Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program of Air France and KLM — and, by extension, of Transavia, Kenya Airways, and TAROM. It is the only major European SkyTeam currency that accepts transfers from all five major US transferable-point programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, and Bilt Rewards. For US-based travelers looking to fly SkyTeam partners or premium cabins into Europe, Flying Blue is the single most accessible currency.
The headline feature is Promo Rewards: Flying Blue publishes a refreshed monthly list of discounted awards with 25-50% off regular pricing. Strategic use of Promo Rewards consistently produces redemption values that beat Delta SkyMiles and usually beat United or American for the same routes.
Program at a glance
| Dimension | Flying Blue |
|---|---|
| Operating airlines | Air France, KLM, Transavia, Kenya Airways, TAROM |
| Alliance | SkyTeam + Virgin Atlantic (extensive non-alliance partnerships) |
| Award pricing | Dynamic on own-metal, fixed tiers on partner redemptions |
| Elite tiers | Explorer (base), Silver, Gold, Platinum, Club 2000 (invitation) |
| Signature mechanic | Monthly Promo Rewards — 25-50% off selected routes |
| Transferable from (US) | Chase UR (1:1), Amex MR (1:1), Citi TY (1:1), Capital One (1:1), Bilt (1:1) |
| Mileage expiration | Miles do not expire as long as you have any flight activity within any 24-month window |
Earning on Flying Blue
Flying Blue is revenue-based on own-metal: 4 XP per €1 spent on base fares, with multipliers for higher cabin classes. XP drives elite qualification. Most US members earn Flying Blue miles not from flying but from credit card transfers.
Transfer strategy from US cards
All five US bank transferable currencies transfer to Flying Blue at 1:1. Strategic timing matters — Flying Blue regularly runs transfer bonuses of 20-30% from Amex MR and Citi ThankYou (typically twice yearly, advertised via each issuer's transfer promotions page). A 25% Amex MR → Flying Blue bonus means 10,000 MR becomes 12,500 Flying Blue miles — a meaningful compound on top of the base 1:1 ratio.
Monthly Promo Rewards — the program's defining mechanic
Each month (typically at the start), Flying Blue publishes a new Promo Rewards list: specific routes available at 25-50% off standard award prices. Promo periods generally cover travel in months 2-5 after the promotion announcement (so a March Promo list covers May-August travel).
Recent Promo Rewards examples (for illustrative purposes — specific routes refresh monthly):
- Amsterdam to New York JFK economy: normally 30,000 miles → Promo at 20,000 miles
- Paris to Tokyo Narita economy: normally 50,000 → Promo at 35,000
- Paris to Los Angeles business class: normally 80,000 → Promo at 55,000
- Amsterdam to Buenos Aires economy: normally 55,000 → Promo at 40,000
Monthly discipline: check flyingblue.com/promorewards on the first day of each month. Routes you care about appear unpredictably but frequently enough that a recurring calendar reminder captures most relevant promotions.
Sweet spots outside Promo Rewards
- Short-haul intra-Europe. 8,000 miles economy one-way between cities under 1,000 miles apart. Paris-London, Amsterdam-Barcelona, Paris-Berlin all fall here.
- Transatlantic via CDG or AMS. 30,000-40,000 miles economy one-way is typical during off-peak; Promo pricing often brings this down further.
- Tahiti (Air Tahiti Nui partner). 75,000 miles round-trip from LAX — lower than AA or Delta equivalents for the same route.
- Africa via Kenya Airways. Paris to Nairobi in business is typically 120,000 miles round-trip — meaningfully cheaper than US carriers' Africa pricing.
Elite tiers
| Tier | XP to earn | Main benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer | Any activity | Base program, preferred seat selection |
| Silver | 100 XP | + SkyPriority check-in/boarding, 50% extra miles earn |
| Gold | 180 XP | + Lounge access, SkyPriority global, ITA partner benefits |
| Platinum | 300 XP | + Dedicated Platinum line, guaranteed seats, bonus award availability |
| Club 2000 | Invitation (top-spend) | Ultra-elite — hidden inventory access, dedicated services |
A typical business-class Paris-NYC one-way earns roughly 80 XP. So Gold (180 XP) requires roughly 2 such trips or more economy flying. Platinum (300 XP) requires substantially more — closer to 5-6 premium-cabin transatlantic round-trips.
Flying Blue vs other SkyTeam currencies
| Factor | Flying Blue | Delta SkyMiles | Korean Air SkyPass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award pricing | Dynamic + Promo | Fully dynamic | Fixed chart (best structure) |
| US transferable partners | All 5 banks | Amex only | Marriott only (1:1) |
| Promo Rewards | Monthly | Occasional | Rare |
| Best European departures | CDG, AMS | US cities | ICN |
| Sweet spot rating | Strong | Weak | Very strong (for ICN routing) |
Who should use Flying Blue as primary SkyTeam currency
- US-based travelers transferring points. The 5-bank transferable access is unmatched in SkyTeam. If you hold any major US transferable-point card, Flying Blue is the easiest SkyTeam currency to accumulate.
- Monthly Promo hunters. If you can be flexible on dates and destinations, the Promo Rewards list regularly unlocks premium cabins at 50-60% of standard pricing.
- Europe-based US travelers. If Amsterdam or Paris is your typical connection point, Flying Blue is the most efficient loyalty anchor.
Who should skip
- Travelers exclusively flying Delta metal — SkyMiles is more efficient for own-operator earning.
- Asia-Pacific focused travelers — Korean Air SkyPass is substantially better for routes through ICN.
- Non-flexible schedule travelers — Flying Blue's value lives in the Promo Rewards system, which requires date/destination flexibility.
Power user tactics
- Time transfers around bonuses. Wait for Amex MR → Flying Blue 25-30% bonuses (typically announced 2-3 weeks ahead). Transferring during a bonus on a 50,000-mile award effectively saves 12,500 MR.
- Use Promo Rewards for positioning. A discounted Paris-NYC Promo can repositing you for a cash-priced flight elsewhere in Europe, yielding substantial combined savings.
- Leverage Virgin Atlantic inventory. Flying Blue can book Virgin Atlantic award space that doesn't appear elsewhere. Transatlantic Virgin business for 55,000-65,000 Flying Blue is occasionally available.
- Book partner awards over phone. Some SkyTeam partner availability (especially China Eastern, Saudia) is invisible on flyingblue.com but bookable by phone through the Flying Blue desk.
Common pitfalls
- Ignoring the fuel surcharges. Air France / KLM metal award bookings carry substantial YQ surcharges (commonly €200-450 per one-way on transatlantic business). Partner bookings via KLM/AF codes may inherit these surcharges.
- Missing Promo Rewards deadlines. The monthly Promo list refreshes around the 1st of each month; waiting a week to evaluate options usually means the desirable routes are gone.
- Transferring without checking availability first. Always verify award availability on flyingblue.com before initiating a transfer — points transfer in within hours (typically 1-24h) but are non-reversible.
- Overusing short-haul intra-European awards. The 8,000-mile one-way fare is great, but doesn't beat Transavia or easyJet cash pricing on most routes. Save Flying Blue for flights worth the award vs cash comparison.
FAQ
How do I find the monthly Promo Rewards?
flyingblue.com/promorewards. List updates approximately monthly. Set a calendar reminder on the 1st of each month to check for routes you care about.
Can I transfer Bilt to Flying Blue?
Yes, 1:1. Bilt partnered with Flying Blue in 2023. This is the easiest currency-to-Flying Blue transfer for travelers using Bilt as their primary rewards card.
How long do transfers take?
Amex MR: instant to 24 hours. Chase UR: instant typically. Citi TY: 1-2 business days. Capital One: 2-3 business days typically. Bilt: instant to 2 hours typical.
Is Flying Blue competitive with Avios for short-haul Europe?
Different sweet spots. Avios is better for London-originating short-haul (and has smaller partner YQ). Flying Blue wins when the itinerary transits through Paris or Amsterdam. Hold both currencies if you fly Europe frequently.
Does Flying Blue offer a co-branded US credit card?
Not standalone. Air France KLM does issue a US credit card (through Barclays) with a 50k mile bonus — modest overall. The transfer-from-bank-currency approach is more efficient for most US members.
Last verified April 2026.