The Best Ways to Fly to Frankfurt With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

Germany is an incredible country filled with history, beautiful architecture, unique food, and of course delicious beer! In Berlin you’ll see the Berlin Wall, Munich is known for Oktoberfest, Frankfurt is home to the European Central Bank, Cologne has the Cologne Cathedral, and the port city of Hamburg has canals and parks.

In this article, we’ll cover the best programs you can use to book award flights to Frankfurt, how to book the award flight itself, and how to earn enough miles for your next redemption.

Best Programs to Use to Book Flights

Frankfurt airport (FRA) is one of the largest airports in Europe. With that said, U.S. travelers will find it relatively easy to fly from the U.S to Frankfurt.

Below we’ll dive into the best programs to use and how you can leverage the 5 transferable point programs, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank

The Japan Airlines Mileage Bank program provides value to many destinations in Europe — including Frankfurt — across all cabin classes.

Japan Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance, which is great because Oneworld member airlines offer a number of flights to Europe from the U.S., though American Airlines is the only Oneworld member offering nonstop flights from the U.S. to Frankfurt. Flying with British Airways, Finnair, or Iberia will require a connection.

Book Awards With Japan Airlines 

	Total trip distance (miles)	Economy Class	Business Class *1	First Class
1	1 – 4,000	25,000	48,000	72,000
2	4,001 – 8,000	40,000	80,000	100,000
3	8,001 – 10,000	50,000	85,000	110,000
4	10,001 – 12,000	60,000	110,000	160,000
5	12,001 – 14,000	70,000	115,000	165,000
6	14,001 – 20,000	90,000	120,000	170,000
7	20,001 – 25,000	120,000	150,000	230,000
8	25,001 – 29,000	140,000	190,000	280,000
9	29,001 – 34,000	150,000	200,000	300,000
10	34,001 – 50,000	160,000	220,000	330,000

Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart. The amount of miles you’ll pay is driven by the total distance of your itinerary and the cabin class. We recommend using Great Circle Mapper to calculate the total mileage of your itinerary and then refer back to the award chart to see how many miles you’ll need.

Search for Oneworld award flight availability on the British Airways/Qantas websites, confirm that same availability on the Japan Airlines website, and then book the flight. If you can’t confirm availability on the Japan Airlines website, call the airline at 800-525-3663 to search for and book the award ticket.

Hot Tip: We recommend using the Qantas website to search for Oneworld availability because it has a monthly calendar view. American Airlines business class flights will likely not show up on the Qantas website so we recommend using British Airways to search for business class availability. 

When you’re ready to book your flight, below are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Oneworld round-trip flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Oneworld	Taxes and Fees
Economy	40,000-70,000	$117+
Business	80,000-115,000	$117+

Need help booking an award flight? Here’s our step-by-step guide to booking American Airlines business class.

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Japan Airlines miles are hard to earn due to two factors:

1. Japan Airlines only partners with one transferable point program, which is Marriott Bonvoy
2. Japan Airlines doesn’t offer a credit card with a meaningful sign-up bonus

The main way to earn Japan Airlines miles is by transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy. Before transferring your Marriott points, there are 3 things to keep in mind, 1) Marriott points transfer to Japan Airlines at a 3:1 ratio, 2) You’ll receive 5,000 bonus points when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to an airline partner, and 3) Marriott points take 7 days to transfer to Japan Airlines.

With that said, there are a number of Marriott Bonvoy credit cards that we cover in our guide.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 

The Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program can provide value, particularly when flying its Oneworld partner airlines. The Asia Miles program uses a distance-based award chart when flying.

Cathay Pacific is a member of the Oneworld alliance, so you can use your miles for flights on Cathay Pacific or its partner airlines. American Airlines will offer the quickest travel time to Europe because of its nonstop flights, however, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia are other Oneworld partners that you can fly.

Book Awards With Cathay Pacific 

Award zone	Distance in actual miles	Required miles
Economy Class	Business Class	First Class
01	0 – 1,000	30,000	55,000	70,000
02	1,001 – 1,500	30,000	60,000	80,000
03	1,501 – 2,000	35,000	65,000	90,000
04	2,001 – 4,000	35,000	70,000	95,000
05	4,001 – 7,500	60,000	90,000	140,000
06	7,501 – 9,000	65,000	100,000	150,000
07	9,001 – 10,000	70,000	110,000	160,000
08	10,001 – 14,000	90,000	135,000	220,000
09	14,001 – 18,000	100,000	155,000	250,000
10	18,001 – 20,000	105,000	165,000	260,000
11	20,001 – 25,000	115,000	185,000	280,000
12	25,001 – 35,000	130,000	210,000	300,000
13	35,001 – 50,000	150,000	240,000	345,000

Cathay Pacific has a number of award charts. For flights to Frankfurt, you’ll use the Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart. We recommend using Great Circle Mapper to calculate the distance of your flights.

Search for British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia flight availability on the British Airways/Qantas websites, confirm that same availability on the Cathay Pacific website, and then book the flight.

Search for American Airlines availability on the British Airways/Qantas websites, and then call Cathay Pacific at 866-892-2598 to search for and book the award ticket.

Hot Tip: The Cathay Pacific Asia Miles website doesn’t show all Oneworld availability. For American Airlines flights, you’ll need to find award availability on British Airways/Qantas, and then call Cathay Pacific to book the award flight. 

When you’ve located a flight that works for you, here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Oneworld round-trip flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Frankfurt (FRA) — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Oneworld	Taxes and Fees
Economy	50,000-80000	$158+
Business	100,000-150000	$158+

Earning Cathay Pacific Miles

Cathay Pacific makes it easy to earn enough airline miles for your next award flight to Frankfurt. The airline partners with 4 of the 5 transferable point programs in American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott. Cathay Pacific also offers a co-branded credit card with a respectable sign-up bonus.

With Cathay Pacific’s transfer partners, it’s important to know the transfer times and ratios. American Express transfers take 7 days at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One transfers take up to 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Citi transfers take up to 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott transfers take 10 days at a 3:1 ratio.

All of that to say we recommend transferring Citi ThankYou points to Cathay Pacific first.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines provides value on a number of routes to Frankfurt. If you want to learn more about how valuable the Mileage Plan program is, check out our best ways to use Alaska Airlines miles.

Alaska Airlines is a member of Oneworld and also has individual partnerships with airlines that fly between the U.S. and Europe.

Book Awards With Alaska Airlines 

American Airlines	Each Way
Contiguous U.S. and Alaska to Europe
Business or first class	57,500
First class	85,000
Contiguous U.S. and Alaska to Europe May 16 – Oct. 14
Coach	30,000
Contiguous U.S. and Alaska to Europe Oct. 15 – May 15
Coach	22,500

British Airways	Each Way
Contiguous U.S. and Alaska to Europe
Economy	32,500
Premium coach	42,500
Business	60,000
First class	70,000

The airline partner that you fly will determine where you should search for an award flight. American Airlines, Condor, Emirates, and Icelandair award flights can be booked on the Alaska Airlines website. Search for Oneworld award flights on the British Airways/Qantas websites, confirm the same availability on the Alaska Airlines website, and book the flight.

Hot Tip: Alaska Airlines offers off-peak pricing for American Airlines economy flights from North America to Europe between October 15 and May 15. 

Below are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Alaska Airlines round-trip partner flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Frankfurt (FRA) — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Alaska Partners	Taxes and Fees
Economy off-peak	45,000-50,000	$158+
Economy	60,000-95,000	$158+
Business	110,000-210,000	$158+
First	140,000-360,000*	$1,141+

*Emirates flies first class between New York (JFK) and Milan (MXP), and Newark (EWR) and Athens (ATH).

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Alaska Airlines miles are much easier to earn than JAL miles. They can be earned by:

• Transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy
• Spending on Alaska Airlines credit cards
• Using the Alaska Airlines shopping portal and dining program
• Spending with Alaska Airlines travel partners

Before transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to Alaska Airlines, keep in mind the transfer ratio and transfer time. Marriott point transfers take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Etihad Guest 

Etihad Airways is similar to Alaska Airlines in that the program can be used in niche circumstances for flights to Europe. Etihad has partnerships with individual airlines, so the number of miles you’ll need will be driven by the partner award chart that you’re using.

Etihad is not a member of an airline alliance, however, the airline has a number of valuable airline partnerships. For example, using Etihad to fly American Airlines to Frankfurt can result in receiving a ton of value with your Etihad miles.

Book Awards With Etihad 

American Airlines

Region	North America One-Way
EO	EP	B/F	P
Europe	20,000	30,000	50,000	62,500

Brussels Airlines

Origin	Destination	Economy One-Way	Business One-Way
Brussels (BRU)	New York (JFK)	27,000	44,000
Brussels (BRU)	Toronto (YYZ)	27,000	44,000
Brussels (BRU)	Washington (IAD)	27,000	44,000

Etihad uses a zone-based award chart for its airline partners with flights to Europe. American Airlines offers nonstop flights to Frankfurt. If you fly Brussels Airlines, you will need to book another flight to get to/from Frankfurt from Brussels.

Search for American Airlines award availability on the British Airways/Qantas websites. Brussels Airlines award flights can be found on United/Aeroplan. When you find an award flight on either airline that works for you, call Etihad Guest at 877-690-0767 to confirm award availability and book the flight.

Hot Tip: Etihad offers off-peak pricing for American Airlines economy flights from North America to Europe. Off-peak pricing is between October 15 and May 15.

Here are the redemption rates, taxes, and fees for American Airlines and Brussels Airlines round-trip partner flights to Europe/Frankfurt:

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	American Airlines / Brussels Airlines	Taxes and Fees
Economy off-peak	40,000	$75+
Economy	54,000-60,000	$75+
Business	88,000-100,000	$75+

Earning Etihad Miles

Etihad has 4 transferable point program partners in American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott. If you’re interested in earning points in these programs, check out our credit card recommendations below.

Before you transfer your points from these programs to Etihad, keep in mind that American Express transfers are instant at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One transfers take 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Citi transfers take 6 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

With that said, we recommend transferring Amex points to Etihad first for your next redemption.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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.

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.

Welcome Offer

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

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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)

Read Full Review

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.¤
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Terms 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!

Welcome Offer

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

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

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

Recommended Capital One Cards (Personal)

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit 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.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

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 (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit 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.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

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 Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines is one of the big 3 U.S. airlines (along with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines). Award flights offered by American won’t rank near the top in terms of value, so the key here is to use your miles when the cost of a flight is high.

American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance. This means that you can use American Airlines miles to fly American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia to Europe and/or Frankfurt.

Book Awards With American Airlines 

American Airlines Contiguous 48 U.S. States and Canada to Europe

	MileSAAver Off Peak	MileSAAver	AAnytime Level 1	AAnytime Level 2
Main Cabin	22,500	30,000	47,500	65,000
Business / First	–	57,500	110,000	135,000
First	–	85,000	140,000	175,000

Oneworld

To:	Main Cabin Off Peak	Main Cabin	Business / First	First
Europe	22,500	30,000	57,500	85,000

American Airlines uses zone-based award charts to determine the number of miles required. The award charts are driven by 3 factors: 1) zones you’re flying to and from, 2) cabin class, and 3) dates of travel. What’s unique about the American Airlines award charts is that you can fly to Europe in economy at off-peak prices.

American Airlines award flights can be booked on the American Airlines website. Search for Oneworld award flights on the British Airways/Qantas websites, confirm the same availability on the American Airlines website, and then book the award flight. Another option is to call American Airlines at 800-433-7300 to search for and book an award flight.

Hot Tip: When flying American Airlines’ own flights, its award program offers off-peak pricing in economy to Europe. The off-peak dates are January 10 to March 14 and November 1 to December 14. 

Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for American Airlines and Oneworld round-trip flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	American Airlines/Oneworld	Taxes and Fees
Economy off-peak	45,000	$193+
Economy	60,000	$193+
Business	115,000	$193+
First	170,000	$193+

Earning American Airlines Miles

American Airlines partners with 1 transferable point program in Marriott Bonvoy. In addition, the airline offers a number of ways to earn enough miles for your next trip to Frankfurt that include:

• AA co-branded credit cards (with large sign-up bonuses!)
• Spend with partner hotels and car rental companies
• American’s shopping portal

For those looking to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines, point transfers take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Asiana Airlines Asiana Club 

Asiana Airlines is an under-the-radar program that has valuable redemptions to Europe if you know where to look. The Asiana Airlines Asiana Club program uses a zone-based award chart when flying its airline partners.

Asiana Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, so you can also use your miles for flights on partner airlines. Star Alliance airline partners that fly to Europe from the U.S. include Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Air Lines, TAP Portugal, and United Airlines.

For those looking to fly nonstop, Lufthansa and United are your 2 options.

Book Awards With Asiana Airlines 

(Miles, Based on Round-Trip
Origin	Destination	Economy	Business	First
North America	Europe	50,000	80,000	100,000

Asiana uses a zone-based award chart to determine the number of miles required. The zones you’re flying to and from and the cabin class will determine the number of Asiana miles that you’ll need.

Search for Star Alliance award availability on the Aeroplan/United websites, and then call Asiana Airlines at 800-227-4262 to confirm the award flight is available and book the flight.

Hot Tip: The Asiana Airlines website doesn’t allow you to search for Star Alliance award flight availability. Instead, use the Aeroplan/United websites.

Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for both Star Alliance round-trip flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Lufthansa	Taxes and Fees
Economy	50,000	$497
Business	80,000	$1,183
First	100,000	$1,183*

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Star Alliance	Taxes and Fees
Economy	50,000	$160+
Business	80,000	$160+
First	100,000*	$1,800*

*Singapore Airlines and Swiss Airlines first class can only be booked with each airline’s own miles respectively.

Earning Asiana Airlines Miles

Asiana Airlines offers a couple of ways to earn its miles for your next award flight to Frankfurt. The airline partners with 1 transferable point program in Marriott Bonvoy. Asiana also has co-branded credit cards that earn Asiana miles with your credit card spend.

If you decide to transfer Marriott points to Asiana, transfers take 10 days at a 3:1 ratio. Keep this in mind as you’ll need to be flexible on the dates of your travel as you wait for your points to transfer.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Aeroplan lets you book award flights with all members of the Star Alliance for some excellent value. This means that you can book Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Air Lines, TAP Portugal, and United Airlines to Europe and/or Frankfurt.

Book Awards With Aeroplan 

Search for Star Alliance award flight availability on the Aeroplan website and then book the flight. Alternatively, you can search for award availability on the United website, confirm the same availability on the Aeroplan website, and then book the flight. You can also call Aeroplan at 800-361-5373 to search for and book the flight.

Hot Tip:Aeroplan doesn’t show Singapore Airlines award availability. Instead, use the Singapore Airlines/United websites to find business class award space, and then call Aeroplan to book the ticket. Singapore Airlines first class flights can only be booked with Singapore Airlines miles. 

Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Star Alliance round-trip flights to Europe and/or Frankfurt:

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Star Alliance
Economy	80,000
Business	140,000
First	240,000*

*Singapore Airlines and Swiss Airlines first class can only be booked with their own airline miles respectively.

Earning Aeroplan Points

Aeroplan offers a couple of ways to earn airline points for your next award flight to Frankfurt. The airline partners with 4 transferable point programs in Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Marriott. In addition, Air Canada offers a co-branded credit card where you earn miles directly with your credit card spend.

Before transferring your points to Aeroplan, keep in mind the transfer times and ratios. American Express and Chase transfers are instant at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One transfers are instant at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio. With that said, we recommend transferring Amex and Capital One miles to Aeroplan first.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

The Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program receives its fair share of attention because of the premium product offered by Singapore Airlines. KrisFlyer uses a zone-based award chart when flying Singapore Airlines or its partner flights.

Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance. So you can use Singapore Airlines miles for Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance partner flights to Europe and/or Frankfurt. Star Alliance airline partners with flights to Europe include Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Air Lines, TAP Portugal, and United Airlines.

Book Awards With Singapore Airlines 

Singapore Airlines

	ZONE 11: Europe
ZONE 13: U.S. (East Coast and Houston)
Economy	45,000
Premium economy	94,000
Business	144,000
First	172,000

Star Alliance

	Origin
	Europe
Destination	Economy	Business	First
North America	90,000	184,000	281,000

Virgin Atlantic

	Origin
	Europe
Destination	Economy	Premium Economy	Upper Class
North America	50,000	130,000	170,000

The number of KrisFlyer miles you’ll need is based on the zones of your travel and your cabin class. Simply refer to the award charts above to see the number of miles required.

Search for and book Singapore Airlines award flights on the Singapore Airlines website. Use the United Airlines/Aeroplan websites to search for Star Alliance award flights, confirm the same availability on the Singapore Airlines website, and then book the flight.

Virgin Atlantic award flights can be found on the Aeroplan website. When you find a flight that works, call Virgin Atlantic at 800-742-3333 to confirm the award availability and book the flight.

Hot Tip: Singapore Airlines first class award availability departing from the U.S. will be difficult to find. If you’re looking to fly Singapore Airlines first class, consider flights arriving into the U.S. or other Singapore Airlines flights around the world. 

Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Singapore Airlines round-trip nonstop flights to Frankfurt:

New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) — Round-Trip*
Cabin Class	Singapore Airlines	Taxes and Fees
Economy	45,000	$160
Premium Economy	94,000	$160
Business	144,000	$160
First	172,000	$160

*Singapore Airlines also flies from Houston (IAH) to Manchester

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Star Alliance	Taxes and Fees
Economy	90,000	$160+
Business	184,000	$160+
First	281,000	$1,183+

Earning Singapore Airlines Miles

Singapore Airlines makes it easy to earn its miles for an award flight redemption. The airline partners with all 5 transferable point programs: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, and Marriott. The airline doesn’t have a co-branded credit card but has quite a few travel partners that allow you to earn points when you spend with them.

(For more on this topic, see our guides on: Amex Transfer Partners, Capital One Transfer Partners, Citi Transfer Partners, Chase Transfer Partners and finally, Marriott’s Transfer Partners.)

With its 5 transferable point program partnerships, it’s helpful to know the transfer times and ratios. American Express transfers take 1-2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One transfers take 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Chase transfers are instant at a 1:1 ratio, Citi transfers take 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott transfers take 6 days at a 3:1 ratio. In short, we recommend transferring Chase points to Singapore Airlines first.

ANA Mileage Club 

ANA is another Asian program that can provide value for flights to Europe and/or Frankfurt. The ANA Mileage Club program uses a zone-based award chart when flying ANA or its partner airline flights.

ANA is a member of the Star Alliance. As previously mentioned, the Star Alliance offers a number of flights to Europe. However, if you’re looking for the quickest route, Lufthansa and United Airlines are the 2 airline partner with nonstop flights.

Book Awards With ANA 

	Class of Service	Destination
Departure Point		Europe (Zone 7)
North America (Zone 6)	Economy	55,000
	Business	88,000
	First	165,000

ANA uses a zone-based award chart for its partner airline flights. The number of miles that you’ll need is based on your zones of travel, cabin class, and travel dates.

Search for Star Alliance award flights on the United Airlines website, confirm the same availability on the ANA website, and then book the flight.

Hot Tip: ANA requires you to book round-trip partner award flights, so you’ll only be able to search that way on ANA’s website. The United Airlines website allows you to search for one-way flights making the award search process easier. 

When you’ve found a route that works for you, below are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for round-trip Star Alliance flights to Frankfurt: 

U.S. to Europe/Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Star Alliance	Taxes and Fees
Economy	55,000	$160+
Business	88,000	$160+
First	165,000	$1,183+

Earning ANA Miles

ANA offers several ways to earn ANA miles for your next award flight to Frankfurt. The airline partners with 2 transferable point programs in American Express and Marriott. ANA also offers a co-branded credit card with a small sign-up bonus.

If you’re transferring points from one of these programs, know that American Express transfers take 3 days at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott transfers take 7 days at a 3:1 ratio. With that said, we recommend transferring Amex points to ANA first.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic is a niche award program that works great for nonstop Delta flights to Frankfurt. The Flying Club program uses a zone-based award chart when flying Delta to Europe/Frankfurt.

Virgin Atlantic isn’t a member of an airline alliance but instead has individual airline partnerships similar to Etihad. Delta is its airline partner with flights to Frankfurt from a select number of U.S. cities.

Book Awards With Virgin Atlantic 

Route	Delta Main Cabin	Business / First
From U.S. to Europe	60,000	100,000

Virgin Atlantic and Delta have 1 award chart that you’ll use, but unfortunately, it’s no longer available on the Virgin Atlantic website. However, the award chart above shows the number of miles that you’ll need to pay.

You can typically search for Delta award flights on the Virgin Atlantic website. In this case, Frankfurt isn’t a city that you search flights to or from the U.S. Instead, search for Delta flights on the Delta/Flying Blue websites, and then call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to confirm the flight availability and book the flight.

Hot Tip: Virgin Atlantic is an excellent program to use for those looking to fly Delta Air Lines for fewer miles than you’ll see on the Delta website. 

When you’ve found a Delta flight that works for you, below are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Delta round-trip flights to Frankfurt:

U.S. to Frankfurt — Round-Trip
Cabin Class	Delta	Taxes and Fees
Economy	60,000	$51
Business	1000,000	$51

Earning Virgin Points

Virgin Atlantic is another program that makes it easy to earn its airline points for your next award flight to Frankfurt. The airline partners with American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott. Virgin Atlantic also offers a co-branded credit card with a respectable sign-up bonus.

Before transferring points to Virgin Atlantic, it’s important to know the transfer times and ratios. American Express transfers take up to 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase transfers are instant at a 1:1 ratio, Citi transfers take up to 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott transfers take 1 day at a 3:1 ratio. We recommend transferring Chase points to Virgin Atlantic first.

Final Thoughts

Flying to Frankfurt in a premium cabin can be a great way to start off your European vacation. The airport also offers long-haul flights across the world, making this city an ideal jumping off point to Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific.

With Lufthansa based in Germany, Singapore Airlines flying nonstop to Frankfurt from New York (even in their Suites class), and the major U.S. airlines flying nonstop to Frankfurt, you have plenty of ways to find an award flight to Frankfurt!