Air France-KLM recently announced positive changes to its Flying Blue frequent flyer program, standardizing and lowering award ticket costs for transatlantic routes in business, premium economy, and economy class. This rare move provides a major boost in value for frequent flyer members.
Overview of Flying Blue Program
Founded in 2005 from the merger of Air France and KLM’s individual loyalty programs, Flying Blue has grown to over 16 million members worldwide. It partners with SkyTeam alliance airlines to provide award flight redemptions across an extensive global network.
Members can earn miles through paid flights on Air France, KLM and partners, as well as through Flying Blue co-branded credit cards, hotel stays, car rentals, retail shopping and more. Miles don’t expire as long as activity occurs at least once every 18 months.
Up until this recent update, Flying Blue used variable award pricing with inconsistent costs between routes, seasons and cabins. Business class awards could cost up to 150,000 miles or more for a roundtrip flight between the US and Europe. There is always the Flying Blue Promo awards that come out once a month, but these award flights are better!
New Simplified Award Prices for USA-Europe Routes
Air France-KLM Flying Blue has implemented price reductions for transatlantic journeys, providing significant savings for travelers. The program has standardized saver award apricing for transatlantic flights to Europe, making it easier for members to plan their trips and redeem their miles. For example,
- Economy: 20,000 miles one-way
- Premium Economy: 35,000 miles one-way
- Business Class: 50,000 miles one-way
Frequent flyer programs very rarely reduce award prices these days, so these changes represent a positive departure from the norm. Flying Blue is likely trying to boost the program’s competitiveness and improve loyalty among members.
For travelers looking to fly business or premium economy across the Atlantic, the lower costs are extremely good news. 50,000 miles for a one-way business class award is an excellent value compared to transferable points programs. Previously unattainable premium cabins now become much more accessible. In fact, I just booked our flights to Lisbon in business class for August 2023 while taking advantage of this new price structure.
Partner Programs and Transfer Bonuses
To further enhance the benefits of the Flying Blue program, Air France-KLM Flying Blue partners with major programs for earning miles. Members can earn Flying Blue miles by transferring points from partner programs such as American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Citi. These instant transfers allow members to quickly accumulate Flying Blue miles and take advantage of the reduced award flight prices.
Additionally, there is a 25% transfer bonus when transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program, providing members with even more value. This transfer bonus allows members to earn additional miles when transferring their Chase Ultimate Rewards points, further enhancing their ability to redeem miles for award flights.
For example, a member who transfers 40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program will receive an additional 10,000 miles as a transfer bonus. This increases their total miles to 50,000, allowing them to book a business class ticket with ease.
Tips on Finding the Lower Award Prices
Here are some tips on making the most of the lower Flying Blue prices:
Be flexible on timing – Peak summer dates will still be tough for awards. But off-peak and shoulder seasons should have solid availability.
Book well in advance – 11 months out is ideal for locking in choice seats. Set calendar reminders for when you have access.
Transfer points from flexible programs – Transferring Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards can top up Flying Blue balances. Or if you are in a pinch for a few more miles, look to purchase miles.
Fly from other major airports hubs – Try looking at different major airport hubs for availability. Other airports may have more availability. You can always book a repositioning flight to the different airport to take advantage of the availability.
Some Example Redemptions with New Rates
Here are some of the most valuable routes and redemptions to target using Flying Blue’s reduced award pricing:
- New York to Paris in Air France business class for only 50,000 miles one-way
- Los Angeles to Amsterdam in KLM business also at just 50,000 miles one-way
- Washington DC to Rome with a connection in 50,000 mile business class
- Chicago to Stockholm with a change in Paris for only 35,000 mile premium economy
- Charlotte to London in economy for only 20,000 miles each way
- Orlando to Barcelona nonstop via economy awards starting as low as 20,000 miles
Conclusion
Flying Blue’s positive award price reductions give a major boost in value to American travelers headed across the pond. For the price-conscious frequent flyer, this is one decision worth applauding in the often frustrating loyalty program industry.
Air France-KLM has recently introduced a wave of positive changes to its Flying Blue frequent flyer program. These changes aim to standardize and reduce award ticket costs for transatlantic journeys, spanning across business, premium economy, and economy class. This remarkable move is set to significantly enhance the value proposition for loyal frequent flyer members.
