img class="wp-image-107385 size-full" title="The Ultimate Guide To American Express Membership Rewards Points Part 1 All The Ways To Get To Europe" src="http://millionmilesecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/The_Ultimate_Guide_To_American_Express_Membership_Rewards_Points_Part_1_All_The_Ways_To_Get_To_Europe_42.jpg" alt="The Ultimate Guide To Am