Air France-KLM Flying Blue has increased the cost of saver-level refunds in Europe and beyond by about 20% on average, but promises 30% more seats at the lowest saver price to compensate. Travel on points reported for the first time this devaluation.
Flying Blue is the combined loyalty program of Air France and KLM. Sets the price of award flights operated by those two airlines. dynamically, meaning rates fluctuate based on demand. On peak travel dates, award seats can easily reach six figures in economy each way, although TPG was impressed with its low prize price last summereven to Paris during the 2024 Olympic Games.
Flying Blue offers a limited number of savings level awards on its flights. Previously, flights from North America to Europe and North Africa began at:
- 20,000 miles in economy
- 35,000 miles in premium economy
- 50,000 miles in business class
They were excellent fares, especially in business class, where Flying Blue offered some of the Lowest prices of any loyalty program. on the other side of the Atlantic.
Related: Is Air France’s premium economy option for Europe worth it?
Unfortunately, Flying Blue has increased prices, without warning, although the increases are slight. as the devaluations go. Flights to Europe and the Middle East with saver fares now start at:
- 25,000 miles in economy
- 40,000 miles in premium economy
- 60,000 miles in business class
These are still fair prices if you can find availability at discounted prices. For travel to Europe and beyond, TPG recommends Air France in business class and KLM in premium economy.
Daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with TPG’s daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers to receive breaking news, in-depth guides, and exclusive offers from TPG experts.
Flying Blue is a transfer partner of all major transferable miles and points programs, including:
For those looking to travel from North America to destinations in Africa and Asia via the airlines’ hubs at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), the following new prices apply savings level for outbound flights. :
- 40,000 miles in economy
- 65,000 miles in premium economy
- 115,000 miles in business class
To offset the price increase, Flying Blue told TPG it will increase the number of saver-level seats available to members. A spokesperson for the loyalty program told TPG the following:
“We recently made a slight adjustment to the pricing of award miles and corresponding inventory access to address a common concern: finding availability at the lower award tiers. By rebalancing the entry-level pricing, we significantly increased the availability of entry-level awards (an average of 30%), making it easier for members to book flights with the lowest mileage levels. While we can appreciate that no one likes price increases, the reality is that this change guarantees. better access to rewards for everyone our members, avoiding the frustration seen in some programs where limited availability (whether award tickets, upgrades, etc.) undermines member benefits. We remain committed to listening, innovating and delivering meaningful value to our Flying Blue members. “.
Don’t forget about the Flying Blue monthly fee. Promotional rewardswhere award seats on select routes are discounted up to 25% off saver fares. These promotions change monthly and often include flights to Europe from major US cities.
In a nutshell
Devaluations are an unfortunate reality when it comes to accumulating points and miles. They reiterate the value of transferable currencies and that points and miles are a bad long term investment. As a result, you should redeem your rewards as you earn them to take advantage of the best offers.
Fortunately, Flying Blue’s recent price increases are acceptable compared to the devaluations that we have seen in other loyalty programs. Additionally, increased availability at the lowest rates in the savings tier should be fair compensation for the unexpected price increase.
