The frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM, Flying Blue, could possibly be the perfect loyalty program in your subsequent redemption.
This system affords standard-level transatlantic redemptions from wherever within the U.S. to wherever in Europe beginning at:
- 25,000 miles in financial system
- 40,000 miles in premium financial system
- 60,000 miles in enterprise class
This implies you would ebook a business-class ticket from the West Coast to the far-flung corners of Europe for simply 60,000 miles in enterprise class every manner when there’s saver-level availability, which might be a superb redemption when it comes to worth.
Sadly, these enticing charges are for the restricted saver-level redemptions, with all different flights priced dynamically. In consequence, you may even see charges considerably larger than this, doubtlessly with an additional zero added.
To ebook redemptions at saver-level charges, let us take a look at how Flying Blue costs redemptions.
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How Flying Blue dynamic pricing works
A number of main loyalty packages worth their awards dynamically. They argue that redemption costs ought to rise when money fares enhance (typically during times of upper demand).
Listed below are some necessary traits to notice.
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Flying Blue doesn’t assure any minimal variety of award seats at saver ranges
Though different European loyalty packages, similar to British Airways Membership, assure a minimal variety of seats on each flight when schedules open, Flying Blue makes no such guarantees. Even if you happen to search 12 months prematurely, the seats could solely be loaded at costs far above the saver stage.
Be aware that the standardized pricing is just for flights between the U.S. and Europe.
The provider typically reduces seats to saver ranges on the final minute
Whereas low-priced awards could not instantly seem in your search outcomes, they’ll pop up nearer to departure. These last-minute reductions usually tend to occur on off-peak dates, exterior the Northern Hemisphere’s summer time interval and main holidays, and could also be restricted to flights at much less interesting occasions, similar to the primary or final flight of the day.
Dynamic costs aren’t tied to money costs
Many airways align money and award ticket costs very intently. For instance, Delta Air Strains will promote you a refundable round-trip Delta One business-class flight to Paris for $5,067 or 470,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $217. This provides you nearly a 1-cent-per-mile redemption worth in comparison with the money worth.
Flying Blue is completely different. An award for a flight departing at 9 a.m. might price 200,000 Flying Blue miles, whereas a flight two hours later that very same day might price solely 100,000 Flying Blue miles, with little distinction between the money fares of the 2 flights.
It’s simpler to search out financial system and premium financial system saver awards than business-class saver awards
Like most packages, financial system and premium financial system awards to Europe are sometimes plentiful, whereas business-class awards are a lot more durable to come back by. Generally, it’s not tough to search out business-class awards from the East Coast exterior of summer time, but it surely’s typically arduous to search out them from the West Coast, regardless of once you plan on flying.
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Flying Blue makes use of married segments when pricing awards
Simply since you discover availability on one itinerary doesn’t suggest that one (or extra) of that itinerary’s flights will carry over to different routings. This is because of “married-segment logic,” which suggests the value relies on the precise itinerary, not particular person segments.
For instance, say you wish to fly to Eire subsequent 12 months and also you see a number of dates with saver-level availability in February from New York, connecting by way of both Amsterdam or Paris to Dublin.
You would possibly assume that if these costs can be found, saver costs would even be obtainable for simply the New York to Paris or Amsterdam legs; in spite of everything, it is just one flight moderately than two.
Sadly, Flying Blue makes use of married-segment logic in pricing metropolis pairs in another way based mostly on what it believes to be the demand, and there could also be extra demand for a nonstop flight from New York to Paris or Amsterdam than a connecting flight to Dublin.
Whilst you needn’t fear an excessive amount of about how married segments work, the lesson is that if you cannot discover a flight to a hub obtainable for a good redemption worth, contemplate looking out with an extra short-haul leg added. You would discover a a lot lower cost, and it could possibly be well worth the quick detour.
Associated: 10 errors to keep away from when redeeming airline factors and miles
All the time verify the month-to-month Promo Rewards
Each month, Flying Blue publishes a listing of metropolis pairs with discounted award pricing for a set journey interval (often a couple of months), offered you ebook throughout that month.
It is arduous to overstate how priceless these Promo Rewards will be. For instance, this month, this system affords financial system awards from New York Metropolis’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Europe for a decreased worth. As an alternative of paying the standard saver worth of 25,000 Flying Blue miles, you may solely want to make use of 18,750 miles. This implies you would fly to Paris after which to Spain for a really cheap worth.
While you see costs even decrease than the standardized saver ranges, it is seemingly as a result of they’re Promo Rewards.
discover saver-level area
The best method to discover saver-level area is to make use of the Flying Blue web site in your most well-liked route and sophistication. Nevertheless, it’s best to depart the date area clean whereas looking out.
Doing so will trigger the month-to-month view to indicate, permitting you to simply see which months have seats on the saver stage, plus which dates of the month they’re obtainable.
You possibly can then click on your most well-liked date to see the flights obtainable, with costs ranging from the value indicated on the calendar.
Bear in mind, too, that Flying Blue permits you to add stopovers on award tickets for no further cost, however you may must name to take action.
earn Flying Blue miles
Flying Blue is a switch associate of:
Listed below are a number of the welcome bonuses obtainable proper now that you would convert to Flying Blue:
- Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and costs): Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific: Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first three months of cardmembership.
- The Platinum Card® from American Specific: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of cardmembership.
- Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of within the first cardholder 12 months.
- Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Ink Enterprise Most well-liked® Credit score Card (see charges and costs): Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Associated: How (and why) it’s best to earn transferable bank card factors
Backside line
Sadly, past the restricted saver-level awards, there’s little logic to how Flying Blue costs its redemptions. An award that prices 60,000 miles on someday might price 300,000 miles on the following.
It is irritating that there could also be no low-priced seats in premium cabins for months at a time, and costs of 250,000 miles for a seven-hour flight in financial system which may in any other case price $400 shouldn’t be unusual.
Luckily, viewing month-to-month costs throughout a 12 months to search out these priceless saver-level awards is easy, and Flying Blue miles are simple to earn. You possibly can strive including on a short-haul flight to see extra availability, and the month-to-month Promo Rewards often provide spectacular worth, even on common routes.
