Unlocking the World with Flying Blue: The Story of Air France-KLM’s Loyalty Program

Picture this: You’re gliding through the airport, skipping the long lines, and stepping onto your dream flight – – – destination Paris! The best part? You paid just a fraction of the price. Or maybe you’re sipping champagne in a lie-flat Business Class seat, all thanks to the power of miles & points.

Sounds too good to be true? Not with Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France-KLM! With the right strategy, you can turn this dream into reality and Milesly is here to show you how.

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or an occasional traveler, Flying Blue has a powerful loyalty program that helps you earn miles on flights, credit card spends, shopping, and more, which you can redeem for flights, upgrades, and exclusive travel perks.

In this article, we are going to deep dive into the world of Flying Blue, exploring how members can maximize their miles, access exclusive benefits, and leverage the program’s partnerships to transform their everyday spending into extraordinary journeys.

Flying Blue

offers a gateway to premium travel experiences designed for travelers who dream beyond borders. From spontaneous weekend getaways to luxury intercontinental adventures  Flying Blue caters to all.

Members can earn miles through daily spending, credit card rewards, hotel bookings, car rentals and airline partnerships, making it one of the most accessible and flexible travel programs in the world.

More than just a frequent flyer program, Flying Blue is your passport to curated rewards, seamless upgrades, and a travel lifestyle to fulfill your bucket list in a budget.

If you’re a traveler looking for smart ways to make your travel budget go further, Milesly is your go-to guide! Subscribe to Milesly newsletter/mailing list and stay updated on the latest Flying Blue deals, redemption hacks, and exclusive offers tailored for Indian travelers.

Story of Flying Blue

Every traveler will have a memorable story to share; a first solo trip, a family reunion across the world, or a long-awaited honeymoon in a dream destination.

Flying Blue is built around all such moments, helping travelers craft unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a seasoned flyer or just getting started, Flying Blue rewards your wanderlust with a program designed to make every mile count.

In 2004, Air France and KLM formed the Air France-KLM Group and they launched Flying Blue, a combined loyalty program for the two airlines.

Flying Blue has now expanded to include 37 more airlines in their list and is now the loyalty program for 19 Sky-team alliance and 18 non-alliance partners. Which means in whichever part of the world you want to travel, there is a Flying Blue partner available for you.

Now the question comes – Why Should You Choose Flying Blue?

Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Flying Blue:

• Earning miles is a cakewalk: Flying Blue has a list of partner airlines that practically cover every nook and corner of the world. Their customer service is world-class and very insightful.
• The Great Monthly Redemptions Offer: Also known as Promo Rewards, which offer discounted redemptions (up to 30% discounted rates- Get international long haul flights as low as 10000 miles) in a set number of routes every month.
• Flexible routing and traveler-friendly routing rules:  Free stopovers are allowed and can be booked by just calling up customer care executives. Also, you can redeem miles by combining multiple partner airlines in a single reward ticket and reaching your desired destination.(This is especially useful for long-haul flights.)
• Family Account feature:  You can pool all the points of Family members to get redemption offers. The Flying Blue Family pool allows two adults and six children. Another perk of booking with Flying Blue  is it also offers reduced award redemption for children aged 2 to 11 years (which is 25%.)

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How to Earn Flying Blue miles

1. Flying with Air France, KLM & Partner Airlines

A paid flight ticket with Air France, KLM, or any of their airline partners will earn you Flying Blue miles. On Air France and KLM  flights, the number of miles earned will be based on the cost of the flight ticket and your level of elite status with Flying Blue.

For example, flying 274 miles one-way on domestic Air France marketing in L booking class as an Explorer will get you 500(distance/min mileage) x 50%(booking class earning percentage) = 250 Flying Blue miles.

On Flying Blue (SkyTeam/non alliance) partner airlines, the number of miles earned will be based on the chosen airline, the mileage distance flown, the booking class, and your level of elite status with Flying Blue.

For example, you fly with Tarom (SkyTeam alliance partner) from Bucharest (OTP) to Satu Mare (SUJ): 274 miles in booking class L  as A Gold Member you will get [500(distance/minimum mileage) x 80% (booking class earning percentage) ]+ [500 (distance)  x 75% (Elite bonus earning percentage) ] = 400+ 300 = 700 Miles.

2. Credit Card Partnerships

The easiest and fastest way to earn Flying Blue miles is by transferring points from another partner loyalty program. Air France KLM Flying Blue is a transfer partner of 17 international banks/credit cards like AMEX,SBI, AXIS, HDFC, etc, and hotel programs like Marriott Bonvoy, IHG, ALL, Hilton, Hyatt etc.

This not only allows you to take advantage of welcome bonuses and earning through points multipliers from your everyday spending in other programs but also allows you to convert those points into Flying Blue miles when you’re ready to redeem.

For example, Power of double stacking – when you book a hotel stay from the Flying Blue site and add ALL membership details you earn points on both ALL as well as Flying blue. Similarly, you can transfer your HDFC Infinia or AXIS Edge miles rewards points directly to Flying Blue or you can transfer your Amex points to Marriott Bonvoy during the bonus period and earn a greater transfer ratio when you eventually transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy to Flying Blue.

3. Shopping & Lifestyle

Accumulate miles through hotel bookings (like Marriott Bonvoy, Accor Life Limitless, Hilton, Hyatt and many more), car rentals, dining, and shopping with Flying Blue’s extensive partner network.

The Flying Blue Store lets members earn extra miles on online purchases with global

 Brands like Apple, Lego, Travelite, JBL, BOSE, Phillips, American Tourister, Samsonite and many more.

4. Promotions & Miles Boosters

Flying Blue Promo Rewards offer discounted award tickets (for economy, premium economy, business-class) to selected destinations every month. This program offers up to 50% off on award flights (most often it is 25% off ) for select routes operated by Air France and KLM.

These can be awesome deals, so be sure to check each month’s options on their website. Or simply subscribe to Milesly and never miss this update 😉 Let us do the groundwork for you.

Earn extra miles with Flying Blue’s Miles Booster, multiplying (2X, 4X, or 6X) the miles collected via co-branded cards, shopping, gifting, hotel stays, car rental, and of course from booking flights in the previous calendar month.

How to Redeem Your Points

1. Award Flights:

Redeem miles for flights on Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam partners by booking online using  respective websites or KLM / Air France apps.

Flying Blue doesn’t have a reward chart to refer to. You can thus enjoy dynamic award pricing, allowing for redemptions on high-demand routes open for everyone.

For Instance – I recently flew Air France Premium Economy from Ottawa, Canada to Mumbai, India via Paris for just 30000 FB Miles + 87 CAD with a promo reward offer – I would have paid for the flight using cash. It would have cost me INR 1,23,000. 

Return per point approx. INR 3.9/point – In my view that’s a great redemption.

2. Upgrades & Premium Travel Experiences

Use miles to upgrade to Business or First Class for ultimate comfort or opt for discounted-paid upgrade after booking with miles.( Airlines that allow upgrade are: Air France, KLM, Aeromexico, Delta Air Lines, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, China Airlines, Aircalin, Czech Airlines, and TAROM.)

Platinum members and above get access to book  La Première, Air France’s exclusive First Class cabin, which offers unparalleled luxury(only three award seats are made available on any given flight).

3. Non-Flight Rewards

Book from 17+ hotel brands,12+ car rental services, and experiences like booking a meal on the flight using miles. Convert miles into shopping credits using the Flying Blue store, lounge access for Gold and above members, or even a carbon offset program.

4. Miles & Cash

Flying Blue allows members to mix miles with cash, making it easier to book flights even if they don’t have enough miles. Pay up to 25% of your fare with miles when you opt for cash with Miles.

Exclusive Perks for Members

Flying Blue awards its members with Experience points (XP) which are then used to earn and  climb the Elite status. The XP earned depends on the flight’s length and class booked.

Here’s a chart for reference:

Ultimate: The top-tier, invitation-only level with personalized services and unmatched perks.

• Requires Platinum status + 900 XP
• Earn 9 Miles per Euro spent on airfare
• Platinum benefits plus:
• Ultimate Assistant, a concierge-like agent available 24/7
• Four upgrade certificates each year
• Platinum status for a travel companion
• Personalized check-in where you can skip the queue whenever permitted.
• Fast track immigration
• Complimentary onboard WiFi
• Two extra pieces of checked luggage
• One Hertz Platinum card
• Pre-boarding on demand
• Several Air France-operated lounges also have special areas designated for Ultimate members along with their families. (up to eight members allowed.)
• You can use the ‘miles overdraft’ of 1,00,000 miles.

Platinum: Elite benefits, SkyPriority services, and the ultimate VIP travel experience.

• Requires Gold status + 300 XP
• Earn 8 miles per euro spent on airfare
• Earn 100% bonus miles
• Two extra free checked baggage on Air France/KLM flights or some of the partners.
• Lounge access with one guest is allowed when traveling on the same flight.  The flight should be of  Air France/KLM, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airways, GOL, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, or on SkyTeam flights.
• SkyPriority on AF/KLM and SkyTeam flights
• Preferred seating options are available at the time of booking, including Economy Comfort on KLM
• Delta Comfort+ seating on the day of departure
• Platinum Service reservations line
• Get SkyTeam Elite Plus status.
• Waived change and refund fees.
• You can upgrade to Air France La Première in advance as well as redeem miles for Air France La Première
• You get a ‘Miles Overdraft’ of 50,000 miles.

Gold: Lounge access, priority boarding, and bonus miles.

• Requires Silver status + 180 XP
• Earn 7 miles per euro spent on airfare
• Earn 75% bonus miles
• One extra free checked bag on Air France/KLM flights or some of the partner airlines.
• Lounge access with one guest is allowed when traveling on the same flight.  The flight should be of  Air France/KLM, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airways, GOL, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, or on SkyTeam flights.
• SkyPriority on AF/KLM and SkyTeam flights
• Preferred seating options can be selected 72 hours before departure, including Economy Comfort on KLM.
• 50% Discount on Delta Comfort+ seating
• Premium Service reservations line
• Get SkyTeam Elite Plus status, which includes lounge access and SkyPriority

Silver: Priority check-in, free standard seat selection, extra baggage drop-off and boarding.

• Requires 100 XP
• Earn 6 miles per euro spent on airfare
• Earn 50% bonus miles
• One extra free checked bag on Air France/KLM flights or some of the partners.
• Preferred standby status
• Free standard seat selection.
• Zone 3 boarding
• Preferred seating options 24 hours before departure
• 25% Discount on Delta Comfort+ seating
• Premium Service reservations line
• Get SkyTeam Elite status.

Explorer: It is the entry-level tier, offering basic mile-earning opportunities. Earn 4 miles per euro spent on airfare.

Exploring  Partnerships

There are a total of 37 airline partners of Flying Blue. Here is the list of all partners:

19 SkyTeam Alliance Member List:

Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Airlines.

18 Non-Alliance Member List:

Air Corsica, Air Mauritius, airBaltic, Aircalin, Bangkok Airways, Chalair Aviation, China Southern Airlines, Copa Airlines, Etihad Airways, GOL, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Transavia, Twin Jet, WestJet, Winair.

Usually, the miles requirement is significantly high on Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air Mauritius, GOL, Kenya Airways (Business), Saudia, Japan Airlines.

You will most probably find limited seats available on the following airlines bookable with Flying Blue: Aeromexico, ITA Airways [Economy Cabin], Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines [Business Class], Japan Airlines [Business Class], Qantas [Business Class]

Banking Partners/Credit cards:

Most of the credit cards give a conversion ratio of 1:1. The list with the conversion is as under:

• American Express Membership Rewards (Canada):1 point = 0.75 Flying Blue miles
• American Express Membership Rewards (US): 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile
• HDFC Infinia Credit Card: 1 Point =1 flying blue mile
• AXIS Edge miles Rewards:1 point = 1 flying blue mile
• SBI card miles program: 1 point = 1 flying blue mile
• Bilt Rewards: 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile
• Capital One Miles: 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile
• Citi ThankYou Rewards: 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile
• HSBC (USA): 1 HSBC RP = 1 Flying Blue mile
• Revolut (UK): 1 RevPoint = 1 Flying Blue mile
• Wells Fargo Rewards: 1 point = 1 Flying Blue mile

Hotel Partners:

There is a decent transfer ratio for all the below listed hotels. Accor Live Limitless gives a good redemption as well as an earning ratio for Flying Blue points. Milesly recommends transferring your Amex reward points to Marriott Bonvoy when Amex is running 50% bonus and then transferring it to Flying Blue to get the most out of all three memberships.

• Marriott Bonvoy: Transferring 60,000 Marriott points gives 25,000 Flying Blue miles
• Accor Live Limitless:  Transferring2,000 ALL points gives 2,000 Flying Blue miles
• Best Western Rewards: Transferring 6,000 points gives 1,000 Flying Blue miles
• Choice Privileges: Transferring 5,000 points gives 1,000 Flying Blue miles
• Hilton Honors: Transferring 10,000 points gives 1,000 Flying Blue miles
• IHG One Rewards: Transferring 10,000 points gives 2,000 Flying Blue miles
• Radisson Rewards: Transferring 2,000 points gives 200 Flying Blue Miles
• Shangri-La Golden Circle: Transferring 1,000 point gives 1,000 Flying Blue mile
• World of Hyatt: Transferring 1,250 points gives 500 Flying Blue miles

Car Rental Partners:

There is a range of partners to choose from when it comes to Car rentals. Here is the list with conversion ratios:

• Hertz: earn12 miles for every Euro spent.
• Uber:  earn 2 flying miles for every Euro spent.
• Ector: earn  1 mile for every euro spent.
• Avis:  get special discounts and free upgrades and earn up to 900 Miles depending on your membership tier.
• Budget: earn up to 1000 miles per rental.
• Dollar: earn up to 4 flying miles per Euro spent.
• Enterprise Rent a Car: earn up to 4 flying miles per qualifying Euro spent
• Europcar: earn up to 5 flying miles per Euro spent.
• Free2move: earn 2 flying miles per Euro spent for airport parking.
• Hertz DriveU: earn 3 flying miles per Euro spent.
• SIXT:  earn up to 1200 miles per rental.
• Thrifty: : earn up to 8 flying miles per Euro spent on vehicles booked.

Maximizing Your Rewards

• Do check both Air France and KLM apps/websites: Air France and KLM often offer different availability on each of their sites. So it makes sense to check both if you’re not finding what you want. For example, some partner awards appear more readily on the Air France site than the KLM site, even La Première can only be booked via the Air France site.
• Call customer care to book free stopovers at same- mile transfers: Flying Blue allows stopovers on all airline partners when booking award travel. Make sure both segments have award availability on the site and then call customer care to book the routing you want.

It’s like traveling to two countries at the cost of one.

• Utilize Flying Blue customer service:  The agents are knowledgeable and well- versed in helping with booking awards and can explain which parts of the itinerary lack availability (or which carriers are stingy with award space).
• Check the cash price on Delta domestic flights/or other partner sites: Award availability isn’t the greatest for Delta’s domestic flights and a lot of the flights allocated for Flying Blue redemptions aren’t always that expensive to begin with. Before using your Flying Blue points, compare the rates against Delta SkyMiles to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Flying Blue for Indian Travelers: A Game Changer

For Indian travelers, Flying Blue offers several advantages:

• Access to premium airlines with seamless connections to Europe, the US, and even within India. For example, A round-trip Business Class ticket from Mumbai to Amsterdam costs around INR 3.5 lakhs. But with Flying Blue Promo Rewards, you can book it for as low as 55,000 miles + taxes, making luxury travel for everyone.

• Credit card partnerships like Amex Platinum card in India for easy mile accumulation.  For Example, whenever Amex is running their 50% bonus for transfers to hotel loyalty like Marriott Bonvoy, which in turn when transferred to Flying Blue can fetch you up to 25000 flying points on 60000 points transfer.

• Monthly Promo Awards on key routes, making travel more affordable. For example, Delhi to London in Economy usually costs 40,000 miles, but with a Promo Reward, you might book it for 20,000 miles + taxes.

Clearing Common Myths

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)