Guide · Airlines & Flying
Best Way to Fly New York to Europe on Points
The short answer
Start with where you want to go.
If it's London and your dates are flexible, check Virgin Atlantic for a Saver seat. If it's Dublin or Madrid, Aer Lingus and Iberia publish award charts, so you can see what to budget in Avios before you search. Once you find a flight, compare the points and the cash due with what the same ticket costs to buy.
| Where | Program | Why it's on the list |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin | Aer Lingus AerClub | A published award chart and calendar, so you can budget before you search |
| London | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | The lowest published economy starting price in points of these three, when a Saver seat is available |
| Madrid | Iberia Club | A published award chart, with business class from 40,500 Avios off-peak |
At the standard rate, 1,000 Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to 1,000 Avios with Aer Lingus or Iberia, or 1,000 Virgin Points with Virgin Atlantic. Chase Ultimate Rewards lists all three as transfer partners.
These are the three routes I've verified for New York. Before you move any points, make sure the seat is available on your dates.
Which award price is simplest to plan around?
Aer Lingus, New York to Dublin
If you want a published price to budget around, Aer Lingus is a good first chart to check. Aer Lingus uses Avios and prices awards by distance, by whether your date is peak or off-peak, and by cabin. A chart helps you budget your points. It doesn't make a seat easier to find, so you still need to search your dates.
On Aer Lingus, a one-way reward flight between Dublin and New York costs:
- Economy: 13,000 Avios on off-peak dates or 20,000 on peak dates
- Business: 50,000 Avios on off-peak dates or 60,000 on peak dates
Aer Lingus's chart puts Newark and Boston in the same zone, listed from Dublin. Use the Aer Lingus route chart and its 2026 calendar or 2027 calendar to see how many Avios you'll need for the day you fly.
You'll still pay taxes, fees and carrier charges in cash on top of the Avios. Aer Lingus says Economy long-haul reward flights include a 23kg checked bag and a 10kg carry-on.
See our Aer Lingus program page for more.
Which of these flights has the lowest starting points price?
Virgin Atlantic, New York to London
Virgin Atlantic has the lowest published economy starting price in points of these three options. The word to watch is starting.
Virgin's reward prices can vary by flight, and the lowest are the Saver prices. As of October 15, 2026, Virgin's Saver page shows New York to London one way starting from:
- Economy: 6,000 points plus $93.10
- Premium: 10,500 points plus $192.40
- Upper Class: 29,000 points plus $496.90
Those are Saver prices, not typical prices. Saver seats won't necessarily be available in every cabin or on every flight. If there's no Saver seat, check whether another reward seat is available and what it costs.
That's the tradeoff. You can find very low prices, but you have to search your dates to see whether Saver space exists. Then compare the cash due before you decide.
See our Virgin Atlantic program page for more.
How do I fly to Spain?
Iberia, New York to Madrid
If Madrid works for your trip, Iberia deserves a close look. Iberia Club uses Avios and publishes an award chart (click "See usage table"). New York to Madrid falls in Band 5, which covers flights between 3,001 and 4,000 miles.
One way, on Iberia-operated flights:
- Economy Basic: 16,000 Avios off-peak, 19,500 peak
- Comfort: 25,000 Avios off-peak, 31,500 peak
- Business Comfort: 40,500 Avios off-peak, 59,000 peak
Basic is Iberia's cheapest fare. Iberia says its Comfort fares come with extra services. Business Comfort is Iberia's business-class award.
The chart lists prices per flight, so check each direction separately. One flight can land on a peak date and the other on an off-peak date. The chart also shows the Avios cost only, so check the taxes, fees and charges on your flight before you book.
Two more things. The chart applies to flights Iberia Group operates, and it has exceptions. Iberia also uses its own peak and off-peak calendar, which differs from British Airways'.
See our Iberia program page for more.
Which points can I use?
American Express Membership Rewards. Per Amex's transfer page, 1,000 points transfer to 1,000 Avios with Aer Lingus AerClub, 1,000 Avios with Iberia Club, or 1,000 Virgin Points with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Chase Ultimate Rewards. Chase lists Aer Lingus AerClub, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Iberia Club as transfer partners. Transfers move in increments of 1,000 points.
Capital One Miles. Capital One lists Virgin Red as a transfer partner at a base rate of 1 to 1, so look for Virgin Red on the transfer screen. Link your Virgin Red and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club accounts to see all your Virgin Points in one place. Aer Lingus is not a direct Capital One transfer partner.
Before you transfer anything, confirm the award seat is available and bookable.
How do I compare other Europe awards?
Here's the same three-step check I'd use on any New York to Europe award.
- Find an award you can book. Search your dates and make sure there are enough seats for everyone traveling.
- Write down the full award price. Note how many points you'll need and what you'll pay in taxes, fees and carrier charges.
- Compare it with buying the ticket. Check the cash fare for the same flight and cabin, and look at what each fare includes, like a checked bag. If you decide to use points, confirm the seats are still available before you transfer.
If it works, book it. If it doesn't, move on. Not every award fits every trip.
What other programs should I check?
Two other programs to check are Flying Blue and the British Airways Club. Each has its own pricing rules, taxes, fees and availability, so run the same three steps on them.
See our Flying Blue program page and British Airways Avios program page.
Quick questions
- Which of these flights has the lowest starting points price? Virgin Atlantic's New York to London flight has the lowest published economy starting price of these three options. Its October 15, 2026 example shows 6,000 points plus $93.10 one way when a Saver seat is available. Check your dates and compare the cash due before deciding which flight works for you.
- Which Europe award prices can I look up before I search? Aer Lingus and Iberia publish award charts, so you can see roughly what to budget before you search. That doesn't tell you how easy it will be to find a seat on your dates.
- How does Aer Lingus set award prices? By distance, whether the date is peak or off-peak, and the cabin you choose.
- Does Virgin Atlantic have a fixed award chart? Not for the examples on this page. Virgin's reward prices can vary by flight, so check your dates.
- Can I use Chase or Amex points for Europe flights? Yes. Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards both list Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic and Iberia as transfer partners.
- Should I transfer points before I search? No. Confirm the award is available at a price you're willing to pay before you transfer.
crazy4points is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, American Express, Chase or Capital One, and those names belong to their owners. This page is general information, not financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, transfer or book anything. We may receive compensation if you use links on this page. Compensation does not influence our recommendations. Pricing, award availability, taxes, fees, transfer ratios and program terms can change at any time, so confirm on each program's own site before you transfer points or book travel.