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The Best Ways To Fly to Paris With Points and Miles

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Ehsan Haque

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Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and mile...
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Key Takeaways

  • The Flying Blue frequent flyer program offers good value for award redemptions. Flying Blue miles can be used on Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam airlines like Delta and Virgin Atlantic.
  • Air Canada Aeroplan is an excellent program for Star Alliance partner awards between the U.S. and Paris, offering great value through its numerous partners.
  • American Airlines, a member of the Oneworld alliance, is the only airline in the alliance offering nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris. Award space is relatively easy to find and book online.

Europe is always a popular destination for Americans, and Paris is arguably the biggest draw of all. The French capital boasts an incredible history, a fascinating culture, and incredible cuisine to savor.

Fortunately, there are tons of ways to get yourself to Paris, especially when it comes to redeeming points and miles. You can get to Paris nonstop from quite a few U.S. cities or you can connect through a major European hub such as London or Frankfurt.

In this guide, we look at some of the best ways to fly to Paris using miles. We take a look at economy, business, and even first class flights to Paris that you can book with points instead of cash.

Don’t forget to read our extensive travel guide to Paris and check out the best Paris hotels to book with points before you go!

Best Programs for Booking Award Flights to Paris

Fortunately, there are a ton of award programs that you can use for flights between the U.S. and Paris — let’s take a look at your best options.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Air France A350 Business Class Front Angle
The latest business class product on Air France’s Airbus A350 aircraft. Image Credit: Air France

Since we’re talking about flying to Paris, it only makes sense to start with Air France-KLM. Air France and KLM share a frequent flyer program called Flying Blue. The program offers a ton of value when it comes to award redemptions.

Both Air France and KLM are members of the SkyTeam alliance along with other airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic. This means that you can use Flying Blue miles on Air France and KLM flights as well as on any of their partner airlines.

The program is relatively good when it comes to award availability, and rates are competitive when compared to other programs.

Book Awards With Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Flying Blue has dynamic pricing on its award redemptions. However, the program has also introduced an award chart that shows what the lowest award prices can be between 2 cities. The award charts are only for flights operated by Air France and KLM, not its partners. They list base prices, meaning flights can cost significantly more between 2 given cities because of the program’s dynamic pricing model.

Although Flying Blue has some of the best award rates for flights between the U.S. and Europe, the program does pass along some carrier-imposed surcharges on award tickets. Still, the fees are significantly less than what you’d find with other programs such as British Airways Executive Club or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. You can expect to pay about $200 in taxes and fees for a one-way business class award redemption booked through Flying Blue.

In addition to its already great award redemptions, the program also has a benefit called Flying Blue Promo Rewards. Each month, Flying Blue allows you to book select routes at a discounted award rate, sometimes up to 50% off normal award pricing. The discounted pricing is only available temporarily but provides some of the best rates available from any program.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue miles can be used to book nonstop flights from several cities in the United States. Remember, if you need to connect from your home airport to one of these gateway airports, you don’t need any additional miles.

Air France operates nonstop flights to the following U.S. cities from Paris:

You can also use your Flying Blue miles to fly on Delta Air Lines, which flies to Paris from the following U.S. cities:

Earn Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue miles are some of the easiest airline miles to earn, as the program is transfer partners with most of the major transferrable points currencies.

Flying Blue is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Perhaps the most popular way to earn Flying Blue miles is to transfer Chase points, as there are several credit card options with lucrative bonus categories.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

BEST BEGINNER CARD
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
$1,200
$95
20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
  • 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
  • 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
Cons
  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Card Highlights
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points
$1,200
$550
21.74% - 28.74% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Excellent (740-850)
Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
  • 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
  • 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
Cons
  • $550 annual fee
  • Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
Card Highlights
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 21.74% - 28.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase 5/24 rule is one of the major reasons why we often recommend people start with Chase credit cards, but American Express credit cards also offer great ways to earn Membership Rewards that can be transferred to Flying Blue.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
  • 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
Cons
  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
Card Highlights
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
  • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
  • Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
  • Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

BEST FOR DINING
American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000 points
$1,200
$325
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

The American Express® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
  • 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com
Cons
Card Highlights
  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
  • Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip:

Look out for frequent transfer bonuses to Flying Blue from programs such as American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Air Canada Aeroplan

United Polaris business class 787 10 seat 9D HND LAX
United Polaris business class is an excellent way to fly! Image Credit: Ryan Smith

Air Canada Aeroplan is a great program for Star Alliance partner awards between the U.S. and Paris. The program offers a ton of value thanks to its numerous partners, published award chart, and its ability to book stopovers, including with one-way awards.

For partner award redemptions, Aeroplan uses a zone-based award chart. However, in addition to the zones, Aeroplan also factors in the total distance flown, meaning that award pricing can vary even between regions.

According to its award chart, Aeroplan divides the world into just 4 regions: North America, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and South America. The U.S. is in the North America zone, and the entirety of Europe is in the Atlantic zone.

Here is the award pricing between the North America and Atlantic zones:

Aeroplan award chart NA Atlantic
Aeroplan award chart for partner flights between North America and Atlantic zones. Image Credit: Aeroplan

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Air Canada Aeroplan Points

Although Air Canada does not operate any nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris, its partner, United Airlines, does from the following cities:

  • Chicago (ORD)
  • Newark (EWR)
  • San Francisco (SFO)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD)

As mentioned above, the distance flown determines the award pricing between regions. Nonstop flights to Paris from both Newark and Washington, D.C. are less than 4,000 miles each way. This means that you can book award flights on United for 35,000 points one-way in economy or 60,000 points one-way in business class.

Flights from both Chicago and San Francisco to Paris are more than 4,000 miles each way, which means they fall in the next distance band (4,001 to 6,000 miles). These nonstop awards can be booked for 40,000 points one-way in economy or 70,000 points one-way in business class on United.

Earn Air Canada Aeroplan Points

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan points is also relatively easy, as the program has a lot of transfer partners. Air Canada Aeroplan is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All programs transfer at a 1:1 ratio to Aeroplan, except Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to Aeroplan, and for every 60,000 Bonvoy points you transfer, you get a 5,000-mile bonus.

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business Class rear cabin view
American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business Class rear cabin view. Image Credit: Stephen Au

American Airlines carries more passengers every year than any other airline in the world. Its frequent flyer program, American AAdvantage has undergone some major devaluations over the years but still provides a ton of value.

Book Awards With American AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance and is the only airline in that alliance that offers nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris.

American Airlines employs dynamic pricing for award flights on its own metal, though it has an award chart for partner redemptions. Award space on flights operated by American Airlines can be found and booked relatively easily online, and, despite the dynamic pricing, the airline still offers decent redemption rates.

Need help booking? Check out our step-by-step guide to booking American Airlines business class.

Hot Tip:

Nonstop Routes Bookable With American AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines operates nonstop flights to Paris from the following U.S. cities:

Earn American AAdvantage Miles

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles is relatively easy. There are several co-branded American Airlines credit cards issued by Barclays and Citi.

American AAdvantage is a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner, and transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 2 business days.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

United Polaris cabin 787 9 dreamliner
United’s Polaris cabin offers excellent lie-flat seats. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

Another excellent program for Star Alliance partner awards is ANA Mileage Club. Perhaps not the frequent flyer program you would expect to use when flying to Paris, ANA Mileage Club has some of the best redemption rates to get there. By using ANA Mileage Club, you can fly nonstop to Paris on United Airlines from several airports in the United States.

Book Awards With ANA Mileage Club Miles (Online)

If you’re looking to use the fewest miles possible on an award flight on United Airlines, ANA Mileage Club is likely your best bet. You can search for and book award flights on United directly from ANA’s website.

When it comes to partner awards, ANA Mileage Club has a published zone-based award chart. The exact mileage required to redeem an award depends on the departure and destination zones and the class of service for ANA partner awards.

However, thanks to the award chart, you know exactly how many miles are needed. It’s important to know that ANA does not allow one-way award redemptions — you must book round-trip awards. The program does allow for open-jaw bookings.

Here is the round-trip partner award pricing for flights between the U.S. and Paris:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Class of Service

Required Mileage (Round-Trip)

Y (Economy)

55,000

C (Business)

88,000

F (First)

165,000

ANA does pass along fuel surcharges. However, they are lower for United-operated flights than they would be with many other Star Alliance partners.

Hot Tip:

Check out our guide on some of the best ways you can redeem ANA Mileage Club miles for max value.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With ANA Mileage Club Miles

As mentioned above, United flies nonstop to Paris from the following U.S. cities:

  • Chicago (ORD)
  • Newark (EWR)
  • San Francisco (SFO)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD)

Earn ANA Mileage Club Miles

ANA Mileage Club is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Amex transfers occur at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy transfers occur at a 3:1 ratio. You also get 5,000 extra ANA miles if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at once, meaning you end up with 25,000 ANA miles overall.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Delta One Suites A350-900 rear view
Delta One Suites A350-900 rear view. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Another common way to book SkyTeam flights is with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Despite recent changes to Virgin Atlantic’s partner award charts, the program still offers some great rates for award flights to Europe. However, it also charges high fees, at least on some particular routes.

For SkyTeam partner redemptions, Flying Club has an award chart. However, it has unique award charts for each partner airline, and pricing depends on where you are flying. Virgin Atlantic requires fewer points than other SkyTeam airlines when you’re redeeming nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris.

Here is the award pricing for nonstop Delta flights to Europe (excluding the U.K.):

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Route (Europe to U.S., excluding U.K.)

Delta Main Cabin

Delta One

 

30,000 points

50,000 points

This is great pricing, especially for Delta One. Delta regularly charges more than 200,000 SkyMiles for the exact same seat.

For partner awards on Air France-KLM, you need to look at both the applicable award chart as well as the zones you’re flying between. Virgin Atlantic divides the world into 10 zones, and award pricing depends on your origin and destination zones.

Pricing varies between zones. For example, the East Coast of the U.S. is in Zone 6, and the West Coast is placed in Zone 7. Meanwhile, Western Europe is in Zone 1, while Eastern Europe is in Zone 2.

Virgin Atlantic does pass along fuel surcharges for partner bookings, but they’re not nearly as high as what Virgin charges for awards on its own flights.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Points

As mentioned above, SkyTeam partners Air France and Delta operate nonstop routes to Paris from the following U.S. cities:

  • Atlanta (ATL; Air France and Delta)
  • Boston (BOS; Air France and Delta)
  • Chicago (ORD; Air France)
  • Cincinnati (CVG; Delta)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW; Air France)
  • Denver (DEN; Air France)
  • Detroit (DTW; Air France and Delta)
  • Houston (IAH; Air France)
  • Los Angeles (LAX; Air France and Delta)
  • Miami (MIA; Air France)
  • Minneapolis (MSP; Air France and Delta)
  • New York (JFK; Air France and Delta)
  • Newark (EWR: Air France)
  • Raleigh-Durham (RDU; Air France)
  • Salt Lake City (SLC; Delta)
  • San Francisco (SFO; Air France)
  • Seattle (SEA; Air France and Delta)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD; Air France)

Earn Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is a transfer partner of nearly every major transferrable points currency. The program is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate RewardsCapital One MilesBilt Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All programs transfer to Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio except Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers at a 3:1 ratio. In addition, you get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

It is worth mentioning that Capital One Miles and Bilt Rewards do not transfer directly to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Instead, they transfer to Virgin Red. However, you can then convert those points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio.

Final Thoughts

Flying to Paris from the U.S. is relatively easy, especially for those on the East Coast. Fortunately, there are plenty of nonstop routes to Paris from the U.S. It’s also easy to earn the necessary points and miles.

There are plenty of award programs you can utilize for award flights between the U.S. and Paris. Best of all, there are programs in each of the 3 major airline alliances that can help you book award travel.

As always, it’s important to consider the taxes and fees on award travel before deciding on which program to utilize.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I earn Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles?
Flying Blue miles are some of the easiest airline miles to earn as the program is transfer partners with most of the major transferrable points currencies. Flying Blue is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Points.
Which program is best to use for round-trip awards between the U.S. and Paris?

ANA Mileage Club offers excellent round-trip award rates between the U.S. and Paris.

Can I use Air Canada Aeroplan points for nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris?

Yes, you can use Air Canada Aeroplan points to fly on United Airlines between the U.S. and Paris. United Airlines offers a few nonstop routes to Paris.

Does American Airlines offer nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris?

Yes, American Airlines offers nonstop flights between the U.S. and Paris from select U.S. airports including Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), and Philadelphia (PHL).

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About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

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