Challenge complete: I earned 1 million points from the SAS EuroBonus challenge

Here at the TPG, we are always looking for ways to earn as many points and miles as possible — sometimes in more extreme ways than others.

I personally went the furthest I’ve ever gone to rack up more points late last year when I took on the SAS EuroBonus challenge for the chance to earn a million EuroBonus points. The catch? To complete the terms of the challenge, I only had about a month to fly 15 different airlines as I hopscotched across the globe on the most complicated itinerary I’ve ever put together.

If successful, I would make it just under the wire on New Year’s Eve. Then, I just had to wait to see if those million points would be mine. Here’s what happened.

The path to 1 million points

Late last year, Scandinavian Airlines announced a promotion called the EuroBonus challenge to celebrate its transition from Star Alliance to SkyTeam. According to the terms of the promotion, you could earn the following number of points by completing the following flight tasks:

• 10,000 points for flying with five SkyTeam airlines
• 100,000 points for flying with 10 SkyTeam airlines
• 1,000,000 points for flying with 15 SkyTeam airlines

With plenty of time off for the holidays and several days of unused vacation to burn through ahead of 2025, I decided to give the challenge a go in December with the goal of earning the full million points.

Over the course of three weeks, I planned to take 20 flights on 15 different SkyTeam carriers and fly around 38,000 miles to 16 countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

I began with a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Seoul, South Korea, via Seattle on Delta Air Lines, Korean Air and Garuda Indonesia. Next, I visited Bali, Indonesia, before taking Vietnam Airlines to Ho Chi Minh City and on to Hanoi, Vietnam. From there, I continued on to Taiwan, China and Thailand on a combination of carriers, including China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Kenya Airways and Saudia. After an overnight in Dubai and a flight to London aboard Virgin Atlantic, I hopped around Europe, visiting Oslo, Norway; Bucharest, Romania; and Madrid, with layovers in Amsterdam and Paris, on a mix of Air France, KLM, Air Europa and TAROM flights before ending with a long-haul on Aeromexico.

Most of my itinerary went off without a hitch, but after a snafu with the fare code on a Kenya Airways ticket, I had to add a quick last-minute round trip between London and Oslo on SAS in order to officially earn miles with 15 different SkyTeam carriers.

That pivot clinched the deal, though, and after I completed my last flight from Madrid to Mexico City on New Year’s Eve, I anxiously double-checked all my tickets and noted that the mileage credit for each flight hit my SAS EuroBonus account.

Then, just under four weeks after I stepped off my last flight, it finally happened: 1 million SAS EuroBonus points had been deposited into my account.

Now, I’m just figuring out how I want to use them all. Chances are they will not go as far as you might think a million points can take you, but I still have some fun plans in the works for them.

Eurobonus promotion stats

I reached out to SAS, and the carrier shared some interesting stats with me about the EuroBonus promotion.

• Over 50,000 members registered for the promotion, but only a few more than 900 people completed it.
• The average age of participants was 40, with the youngest being 4 years old and the oldest being 73 years old.
• Thirty percent of participants were female, and 70% of participants were male.
• Everyone who completed the challenge visited China at least once.
• The average points millionaire who completed the challenge visited four continents, 17 countries and 23 airports.
• Nine people visited six continents (Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Europe and Oceania), while 22% of participants visited at least five of them.
• Of all the flights taken, 92% were in economy class.
• SAS was the most flown airline.

Here is a breakdown of where the members who completed the challenge are from, with the U.S. representing almost a fifth of the participants:

Surprisingly, Europe didn’t have as many participants as I expected. With six SkyTeam airlines based there, I thought that number would be a lot higher. I also thought the Scandinavian countries would have more participants since that is the airline’s prime territory.

How I might redeem my EuroBonus points

To be honest, the shock factor hasn’t worn off yet, as every time I look in my account, I am wowed by the seven digits. I’ve never had this many points or miles in a single account at one time before. But that doesn’t mean I intend to sit on them. After all, points and miles are often subjected to frequent devaluations, so I want to plan to use as many of them as possible in a short amount of time.

Of course, I can use the million points on SAS flights, but I can also book awards with SkyTeam partners, rent cars, lock in hotel stays and redeem for lounge access and upgrades on SAS. However, availability to book premium cabins on partners looks pretty thin, which I hope is just because SAS is so new to SkyTeam. Perhaps as the program is more closely integrated with those of its partners, more premium seats will become available as awards.

Currently, the redemptions offering the best value for these points appear to be on SAS’ own flights, as the airline uses a fixed-price award chart known as SAS Bonus. However, for my purposes, these are mainly useful for flying between the U.S. and Europe, with a one-way business-class award ticket starting at 50,000 points. SAS flies to 108 destinations, primarily in Europe, with a handful of destinations in Africa and Asia.

SAS also uses a region-based, fixed-price award chart for partner flights that has some great sweet spots, but the availability of flights is extremely limited at the moment. Right now, you can book award flights on Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Saudia, TAROM and Xiamen Air using EuroBonus points.

Air Europa, China Airlines and Vietnam Airlines award tickets booked through SAS are subject to a multiplier that doubles the amount shown on the award chart, so these will not be good options to choose from. For example, a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Europe in business class with most SkyTeam partners costs 130,000 points, but if I fly with Air Europa, specifically, it will cost me 260,000 points.

It’s important to note that despite SAS having a fixed-point partner award chart, one-way tickets are not half the price of the round-trip awards. The partner award chart shows the starting round-trip prices for award flights at the lowest level. If you want to book a one-way flight, it will cost 60% of the round-trip award ticket cost. For example, a round-trip economy award ticket from the U.S. to Europe on a partner airline costs 70,000 points, so a one-way ticket will cost 42,000 points.

Additionally, only layovers of less than 24 hours are allowed.

I have been searching for days, and hardly anything turns up in economy class — let alone business class — on many partners. For example, a round-trip business-class ticket between the U.S. and Europe should require 130,000 points on a SkyTeam partner like KLM or Air France, but I haven’t been able to find a single award over the next several months, even after searching across many routes.

I’m still an optimist, though. Based on what I’m seeing so far, here are 13 potential uses for my newly minted EuroBonus points based on travel plans I need to make. Please note that these flight prices are based on one-way itineraries, which will cost 60% of the round-trip cost based on the partner award chart. Flights on SAS booked through SAS are not subject to this, and one-way flights will cost half of a round-trip flight.

Flying Delta in the continental US

Using my SAS points to cover domestic Delta flights can be a great value, especially during busy periods when cash fares might be higher than usual. Domestic flights on Delta cost 15,000 points one-way in economy and 30,000 points in first class or Delta One.

So far, I have searched three transcontinental domestic routes that feature Delta One seats and suites. I looked at 35 different dates ranging from February to April for flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

My search yielded 10 dates with premium availability; however, none of the itineraries featured the Delta One product and all required a layover.

These points prices were on continental flights, and flights to Hawaii were available for 50,000 points one-way in economy, which is, quite frankly, a poor redemption value. The reason for these high prices is that SAS lumps Hawaii in the Asia-Pacific region rather than North America.

Virgin Atlantic and Delta transatlantic flights

I can fly from one of many U.S. gateways to London on Virgin Atlantic to hop across the pond, so I’ve been concentrating some of my searches there as well.

I was only able to see economy availability; one-way flights were 42,000 points when searching between March and May from JFK, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR). Taxes and fees were reasonable, costing just around $81. However, I did not find a single available seat in business class.

I should be able to fly to London from another one of Delta’s hubs — excluding New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) — for the same price. However, I would prefer to fly Virgin Atlantic due to having had better meal experiences with that carrier versus Delta. 

SAS business class from the US to Scandinavia and vice versa

Booking SAS flights from the U.S. to the airline’s hub at Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is arguably the best value and the option with the most award availability. Flights cost just 50,000 points one-way in business class from any of the airline’s U.S. gateways if there is a “Business Bonus” award (the carrier’s equivalent of a saver business award). You can also look at flights to SAS’ hubs in Stockholm and Oslo for expanded availability.

Awardhacks.se is a great tool for showcasing seat availability at the 50,000-point business-class redemption rate. SAS tends to have a lot of last-minute availability in business class on various U.S. routes.

Additionally, you can book economy flights one-way for just 30,000 points and bid on cash upgrades. You can use ExpertFlyer to check the number of seats available in business class and base your bid around that availability. I have done this twice from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to CPH, and each upgrade cost me less than $400 compared to over $7,000 if you paid cash for the business-class ticket. Plus, with my SAS Silver elite status, my upgrade bids are worth 10% more. This means that if I book an economy ticket and bid $500 dollars for an upgrade, my bid amount will actually be worth $550.

While searching, I noticed much more availability when leaving Scandinavia to go to the U.S. In particular, CPH to JFK, BOS, EWR, LAX and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., showed more available seats. For example, when searching for availability this month, I found 23 seats going from CPH to JFK and just seven seats when departing from JFK TO CPH.

During my searches, I found very little availability from ATL and Miami International Airport (MIA).

Furthermore, if I want to travel beyond Scandinavia in Europe, SAS-operated flights from the U.S. to Copenhagen, Oslo or Stockholm with a layover on a partner airline start at 42,000 points one-way in economy.

Intra-European flights

The prices on intra-European flights on SkyTeam partners are 24,000 points one-way in economy or 36,000 points one-way in business class. If I fly SAS metal, the award prices within Europe are 15,000 and 25,000 points in economy and business class, respectively.

I would opt for economy class on all intra-European flights since most European business-class cabins tend to be just standard economy seats with the middle seat blocked. Not to mention, most of the flights are less than four hours, so I can manage with limited legroom. There is plenty of availability on many of the airline’s routes, so chances are I will be using some of my points in this fashion.

I currently value my EuroBonus points at about 1 cent apiece, so if the cash price is less than $240, I would just opt to pay cash instead of using points.

Korean Air Boeing 747 Prestige class

One of my bucket list items in the aviation world is to fly in a premium cabin on the upper deck of a Boeing 747 before they are all completely retired from service. To catch a ride on the “Queen of the Skies” in a premium cabin on the upper deck and pay with my SAS points, I would need to fly with Korean Air, as it is the only airline in SkyTeam, and one of only a handful of airlines in general, that still operates this aircraft type for commercial passenger flights. I would have to fly from ATL, LAX or JFK to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) on Korean Air.

Korean Air Prestige, the carrier’s business-class product, can be theoretically booked using SAS points, but availability is nonexistent as far as I can see, so I’m not holding out hope, but I will try to set alerts for it.

Intra-Asian flights

There’s no shortage of partner airlines in Asia on which I can redeem my points — there are seven, to be exact. Three are based in China and Taiwan, three are in Southeast Asia and one is in South Korea. Award prices are based on region, and flights to and from the Southeast Asia region are 15,000 and 30,000 points one-way in economy and business class, respectively.

Meanwhile, flights between the Central, East and South Asia regions to Southeast Asia start at 30,000 and 54,000 points one-way in economy and business class, respectively.

Flights from Southeast Asia to the Middle East

Flights from Southeast Asia to the Middle East start at 42,000 and 78,000 points one-way in economy and business class, respectively.

Additionally, flights from Central, East and South Asia to the Middle East, like China Eastern’s route from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Dubai International Airport (DXB), are 48,000 and 84,000 points one-way in economy and business class, respectively.

US to the Middle East in Saudia business class

Saudia offers nonstop flights from three U.S. destinations to its two home hubs in Saudia Arabia. I could fly from LAX or IAD to King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah or from JFK to King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh and then connect onward throughout the Middle East and beyond.

Saudia economy awards on these routes start at 48,000 points one-way, while business-class awards on these routes cost 88,000 points one-way. My Saudia business-class experience was comfortable and great for the price, and it feels like it can be a solid way to get to the Middle East without flying one of the main Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways).

West Coast to Taipei, Taiwan, in business class

Taiwan is becoming one of my favorite countries to visit thanks to its rich heritage, culture, diverse climates, incredible food scene and visa-free entry. Many West Coast airports now have nonstop flights to Taipei on SkyTeam airlines. For example, out of SEA, SkyTeam carriers China Airlines and Delta both offer nonstop flights. Delta will be my best option, as China Airlines charges double the price Delta does. I have been searching high and low to try to find business-class availability on this route and have been unsuccessful so far, but I will keep searching.

US to Shanghai in China Eastern business class

This is another option with very little to no availability, even in economy class. If I can find availability, I will definitely snag this, as the hard product on the airline’s Airbus A350 looks great.

China Eastern flies directly to PVG from five U.S. outposts: Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), JFK, LAX and SFO.

Delta One to Asia and Oceania

Since I am based on the West Coast, I have multiple options from SEA and LAX to take Delta One to Asia and Oceania.

I have seen some promising business-class availability for flights to Tokyo on multiple dates; for 88,000 points, I could fly one-way from SEA to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND). I also saw one date when I could fly from LAX to Sydney Airport (SYD) for 99,000 points one-way in business class. That said, these awards tend to disappear fast, so I will need to be quick on the draw if I hope to take one of these.

US to South America with Aerolineas Argentinas

Aerolineas Argentinas is the only SkyTeam airline that is based in South America.

This option is not yet available for SAS points bookings. When it is, however, I hope to fly from New York or Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and connect onward to other South American destinations. A phone representative for SAS told me the reason why flights are not yet bookable with points is because of technical difficulties, but this should be resolved shortly. Once available, flights from the U.S. to South America will cost 30,000 and 54,000 points one-way in economy and business class, respectively.

US to Mexico with Aeromexico

When looking for a short weekend trip to somewhere with warm weather, Mexico is always an option for me. Aeromexico flies to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) from nearly 20 U.S. destinations, making it possible to stay in the capital or easily connect onward to other cities in Mexico.

Most of these flights are under four hours long and are only available on narrow-body aircraft, so I will opt to travel in economy class for just 15,000 points one-way. I consider this a solid use of points given how pricey cash flights to Mexico can be.

Honorable mentions

There are a few other options not mentioned above.

For example, I could fly Vietnam Airlines business class from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Vietnam. The award prices are too high, though, with one-way economy flights costing 108,000 points due to the double multiplier on select partner airline awards. It’s not a great redemption, but given the lack of nonstop options from the U.S. to Vietnam, it’s still worth considering despite the low redemption value.

There are also long-haul flights on the other Asian airlines in the SkyTeam alliance, but like Vietnam Airlines, I have not found any consistent award availability.

As for getting to Africa, Kenya Airways is a good option, but when searching for flights to Nairobi, Kenya, there was no availability in any cabin for several months. The only available awards I could find were via Europe on European SkyTeam carriers for economy seats, so I’ll hold off on booking that for now.

Restrictions and limitations

Despite having these bonus points, there are some limitations that I have already encountered.

These 1 million bonus points I have been awarded expire in five years, and given how hard it has been to find availability, they may be harder to redeem than expected. As time passes, I hope SAS and its SkyTeam partners will release more award availability.

Even though SAS has a published partner award chart, most award flight prices I found when searching are actually much higher, and I don’t expect that to get better.

Additionally, finding business-class availability has been like finding a needle in a haystack. SAS has said that some partner airlines are not bookable yet, so I expect to see more options in the future, but I am unsure whether that also means more premium seats will be available for redemptions.

While I am grateful to have these bonus points, there are some other important limitations I must note. To start, if you book an award flight and decide to cancel, you will be subjected to a $25 fee for intra-European flights and $75 for flights to and from Asia and North America.

Taxes on these award flights range from $57 to $89 one-way, which include the fuel surcharge, depending on the region and class of service. Even with these limitations, the redemption options seem promising; it will just take extra effort to pinpoint exact routings and dates.

Bottom line

While I am thrilled to be a points millionaire, redeeming my points in premium cabins is going to be a bigger challenge than I expected. Ultimately, it will come down to searching every few days to see if any business-class availability pops up on SkyTeam partners. I am hopeful this is just growing pains and more partner availability will be released in the coming months and years, as SAS just joined SkyTeam less than five months.

Right now, the best redemption option that provides me the most outsize value seems to be taking 20 one-way business-class flights from the U.S. to Scandinavia, which is what I thought would be the best option even before I started the challenge.