Great Card If
- You frequently fly with Air France and KLM.
- You want a card that will help you earn Flying Blue miles and SkyTeam elite status.
Don’t Get If
- You rarely fly with Air France and KLM.
- You want a card that earns transferable rewards.
Air France KLM Visa Card — Is It Worth It?
The Air France KLM Visa card is a unique offering for U.S.-based flyers, but likely only makes sense if you frequently fly with Air France and KLM from the U.S. to their hubs in Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS), and beyond. It can help you earn Flying Blue elite status, which also qualifies you for SkyTeam elite status.
If you don’t frequently fly with Air France or KLM, another card may be a better choice. Consider a card that earns transferable rewards, as nearly every major transferable rewards program can transfer points to the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program.
Air France KLM Visa Card Top Benefits and Perks
Here’s a look at all of the top benefits of the Air France KLM Visa card:
- Anniversary XP: Each year, on your account anniversary, you’ll receive 20 Experience Points (XP) to help you qualify or requalify for Flying Blue elite status, plus an additional 80 Experience Points (totaling 100 XP) after you spend $15,000 or more on purchases within the anniversary year, and another 60 XP (totaling 160 XP) after spending at least $25,000 on your card in a calendar year.
- Anniversary miles: You will receive 5,000 miles on your account anniversary every year after you spend $50 or more on purchases within the anniversary year.
- Visa Signature perks: Includes rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, cell phone protection, and more.
- No foreign transaction fees: Use your card abroad without incurring additional fees.
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles
You can earn more Flying Blue miles by using your card for Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam member airline purchases, where you’ll earn 3x miles. You’ll also earn 3x miles on dining and an uncapped 1.5x miles on all other purchases you make with the card.
Once you’ve built up a stash of Flying Blue miles, you’ll have many redemption options, as the Flying Blue program can offer substantial value to award travelers. Monthly Flying Blue Promo Rewards are among the best ways to redeem Flying Blue miles, as you can save 25% to 50% on various rotating routes, including those originating in the U.S.
Alternative Cards to the Air France KLM Visa Card
If you’re looking for an all-around travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a better option. It earns 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal, 3x on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, and 2x on all other travel purchases.
It also comes with perks such as a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit, a 10% annual points bonus, travel and car rental insurance, and access to Chase transfer partners, including the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program.
Similarly, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card offers better bonus categories for earning points. It allows you to transfer your rewards to the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program at a 1:1 rate.
It earns 5x points on hotels, 4x on airfare, 3x on other travel and restaurants, and 1x on all other purchases. Plus, you’ll receive a $50 annual airfare credit, cell phone protection, lost baggage reimbursement, no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees), and access to Wells Fargo transfer partners, including Flying Blue.