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How I Added a Second European City to My Award Ticket — At No Extra Cost

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Ehsan Haque
Updated: 
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
& Jestan Mendame
How I Added a Second European City to My Award Ticket — At No Extra Cost
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There’s no single “best” airline loyalty program, but a few consistently stand out. One of them is Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

Flying Blue is a favorite among award travelers for its competitive pricing, solid award availability, and monthly discounted awards. Over the last 3 years, I’ve redeemed more than half a million Flying Blue miles, primarily for long-haul business-class flights on Air France, KLM, and their SkyTeam partners.

However, the program’s stopover policy may be its most underrated perk. Here’s how I used Flying Blue’s stopover rules to visit 2 destinations on a single award ticket, without paying additional miles.

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What Is Air France-KLM Flying Blue?

Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France and KLM, as well as several smaller partner airlines. Both carriers are members of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes airlines such as Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.

Unlike many airline programs, Flying Blue does not have a fixed award chart. Instead, the program uses dynamic pricing, meaning award costs fluctuate based on route and demand.

That said, Flying Blue also offers standardized saver award fares. For example, one-way business class flights between North America and Europe can be booked for just 60,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

Air France A350 900 business class CDG IAH
Redeeming Flying Blue miles in Air France business class provides solid value. Image Credit: Keri Stooksbury

Flying Blue also offers monthly Promo Rewards, where members can redeem their miles for select flights at up to 50% off standard award pricing. Promo Rewards provide tremendous value — I recently flew round-trip business class to Europe for just 70,000 miles thanks to a Promo Reward.

But beyond pricing, it’s Flying Blue’s stopover policy that really shines.

» Related: 13 Best Ways To Redeem Flying Blue Miles (Air France-KLM) for Max Value

Flying Blue Stopover Policy

Stopovers are planned stays of more than 24 hours in a connecting city and are an excellent way to maximize your travel experience. Unlike a short layover, a stopover typically gives you enough time to leave the airport, explore a city, or even stay overnight.

Flying Blue stopover
You can add a stopover in Paris or Amsterdam for free! Image Credit: Flying Blue

Many airline loyalty programs allow stopovers on award tickets (such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer), but often at an additional mileage cost.

Flying Blue’s stopover policy is more generous, provided you follow one key rule: All flight segments must be operated by the same airline for the stopover to price as a single reward.

For example:

  • If you fly from Chicago (ORD) to Madrid (MAD) via Amsterdam (AMS), all on KLM, the award pricing is the same as a standard Chicago-to-Madrid ticket.
  • However, if you fly from Chicago to Madrid on Air France and then continue to Seoul (ICN) on Korean Air, the itinerary prices as separate awards, significantly increasing the total miles needed.

In short, if you want to maximize value, your itinerary should remain on a single carrier (Air France or KLM) when adding a stopover.

Important Booking Details

There are a few additional rules to keep in mind:

  • Stopovers cannot be booked online.
  • You must call Flying Blue to add a stopover to your award ticket.
  • Saver-level award availability must exist on all segments.
  • Taxes and fees still apply.

While the process requires a phone call, agents can usually help build your itinerary if award space is available.

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How I Booked 2 Destinations for the Price of 1

To see how this works in practice, here’s how I structured my trip.

Outbound: Chicago to Prague With a Paris Stopover

I began by looking up award space between Chicago (ORD) and Prague (PRG). One-way economy flights between the U.S. and Europe started at 25,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

I found some award availability that included an 11-hour connection in Paris (CDG). Instead of keeping it as a long layover, I called Flying Blue and converted it into a 4-day stopover in Paris before continuing to Prague.

Flying Blue ORD CDG PRG
Flying Blue standardized pricing can provide excellent value. Image Credit: Air France

Instead of briefly passing through Paris, I was able to spend 4 days there exploring the city before heading to my final destination at no additional mileage cost.

Hot Tip:

When searching for award availability with Flying Blue, leave the travel dates field empty to access Flying Blue’s award calendar.

Return: Rome to Chicago With an Amsterdam Stopover

It didn’t end there. For my return journey, I flew home from Rome (FCO). Instead of routing through Paris again, I decided to fly KLM back so I could make Amsterdam my stopover.

I found award space rather easily and called Flying Blue to book a one-way award from Rome to Chicago with a 3-day stopover in Amsterdam.

The price? Again, 25,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

Flying Blue FCO AMS ORD
I added a 3-day stopover in Amsterdam on the return journey. Image Credit: KLM

In total, I visited Paris, Prague, Rome, and Amsterdam, while only booking 2 one-way awards between North America and Europe.

How To Earn Flying Blue Miles

As I mentioned earlier, earning Flying Blue miles is relatively easy because the program is a 1:1 transfer partner of nearly every major credit card points program, including:

Several popular travel credit cards earn these transferable points, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, making it possible to build a Flying Blue balance without ever stepping on an Air France or KLM flight.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 75,000 points
$1,500
$95
19.24% - 27.49% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Good to Excellent
Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
Cons
  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
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Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
  • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
  • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
125,000 points
$2,500
$795
19.49% - 27.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Excellent
Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
  • 5x points on Lyft rides
  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
Cons
    • $795 annual fee
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Card Highlights
  • Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
  • Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
  • Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
  • Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.49% - 27.99% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles
$1,350
$395
Purchases: 19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Excellent
Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
Cons
  • $395 annual fee
  • Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
Read Full Review
Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
  • Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass lounges, after enrollment
  • Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Top rated mobile app
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: Purchases: 19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

With multiple major card issuers offering transfer access, Flying Blue miles are among the most accessible (and flexible) airline currencies available to U.S.-based travelers.

Final Thoughts

Flying Blue’s stopover policy allows travelers to visit 2 destinations on a single award ticket, often without spending additional miles. While many airline loyalty programs either limit stopovers or charge extra, Flying Blue permits them on one-way awards as long as all flights are operated by the same airline.

Combined with competitive award pricing, monthly Pomro Rewards, and 1:1 transfer partnerships across major programs, Flying Blue remains one of the most versatile airline loyalty programs out there. If you’re planning a European trip, this is one award strategy worth considering.

Featured Image Credit: Ehsan Haque
Ehsan Haque's image

About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

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