How to travel to Germany with points and miles in 2024

24.01.2024 - 06:19 / lonelyplanet.com

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.

Advertiser Disclosure:  This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.  All information about the Alaska Airline cards, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*, and the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Lonely Planet. These cards are not available through Lonely Planet.

Whether it’s Oktoberfest, Neuschwanstein Castle or Berlin’s epic party scene that comes to mind when you think of Germany, it’s definitely worth a spot on your travel bucket list. 

Germany is a fantastic destination for families, those seeking a romantic getaway, beer garden enthusiasts or anyone interested in the country’s history and culture. It’s also a place that can be visited affordably if you maximize points and miles to cover your flights, hotels and car rental.

Here’s everything you need to know about traveling to Germany with points and miles, plus some of our favorite things to do there.

Most flights from the U.S. arrive in Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC) or Berlin (BER). You’ll find the best deals from major hub cities, especially those on the East Coast, though it depends more on the airline you’re going with.

How to get started with travel points and airline miles

Using Avianca LifeMiles to book award flights with Star Alliance partners like United Airlines and Lufthansa can be a real points-and-miles sweet spot.

United flies nonstop to Berlin (BER) from Newark (EWR) and to Munich (MUC) and Frankfurt (FRA) from Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington, DC. (IAD).

Lufthansa offers many nonstop and seasonal routes from all over the U.S. to Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin, so check the website for the best departure city near you.

Here’s how many LifeMiles you’d need to fly to Germany from the U.S.:

Top up your Avianca LifeMiles balance by transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy (3:1) or American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards or Bilt Rewards (1:1).

The best travel credit cards

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles is another underrated points-and-miles currency that can be used to book flights to Germany with Star Alliance partners like United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines or TAP Portugal, among other carriers. You can also use them to fly nonstop