Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.Now’s the time to book your next trip to Europe! Today we’re seeing discounted flights from East and West coast cities to many destinations throughout Europe, including Amsterdam (AMS), Barcelona (BCN), Paris (CDG) and Rome (FCO). Although the low fares are primarily offered by full service carriers such as Air Italy, Delta and United, the cheapest fares book into basic economy. What that means is that you’ll often need to pay for things like seat assignments and checked bags, but you’ll still get the usual onboard experience with free food and drinks. However, some co-branded credit cards can help get around the pitfalls of basic economy.To find these low fares head to Google Flights and plug in your desired departure and destination cities. After finding the dates that work best for you, book directly with the airline or with an OTA such as Expedia or Priceline.Airlines: Aer Lingus, Air Italy, American, British Airways, Delta, LEVEL, UnitedRoutes: BOS/DTW/EWR/JFK/LAX/MIA/ORD/SFO to AMS/ARN/BCN/CDG/CPH/FCO/HEL/LHR/MADCost: $350+ round-trip in basic economyDates: October 2018 – May 2019Booking Link: Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airlinePay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)Here are a few examples of what you can book:San Francisco (SFO) to Barcelona (BCN) in September for $350 round-trip on LEVEL:New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) in October for $368 round-trip on Air Italy:New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) in December for $419 round-trip on Delta:Boston (BOS) to Amsterdam (AMS) in December for $420 round-trip on Delta:Newark (EWR) to Amsterdam (AMS) in January 2019 for $422 round-trip on United via Lufthansa:Los Angeles (LAX) to Barcelona (BCN) in December for $437 round-trip on British Airways / Aer Lingus:Maximize Your PurchaseDon’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.Featured image by Lanski / Getty Images.
