Deal Alert: US to Europe on Full Service Carriers From $291 Round-Trip

Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.

If you’re hoping to visit Europe before the year is out, but don’t want to go to Italy, you’re in luck: visit Switzerland, Spain, Paris or Belgium for cheap, starting at under $300. Flights are on full-service carriers but some fares book into basic economy, so you won’t get a free checked bag on your journey. However, you can use an airline’s co-brand credit card to defeat many of basic economy’s negative aspects.

You can fly from New York (JFK), Austin (AUS), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Orlando (MCO) and San Francisco (SFO) to Madrid (MAD), Brussels (BRU), Paris (CDG), Barcelona (BCN) and Zurich (ZRH) starting from $291 round-trip.

Want to make sure you don’t waste PTO, but not sure what to do in these cities? Check out Get Your Guide‘s best suggestions for Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels and Zurich to maximize your time while on vacation.

To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.

Airlines: KLM, Iberia, Delta, American, British Airways, Icelandair
Routes: JFK/AUS/BOS/LAS/MCO/SFO to MAD/BRU/CDG/BCN/ZRH
Cost: $291+ round-trip in economy
Travel Dates: October 2018 – April 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi ThankYou Premier Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, Prestige (3x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x on travel)
Booking Link: Priceline, Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airline

Here are a few examples of what you can book:

New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) for $291 round-trip on Iberia in November in basic economy:

New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) for $298 round-trip nonstop on American Airlines in November in basic economy:

Boston (BOS) to Brussels (BRU) for $303 round-trip on Delta in January in basic economy:

Orlando (MCO) to Paris (CDG) for $350 round-trip on IcelandAir via Priceline in February in basic economy:

San Francisco (SFO) to Barcelona (BCN) for $358 round-trip on British Airways/American in December in regular economy:Austin (AUS) to Zurich (ZRH) for $375 round-trip on American Airlines in February in basic economy:

Austin (AUS) to Brussels (BRU) for $373 round-trip on KLM in February in basic economy:

Las Vegas (LAS) to Brussels (BRU) for $373 round-trip on KLM in April in basic economy:

Maximize Your Purchase

Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Premier Rewards Gold, Citi ThankYou Premier, Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

Source: thepointsguy.com