Air France – KLM Flying Blue Promo Rewards: A Complete Guide

Many travelers dream of exploring Europe. Air France and KLM are popular airlines for these trips. Their joint loyalty program is called Flying Blue. I find Flying Blue offers great ways to use points. One of the best is through their monthly Promo Awards. These deals can make your European adventure much more affordable and are one of the best ways to use points to fly to Europe. This guide will show you how to find and use them.

Earning Flying Blue Miles

You might think earning miles for European flights is hard. However, Flying Blue miles are surprisingly easy to collect. This is mainly due to airline partnerships with major bank reward programs.

Most flexible points currencies in the US transfer to Flying Blue. These transfers are usually 1:1. This means 1,000 bank points become 1,000 Flying Blue miles. In Canada, American Express Membership Rewards also transfer to Flying Blue. This makes it simple to pool points from various credit cards.

The Capital One Venture rewards card is one of my favorite cards for earning Air France – KLM Flying Blue Miles. The card earns a flat 2x everywhere making it a great card to use for your everyday purchases.

If you are in Canada then you wanna earn American Express Membership Rewards which will allow you to transfer points to Flying Blue 1 : 0.75.

Also, watch for transfer bonuses. Sometimes, banks offer extra miles when you transfer points to airlines. A 20-30% bonus can make your points go even further. This makes those Promo Award deals even sweeter!

An Introduction to Flying Blue Promo Awards

One of the best features of the Flying Blue program is its monthly Promo Awards. I always look forward to these deals. They offer a fantastic way to save a significant number of miles. This is for flights on Air France and KLM.

What Exactly Are Promo Awards?

Promo Awards are essentially discounted award tickets. They are available on select routes each month. Air France and KLM release a new list on the first business day of every month. These promotions provide a fixed 25% discount off the standard “Saver” mileage rate. This applies to Economy, Premium Economy, or Business Class cabins. The specific routes and available cabins change monthly. This keeps things exciting for points collectors. (Occasionally, even deeper discounts like 50% have appeared, making the deals extraordinary!)

Promo Award Pricing: Your Ticket to Savings (NA-Europe, One-Way)

Flying Blue has standardized “Saver” award rates. These are the base mileage costs for flights between North America and Europe. The 25% Promo Award discount applies to these Saver rates. This results in very attractive pricing:

• Economy Class: Standard Saver ~25,000 miles. With 25% Promo Discount: From 18,750 miles.
• Premium Economy Class: Standard Saver ~40,000 miles. With 25% Promo Discount: From 30,000 miles.
• Business Class: Standard Saver ~60,000 miles. With 25% Promo Discount: From 45,000 miles.

These “from” prices represent incredible value. They can save you thousands of miles. Remember, taxes and fees are additional. They are usually moderate on these routes.

Pro Tip: Stack Transfer Bonuses for Even Bigger Savings!

Here’s how I maximize Promo Awards further. Many bank loyalty programs periodically offer transfer bonuses to Air France Flying Blue. These bonuses typically range from 20% to 25%, sometimes more.

Imagine a Business Class Promo Award costs 45,000 Flying Blue miles. If you transfer bank points during a 25% bonus, you effectively need fewer bank points. For example, you would only need to transfer 36,000 bank points to get those 45,000 Flying Blue miles (36,000 points + 25% bonus of 9,000 points = 45,000 miles). This “stacking” makes an already great deal even better. I always watch for these bonuses.

How Flying Blue Promo Awards Work

Understanding the mechanics of Promo Awards helps you grab these deals. Here are the key operational details.

Monthly Releases & Changing Routes

New Promo Awards are published at the start of each month. This is usually on the first business day. The list of eligible departure cities in North America changes every month. This means you need to check regularly. If your home airport isn’t featured one month, it might be next. Destinations are generally flexible. They cover many cities Air France and KLM fly to in Europe. This includes convenient connections through Paris or Amsterdam.

Booking and Travel Windows

Understanding the timing for Promo Awards is crucial. You need to act fast when new deals are released.

• Booking Window: Promo Rewards must be booked within the month they are announced. For example, if a set of Promo Rewards is released in early June, you typically have until June 30th to book them.
• Travel Window: The travel period for these discounted awards is usually for flights up to six months out. For instance, Promo Rewards booked in June would typically be valid for travel through the end of November of the same year.

This means you need to check the Flying Blue website at the beginning of each month. See what new deals are available. Then book quickly if a route and date works for you.

Finding & Booking Promo Awards on AirFrance.com

Finding and booking Promo Awards is straightforward once you know where to look. Here’s the recommended process:

1. Check the Official Promo Rewards Page: First, I recommend visiting the official Flying Blue “Reward tickets” page. You can usually find the current month’s deals here: https://www.flyingblue.us/en/spend/flights/rewards On this page, you’ll typically find a section highlighting the current “Promo reward tickets.” North American cities on sale will generally be listed under their “long-haul destinations” or a similar category. This page gives you the official list of discounted routes, eligible cabins, and valid travel dates for the current month.
2. Log In and Search on Air France/KLM: Next, go to the Air France website (airfrance.com) or KLM.com. Log into your Flying Blue account. Then use the “Book with Miles” search function.
3. Enter Promo Route Details: Enter one of the specific routes from the current Promo Rewards list that you found on the official page. Select dates within the valid travel window. Also choose the number of passengers.
4. Look for Discounted Pricing: The search results should automatically show the discounted Promo Award mileage. This is if seats are available on your chosen dates. The promo price is often highlighted or clearly indicated.
5. Book Your Flight: If you find a suitable flight, proceed to book it. Transfer bank points to Flying Blue if needed. Ideally, do this after confirming live availability on the Air France/KLM site.

This targeted search method saves time. It ensures you are looking for deals that are actively being offered.

Why I Target Flying Blue Promo Awards

I consistently look for Flying Blue Promo Awards. They are a key part of my strategy for affordable family travel to Europe. There are several compelling reasons for this.

First, the mileage savings are significant. Flying to Europe in Economy for as low as 18,750 miles is a fantastic deal. Securing Business Class for around 45,000 miles one-way is also exceptional value. These prices are often much lower than standard award rates.

Second, Air France and KLM have extensive networks. This means Promo Awards can get me to many different European cities. Often, connections via Paris or Amsterdam are included for the same low mileage.

Third, the ability to stack these deals is huge. I always watch for bank transfer bonuses to Flying Blue. Getting an extra 20-25% points when I transfer makes these Promo Awards incredibly cheap. The taxes and fees are also generally quite reasonable. For me, checking the new Promo Awards each month is a routine. It’s a reliable way to plan high-value trips.

Conclusion: Your Smart Gateway to Europe

Air France/KLM Flying Blue Promo Awards are a top-tier strategy. They make traveling to Europe with points much more accessible. These monthly deals offer substantial mileage discounts. You can fly in Economy, Premium Economy, or Business Class.

The key is to stay informed. Check the new Promo Awards at the start of each month. Know which routes are on offer. Be ready to book within the month for travel up to six months out. Transferring points from bank partners makes earning Flying Blue miles easy. Stacking transfer bonuses with Promo Award prices delivers unbeatable value.

Using Flying Blue Promo Awards requires a bit of planning. However, it’s a straightforward way to unlock amazing trips. I highly recommend this method for your European adventures.