xtine

I'm thinking of visiting Europe for the first time next year -- perhaps during either the Spring or Fall. Currently I have about 52k Starpoints. I'm wondering what would be the most cost effective way to get to Europe? I primarily want to visit UK and surrounding countries. I don't mind whichever city to land or depart, because I will probably be taking the trains between countries to backpack it.

I'm open to opening one or two cards to get bonus miles to combine offers and such. I notice if I transfer my points to British Airways Avios I would have enough for LAX to Heathrow but I would still have to spend $600 in fees in using points -- ouch. Is there any better way? Plus, I don't have to fly into London if there's a cheaper or more mileage efficient arrival airport.

romsdeals3

Collect AA and UA miles. AA you can fly on Airberlin offpeak is 20k oneway economy offpeak, thats a steal. For business class I would recommend LAX-FRA on the 747-8 business for 50K united each way. PM if you want more information.

guv1976

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It's not just Air Berlin for 20,000 AA miles each way. AA flies LAX-LHR; IB flies LAX-MAD a few days a week; and TN flies LAX-CDG. Of course, one can also connect elsewhere in North America, if necessary.

To minimize taxes, fly into LHR, but out from a non-U.K. airport.

Don't forget about the free "gateway" stopover option when using AA miles. For example, CDG-LAX costs the same number of AA miles as CDG-LAX (stopover) - HNL.

sk3

Welcome to FT xtine, or rather, nice to see you posting at last!

Just an FYI, attempting to book a Spring trip using miles at this late date may prove difficult. I secured my April 2013 LAX-MAD-FCO award flights this past June (using AA miles, flying on IB). While award inventory may be released throughout the year, you will have more award opportunities if you start seeking to book your award flights 11 months prior to travel (at least that's been my experience).

xtine

Thanks for the replies so far. I've lurking this forum off and on and patiently collecting Starpoints (last time I used it was 2 years ago to get a domestic flight), I felt it was finally time to attempt to figure out a way to get an international flight.

iqbalt80

Can you elaborate a bit more on the CDG-LAX (Stopover) - HNL part?

mikelat

AA allows a free stopover at the gateway city (first US City you hit after either TPAC or TATL travel). If there were a routing CDG-LHR-LAX-HNL then you could book a single award of CDG-LHR-LAX and then do the LAX-HNL months later for the same award cost as CDG-LHR-LAX. But, if you fly CDG-JFK-LAX then you'd have to book something like CDG-JFK and then JFK-LAX-HNL at a later time. The stopover has to occur at the first entry to the US (typically JFK/LAX/ORD/DFW, and I think LAX is only LHR-LAX on AA metal though partner may be different)

guv1976

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"Can you elaborate a bit more on the CDG-LAX (Stopover) - HNL part?"

Glad to.

AA one-way awards between North America and another zone permit a free stopover (in either direction) at the North American gateway. However, when a partner carrier is used for the "over-water" portion of the itinerary, the partner carrier must have a published through-fare from origin to (final) destination in order for AA to ticket the itinerary as a single award. So you can probably get CDG-LAX (stopover) - HNL, but not CDG-LAX (stopover) - JFK, since I doubt that TN publishes a CDG-JFK through-fare. (If you were to use AA as the over-water carrier, you could get some very unusual routings, like LHR-LAX (stopover) - Aruba!)

leftpinky

US Airways business class for 55k off peak RT or 30k for coach with the CC. Can't beat it.

guv1976

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The OP wants to travel in the Spring or Fall. When is US' off-peak season to Europe? (AA's is October 15 to May 15.)

xtine

Honestly I don't mind travelling any time as long as it's not peak season (I'm thinking summer is peak, so hence spring or fall). Seeing as it will take time to redeem miles I may be more realistically looking at a fall or winter trip for next year if I start planning now.

JPG3392

This is good advice, but it may still be possible to book spring award travel using AB. Earlier this month I was able to book BWI-STR and MUC-DCA saver award travel using AB for everything except the flights to and from JFK. For the flight to Europe, I was able to get the date I wanted. For the return, the date I wanted was not available so I have booked a flight one day later and will change (no chrage) if a saver award for the previous day opens up. For my preferred date, saver award travel on AB from MUC to JFK via DUS is available, but no saver award tickets are available on AA from JFK to any of the Washington airports.

AlohaDaveKennedy

US has January-February winter 30k trips. Taking a large party to Zurich then. Previously did Rome and Paris that way.

mike2200

We booked AA award leaving today a month ago for a ten day trip
SMF-LAX-LHR return LHR-LAX stop TPA (May2013), used CC credits from CITI for flight back to SMF will use BA points to return to LAX for TPA flight. Cost was 36k points each R/T (Includes CC 10% point credit) seating was pretty open when booked. Side note: we used Hilton points for hotel stay at Park Lane ( all points collected from CC bonuses )

And a thank you to Gov1976 I have learned lots from your posts