Air France/KLM Flying Bue is a great way for Canadians to fly to Europe on points, drastically reducing the cost of your European vacation

Vacationing in Europe can be a fantastic idea for several reasons. Firstly, Europe offers a rich tapestry of cultures, history, and landscapes, providing travelers with a diverse and immersive experience. Whether you’re interested in exploring ancient historical sites, indulging in world-class art and architecture, savoring delicious cuisine, or simply enjoying scenic natural beauty, Europe has something to offer every type of traveler.

Additionally, Europe boasts an excellent transportation system, making it relatively easy to travel between countries and cities, allowing you to make the most out of your vacation time. The continent is also known for its safety and hospitality, making it a welcoming destination for tourists.

Vacationing in Europe is a good idea for travelers seeking a blend of rich cultural experiences, historical exploration, diverse landscapes, and culinary delights, all within a relatively compact geographical area. The continent’s accessibility, safety, and sheer variety of attractions make it a popular and highly rewarding destination for travelers from around the world.

Historically, Europe has been viewed as an expensive destination to travel to. Thankfully, in Canada we have access to a program that can drastically reduce the cost of your European vacation, ultimately freeing up dollars that can be used towards other aspects of your life.

That program is KLM/Flying Blue

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, often referred to as KLM, is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. It is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. KLM is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of KLM and its partner airlines within the Air France-KLM group, including Air France, KLM, and several other airlines. Members of Flying Blue can earn miles or points by flying with these airlines or their affiliated partners, and they can redeem these miles or points for various benefits such as flight tickets, seat upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel-related services.

In this post, we’ll walk through the different ways you earn Flying Blue miles, and the unique redemption offers that this program offers.

Flying Blue Overview

How to Earn Flying Blue Miles	Cards that give you American Express membership rewards Brim Finance KLM/Air France World Elite Mastercard
How to Redeem Flying Blue Miles	Economy & Business Class flight to Europe Redeem with partner airlines
Cards that give you membership rewards Brim Finance KLM/Air France World Elite Mastercard	Value of Flying Blue Miles

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Earning Flying Blue Miles

Transferring Membership Rewards to KLM/Flying Blue

This is the easiest way to earn Flying Blue Miles

You can earn a high amount of Flying Blue Miles by transferring out your American Express Membership Rewards. MR is the travel currency earned directly through American Express credit cards. 

One of, if not the best reason for you to start collecting American Express Membership Rewards is that you can transfer your MR to a bevy of transfer partners including: 

• Air Canada/Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club 
• Air France/KLM
• Asia Miles 
• Delta Airways Sky Miles
• Etihad Guest
• Marriott Bonvoy Points
• Hilton Honours Points

1,000 Membership Rewards will give you 750 Flying Blue Miles

How to Earn Membership Rewards

You can earn Membership Rewards through a number of credit cards offered by American Express 

The American Express Platinum Card is a great way to earn Membership Rewards

Sign up Here

The $799 annual fee (which comes with a $150 rebate through GreatCanadianRebates) is offset by the following perks & benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 70,000 MR points upon spending $10,000 in the first three months
  • 30,000 MR points upon making a purchase between months 14-17 of cardmembership
• Earn Rate: 
  • 2 MR points per dollar spent on travel, groceries & dining
  • 1 MR point everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Emergency Medical Travel Insurance – up to $5,000,000
  • Car rental damage insurance 
  • Trip Cancellation Insurance- up to $3,000
  • Hotel Burglary insurance – up to $1,000
  • Baggage delay insurance – up to $1,000
  • Lost or stolen baggage insurance – up to $1,000
• Perks
  • $200 annual travel credit
  • $200 annual dining credit
  • Special discounts for cardholders, which are sent via email
  • $100 Nexus credit
  • Instant Gold status at Marriott Bonvoy
  • Instant Gold status at Hilton Honours
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park at Pearson Airport
• Lounge Access
  • Priority Pass (+1 guest)
  • Plaza Premium Lounges (+1 guest)
  • Delta Sky Club
  • Airspace Lounges (+2 guests)
  • Centurion Lounges
  • SwissPort Lounges (+1 guest)

While the $799 annual fee seems daunting initially, the 100,000 Membership Rewards ($1,700 in value) equates to 75,000 Flying Blue Miles, which is more than enough for a flight to Europe (more on that below)

Canadians will have to make a personal decision as to whether or not the $799 (minus the $200 travel credit & $299 food & beverage) annual fee is worth spending after year one.

There are a number of other cards that allow you to earn Membership Rewards including:

American Express Business Platinum 

American Express Business Gold 

American Express Business Edge

American Express Personal Gold

American Express Cobalt Card

Earn Flying Blue Miles by Signing up for the Brim Financial KLM/Flying Blue World Elite Mastercard

The Air France/KLM World Elite Mastercard is a co-branded credit card offered by Brim Financial in partnership with Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. This credit card is designed for frequent travelers who frequently fly with Air France, KLM, and their partner airlines. By using this credit card for everyday purchases, cardholders can earn miles in the Flying Blue frequent flyer program, which can be redeemed for flights, seat upgrades, hotel stays, and other travel-related expenses.

The card has a $139 annual fee, and comes with the following benefits:

If you frequently fly with Air France, KLM, or their partner airlines, this card can be beneficial due to the miles you can earn for your purchases, and the instant silver status will increase your in-flight experience. The ability to earn miles that can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other travel-related expenses can be a significant perk for loyal customers of these airlines.

You can Transfer US Travel Points to KLM/Flying Blue

If you are in a position to secure US credit cards, you can earn Flying Blue Miles by applying for several US credit cards including:

• KLM/Flying Blue World Elite Mastercard

You’ll also have the ability to transfer your US miles to Flying Blue Miles. These transfer partners include:

• American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 ratio)
• Capital One Miles (1:1 ratio)
• Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1 ratio)
• Citi Thank You Miles (1:1 ratio)

Earn Flying Blue Miles by Flying with KLM, Air France & Their Partner Airlines

You can earn Flying Blue miles by flying with Air France, KLM, and their partner airlines.

When you fly with Air France or KLM, you can earn Flying Blue miles based on the distance flown, fare class, and your Flying Blue membership tier. The number of miles you earn will vary depending on these factors. Additionally, you can also earn Flying Blue miles by flying with other SkyTeam alliance partners and various non-alliance airline partners.

Partner airlines that allow you to earn Flying Blue Miles include:

SkyTeam Partners:

• Aerolinas Argentinas.
• Aeromexico
• Air Europa
• Air France
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia
• Tarom
• Vietnam Airlines
• Xiamen Air

For tickets purchased with another airline, that are credited to Flying Blue, you’ll earn miles based on:

• Distance flown.
• Fare class.
• Operating airline.
• Your elite status tier.

Each airline partner awards a different number of miles

Non-SkyTeam Partners:

• Air Corsica
• Air Mauritius
• Bangkok Airways
• Chalair Aviation
• Copa Airlines
• Gol
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas
• Transavia
• Twin Jet
• Virgin Atlantic
• WestJet
• airBaltic

It’s important to provide your Flying Blue membership number when booking your flights to ensure that the miles are credited to your account. You can then accumulate these miles and use them for various benefits, such as booking award flights, seat upgrades, and other travel-related services within the Flying Blue program.

Redeeming Flying Blue Miles

You’ll be Subject to Dynamic Pricing

The Flying Blue program uses a dynamic pricing method for redemptions. Dynamic pricing means you’ll pay more points when cash fares cost more. For example, you may see a spike in the points needed for an Air France flight around the holidays.

As a starting point, Canadians can use this interactive map to explore where they can go using their miles. The map displays introductory (AKA, the lowest) redemption options.

Below, you’ll see the lowest redemption option for an economy flight from Paris to Quebec City.

How to Redeem Flying Blue Miles

Step 1: Go to AirFrance.us, & log in at the top right-hand corner

Step 2: Select your departure and arrival city

If you leave the date blank, you will be able to search multiple dates

Step 3: Select your date, & flight

Flying Blue Promo Rewards

Each month, Flying Blue unveils a selection of Promo Rewards, offering significantly discounted award tickets. It’s crucial to note that these special tickets are only available for booking within the month they are released and come with stricter conditions compared to regular Flying Blue award tickets; they cannot be altered once booked, so be certain about your plans.

Despite the limitations, these promotions present a fantastic opportunity for budget-conscious travelers, offering exceptional deals on flights to Europe and other destinations. For instance, you might snag a transatlantic business class ticket for less than 30,000 miles, making it a tempting option for those willing to take the risk.

To receive the Flying Blue promo rewards, you’ll need to sign up for Flying Blue.

Maximizing the Flying Blue Program

You Can obtain Flying Blue Elite Status

Flying Blue, the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM has an elite status program known as Flying Blue Elite. Flying Blue Elite status is divided into several tiers, each offering varying benefits and privileges to frequent flyers.

There are three elite status tiers in the Flying Blue program: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each tier requires a specific number of Level Miles or qualifying flights to attain. Once you reach a certain tier, you will enjoy the benefits associated with that level for the remainder of the current year and the following year.

Silver Status: Requires 100 XP (Experience Points) or 30 qualifying flights.

Silver status comes with the following benefits:

• 1 free checked bag on flights operated by Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Air Corsica, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airlines, Qantas, and SkyTeam partners
• SkyTeam Elite status
• Priority check-in, baggage drop-off and boarding
• 25% discount on seat selection with most partner airlines
• 6 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent on flights

Gold Status: Requires 180 XP or 60 qualifying flights.

Gold status comes with the following benefits:

• 1 free checked bag on flights operated by Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Air Corsica, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airlines, Qantas, and SkyTeam partners
• SkyTeam Elite status
• Priority check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding
• Free lounge access on international flights operated by Air France, KLM, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airways, GOL, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic or a SkyTeam partner
• SkyTeam Elite Plus status
• 50% discount on seat selection with most partner airlines
• Earn 7 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent on flights

Platinum Status: Requires 300 XP or 100 qualifying flights.

Platinum status comes with the following benefits:

• 1 free checked bag on flights operated by Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Air Corsica, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airlines, Qantas, and SkyTeam partners
• SkyTeam Elite status
• Priority check-in, baggage drop-off and boarding
• Free lounge access on international flights operated by Air France, KLM, Air Mauritius, China Southern Airways, GOL, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic or a SkyTeam partner
• SkyTeam Elite Plus status
• 100% discount on seat selection with most partner airlines
• Earn 7 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent on flights

How to Earn Elite Status With Air France/KLM (XP)

You can Earn XP in 2 Different Ways

1. Flying With KLM/Flying Blue

You can earn XP by flying with KLM, Air France, or their travel partners. The amount of XP earned will depend on the distance flown, and the flight class

	Domestic	International (0-2,000 miles)	International (2,000-3,500 miles)	International (3,500-5,000 miles)	International (5,000+ miles)
Economy	2 XPs.	5 XPs.	8 XPs.	10 XPs.	12 XPs.
Premium economy	4 XPs.	10 XPs.	16 XPs.	20 XPs.	24 XPs.
Business class	6 XPs.	15 XPs.	24 XPs.	30 XPs.	36 XPs.
First class	10 XPs.	25 XPs.	40 XPs.	50 XPs.	60 XPs.

2. Getting XP with the Flying Blue Mastercard

If you are an owner of the KLM/Flying Blue World Elite Mastercard, you’ll earn 30 XP at every renewal. New card holders will earn an additional 30XP upon approval.

You Can Pool Your Flying Blue Miles

If you collect Avios as a household, you can benefit from the fact that British Airways allows you to pool your points into a “Household Account.”

This can allow you to quickly earn points through American Express Membership Rewards or RBC branded credit cards. 

Conclusion

ir France/KLM Flying Blue has become increasingly appealing to North American travelers, thanks to its extensive network of transfer partners, comprehensive coverage across the continent, and enticing monthly Promo Rewards.

Although business class flights to Europe are often considered one of the best uses for Flying Blue miles, there are excellent value options available for economy class as well. I strongly recommend this program as an alternative to Aeroplan, primarily due to the number of Canadian routes offered by Air Krance, KLM, and their transfer partners.

Whether you’re traveling to Europe or any other destination served by Air France/KLM, it’s wise to consider Flying Blue as your preferred program, especially when flying with most SkyTeam airlines.

Flying Blue FAQ

Can I use my Flying Blue Miles to Book Air France La Premiere?

Air France La Première is the airline’s most luxurious and exclusive class of service, often regarded as one of the finest first-class experiences in the world. La Première offers exceptional comfort, personalized service, and a range of amenities for travelers seeking the utmost luxury during their journey.

Key features of Air France La Première typically include:

• Exclusive Lounges: La Première passengers have access to exclusive lounges, providing a serene environment before boarding. These lounges offer gourmet dining, premium beverages, and private spaces for relaxation.
• Spacious Seats: La Première cabins feature spacious, fully reclining seats that can be converted into comfortable beds. Each seat is designed for maximum privacy and is equipped with personal entertainment systems.
• Gourmet Dining: Passengers in La Première enjoy gourmet meals prepared by renowned chefs, complemented by fine wines and champagne. The menu is crafted to cater to individual preferences and dietary restrictions.
• Personalized Service: La Première passengers receive highly personalized service from dedicated flight attendants. The staff is trained to anticipate and fulfill the unique needs and preferences of each passenger.
• Luxurious Amenities: Travelers are provided with luxurious amenities, including designer toiletries, comfortable bedding, and stylish amenity kits.
• Priority Boarding and Disembarkation: La Première passengers benefit from priority boarding and disembarkation, allowing for a seamless travel experience.

Here is a video review of the La Premiere experience by Youtuber TrekTrendy

La Premiere is extremely difficult to book using points. You’ll need to own Platinum status to redeem Flying Blue miles for La Premiere, and redemptions start at 175,000 Flying Blue Miles

Can I Buy Flying Blue Miles

Air France & KLM, like many other airlines, offers the option to purchase additional miles or points through its loyalty program. The ability to buy miles is typically provided as a way for passengers to top up their mileage balance to reach a specific reward or redemption threshold.

You can buy points here