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KLM-Air France Flying Blue Frequent Flyer Program
If you are going to be based in Netherlands and plan to do a lot of international travelling with KLM-Air France then you may want to consider joining KLM's "Flying Blue" frequent flyer program. The following article is a brief overview of the program: |
- KLM is the main airline operating from Amsterdam Schiphol and has excellent connections to UK and Europe and a reasonable international network which includes North and South America, Africa and Asia. Many more destinations require a connection through Paris with Air France.
- It is part of the SkyTeam alliance with members Delta Airlines, Alitalia, Korean, Aeroflot, China Southern, Czech Airlines, and Aeromexico.
- It's free to join the Flying Blue program and sometimes bonus miles are given on joining.
- When flying on KLM-Air France and partners you will earn "Award Miles" corresponding to your flight distance - these can be saved up and redeemed for travel on KLM, Air France and other Skyteam partners. Note that the amount of miles awarded for a ticket depends on the price paid - some cheaper tickets can earn 0 or 25% miles; full fare and business class tickets will earn the most mileage.
- Don't forget that when booking "free" flights using miles you do have to pay taxes and charges - KLM's can be quite high so you should check the real price of the ticket. In fact you will get better value for your miles if you book upgrades to business class.
- Example mileage costs of one-way economy tickets from Amsterdam: London 20,000 miles; Los Angeles 50,000 miles; Bangkok 80,000 miles, taxes and fees are extra. Business class flights will cost double miles.
- When flying on KLM-Air France you will also earn "Level Miles" which set your level of membership in the program depending on how much flying you do in a year. To reach the elite levels of Silver, Gold and Platinum you need to have 25,000, 40,000 and 70,000 Level Miles respectively or fly 15, 30 or 60 flights.
- Silver level benefits include priority check-in and boarding, extra 5kg baggage allowance and 50% miles bonus.
- Gold level members get priority check-in and boarding, extra 10kg baggage allowance, seat assignment at time of booking, free lounge access and 75% miles bonus.
- Platinum members get priority check-in and boarding, seating preference, 20kg extra luggage, lounge access with 1 guest and a 100% mileage bonus.
- Lifetime Platinum status is granted after 10 consecutive years of Platinum membership.
- To maximise Award Miles earnings one could consider applying for the Flying Blue American Express Card which earns between 1 and 2 miles per €1spent depending on your annual use. The card is free for the first year but costs €85 per year. For an extra €100 you can have the double miles option.
- Alternative options for Dutch based frequent flyers: British Airways Executive Club which has an excellent global network via the Oneworld alliance - but you need to travel via London. Or Lufthansa's Miles & More (flying via Frankfurt or Munich) which is part of the extensive Star Alliance. If you fly a lot to the Middle-East, Asia , Australia or South Africa you could consider using Emirates (non-alliance) which has started flying from Amsterdam to their Dubai hub.