3 Ways to Use This $95 Card for Round-Trip Flights to Europe

Earlier this year, I booked two round-trip flights to Europe for under 20,000 points total for my mom and me.

Not joking. 🙂

With the current welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you could realistically do the same thing three more times, all from one $95 card.

Let me show you how.

Step 1: Earn the Points

Right now, the Sapphire Preferred comes with a pretty sweet offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..

That spending requirement is very doable, especially if you’re intentional about it.

Remember that you’ll earn a bit more than this welcome offer with your spending. You’ll also earn points through earning categories while working to meet the minimum spend (for example, you’ll still earn 2x on all travel, 3x on dining, 1x on everything else, etc., in addition to your welcome bonus).

Easy Ways to Hit the Minimum Spend

• Put groceries, dining, streaming, and everyday bills on the card

• Book a flight, hotel, or rental car that you already planned to pay for

• Cover a few shared expenses and have friends Venmo you back (I’ve done this a lot… like a lot)

• Prepay utilities, insurance, or subscriptions where possible

Step 2: Using Your Chase Points for Europe Flights

The thing that makes the Sapphire Preferred so strong is its flexibility.

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer 1:1 to multiple airline programs that are excellent options for flights to Europe. And unlike booking through a portal, transferring points can give you access to some real sweet spots.

For this article, we’re focusing on three of the best.

Option 1: Virgin Atlantic Points

This is the one that gets people excited (and for good reason).

Virgin Atlantic has some of the best economy-class award rates to Europe, especially from the East Coast.

We’re talking:

• As low as 6,000 points one-way to London

• Strong availability from cities like New York, Boston, and D.C.

• Frequent transfer bonuses from Chase (which is how I scored the flights from earlier, btw)

That means that with the points from your welcome bonus, you can often easily cover two round-trip flights, with plenty of points left over.

I should also note that Virgin consistently has some of the higher taxes and surcharges, so just a heads up on that. Still, you’re cutting a ton of the cost by using your points.

Option 2: Use Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program of Air France and KLM, and it’s one of the most beginner-friendly airline programs out there.

Why it’s great:

• Monthly Promo Rewards that discount routes to Europe

• Tons of nonstop options from major U.S. airports

• Easy connections to cities all over Europe

Economy flights to Paris, Amsterdam, and so on start at just 18,750 miles one way.

That means two round-trip tickets to Europe are very much on the table with a Sapphire Preferred offer.

Bonus (Domestic) Option: Using Flying Blue Miles on Delta

As it turns out, our friends over at Flying Blue also let you book Delta flights for as little as 5,000 miles one-way in economy (or 15,000 in business).

Flying Delta from Detroit to Chicago for 5,000 Flying Blue miles is the kind of deal we love to see.

And yes… this is for domestic flights.

But sometimes, positioning flights are a real piece of your trip’s puzzle. And 5,000 miles to position yourself somewhere? Solid.

Stack that with an occasional Flying Blue transfer bonus, and it’s even sweeter. You’ll pay more on longer flights, but this is still a great play if Delta is your airline of choice.

For the actual transatlantic route, it’ll more than likely be cheaper (points-wise) to book via Flying Blue during their Promo Rewards (with Flying Blue miles) than messing with Delta at all.

Option 3: Book With Avios

Avios can be a little misunderstood, but when used well, they’re incredibly useful.

British Airways prices awards based on distance, which makes them very attractive for shorter transatlantic routes or one-stop itineraries.

With Avios, you’ll have:

• Solid award pricing from the East Coast

• The ability to mix and match partners (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus)

• Frequent transfer bonuses from Chase

While surcharges can be higher on some routes, a little planning (or flying partners like Aer Lingus) can help keep those costs down.

And don’t default to just British Airways flights. Searching for partner availability can often give you better deals with fewer fees. For example, here are some off-peak flights from New York (JFK) to London for just 17,000 Avios one way (and about $128 in taxes and fees).

So, yes. That’s still enough to fly two people to Europe… and back… all with points. 😎 

Now’s the Time to Start

Here’s your game plan:

• You open the Sapphire Preferred

• You meet the minimum spend

• You get a hefty stack of points

• You transfer those points to the right airline program

• You book two (or more) round-trip flights to Europe

All for a $95 annual fee.

Now that’s my kind of math, y’all.

Why This is Such a Strong Starter Card

Beyond the welcome offer, this card just… that girl.

You earn bonus points on dining, travel, streaming, and online groceries. You get solid travel protections. And your points remain flexible until you’re ready to use them.

It’s powerful enough for advanced redemptions but simple enough that you won’t feel overwhelmed.

That’s why so many people in the points world (myself included) keep it in their wallet.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a wallet full of premium cards or a massive spreadsheet to fly to Europe with points.

You just need one well-timed welcome offer, a little planning, and the confidence to actually pull the trigger.

The Sapphire Preferred is one of the easiest ways to turn everyday spending into international travel, and two round-trip flights to Europe is a pretty strong first win.