16 Best Ways to Redeem Flying Blue Miles (Air France/KLM) for Max Value

- UPDATED: October 20, 2022 |

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Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France, KLM, and several partner airlines. With its range of mile earning opportunities and a large group of airline partners, Flying Blue offers strong value to travelers.

Using Flying Blue miles for award flights is relatively simple. Many itineraries can be booked online. Award charts and routing rules are straightforward across member airlines.

Flying Blue utilizes a variable award pricing structure, and award prices change depending on the day, exact route, and even the date of search.

Plus, there are great values including monthly Promo Rewards for discounts of 20% to 50%. Let’s find some of the best Flying Blue values!

Table of contents

Best Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles
The 16 Best Ways to Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles
More Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles
- Citi ThankYou Rewards Credit Cards
- Hotel-Branded Credit Cards
Flying Blue Program
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Best Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles
The 16 Best Ways to Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles
More Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles
- Citi ThankYou Rewards Credit Cards
- Hotel-Branded Credit Cards
Flying Blue Program
Final Thoughts

Best Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue miles can be transferred from American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou Rewards (all at a rate of 1:1) or from Marriott Bonvoy at a transfer rate of 3:1.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Business owner? See our list of the best Chase business credit cards.

Recommended Capital One Cards That Earn Miles (Personal)

Marriott Bonvoy Transfers

You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and transfer those to Flying Blue at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Flying Blue miles.

The 16 Best Ways to Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles

1. Save 20% to 50% With Flying Blue Promo Rewards (Air France/KLM)

air france business — Fly Air France business class. Image Credit: Air France

The best ways to use Flying Blue miles while getting the highest values per point are monthly Promo Rewards. Discounts range 20% to 50% off of the miles price!

Promo Rewards are bookable for travel within 3 months. You still pay the full fees and any applicable surcharges.

Each Promo Award specifies the available dates, route, airline (Air France and/or KLM) and class (economy or business). Some Promo Rewards are between 2 specific cities, while others are between a city and region.

Example: A U.S. city may offer 50% off to Europe, so one-way economy is anywhere from 10,750 to 14,500 miles. Check regularly as these offers come and go. You must book online.

Hot Tip: Even if there is no Promo Award from your home airport, it might be a good deal to buy a Promo Award from another airport and a separate, cheap ticket to get to that airport. This is called a positioning flight.

2. Israel and North Africa

Chefchaouen Morocco — Visit Chefchaouen in Morocco for the same number of miles as going to Europe with KLM/Air France Flying Blue. Image Credit: Robert Brands via Unsplash

Flying Blue places Israel, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and the Canary Islands as part of Europe as far as pricing goes, even though the model is variable. Most other programs put these countries in the Middle East or Africa regions which are more expensive than Europe when coming from North America.

Coming from the U.S., Classic Awards range from only 43,000 to 58,000 miles round-trip in economy and 106,000 to 135,000 in business.

When these go on Promo Award sale you have huge savings!

In addition to Air France/KLM flights, Delta flies to Israel.

The flip side of this is an Israel to Middle East award is quite expensive even if just a short flight.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Chicago (ORD) – Paris (CDG) – Tunis (TUN) on Air France round-trip economy for 43,000 miles or business for 106,000 miles
Los Angeles (LAX) – Moscow (SVO) – Tel Aviv (TLV) on Aeroflot round-trip economy for 58,000 miles or business for 106,000 miles
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – Algiers (ALG) on Air France round-trip economy for 58,000 miles or business for 106,000 miles

3. The Contiguous U.S. to Hawaii (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

Maui Hawaii - Katie Seemann — Using your Flying Blue to get to Hawaii can present some incredible value! Image Credit: Katie Seemann

Using Flying Blue partner airlines Delta and Alaska, a great Flying Blue redemption is for flights from the contiguous U.S. to Hawaii. Round-trip starts at only 35,000 Flying Blue miles in economy and less than $10 in fees, and 86,000 miles in business class.

This is less than U.S. programs charge their own members!

Hot Tip: If you’re flying Delta, The Platinum Card® from American Express will grant you access to the Delta Sky Club lounge for your flight.

4. The Contiguous U.S. to the Caribbean (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

Aruba Resort — Relax on a Caribbean beach for only 30,000 Flying Blue miles. Image Credit: Christine Krzyszton

Like Hawaii, the contiguous U.S. to the Caribbean on Delta is a good deal at 29,000 to 35,000 miles round-trip in economy.

Delta has many Caribbean flights from New York and Atlanta.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Atlanta (ATL) – Aruba (AUA) on Delta round-trip economy for 29,000 miles or business for 72,000 miles
New York City (JFK) – St. Maarten (SXM) on Delta round-trip economy for 35,000 miles or business for 86,000 miles

5. Caribbean to Hawaii (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

Even cheaper than the U.S. to Hawaii flights are the Caribbean to Hawaii flights for just 25,000 miles round-trip!

6. The Caribbean to Europe (Air France/KLM)

Air France/KLM has many routes between the Caribbean and Europe.

A one-way economy class award ticket will cost 25,000 to 27,000 Flying Blue miles and a one-way business class award ticket will cost 67,500 to 79,000 miles.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Havana (HAV) – Moscow (SVO) on Aeroflot for 27,000 miles in economy or 67,500 miles in business
Punta Cana (PUJ) – Paris (CDG) on Air France for 27,000 miles in economy or 79,000 miles in business

7. U.S. to Mexico (AeroMexico, Delta, and Alaska Airlines)

Flights between Mexico and the U.S. are ridiculously cheap, too!

Round-trip economy is around 29,000 miles, which can be even cheaper than U.S. domestic awards.

Hot Tip: Look for routes with AeroMexico’s 787 Dreamliner: New York City (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX) often has 1 flight daily with this plane featuring lie-flat seats in business class.

8. Cheap Economy Flights to the South Pacific (Air France, Aircalin, Delta)

The contiguous U.S. to the South Pacific ranges from only 51,000 to 97,000 miles round-trip in economy. Air France flies Los Angeles to Tahiti.

In addition, you can fly to South Pacific via Japan on Aircalin or via Australia on Delta.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD) on Delta round-trip economy for 97,000 miles or business for 242,000 miles
Los Angeles (LAX) – Tahiti (PPT) on Air France round-trip economy for 51,000 miles or business for 128,000 miles
Tokyo-Narita (NRT) – Noumea (NOU) on Aircalin round-trip economy for 69,000 miles or business for 173,000 miles

9. Pacific Island Hopping (Aircalin)

travel on flying blue to south pacific and see the New Caledonia Shark — Dive the South Pacific and see the sharks in New Caledonia with a Flying Blue award on Aircalin. Image Credit: Damsea via Shutterstock

Aircalin is a South Pacific airline that connects some of the most remote and beautiful islands in the world.

With the South Pacific, flights are around 35,000 miles round-trip in economy, often a great deal for how expensive these tickets can be. Visit Wallis and Fortuna, so small the 2 islands share only 1 ATM!

10. Central America Beaches and Jungles (Copa)

Copa is a Star Alliance airline yet partners with Flying Blue. From its hub in Panama City, you can reach Central and South American destinations that are often expensive cash tickets.

The U.S. to Central America round-trip is just 35,000 miles round-trip in economy. Within Central America, flights are 23,000 to 29,000 round-trip in economy.

Here are some great example routes you can take:

New York City (JFK) – Panama City (PTY) on Copa Airlines round-trip economy for 35,000 miles or business for 86,000 miles
Panama City (PTY) – Guatemala (GUA) on Copa Airlines round-trip economy for 26,000 miles or business for 56,000 miles
Panama City (PTY) – San Salvador (SAL) on Copa Airlines round-trip economy for 23,000 miles or business for 56,000 miles

11. Europe Domestic Flights

Air France, KLM, and their partners such as Czech Airways cover much of Europe. Awards start starting at just 10,000 miles one-way. Focus on economy because intra-Europe business class is not much different from economy.

Always shop around because Europe flights usually have a high cash component due to taxes that are passed on for awards. It may be better value on some trips to buy a cash ticket.

12. Visit Corsica, Napoleon’s Home Island (Air France, Air Corsica)

Speloncato Village Corsica — What better than a combination of France and Italy with spectacular beaches and towering mountain villages? Image Credit: Jon Ingall via Shutterstock

Corsica is a ravishing island blending French and Italian culture; it is the birthplace of Napoleon.

Air France and Air Corsica awards are available to the island’s 4 airports: AJA, BIA, CLY and FSC. You have many options and it is really hard to choose where to go for your Corsica vacation!

Hot Tip: When visiting tourist attractions, you can often get 2x points when you use your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

13. Into Japan (Japan Airlines)

SkyTeam lacks a Japanese partner airline, so it is great that Flying Blue partners with Japan Airlines.

If you are booking a Flying Blue award to Japan, you can fly Japan Airlines all the way or fly another airline and add a Japan Airlines domestic flight in Japan.

The U.S. to Japan award price is more expensive than India’s, despite being closer to the U.S. Awards start at 92,000 miles round-trip in economy class, while business is prohibitively expensive at 190,000 miles.

Hot Tip: You can read about more ways to fly to Japan using points and miles here.

14. Visit Africa From Tip to Toe (Air France/KLM and Kenya Airways)

With the colonial legacies of France and the Netherlands, Air France and KLM have extensive Africa networks. Add in Nairobi-based Kenya Airways and you have one of the most extensive Africa networks in the sky.

Many of these tickets are extremely expensive in cash so use your Flying Blue miles to travel around Africa!

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Addis Ababa (ADD) – Nairobi (NBO) on Kenya Airways round-trip economy for 27,000 miles or business for 54,000 miles
Marrakesh (RAK) – Nairobi (NBO) on Kenya Airways round-trip economy for 48,000 miles or business for 113,000 miles
Paris (CDG) – Johannesburg (JNB) on Air France round-trip economy for 54,000 miles or business for 165,000 miles

15. Indian Ocean Island Hopping (Air Mauritius)

Air Mauritius is a key Flying Blue partner that gets you to magnificent Indian Ocean islands such as Mauritius, Reunion, and Madagascar.

The U.S. to these islands is 92,000 miles round-trip in economy and 170,000 to 220,000 in business.

If you love flying business class, you can sometimes go from 1 island to the other via Paris on Air Mauritius or Air France. Don’t do this in economy!

Here are some great example routes you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Paris (CDG) – Antananarivo (TNR) on Air France round-trip economy for 92,000 miles or business for 182,000 miles
New York City (JFK) – Rome (FCO) – Mauritius (MRU) on Delta round-trip economy for 92,000 miles or business for 170,000 miles
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – St. Denis (RUN) on Air France round-trip economy for 92,000 miles or business for 182,000 miles

16. The Remote African Beaches of Cabo Verde (Transavia)

flying blue miles to Cabo Verde islands — Drift away your cares in the Cabo Verde Islands. Image Credit: Panayu Chairatananond via Shutterstock

The beaches of the islands of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) are not easy to reach but are oh-so-beautiful.

Transavia is a subsidiary of Air France/KLM and you can use Flying Blue miles for awards to its destinations around Europe, Morocco, and all the way to Praia and Sal in Cape Verde.

Check the Transavia website for Flying Blue award availability.

More Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles

Citi ThankYou Rewards Credit Cards

Citi ThankYou Rewards also transfer to Flying Blue at the same rates of 1,000 points for 1,000 Flying Blue miles. Transfers take about 48 hours.

Hotel-Branded Credit Cards

You can transfer several major hotel program points to Flying Blue miles:

Hotel Loyalty Program	Convert	To Flying Blue
Hilton Honors	10 Hilton Honors Points*	1 mile
World of Hyatt	1,250 World of Hyatt Points	500 miles
Marriott Bonvoy	3 Marriott Bonvoy Points**	1 mile
IHG One Rewards	10,000 IHG One Rewards Points	2,000 miles

*Must transfer a minimum of 20,000 Honors Points; can then increase in increments of 10,000 points
**Convert 60,000 points to receive a 5,000-mile bonus

Flying Blue Program

To get started earning and redeeming Flying Blue miles, you simply need to sign up for the loyalty program. Sign up with Flying Blue for free here.

Award Booking Guidelines

Flying Blue allows one-way and round-trip awards.

What Flying Blue calls a “multi-destination award” online is really an open-jaw, meaning you can fly to 1 destination and return from another. You cannot add additional stops and you must return to your origin.

Most partner airlines can be searched on the Air France website. For others, you can search alternate sites or call Air France for availability.

Hot Tip: Not all partner airlines show on award searches with Air France/KLM. For example, you can use American Airlines’ website to check Alaska Airlines award availability.

Phantom Partner Award Availability

The Air France website is great for searching partners. It has 1 big flaw: so-called phantom availability on partner airlines.

Sometimes an award will show as available but then be impossible to book. Either the award is not available or the routing is not possible to book with Flying Blue.

It is always best to call Air France to confirm an award is available prior to transferring miles to Flying Blue.

There are no award holds, however, American Express and Chase transfers are instant, so if the agent confirms availability, you can immediately transfer and book the award. There is no phone booking fee.

Classic Awards and Flex Awards

The main types of Flying Blue flight awards are Classic Awards and Flex Awards.

Classic Awards are lower-priced and less available. All partner awards except Kenya Airways and TAROM are Classic Awards.

Flex Awards are higher-priced awards on Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways, and TAROM. While Classic Awards may be hard to find, Flex Awards are available for most flights.

Hot Tip: If you must take a specific flight and have enough miles, you can lock in a Flex Award since it is free to change or cancel, then keep checking back to see if a cheaper Classic Award becomes available.

How Much Do Flights Awards Cost?

Flying Blue does not publish full award charts. Instead, check the cost of award flights using the Flying Blue Miles Calculator.

Air France Award Search — Use Air France’s award search function to plan your travel. Image Credit: Air France

Pricing is variable and will fluctuate depending on many factors. Unlike many other airlines, award prices in miles are the same regardless of airline.

What can differ among airlines is the cash component since some Flying Blue partner airlines assess fuel surcharges and others do not. Always check alternate Flying Blue partner options for your trip.

Example: Taipei-based China Airlines does not have fuel surcharges while Shanghai-based China Eastern and Guangzhou-based China Southern, do. A similar itinerary may cost several hundred dollars more on China Eastern or China Southern.

Flying Blue vs. Delta SkyMiles

Air France/KLM and Delta are both SkyTeam members, so in many cases you can use either program’s miles for the same trip.

Generally, the differences are:

Air France first class can only be booked with Flying Blue miles and only by Flying Blue elites (same for Flex Business Class awards)
U.S. domestic awards on Delta will have less availability for Flying Blue but often lower prices
International awards typically cost fewer miles but higher cash on Flying Blue than SkyMiles
Flying Blue has partners such as Air Mauritius and Aircalin that are not SkyMiles partners
SkyMiles has partners such as Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia that are not Flying Blue partners
SkyMiles has award blackout dates on China Airlines, China Southern, and Korean Air, while Flying Blue has no partner blackout dates

What are Flying Blue Promo Rewards?

Released monthly, Flying Blue Promo Rewards are discounts of 20% to 50% of the mileage for award travel.

You must book Promo Rewards online. If you call to book you will be charged the full price.

Promo Rewards offered for travel between 2 specific cities or regions. You can travel in either direction, one-way or round-trip.

Each promo award is specified for Air France or KLM or both.

You cannot change, cancel or refund Promo Rewards.

Book Upgrade Awards

Upgrade awards are available on Air France, KLM, and several partner airlines (Delta, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Aircalin, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Kenya Airways, and Korean Air).

Flying Blue Upgrade Awards — You can upgrade paid flights on Air France, KLM, and select airline partners. Image Credit: Flying Blue

Air France and KLM upgrades are the most flexible. They can be requested online up to 24 hours departure and may also be available at the airport or on board the aircraft.

Partner awards are subject to availability and various restrictions specific to the airline, route, and fare class of ticket. It is best is to contact Flying Blue at least 72 hours prior to departure for availability and price. See upgrade award terms here.

Check the cost of upgrade awards using the Flying Blue Miles Calculator.

Fees, Changes, and Cancellations

There are 3 different types of awards: Classic, Flex, and Promo.

Classic Awards have a €45 (~$54) change or cancel fee
Flex Awards are free to change or cancel
Promo Rewards cannot be changed or canceled

There is no phone booking fee, thankfully. However, Promo Rewards must be booked online.

Mileage Expiration Caveat

To keep miles from expiring, you need to meet at least one of these conditions:

Take an eligible flight at least once every 2 years with Air France, KLM, Joon, HOP!, or any SkyTeam partner
Earn Silver, Gold, or Platinum status
Make a purchase with an eligible partner bank card at least once every 2 years

Final Thoughts

Flying Blue is a versatile airline frequent flyer program with strong mileage values and a wide range of partners. Flying Blue has some great values like Promo Rewards and Israel in the Europe region. It is a contender for the best overall SkyTeam loyalty program.

Now that you know some of the best ways to use Flying Blue miles, we hope you’ll enjoy your next redemption!

Featured Image Credit: Air France

Frequently asked questions

What is Flying Blue? How much does it cost?

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM. It is free to join and you can earn miles from flying Air France, KLM, and their airline partners.

Flying Blue also has many other travel and non-travel partners where you can earn miles.

You can use Flying Blue for award flights, upgrades, and more!

How do I enroll in Flying Blue?

Is there a Flying Blue credit card that earns miles?

There is not a Flying Blue credit card in the U.S., however, there are plenty of other ways to earn Flying Blue miles with credit cards.

Flying Blue partners with several credit card loyalty programs where you can transfer your credit card points to Flying Blue miles.

Here are just a few examples of credit cards that you can use to earn Flying Blue miles:

Chase Ultimate Rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Chase Freedom Unlimited® card
American Express Membership Rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
Citi ThankYou: Citi Premier℠ Card or Citi Prestige® Card

You can also transfer points from hotel loyalty programs:

Marriott Bonvoy: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Hilton Honors:Hilton Honors American Express Card

Where can I log in to my Flying Blue account?

Sign in to your Flying Blue account on the Flying Blue website. You can learn about Flying Blue, check account activity, and research awards. In order to book award flights, you’ll need to use the same log-in on either the Air France or KLM website to search and book.

Can I earn miles with Flying Blue partners?

Flying Blue has many partners such as airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, retailers, and many more.

How much do Flying Blue award flights cost?

Check the cost of award flights using the Flying Blue Miles Calculator. Prices are zone-based regardless of airline.

What are Flying Blue Promo Rewards?

Flying Blue Promo Rewards are monthly discounts of 20% to 50% for award travel. Promo Rewards are for travel between 2 specific cities or regions, in either direction, one-way or round-trip. Each promo award is available for Air France or KLM or both. You cannot change, cancel or refund Promo Rewards. You must book Promo Rewards online.

Is it possible to upgrade a flight with Flying Blue miles?

Yes, you can upgrade Air France or KLM flights with Flying Blue miles.

How can I earn Flying Blue Miles shopping online?

Earn miles by shopping at the Flying Blue Shop & Earn Store or the Air France Online Store. From these portals you can earn miles shopping at participating major retailers.

Which airlines are in the Flying Blue loyalty program?

KLM and Air France are members of SkyTeam along with airlines such as Delta. Fliyng Blue has additional airline partners such as Air Mauritius, Alaska Airlines, and Japan Airlines. See all Flying Blue airline partners here.

Can I earn Flying Blue Miles by flying Delta?

Yes, you can earn Flying Blue miles on Delta flights marketed as DL, AF, KL, or a SkyTeam-partner. You will earn Flying Blue miles at the rate of the marketing airline on the ticket. This mostly occurs with connecting tickets that involve multiple airlines.

Can I transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles?

You can’t transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles, however you can use Flying Blue miles for awards on Delta flights. Sometimes the miles price is much lower, too! Note that award availability differs, so a flight Delta makes available to SkyMiles members may not be available to Flying Blue members.

When do Flying Blue Miles expire?

You must satisfy one of these conditions to prevent mileage expiration:

Take an eligible flight at least once every 2 years with Air France, KLM, Joon, HOP!, or any SkyTeam partner
Earn Silver, Gold, or Platinum status
Make a purchase with an eligible partner bank card at least once every 2 years

Can I rent a car to earn Flying Blue Miles?

Yes, Flying Blue has car rental partners including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and SIXT.

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About Alex Miller

Alex has been traveling for over 25 years and from a young age was lucky enough to set out on numerous family trips all over the world, which gave him the travel bug. Alex has since earned millions of travel points and miles, mainly through maximizing credit card sign-up bonuses and taking every opportunity to earn the most points possible on each dollar spent.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

25 comments

dixieboz July 12, 2019
I am getting really confused trying to use 57,000 Flying Blue miles that are expiring on August 31.
I had a chance to buy a ticket with 3 out of 4 AF segments when I just booked a ticket to Amman. But I got a ticket issued by Delta, but got it though the Chase Travel Portal. Will this count as a purchase so that the miles don’t expire?
You state that eligible bank cards can be used as one of your 3 ways to keep miles from expiring. What do you do with the cards then, transfer miles from them?
Also, I am reading all these great ways to book things on partners, but am coming up with high milage requirements that aren’t matching the miles you are suggesting. Do I need to call them to book anything other than KLM and AF? Places like Madagascar or Belize aren’t even getting any hits. Please help!
Reply
- Stephen Au July 16, 2019
  Hey Dixie, if you want to book the last ticket to Amman on the same segments, you’ll have to find availability on the identical flight on which 3 of the 4 tickets are booked. Otherwise, you won’t be traveling with the other companions.
  Booking Air France tickets through the Chase Travel Portal WILL NOT count. You need to have eligible flight or credit card activity on your specific Air France Flying Blue account. To achieve this, you can transfer a small amount (1,000 miles) to Flying Blue to reset the expiration timer.
  Regarding the high mileage requirements, the answer is YES you’ll often see high mileage requirements. However, you need to be flexible to get the lowest level award tickets. You don’t need to call to book other partners such as Delta, China Eastern, etc. You simply need to use the online search engine. For more complicated itineraries involving Madagascar and Belize, you’ll need to search segment-by-segment after finding a possible routing and call Flying Blue to book. Thanks for reading.
  Reply
Jarrod West October 24, 2019
Hi William,
Could you be more specific, please? What transfer are you trying to make exactly?
Reply
mbh February 7, 2020
Is there any way to search multiple dates? I can’t get a “my dates are flexible” with either AF or KLM’s FB site. So frustrating.
Reply
- Michael McHugh February 9, 2020
  Hi mbh! Look under the departure and arrival dates, and you will see “You are looking for a flight around these dates”. Select this box and then run your award search to see a calendar view.
  Reply
Lisa duprey March 3, 2020
Can I use my air miles for things other than flights? Hotel? Merchandise?
Reply
- Jarrod West March 4, 2020
  Hi Lisa,
  Yes, you can use your Flying Blue miles for things other than flights. Head to this link to see your options.
  Reply
Janet Evans June 20, 2020
Dear Alex,
I would very much appreciate your help.
I have been a KLM frequent flyer member for 22 years and now have 69,919miles. They were due to expire on 29th February 2020 as I hadn’t taken a flight due to my husband’s severe bad health. I contacted KLM in December 2019, January, and February 2020 to ask if there was a way to avoid losing my miles. They said as long as I booked a qualifying flight in the 6 months after 29th February my Miles would be reinstated for the 2 year period. I was able to book a return flight from Manchester to Moscow on 6th April. The flight was subsequently canceled due to COVID 19 and despite numerous telephone conversations, emails, three formal letters to Mr. Pieter Elbers, President and CEO (which have not been delivered to him but have been intercepted by the management team), and three 1 hour long telephone conversations with management members, KLM is still refusing to reinstate my Miles. This is a condensed overview of a situation that has now been going on for 7 months. I have been polite at all times but am now at my wit’s end. KLM is a well-respected organization and for them not to reinstate my Miles, especially when it is not my fault that I couldn’t fly, is totally out of order, and incredibly dishonorable on their part. I have all the documentation in relation to this issue and would greatly appreciate your help and advice on what to do next. In short, I want my miles reinstated.
Reply
- Jarrod West June 20, 2020
  Hi Janet,
  I’m really sorry to hear about this frustrating situation? If you have already tried calling multiple times and they are unwilling to budge, I recommend you contact the customer service team through a public medium like Twitter. Airlines in the past have shown they are much more likely to do the right thing is the complaint is made through a public forum, and are worried about the blowback or negative PR they might experience if they do not help resolve the problem.
  I hope you are able to get your miles reinstated!
  Reply
AJ June 27, 2020
Hello,
Does anyone have any idea on how to use the Flying Blue miles to book a flight? I go to the KLM site and there is no option to pay with miles, but there is an option on AirFrance. Am I doing something wrong? I’m already logged on Flying Blue and on KLM I went all the way to payment to see if they had the option there and nothing. Thanks.
Reply
- Jarrod West June 29, 2020
  Hi AJ,
  Have you tried booking through this page on the KLM website? https://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/flying_blue/spend/buy_ticket/index.htm
  Reply
Jennifer September 12, 2020
Hi Jarrod,
Is Alaska Airlines still bookable with flying blue points? If so, how do I go about doing it? I called the Flying Blue customer service number to search flights on Alaska from the SF Bay Area to Lihue and they stated they do not partner with Alaska and that I would only be able to book a flight to Hawaii through Delta using my miles, which unfortunately does not fly direct from the bay area.
Thank you!
Jennifer
Reply
- Stephen Au September 21, 2020
  Hi Jennifer,
  At this point, Flying Blue doesn’t partner with Alaska Airlines. We’re working on getting this updated!
  Thanks for reading.
  Reply
Michael Nelson October 22, 2020
I’m trying to spend my Flying Blue Air Miles at the Flying Blue Store and I’m getting repeated error messages like ‘unable to validate state’. This is despite having successfully logged into my account on the initial login. In effect, it is not allowing to complete shopping purchases after having chosen items and put them in my shopping basket. The site seems to lose my log in details once I enter the Store pages and won’t allow me to then re-enter then. I have tried to resolve with Flying blue over the phone but to no avail. Has anyone else had this problem? I am concerned that I am being fobbed off and they are doing all they can to stop people from spending miles on items other than flights. Thanks
Reply
- Kevin April 30, 2021
  I’ve had this exact same problem; thought it was just me. Very frustrating.
  Also impossible to book flights using miles. I have nearly 100,000 miles that I can’t use on flights, merchandise, anything. I wish I had never transferred the miles over…
  Reply
Elisabeth May 5, 2022
Do you know where I can find Flex awards? I’m a gold member, but I can’t see them. I contacted KLM and the person had no idea.
Reply
- Stephen Au May 19, 2022
  Hi Elisabeth,
  What do you mean by Flex awards? Are you trying to book a La Premiere flight using points? If so, you’ll probably want to select “La Premiere” or “First Class” on Air France’s website. If you’re running into issues, you can call Flying Blue customer service to assist.
  Reply
shaheen June 30, 2022
I transferred CHASE and AMEX points to my flying blue account, I was able to book the flights I wanted and now have points remaining. Can I transfer them to another account to book hotels? or can I book hotels through the website?
Reply
- Jarrod West July 1, 2022
  Hi Shaheen,
  You have the option of using your points through either the Chase or Amex Travel portals, or you could transfer them to one of their transfer partners.
  Reply
Regina Agboola October 20, 2022
Can I use my flying blue miles to book a hotel stay? If yes which hotels?
Reply
- Jarrod West October 21, 2022
  Hi Regina,
  You can use Flying Blue miles on these hotel partners: https://www.flyingblue.us/en/earn-spend/partners/hotel.
  Reply
Karen Hughes October 31, 2022
Hi!
My husband held our frequent flier accounts. He passed away in August of 2020 and our miles are due to expire. We’re in the U.S. and I don’t plan on using the miles for travel. I’ve tried to use the miles on merchandise but they say they don’t ship to the U.S. Is there anything else I can do?
Reply
- Jarrod West November 9, 2022
  Hi Karen,
  That is a tough situation. Have you tried contacting Flying Blue to see if they can provide a work around or any other options for you?
  Reply
venkat November 5, 2022
I am seeing a lower amount of files for onward travel when compared to booking a round trip. When I try to book a one way for the same itinerary it prices at 65k, but if I try to book a round trip it prices the same onward itinerary at 47.5k. My question is can I book the roundtrip using the flying blue miles and drop the return part of the trip? Is this doable and if so or are there any costs involved?
Reply
- Jarrod West November 9, 2022
  Hi Venkat,
  It is doable and you should not be charged any fees for missing the return leg of your flight.
  Reply

Best Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Recommended Capital One Cards That Earn Miles (Personal)

Marriott Bonvoy Transfers

The 16 Best Ways to Redeem Your Flying Blue Miles

1. Save 20% to 50% With Flying Blue Promo Rewards (Air France/KLM)

2. Israel and North Africa

3. The Contiguous U.S. to Hawaii (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

4. The Contiguous U.S. to the Caribbean (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

5. Caribbean to Hawaii (Delta and Alaska Airlines)

6. The Caribbean to Europe (Air France/KLM)

7. U.S. to Mexico (AeroMexico, Delta, and Alaska Airlines)

8. Cheap Economy Flights to the South Pacific (Air France, Aircalin, Delta)

9. Pacific Island Hopping (Aircalin)

10. Central America Beaches and Jungles (Copa)

11. Europe Domestic Flights

12. Visit Corsica, Napoleon’s Home Island (Air France, Air Corsica)

13. Into Japan (Japan Airlines)

14. Visit Africa From Tip to Toe (Air France/KLM and Kenya Airways)

15. Indian Ocean Island Hopping (Air Mauritius)

16. The Remote African Beaches of Cabo Verde (Transavia)

More Ways to Earn Flying Blue Miles

Citi ThankYou Rewards Credit Cards

Hotel-Branded Credit Cards

Flying Blue Program

Award Booking Guidelines

Phantom Partner Award Availability

Classic Awards and Flex Awards

How Much Do Flights Awards Cost?

Flying Blue vs. Delta SkyMiles

What are Flying Blue Promo Rewards?

Book Upgrade Awards

Fees, Changes, and Cancellations

Mileage Expiration Caveat

Final Thoughts

Frequently asked questions

What is Flying Blue? How much does it cost?

How do I enroll in Flying Blue?

Is there a Flying Blue credit card that earns miles?

Where can I log in to my Flying Blue account?

Can I earn miles with Flying Blue partners?

How much do Flying Blue award flights cost?

What are Flying Blue Promo Rewards?

Is it possible to upgrade a flight with Flying Blue miles?

How can I earn Flying Blue Miles shopping online?

Which airlines are in the Flying Blue loyalty program?

Can I earn Flying Blue Miles by flying Delta?

Can I transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles?

When do Flying Blue Miles expire?

Can I rent a car to earn Flying Blue Miles?

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