Best Ways to Use Capital One Miles for Business- and First-Class Flights

Let’s face it—most of us got into the points and miles game to fly first and business class without breaking the bank. And with a stash of Capital One Miles, you can fly to every corner of the globe in lie-flat luxury.

Capital One has a long list of 15+ airline transfer partners across all three airline alliances, opening up an ample number of opportunities to squeeze value out of your miles.

Whether you’re looking to fly All Nippon Airways (ANA) first class for 72,500 miles each way to Japan, fly Qatar QSuites to Doha for 89,000 miles each way or book other bucket list trips, Capital One Miles are fit for the job.

Let’s look at the best ways to redeem your Capital One Miles to fly business and first class across the globe.

How to Earn Capital One Miles

The only way to earn Capital One Miles is by holding a Capital One credit card.

You can redeem these miles either through Capital One’s travel booking site at a rate of 1 cent apiece or by transferring them to any of Capital One’s 15+ airline transfer partners for outsized value.

Keep in mind that not all Capital One cards earn miles—some earn cash back instead.

All of the following Capital One personal cards earn miles:

• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The following Capital One business cards earn miles:

• Capital One Venture X Business
• Capital One Venture Business
• Capital One VentureOne Business

Capital One cards such as the Venture, Venture X and Venture X Business are particularly lucrative as they earn a baseline rewards rate of 2X miles per dollar spent on all non-bonus category spending.

Likewise, the Venture X offers many perks, including lounge access and a statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership, for an annual fee of just $395.

While Capital One’s personal credit cards earn Venture miles and its business cards earn bonus miles, they’re different in name only. If you’re a business owner and you have a Capital One business card, you can pool your miles across Capital One personal and business cards, allowing you to redeem them at identical rates.

Capital One Transfer Partners

Capital One has 15+ airline transfer partners to whom you can transfer your miles. With a stash of Capital One Miles on hand, you can transfer your miles to airlines across all three major alliances—SkyTeam, Oneworld and Star Alliance.

Most airline transfers are 1:1, with some exceptions. Ratios of 5:3 mean 1,000 Capital One Miles would get you 600 points and ratios of 2:1.5 means 1,000 Capital One Miles would get you 750 points.

Here’s an overview of Capital One’s airline transfer partner programs.

Best Ways to Use Capital One Miles for Business- and First-Class Flights

Here are some of the best ways to squeeze the most value out of your Capital One Miles, land yourself in sought-after first- and business-class cabins, and fly to destinations across the world.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada Aeroplan offers some of the most lucrative rates for Star Alliance award flights. It’s one of the few carriers to still use a zone- and distance-based award chart to price its award flights, making it a great program to transfer your Capital One Miles to.

Here are some of the best ways to redeem your Capital One Miles through Aeroplan.

Fly Business to South Africa for 110,000 Points

You can fly with Star Alliance partner Ethiopian Airlines to Johannesburg (JNB) for 110,000 points in business class each way.

You can catch flights to Addis Ababa (ADD) and onward to Johannesburg from a number of East coast and Midwest airports, including New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Washington D.C. (IAD) and Chicago (ORD).

You can also fly United Polaris business class to Cape Town (CPT) booked through Aeroplan starting at 100,000 points—however, keep in mind that United flights are subject to dynamic pricing when booked through Aeroplan.

This is an easy and affordable way to explore South Africa in style.

Fly First Class to India for 150,000 Points

You can fly from the East Coast to India for 90,000 points in business or 150,000 points in first class each way.

For instance, you can fly with Air India from New York to Mumbai (BOM) nonstop for 150,000 points in first class.

This is a solid way to get to India in comfort without breaking the bank.

Fly Business to Europe for 60,000 Points

Star Alliance has a large presence in Europe, which makes Aeroplan the perfect program for booking lucrative awards between the U.S. and Europe.

You can pay as few as 60,000 points to fly business class one-way between the East coast and Western Europe. For example, you could fly nonstop with Swiss International Air Lines from New York to Zurich (ZRH) or with TAP Air Portugal to Porto (OPO) in business class for 60,000 points each way.

You’ll typically pay between 60,000 and 75,000 points each way to book a business-class fare to Europe through Aeroplan. For flights between 0-4,000 miles in distance, you’ll pay 60,000 points each way, and for flights between 4,001-6,000 miles in distance, you’ll pay 75,000 points each way.

You could fly to many other destinations within Europe at these rates, be it Brussels, Frankfurt, Athens or Rome.

Additionally, you can book United Polaris business-class flights to Europe through Aeroplan. Keep in mind that United flights booked through Aeroplan are subject to dynamic pricing, unlike most partner award fares. However, you can still expect to find reasonable business-class award rates for between 60,000 and 80,000 points each way depending on the distance flown.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Air France-KLM Flying Blue offers lucrative redemption opportunities for flights to every corner of the world.

While the Flying Blue program uses dynamic pricing to price its award rates, you can often find an abundance of saver-level fares. You can also take advantage of regular Flying Blue Promo Rewards to score yourself up to 50% off the standard award rate on flights to select destinations.

Here are some of the best ways you can use your Capital One Miles for Flying Blue award flights.

Fly to Europe in Business for 60,000 Miles

With their respective hubs in Paris (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS), Air France and KLM offer a wealth of routes between the United States and Europe.

Business-class flights between the U.S. and Europe start at an affordable 60,000 miles each way.

You can fly to Paris or Amsterdam and connect onward within Europe for no extra mileage cost. Air France and KLM have an extensive network within Europe, opening up a variety of potential destinations.

You could fly to London, Madrid, Croatia and Rome, among many other cities, for 60,000 miles in business class each way.

Fly Business Nonstop from Los Angeles to Tahiti for 85,000 Miles

If you like niche redemptions at affordable rates, you could transfer your Capital One Miles to Flying Blue and book a nonstop flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tahiti (PPT).

With its white-sand beaches and crystal clear lagoons, this remote archipelago of French Polynesia is a dream destination for many travelers.

Air France flies nonstop between Los Angeles and Tahiti, with business-class award fares starting at 85,000 miles each way. That’s not too shabby a price to get to paradise.

Explore Africa in Style

Getting to Africa from the U.S. is typically a long and expensive journey. However, you can leverage your Capital One Miles to take the expensive part out of your trip to Africa.

Air France has an extensive network in Africa, with nonstop flights to its northern and southern cities, as well as its western, central and eastern cities.

If you want to visit North Africa, you’re in luck—Air France includes North African destinations in its regional definition of Europe, offering affordable business-class rates.

You can fly from the U.S. to Morocco (CMN), Algiers (ALG) and Tunisia (TUN) for as few as 60,000 miles in business class each way.

If you want to explore further east, a flight to Cairo (CAI) costs 90,000 miles in business class each way.

For the rest of central and southern Africa, you’ll pay 115,000 miles for a one-way business-class award fare from the U.S.

Some destinations you could fly to include Nairobi (NBO), Accra (ACC) and Luanda (LAD).

These are just a few examples of where Capital One Miles can take you in Africa when you transfer your points to Flying Blue.

Island-Hop the Indian Ocean in Business Class

While still a part of Africa, these countries deserve their own section. With the help of Flying Blue, you can explore the islands of the Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius, at reasonable rates in lie-flat business class.

A business-class flight to any of these countries will set you back 115,000 miles each way—not a bad rate for a cumulative travel time between 22 and 30 hours.

Fly Business to Asia for 115,000 Miles

Flying Blue’s program allows you to travel further afield and explore Asia for just 115,000 miles each way in business class.

You could fly to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), New Delhi (DEL), Shanghai (PVG), Bangkok (BKK), Manila (MNL) and many other Asian destinations for 115,000 miles, with just one connection in Paris or Amsterdam.

These are solid business-class award rates for cumulative travel times between 30 and 40 hours.

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is the rewards program of the Bogota-based carrier Avianca Airlines, and offers a range of lucrative redemptions on its own and partner-operated flights.

Avianca is a member of Star Alliance, opening up an array of opportunities for lucrative redemptions with airlines including United, Lufthansa and many others.

While Avianca uses an award chart to price its flights, recent devaluations haven’t been reflected in its most-recently published chart.

Let’s take a look at how to use Capital One Miles to book lucrative Star Alliance flights through Avianca.

Fly Business Class to Europe Starting at 55,000 Miles

One of the main advantages of the LifeMiles program is that it doesn’t pass on carrier-imposed surcharges. That makes it one of the best programs for booking business- and first-class tickets with European carriers, where surcharges can often reach well over $2,000 round-trip.

For example, you could fly business class with Lufthansa from New York to Frankfurt (FRA) for 80,000 miles and $28.50 in taxes and fees.

Alternatively, if you can find award space, you could fly in Lufthansa’s sought-after first-class cabin or on select Lufthansa A350-900 Allegris business-class routes, such as between Chicago-O’Hare and Munich (MUC). However, the main challenge is finding first-class award availability, as Lufthansa releases these sought-after seats to partners just days before departure. Using a seats aggregator will be your best bet for finding award availability with Lufthansa.

Luckily, Lufthansa’s not your only option when getting to Europe and back in business class. One of the quirks of Avianca LifeMiles is that, despite using a zone-based award chart to price its partner award fares, the price varies depending on the operating airline and the route flown, even between the same zones.

For example, you could fly business class with Austrian Airlines from New York to Vienna (VIE) for 70,000 miles each way.

You could also fly business with Swiss International Airlines from New York to Zurich for as few as 55,000 miles in business class each way.

Similarly, you could fly business with LOT Polish Airlines from New York to Warsaw (WAW) for 69,000 miles each way.

Another quirk of the LifeMiles program is that awards will often be priced cheaper when you include a connection on either end of your itinerary. For instance, if you flew to Warsaw from Cleveland (CLE) with a connection in Chicago, you’d pay 62,150 miles to fly business class each way instead of 69,000 miles.

So, if you’re based outside of a hub city, this could play to your advantage.

Fly United Polaris Business for 80,000 Miles

If you’d like to score yourself seats in United’s Polaris business class, you could fly from many of United’s U.S. hubs to Europe for 80,000 miles each way when you book through Avianca.

You can catch nonstop United flights to Europe from hubs like Los Angeles, San Francisco (SFO), Denver (DEN), Chicago and Washington D.C., among others, for 80,000 miles in business each way.

Fly Thai Airways Business from Tokyo to Bangkok for 36,000 Miles

If you’re exploring Japan, Thailand or further afield within Asia, you can transfer your Capital One Miles to Avianca to book seats in Thai Airways’ Royal Silk business-class cabin.

You can fly Thai Airways business class from Bangkok (BKK) to Tokyo (HND) for as few as 36,000 LifeMiles each way. You also won’t be hit by Thai’s exorbitant carrier-imposed surcharges, saving you even more out-of-pocket costs.

Fly United Polaris Business to Africa for 80,000 Miles

If you want to explore the African continent in style, you can take advantage of Avianca and United’s joint membership in the Star Alliance to fly there for 80,000 miles in United Polaris business class.

United operates nonstop flights to the following African cities:

• Accra (ACC)
• Cape Town (CPT)
• Dakar (DSS)
• Johannesburg (JNB)
• Lagos (LOS)
• Marrakech (RAK)

United operates most of its flights to Africa from Washington D.C., with the exception of flights to Marrakech, Johannesburg and Cape Town, which also fly from Newark (EWR).

For instance, you could fly nonstop from Washington to Lagos (LOS), Nigeria, for 80,000 miles in business each way.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

The Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific offers lucrative award rates for its own flights as well as partner-operated flights.

It’s a member of the Oneworld alliance, enabling you to book flights with a number of airlines across the world.

While it no longer publishes an official award chart, it still prices its award flights based on distance flown, making it a solid program for squeezing maximum value out of your Capital One Miles.

Here are some of the best ways to leverage your Capital One Miles to book competitive award fares through Cathay.

Fly Qatar QSuites to Doha for 89,000 Miles

Qatar Airways QSuites are one of the most sought-after business-class products, with their very own sliding doors, keeping you cozy and private from takeoff to landing.

And by transferring your Capital One Miles to Cathay Asia Miles, you can book Qatar QSuites for just 89,000 miles from the U.S. to Doha. For instance, you could fly from Chicago to Doha in QSuites for just 89,000 miles each way.

Qatar operates flights to Doha from multiple U.S. airports, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Miami (MIA) and Atlanta, making it easy to find flights near you.

Fly Japan Airlines Business Class to Tokyo for 89,000 Miles

Japan Airlines’ business-class product is another luxurious way to travel the skies. It offers outstanding dining options, impeccable service and comfortable lie-flat seats.

As a Oneworld alliance member, you can book Japan Airlines business award fares from the U.S. to Tokyo for 89,000 miles each way through Cathay.

For instance, you could fly business class from San Francisco, Dallas Fort Worth or Chicago to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) for 89,000 miles each way.

You can also fly with Japan Airlines from New York and Los Angeles, giving you a range of options no matter where you’re based.

Fly Royal Air Maroc Business Class to Casablanca for 63,000 Miles

Nonstop flights from the U.S. to Morocco aren’t abundant. However, you can fly Royal Air Maroc in business class from New York, Washington D.C. and Miami for just 63,000 miles each way.

While Royal Air Maroc’s business-class product isn’t world-famous, it offers a comfortable experience for a seven- to eight-hour flight. So, if you’re looking to explore North Africa, this is a solid use of Capital One Miles for East coast flyers.

Fly Cathay First Class to Hong Kong Starting at 125,000 Miles

Cathay Pacific’s first-class product is exclusive to its Boeing 777s. You can score yourself seats in this intimate six-seater first-class cabin to Hong Kong (HKG) for 125,000 miles from Los Angeles and 160,000 miles from New York.

If luxurious bedding, outstanding food and attentive staff are your thing, this is a great way to use your Capital One Miles while to get to Hong Kong.

Fly Qantas First Class to Sydney for 135,000 Miles

If the Land Down Under is calling you, you can book Qantas first-class award fares from Los Angeles to Sydney for 135,000 miles each way through Cathay.

The only challenge with this redemption is finding award space, as it’s a highly popular route, so be sure to book well in advance.

Virgin Red (via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club)

Capital One Miles transfer to Virgin Red at a 1:1 ratio. You can easily link your Virgin Red account with your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account, enabling you to book award redemptions with Virgin and its SkyTeam partners.

Let’s look at some of the best redemptions with Virgin to spend your Capital One Miles on.

Fly ANA Business to Japan

One of the best uses of your Capital One Miles is booking All Nippon Airways (ANA) first- and business-class flights through Virgin Atlantic (via Virgin Red).

While not a member of the SkyTeam alliance, ANA is a partner of Virgin and boasts lucrative award rates on flights between the U.S. and Japan.

You can fly to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) with ANA from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle-Tacoma, Houston, New York and Washington D.C.

You’ll pay 72,500 miles to fly in ANA’s sought-after first-class cabin and 52,500 miles to fly in its business-class cabin from the West coast to Japan, each way. For those based in Central and East coast cities, you’ll pay 85,000 miles to fly in first class and 60,000 miles to fly business class, each way.

To book an ANA award through Virgin, you need to search for award space through either United Airlines or via a seats aggregator such as seats.aero. When searching through United, you’ll want to simply put Tokyo (TYO) as the destination to search for flights to both Tokyo-Haneda and Tokyo-Narita.

Once you’ve found business award space on ANA-operated flights, you can then call Virgin to have them confirm the space and complete your booking. Thankfully, Capital One Miles typically transfer instantly to Virgin Red (and onward to your Flying Club account).

Fly Business to the United Kingdom

Another solid use of your Capital One Miles is for Virgin Atlantic flights between the U.S. and United Kingdom in business class.

You can fly from the following U.S. cities to London-Heathrow (LHR) nonstop with Virgin:

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• Orlando
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Tampa
• Washington D.C.

You can take advantage of Virgin’s easy to use Reward Seat Checker to search for the cheapest award fares to the U.K. Saver fares are highlighted with a red chevron, making it easy to identify the cheapest fares in any given month.

For example, you could fly from Boston to London for as few as 35,000 points per way in Upper Class (business).

To search for return fares, simply click the reverse arrows at the top of the page.

You can also find return flights at the same rate of 35,000 points. That means you could fly from Boston to London and back for 70,000 points in business round-trip.

From the West coast, you can find one-way fares for under 60,000 points.

These are just a few examples of the competitive business-class award fares you can book using Capital One Miles with Virgin.

While Virgin does charge exorbitant fees for its premium cabin award fares, its incredibly low rates make this a worthwhile redemption.

Final Thoughts

Capital One Miles are some of the most valuable rewards points you can hold. With strong transfer partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Air France-KLM, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and many more, you can reach almost every continent in lie-flat luxury at affordable rates.

To learn how to leverage your everyday expenditure to earn hundreds of thousands of points and travel for free, enroll in the free 10xTravel course today.