A few weeks ago, I wrote about how I booked flights to Europe on Iberia in Business class for me and my daughter using miles (see this post). I just booked our return flights at a bargain price!
KLM AMS to IAH
Originally, I had hoped to book seats in Premium Economy for our flights home. I’ve been searching for award flights for several weeks across multiple airlines and cities. However, I’ve been closely watching award prices on the KLM flight from Amsterdam to Houston since the locations are convenient for my trip. I already had a handful of Flying Blue miles that I could supplement with transfers from Capital One miles and/or Chase points.
Lo and behold, a few days ago when I was checking the route, I saw the award price on the KLM flight had dropped to 20,000 miles for Economy (plus taxes of $207). That’s a great price for flying across the pond. (Unfortunately, Business is still running 150k+).
This same flight has been running as high as 67,500 miles in Economy, depending on the date.
The seat layout in Economy is 2-4-2, which means my daughter and I could have our own row together without having to sit next to a stranger. Recent reviews of KLM international flights in Economy have been positive.
I already had enough miles for one seat. I just had to transfer miles to Flying Blue for the second seat.
But wait, it gets better! Capital One currently has a 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue through the end of July! (See this post). My husband and I each had a handful of Capital One miles. I transferred each of our miles to the Flying Blue program, and then combined the miles with the Flying Blue Family Account. Because of the transfer bonus, the second ticket only cost 17,000 miles!
I did pay an extra ~$30 per seat to pre-select our row of two. Seat selection is free at check-in, but I didn’t want to risk that there would be no more rows of two available.
Am I being a cheapskate by picking this flight?
I asked myself this question before pulling the trigger. I’m a sucker for great deals. But, should I jump on this great deal in Economy vs. waiting to see if a good deal in Business or Premium Economy shows up?
I had to consider not only this trip, but other trips my family has in the works. We still need to book return tickets from Costa Rica. And, we’re planning a trip to Asia in 2025. My husband and I are not earning miles and points as quickly as we used to.
So, I booked the Economy award seats. My daughter and I can handle 10 hours in Economy, especially since the flight leaves at 9 a.m.
And, we can cancel them and get our miles and cash back for a fee of 50 Euros each if I change my mind.
Final Thoughts
My daughter and I will be flying home from Europe next year in Economy seats that we booked for a great price using miles. Fortunately, the timing of the Capital One transfer bonus to Flying Blue worked in our favor to further reduce the price. In this hobby, persistence pays off. Don’t settle for high award prices if that’s what you see the first day you look. Award prices are constantly fluctuating. If you see something great, book it while it’s available.
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Thanks for sharing this find. This is a great deal! I needed to fly my son and his friend to Europe next month and I was able to grab two tickets from IAD for 18.5k Flying Blue points plus $92 in fees (each). I’m still hunting for return flights, but the fees double. While that is still reasonable, I am trying to use this opportunity to learn the advanced steps for avoiding higher fess and fuel surcharges. Any advice or chance you are considering writing a 301 class on flight searches?
@Keith that’s a great deal! Unfortunately, the fees coming back from Europe are always higher (in my experience). Some cities (like London) have high taxes for departing flights. I recommend checking out Iberia for the flights home from Madrid. I’m also seeing cheap cash flights on Norse for under $400 one way.
I currently have tix booked from NYC to Athens for 15K economy in August.. I can now get business for 70K.. Keep going back and forth – for 15K its a hell of a bargain… the 70K would be on a Lufthansa A380… never flown on an A380 but the Lufthansa business doesn’t look that great on the A380..
@Scrappy That’s a tough choice! If you’re swimming with points, I’d take the upgrade. Otherwise, keep the great bargain.
As a family that just flew 9 hours home from Europe on United Economy Plus seats… no, you’re not a cheapskate. It was plenty comfortable… I’d even go as far to say enjoyable. It’s nice to be able to sit back, relax, have a couple drinks, watch a couple movies, play a couple games, doze off for a bit, etc. All while not feeling like I should be doing something productive!
Hope your plane doesn’t change from the A330 you are probably on for their 777. Happen to me on an flight. A330 so much better for 2 people traveling together.
@Tom Good point! I’ll be watching for that.
@projectx As long as the KLM seat is comfortable, I’m good! I have to remind myself that I sat in Economy for 17 hours when we flew to Australia in 2019.