Struggling to find affordable business-class awards to Europe on American? Check out these routes and tips

With American Airlines shifting to dynamic pricing for mileage awards, securing great deals has become increasingly challenging... particularly on sought-after routes from the U.S. to Europe in business class.

If you're having a tough time locating business-class awards on American or other Oneworld airlines, be aware that some routes offer better availability than others. Similar to what we did recently with United Airlines business-class awards, we’re here to assist by sharing a list of those routes. It may even be worth considering a positioning flight to one of the cities below to snag a fantastic trip — all at an excellent AAdvantage award rate.

Insider tip: Here are some of our top tools for finding award availability on your own.

Here’s a list of routes to explore if you’re looking for above-average American Airlines and Oneworld business-class availability (backed by data from Awayz by Odynn) that you can book using AAdvantage miles.

Tip: I had the most success searching for one-way flights. When looking for round trips, you often get routed through partner airlines, which can add layovers and extra taxes and fees.

Business-class availability to London through August 2025

If you begin your journey at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), you might discover the elusive redemption of 54,000-57,500 miles for a one-way business-class ticket to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR). We found scattered dates available through the end of the schedule.

The available dates included Aug. 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 19, and 20, 2025. The example below is for Aug. 6.

When you search for a round trip, American Airlines frequently lists flights operated by British Airways. Booking a round trip on British Airways with American miles can incur an extra $1,800 in taxes and fees, so it’s wise to steer clear of options like this one to Paris on British Airways.

If you're returning to the U.S. in business class from London, expect to face substantial taxes and fees in addition to your award. It might be better to spend a few days in another European city and fly back from there instead.

Business-class availability to Milan and Rome through August 2025

Although more limited, there are some competitively priced business-class options available to both Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) for as little as 111,500 AAdvantage miles and $71.90 round-trip. I discovered round-trip deals to Rome for Aug. 4-21, 2025, from JFK and Aug. 3-21, 2025, from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Other dates were also available.

I found comparable deals to and from Milan from both JFK and DFW, so it's definitely worth checking out. Be aware that some of these round-trip flights include layovers in Chicago, Charlotte, or Philadelphia.

Business-class availability to Madrid

TPG also uncovered some business-class seats to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) from JFK for as low as 62,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles plus $5.60. January has the highest availability, but there are also flights available at that rate on select dates through the end of the schedule.

I also found a flight from Dallas to Madrid for as low as 80,500 miles and $5.60 — not the best deal, but still reasonable.

Business-class availability to Barcelona

We also discovered ample availability from DFW to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) for 62,500-85,000 miles plus just $5.60 in November 2024 and January 2025.

Bottom line

Although this availability exists, it’s far from widespread. You'll need to be very flexible to snag the best prices. Even if you’re not located near one of these hub airports, or if you wish to travel to a different destination in Europe, it might still be worthwhile to secure one of these routes and later add positioning flights.

And for heaven's sake, if you spot a good deal, seize it! When you book through a program like American Airlines AAdvantage, it's simple to modify or redeposit award flights if you reconsider.

While securing a great return for your miles on international business-class flights has become more challenging, with patience and flexibility, you can still uncover fantastic deals, even as programs shift to dynamic pricing. Use this list of routes as a solid starting point. Best of luck, and I’ll see you in the forward cabin.