If you don’t know, Flying Blue is a type of frequent flyer program for a multitude of carriers such as Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Kenya Airways, TAROM and Transavia. With the ability to earn these points through multiple channels, the possibilities are endless. Continue reading our Flying Blue guide to learn more!
Flying Blue Quick Facts
| Airline Alliance | SkyTeam |
| Hubs | Amsterdam, Paris |
| Credit Cards | Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® (BoA) |
| Redemption Options | Award flights, seat upgrades, baggage, inflight meals, lounge access, hotel stays, car rentals, experiences, merchandise, magazines & newspapers, miles transfer |
| Average Flying Blue Value | $0.012 |
Earning Flying Blue Miles
Earn Flying Blue miles by spending on Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Kenya Airways, TAROM and Transavia. The number of miles you’ll get depends on how much you spend and your elite status:
| STATUS | EARNING RATE |
| Explorer | 4 miles per €1 |
| Silver | 6 miles per €1 |
| Gold | 7 miles per €1 |
| Platinum | 8 miles per €1 |
Additionally, you will also have the ability to earn Flying Blue miles through partner flights. The amount you earn will depend on the distance and booking class as well as your elite status. Here’s a list of the partner airlines.
- Aeroflot
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Corsica
- AirEuropa
- Air Mauritius
- Alitalia
- Bangkok Airways
- Chalair Aviation
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- China Southern Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Garuda Indonesia
- GOL
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- Malaysia Airlines
- Middle East Airlines
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- TAAG
- Twin Jet
- Vietnam Airlines
- WestJet
- Xiamen Airlines
As shown above, the only real card that earns you this bonus is the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard, issued by Bank of America. With this card, United States residents will be able to earn Flying Blue miles.
| Welcome Bonus | 50,000 miles + 60 XP |
| *Bonus Value | $600 |
| Priority Boarding | Aer Lingus cardholders only |
| Ongoing Rewards/Benefits | 3x miles on Air France, KLM & SkyTeam purchases 1.5x miles on all other purchases |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | No |
| Anniversary Bonus | 5,000 miles when you spend at least $50 within one membership year + 20 XP every anniversary |
| Annual Fee | $89 |
| CREDIT CARD PROGRAM | TRANSFER RATIO |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 1:1 |
| Capital One Rewards | 2:1.5 |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1:1 |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards | 1:1 |
For more credit cards that are Flying Blue transfer partners, we recommend:
Similar to many other frequent flyer programs, members can earn miles with Flying Blue’s hotel partners:
- Accor Live Limitless (ALL)
- Best Western
- Booking.com
- Golden Tulip Hotels
- Hilton Honors
- Hotels for Miles
- IHG
- Marriott Bonvoy
- My Boutique Hotel
- Radisson Hotel Group
- Shangri-La
- World of Hyatt
- WorldHotels Collection
- YOTEL
Also, you will be able to earn Flying Blue miles through the use of their partner car rental companies:
- Avis
- Budget
- Driving Blue
- Enterprise
- Europcar
- Hertz
- Sixt
- Thrifty
On top of earning Flying Blue miles through the methods we mentioned in the post, you can always purchase them. This is especially helpful if you’re only short a couple of miles. The rate to buy miles starts at at €55 for 2,000 miles ($0.0275 each). Explorer members can purchase a maximum of 75,000 miles each year, while Silver members or higher do not have any limits on how many Flying Blue miles they can buy.
Spending Flying Blue Miles
You can start redeeming your Flying Blue for award flights, but keep in mind that you must keep them maintained in order for the miles not to expire. Here are some ways to do so:
- You take an eligible flight on Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways, TAROM or other airline partners at least once every 2 years.
- You make a purchase with an eligible co-branded credit card at least once every 2 years.
- You earn miles with any other Flying Blue partner at least once every 2 years.
- You’re a SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus member.
One of the best and most common ways to spend your Flying Blue miles is through flights with Air France, KLM or Transavia. Mileage pricing will depend on your origin, destination, booking class and your flight date.
You can also use your miles to book flights for yourself or a guest in Economy or Business with SkyTeam and non-alliance partners. Mileage pricing for all partner flights is based on booking class and flight distance.
With Miles & Cash, you can pay up to 25% of your ticket in cash if you don’t have enough miles to book an award flight.
If you’re a frequent traveler who tends to do most of their travelling over long stretches, then you know the seats can start to get uncomfortable. Use your Flying Blue miles to upgrade your seat. With this, you can enjoy more leg room, premium onboard service and more!
You can also use your Flying Blue miles for:
- More baggage
- More comfortable seats
- A la carte meals
- Lounge access
You can spend your Flying Blue miles on:
- Hotel stays via the Flying Blue hotel portal.
- Rental cars with Avis, Hertz and Sixt.
- Experiences in France and the Netherlands.
- Retail items via the Flying Blue store.
- Magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
Flying Blue Tips & Tricks
Promotional flight awards can offer anywhere from 20% to 50% savings off regular award pricing, which change from month to month. These awards are in limited availability.
Sweet spots are what we call flights that can net you the most amount of value for your points while also being the most economic.
If you look into Flying Blue’s regions, you’ll find some great deals at its boundaries. Pay particular attention to the Middle East and North Africa.
Flying Blue lets you use miles for around-the-world travel on Flying Blue and SkyTeam airlines. With a Round the World award, you’re allowed a maximum of six stopovers, three in the same continent. However, there are some things you want to keep in mind such as:
- Open jaw flights are considered a stopover.
- You must include one Trans-Atlantic flight.
- You must include one Trans-Pacific flight.
- You must fly in one direction (East to West or West to East).
- You must contact the Flying Blue service center in writing with at least 14 days in advance to book.
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Bottom Line
Flying Blue gives you the ability to earn miles through a larger number of global airlines partners, so if you fly often, definitely check out this program. Not only can you get decent transfer ratios, you can also earn points through popular credit cards.
If you’re liking our Flying Blue guide, be sure to share it with a friend. For more posts like this check out our list of credit card bonuses and ways to save money!
