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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 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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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)

POPULAR FIRST CARD
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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 huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge 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. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
60,000 points
$1,200
$95
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)

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

  • 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)
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
  • $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
  • 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
  • Excellent travel and car rental insurance
  • 10% annual bonus points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 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, 2024.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel.
60,000 points
$1,200
$550
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)

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

  • 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 March 31, 2025
  • 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
  • 5x points on airfare booked through Chase TravelSM
  • 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit
  • Priority Pass airport lounge access
  • TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
  • Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
  • Rental car elite status with National and Avis

Cons

  • $550 annual fee
  • Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • $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 $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

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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

The Platinum Card® from American Express

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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.

Learn More(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 Platinum Card® from American Express

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 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)

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

  • 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 American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
  • Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
  • TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
  • Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
  • Access to Amex International Airline Program
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $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: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. 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.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

BEST FOR DINING
American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

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!

Learn More(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.

American Express® Gold Card

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 with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points
$1,320
$250
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)

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

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

  • 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
  • Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $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.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and 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, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

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 also a transfer partner of Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Bilt Rewards is a 1:1 transfer partner, and transfers from Bilt take around 1 business day. 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 ServiceRequired 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.):

SCROLL FOR MORE
Route (Europe to U.S., excluding U.K.)Delta Main CabinDelta One
 30,000 points50,000 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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