Hi, my first time posting, so I apologize if I screw up. I need to get from JFK to Budapest anytime in June and return 2 weeks later (my dates are flexible). I have 50,520 American Express Membership Rewards points that I'd like to use. Can anyone tell me the best way to use them to get a flight there? I have found some flights, but many have very long layovers (10+ hours) and I need to avoid those. Thank you all.

Try calling American Express to start with.

Convert those miles to Continental. Try a flight like this on their search. It's a bear
coming home (two stops!) but it's 50,000 miles, using Air France and Continental.

But you have to try different days on the return.

Find the flight first, though. The AMEX transfer is only a minute, but not easily reversible.

Flight Details:

Depart:
7:00 p.m. Tue., Jun. 3, 2008 New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)

Arrive:
8:35 a.m. +1 Day Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Paris, France (CDG) Flight Time:

Depart:
9:40 a.m. Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Paris, France (CDG)

Arrive:
11:50 a.m. Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Budapest, Hungary (BUD)

Depart:
7:10 a.m. Thu., Jun. 19, 2008 Budapest, Hungary (BUD)
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008 Paris, France (CDG)

Change Planes. Connect time in Paris, France (CDG) is 1 hour 50 minutes.
Depart:
11:20 a.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Paris, France (CDG) Arrive:
2:30 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Cleveland, OH (CLE) Flight Time:
9 hr 10 mn Flight: CO135
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: Economy (G)
Meal: Lunch
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Cleveland, OH (CLE) is 2 hours 15 minutes.
Depart:
4:45 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Cleveland, OH (CLE) Arrive:
6:45 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty) Flight Time:
2 hr 0 mn

Travel Time:
17 hr 35 mn Flight: CO524
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: Economy (G)
Meal:

aacharya said:Convert those miles to Continental. Try a flight like this on their search. It's a bear
coming home (two stops!) but it's 50,000 miles, using Air France and Continental.

But you have to try different days on the return.

Find the flight first, though. The AMEX transfer is only a minute, but not easily reversible.

Flight Details:

Depart:
7:00 p.m. Tue., Jun. 3, 2008 New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)

Arrive:
8:35 a.m. +1 Day Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Paris, France (CDG) Flight Time:

Depart:
9:40 a.m. Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Paris, France (CDG)

Arrive:
11:50 a.m. Wed., Jun. 4, 2008 Budapest, Hungary (BUD)

Depart:
7:10 a.m. Thu., Jun. 19, 2008 Budapest, Hungary (BUD)
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008 Paris, France (CDG)

Change Planes. Connect time in Paris, France (CDG) is 1 hour 50 minutes.
Depart:
11:20 a.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Paris, France (CDG) Arrive:
2:30 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Cleveland, OH (CLE) Flight Time:
9 hr 10 mn Flight: CO135
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: Economy (G)
Meal: Lunch
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Cleveland, OH (CLE) is 2 hours 15 minutes.
Depart:
4:45 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
Cleveland, OH (CLE) Arrive:
6:45 p.m.
Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty) Flight Time:
2 hr 0 mn

Travel Time:
17 hr 35 mn Flight: CO524
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: Economy (G)
Meal:

Good idea except you and/or your luggage would not make the connect time in Paris.Out of the 20+ international flights I've taken 3 have connections there and I think for all 3 at least 1 piece of luggage is still there.

I never really said to pick that exact flight, just that there were possibilities.

But the response about Malev is a good one - though there is no easy way to book or check
availability.

aacharya said:the response about Malev is a good one - though there is no easy way to book or check availability.I don't understand your comment.

I just searched for Malev on Kayak and also AA.com (since they have a codeshare).

The price was $798 including taxes, nonstop, June 2nd to 17th. Again, I don't know how many MR points you need for that.

OK. Maybe Kayak is out-of-synch somehow.

Use your favorite site to find the dates/fares. I also saw Malev at $813 on Travelocity. (If you use AA.com, pick 2 options, "Search by Price & Schedule" and "Advanced Search: All Airlines.")

The Northwest Airlines Asia website shows me a calendar of SkyTeam award tickets available on many days for JFK-BUD, for all of early June. The problem is getting back. For the return flight you'll need to fly June 16, 17, 20, or 24. There are basically no return flights open in early July.

So if you're trying to trade AMEX MR for a Delta award or other SkyTeam award, try for early June.

(For those who don't know, the NW Asia website is usually better than than the US version for finding awards)

Do not convert your points to Air France, try all other airlines first. I made that mistake travelling to europe last year and paid almost $300 in fees and taxes vs $75 for Delta (which I found out later). Even on domestic flights their fees are about $24/pp vs $5 on other airlines.

I need two tix from Atlanta to Budapest and back, I have 75K Continental FF miles and 65K TYP. How do I match them?

Thanks. Sounds so simple. TYP is Thank You points, it's by phone thru Expedia agents, fixed-point redemption (I qualify).