Air France-KLM Flying Blue program will increase award costs however guarantees higher availability

Air France-KLM Flying Blue has elevated the price of saver-level redemptions to Europe and past by roughly 20% on common, but it surely guarantees 30% extra seats on the lowest saver pricing to compensate. Journey on Factors first reported this devaluation.

Flying Blue is the mixed loyalty program for Air France and KLM. It costs award flights operated by these two airways dynamically, which means charges fluctuate primarily based on demand. On peak journey dates, award seats can simply creep into six figures in economic system every approach, although TPG was impressed with its low award pricing final summer season, even to Paris throughout the 2024 Olympics.

Flying Blue presents a restricted variety of saver-level awards on its flights. Beforehand, flights from North America to Europe and North Africa began at:

• 20,000 miles in economic system
• 35,000 miles in premium economic system
• 50,000 miles in enterprise class

These had been wonderful charges — particularly in enterprise class, the place Flying Blue provided among the lowest costs of any loyalty program throughout the Atlantic.

Associated: Is Air France premium economic system value it to Europe?

Sadly, Flying Blue has, with out discover, elevated costs, although the will increase are gentle as devaluations go. Flights to Europe and the Center East at saver-level charges now begin at:

• 25,000 miles in economic system
• 40,000 miles in premium economic system
• 60,000 miles in enterprise class

These are nonetheless truthful costs if you’ll find availability at saver charges. For journey to Europe and past, TPG recommends Air France in enterprise class and KLM in premium economic system.

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Flying Blue is a switch associate of all main transferable factors and miles packages, together with:

For these seeking to journey from North America to locations in Africa and Asia by way of the airways’ hubs at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), the next new saver-level pricing applies to one-way flights:

• 40,000 miles in economic system
• 65,000 miles in premium economic system
• 115,000 miles in enterprise class

To compensate for the worth enhance, Flying Blue instructed TPG that it’s going to enhance the variety of saver-level seats made obtainable for members. A spokesperson for the loyalty program instructed TPG the next:

“Just lately, we made a slight adjustment to award mile pricing and corresponding stock entry to deal with a standard concern: discovering availability on the lowest award ranges. By rebalancing the entry-level pricing, we considerably elevated entry-level award availability (common 30%), making it simpler for members to ebook flights on the lowest mileage ranges. Whereas we will actually recognize that no person likes worth will increase, the truth is this variation ensures higher entry to rewards for all our members, avoiding the frustration seen in some packages the place restricted availability (be it award tickets, upgrades, and many others.) undermines member advantages. We stay dedicated to listening, innovating, and delivering significant worth to our Flying Blue members.”

Remember about Flying Blue’s month-to-month Promo Rewards, the place award seats on choose routes are discounted by as a lot as 25% from saver charges. These promotions change month-to-month and infrequently embody flights to Europe from main U.S. cities.

Backside line

Devaluations are an unlucky actuality of amassing factors and miles. They reiterate the worth of transferable currencies and that factors and miles are a foul long-term funding. Because of this, it is best to redeem your rewards as you earn them to reap the benefits of the perfect offers.