Flying Blue is Air France's free loyalty program. Earn 4-9 miles per euro, redeem from 18,750 miles for a flight. Here's exactly how it works in 2026.
Flying Blue lets you collect miles on Air France, KLM, and 35-plus partner airlines, then trade them for free flights. Here is what you actually need to know before you fly.
- Program
- Flying Blue (Air France + KLM)
- Base earn rate
- 4 miles per euro spent (Explorer tier)
- Miles expiry
- 24 months from last earning activity
- Cheapest award
- From 18,750 miles one-way (Promo Rewards)
- Transatlantic economy
- From 25,000 miles one-way
- Transatlantic business
- From 60,000 miles one-way
- Free to join
- Yes
How to earn miles
Every euro you spend on an Air France or KLM ticket earns miles. The exact rate depends on your status tier:
- Explorer (no status): 4 miles per euro
- Silver: 6 miles per euro
- Gold: 7 miles per euro
- Platinum: 8 miles per euro
- Ultimate: 9 miles per euro
You do not need to fly to rack up miles. American Express, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Bilt all transfer points to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at 3:1. Hotel stays, car rentals, and purchases through Flying Blue's shopping portal also count.
The Air France-KLM Visa Signature (Bank of America) card offers 70,000 bonus miles plus 100 Experience Points after $3,000 spend in the first 90 days, plus 20 annual XP just for holding it.
How to redeem miles
Flying Blue uses a mix of fixed pricing and dynamic pricing. The fixed floor gives you a reliable target to aim for:
| Route (one-way) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| US to Europe | 25,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
| Promo Rewards deal | from 18,750 | from 30,000 | from 45,000 |
Promo Rewards are the best-value redemptions. Air France publishes a new batch of discounted award seats on the first Monday of each month, typically 25-50 pct cheaper than standard rates. Set a calendar reminder and check early: popular routes sell out fast.
For Air France's top cabin, La Premiere, expect around 350,000 miles one-way transatlantic. That redemption is only bookable if you hold Platinum or Ultimate status.
One practical bonus: Flying Blue allows a free stopover in Paris or Amsterdam on round-trip awards. You have to call to book it (800-375-8723 in the US), but it is a genuine extra city at no miles cost.
Note that fuel surcharges apply on Air France awards: typically $200-$350 on transatlantic business class. They are lower or absent on some partner airline redemptions.
Transfer bonus trick
American Express occasionally runs transfer bonuses of 25-30 pct to Flying Blue. Combined with a monthly Promo Rewards deal, you can land business-class transatlantic awards for the equivalent of roughly 34,000 Amex points. Follow Flying Blue's social channels and awardwallet.com alerts to catch these windows.
How miles expire (updated May 2026)
As of May 4, 2026, Flying Blue simplified its expiration rules. Previously, miles were split into separate "buckets" with independent clocks, and only some activities reset some buckets, which caught people off guard.
The new rule is simple: any earning activity extends your entire balance by 24 months. That includes a flight, a hotel booking, a credit card transfer, or even a small purchase through the Flying Blue shopping portal.
Miles never expire at all if you hold Silver status or above, a co-branded Flying Blue credit card, or a Flying Blue Extra subscription.
One thing that does not reset the clock: redeeming miles. Only earning activity counts.
Status: is it worth chasing?
Status is measured in Experience Points (XP), not miles. You earn XP by flying Air France or KLM flights (the distance and cabin class determine how many), and by holding the co-branded credit card (20 XP per year, up to 140 XP extra with annual spend thresholds).
Gold (280 XP cumulative) is the tier that unlocks real benefits: lounge access, SkyPriority check-in and boarding, and 7 miles per euro. If you fly Air France a few times a year in economy, Silver (100 XP) is achievable and still gets you free seat selection.
Ultimate (900 XP earned in a single year, only on Air France/KLM flights) is for very frequent flyers. The lounge benefit extends to eight guests per visit, and the airline can upgrade you to an empty higher cabin.
