A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 53,006
I'd probably do the UA Platinum Visa (5,000 EQM sign-up bonus) plus one domestic R/T. (One transcon would easily do it.) That will probably save you $200-300 total and, more importantly, one full day.
(This assumes you were thinking of Europe purely as a MR, not as a destination you where you actually want to spend some time there.)