The most effective methods to journey to London with factors and miles

Not solely is London a preferred vacation spot, but it surely’s additionally an incredible connecting level for different locations in Europe and past. So, whether or not you need to go to London or use it as a connecting level, chances are you’ll be curious how one can journey to London with factors and miles.

London has 5 airports, however the one ones with service to and from the U.S. are Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW).

Now, let’s dive into how one can fly nonstop between the U.S. and London utilizing your factors and miles on quite a lot of airways. Close to the top of this information, I am going to additionally talk about accommodations in London you possibly can guide with factors and among the greatest journey rewards playing cards to have in your pockets when you’re in London.

Guide American Airways award flights to London

American Airways flies to LHR from the next cities:

• Boston
• Charlotte
• Chicago
• Dallas
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York — John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Raleigh, North Carolina

You may guide American Airways flights by the American AAdvantage program, however you will discover dynamic award charges. This may generally lead to good charges, however will usually lead to extraordinarily excessive award charges (particularly if you wish to fly in a premium cabin). Nevertheless, you could find award flights that comply with the AAdvantage associate award chart in case your itinerary contains a number of segments operated by a associate, resembling Alaska Airways or British Airways.

American Airways does not share all of its award availability with its companions. However it’s value checking to see if you happen to can snag higher award pricing by reserving American-operated flights by a associate program. Alaska Mileage Plan generally is a good possibility, particularly if you wish to guide premium financial system or business-class flights between the U.S. and London. You may earn Alaska miles by transferring Bilt Rewards Factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors to Mileage Plan.

Etihad Visitor may additionally be value contemplating if you wish to fly in enterprise class on American Airways. A one-way business-class flight on American Airways from New York to London prices 80,000 miles plus $33 when booked through Etihad. You may earn Etihad Visitor miles by transferring American Categorical Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors.

Associated: How one can earn miles within the American Airways AAdvantage program

Guide British Airways award flights to London

British Airways flies to LGW from Las Vegas, New York (JFK), Orlando and Tampa. The airline additionally flies to LHR from the next cities:

• Atlanta
• Austin
• Boston
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Dallas
• Denver
• Houston
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Nashville
• New Orleans
• New York — JFK and Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR)
• Philadelphia
• Pittsburgh
• Phoenix
• Portland, Oregon
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Washington, D.C. — Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD)

The dangerous information about British Airways flights is that the taxes and charges will usually be extraordinarily excessive, and there is no method to keep away from these taxes and charges if you wish to fly on a British Airways-operated flight. However, if you wish to redeem factors or miles for a British Airways flight between the U.S. and London — and are keen to pay a whole bunch every means in taxes and charges — think about reserving with British Airways Membership Avios, American AAdvantage miles or Alaska Mileage Plan miles.

Alaska Mileage Plan presents compelling charges, particularly in premium financial system and enterprise class. However keep in mind the excessive taxes and charges, that are a lot larger on flights British Airways operates than on flights American Airways operates. You may earn Alaska miles by transferring Bilt Rewards factors or Marriott Bonvoy factors to Mileage Plan.

If you wish to pay decrease taxes and charges, reserving by British Airways Membership could also be your only option (particularly if you could find availability at off-peak charges). You may select from a number of completely different Avios-and-cash mixtures, which may allow you to pay considerably much less money if you wish to fly on a flight operated by British Airways. This is how one can earn Avios.

Lastly, you could possibly redeem American miles for a British Airways flight to Europe. Nevertheless, I not often discover that doing so supplies good worth because the taxes and charges are nonetheless normally too excessive for these award charges to be worthwhile in comparison with reserving a paid fare, utilizing a distinct loyalty program or flying on flights operated by a distinct airline.

Associated: Nice award availability however beware the taxes: British Airways enterprise class assessment

Guide Delta award flights to London

Delta Air Strains flies to LGW from New York (JFK) and to LHR from the next cities:

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Detroit
• Las Vegas
• Minneapolis
• New York — JFK
• Salt Lake Metropolis
• Seattle

You may, after all, guide Delta-operated flights to London with SkyMiles. Doing so will provide you with probably the most selections, however you will usually see excessive charges since Delta makes use of dynamic award pricing for its personal flights. On the optimistic aspect, you should use Delta’s worth calendar to seek out the very best award price you probably have versatile journey dates. There are many methods to earn Delta miles, together with transferring American Categorical Membership Rewards factors or Marriott Bonvoy factors to SkyMiles.

Delta normally shares some, however not all, award area with its companions. So, it is also value checking Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, which costs Delta-operated nonstop flights from London to the U.S. utilizing region-based charts with peak and off-peak charges. Nevertheless, Delta-operated flights from the U.S. to London do not appear to comply with a printed award chart, and the taxes and charges could not make reserving financial system awards by Virgin Atlantic worthwhile.

You may theoretically guide premium-cabin awards on Delta-operated flights to London utilizing Flying Membership, however availability is restricted. You may earn Virgin factors by transferring Amex Membership Rewards factors, Bilt factors, Capital One miles, Chase Final Rewards factors, Citi ThankYou Rewards factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors to Flying Membership.

Associated: Which bank card must you use for Delta Air Strains flights?

Guide JetBlue award flights to London

JetBlue flies to LGW from Boston and to LHR from Boston and New York (JFK).

You may redeem JetBlue TrueBlue factors for flights to London at dynamic award charges. For instance, you could possibly redeem 88,800 factors or pay $1,808 for a one-way JetBlue Mint flight from New York to London in the course of the day. However an in a single day flight in Mint would value way more on this particular date.

There are many methods to earn JetBlue factors, together with transferring American Categorical Membership Rewards factors, Citi ThankYou Rewards factors, Chase Final Rewards factors and Capital One miles to TrueBlue. Sadly, you possibly can’t guide transatlantic JetBlue flights by another airline loyalty program.

Associated: JetBlue Plus Card vs. JetBlue Premier Card: Do you have to go mid-tier or premium?

Guide Norse flights to London

Norse Atlantic Airways flies to LGW from New York (JFK), Orlando, Los Angeles and Miami. Sadly, Norse does not have its personal loyalty program, and no different airline applications have entry to Norse award availability. So if you wish to guide a Norse flight to London, you have to guide a paid price. You can redeem transferable factors for paid Norse flights if you happen to guide by a bank card journey portal that provides Norse flights.

Associated: Crunching the numbers: Is it costlier to guide flights by a bank card journey portal?

Guide United Airways award flights to London

United Airways flies to LHR from the next cities:

• Chicago
• Denver
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• New York — EWR
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C. — IAD

As you’d anticipate, you possibly can redeem United MileagePlus miles for United-operated flights to London. You will discover loads of availability, however at dynamic award charges. So, you will generally discover good offers, and generally discover terribly excessive award charges. However on the optimistic aspect, there are many methods to earn United miles, together with transferring Bilt Rewards factors, Chase Final Rewards factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors to MileagePlus.

Air Canada Aeroplan is an alternative choice when redeeming rewards for a United-operated flight to London. Award charges for a one-way United-operated flight between the U.S. and London begin at 35,000 factors in financial system, 50,000 in premium financial system and 60,000 in enterprise class. These are beginning charges (PDF hyperlink), however you will discover awards between the East Coast and London are sometimes priced at these charges. You may earn Aeroplan factors by transferring Amex Membership Rewards factors, Bilt Rewards factors, Capital One miles, Chase Final Rewards factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors, however award availability in something however financial system tends to be restricted.

Associated: How one can get upgraded on United Airways flights

Guide Virgin Atlantic award flights to London

Virgin Atlantic flies to LHR from the next cities:

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York — JFK
• Orlando
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Tampa
• Washington, D.C. — IAD

Regardless of current will increase in taxes and charges, your only option for reserving Virgin Atlantic flights to London will normally be the Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership program. Though the taxes and charges might be eye-wateringly excessive, award charges begin at round 6,000 factors in Financial system Traditional, 10,500 in Premium and 28,500 in Higher Class.

Better of all, you possibly can switch Amex Membership Rewards factors, Bilt Rewards factors, Capital One miles, Chase Final Rewards factors, Citi ThankYou Rewards factors and Marriott Bonvoy factors to Flying Membership.

Associated: Use Virgin Atlantic’s reward seat checker to seek out the most affordable Saver seats

Greatest factors accommodations in London

London has a number of properties in each main lodge loyalty program. I normally redeem IHG factors to get a fourth evening free, a perk of my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card (see charges and charges) or redeem Hyatt factors to profit from the World of Hyatt award chart. However, here is a fast take a look at among the greatest accommodations in London, alongside pattern award pricing:

Bank cards to deliver to London

The official foreign money of the UK is the pound sterling. You will get the very best conversion price for purchases in the UK once you use a card that does not cost overseas transaction charges and choose to pay in kilos sterling. This is a take a look at a few of my favourite journey rewards playing cards that do not cost overseas transaction charges:

Associated: Dynamic foreign money conversion: What it’s and why you must keep away from it

Backside line

Now, you ought to be higher outfitted to make use of factors and miles to journey to London. Take inventory of your factors and miles, together with your transferable factors and miles. Then, test award availability and pricing by among the applications talked about primarily based on the airways you’d wish to fly and the dates you need to journey.

Verify lodge charges earlier than you set your dates, as some durations might be very expensive in London. It is good to get the all-in value of your flights and accommodations earlier than reserving.