Planning a leisure trip to Europe October 2025, already booked acceptable SAN-CDG J itinerary (BA 70k miles plus $1017 fees each), have a bunch of EF alerts set for alternatives, should any become available between now and then.

I started researching return options from Italy (preferably FCO, FLR, LIN, MXP or similar), it appears reasonably priced, practical options (without overnight stay) are few and far between. We were able to snag FCO-MAD-LAX saver J on IB using MP points for April 2023, strong preference to avoid LAX.

Any suggestions, guidance? For example, which nearby European airport(s) offer the best availability, options?