Flying Blue is one of my favorite frequent flyer programs for redeeming miles, as the program is useful for redemptions in premium cabins on Air France and KLM, as well as for travel on SkyTeam and other partner airlines.
I am surprised at how 75K and $600 is an attractive price “I have to say that Flying Blue still has attractive pricing”.
So many other programs have cheaper mileage and tax/fees. Superior cabins, food, and lounges too.
Also, I am surprised at how the author didn’t see the Lufthansa change fees, they are always clearly listed when you select a fare on the Miles and More site?
It's only 75k if you're going from/to one of three countries. More like 105k for anything else.
@ Hans -- That amount includes over $220 in taxes, which you'd pay on any airline. Currently the average business class YQ across the Atlantic on Air France or KLM is around $340, which is more than I'd like to pay (of course), but less than the $1,000+ at Miles & More.
I'm curious which airlines have lower fees and better lounges, cabins, and food?
Regarding Miles & More change fees, I didn't say I couldn't see them, just that I was surprised at how high they were.
My latest transatlantic business class redemption on TAP came to a total of €61 in taxes and charges, and it was only that high because I'm connecting at LIS rather than originating from there. UX, SK, ET are similarly attractive. Enjoy it while it lasts.
@ Throwawayname -- Sorry, I'm confused. Between the US and Europe, doesn't TAP Air Portugal charge 100K miles? Ethiopian Airlines has a better business class than Air France? Regarding Air Europa, how does one even find business class award availability on the airline? I haven't seen a long haul business class award seat to the US on the airline in eons.
Of course this is a devaluation and I'm all for calling it that, but I also think it's important to be realistic. I just don't think the claim is true that endless programs both have way better award pricing, and also have a better business class product.
- I'm not going to the USA and you don't even need a TAP account. The flights I'm taking are available for less than 80k with LifeMiles or Aeroplan vs over 100k with AF.
- Product evaluation is both subjective and route-dependent. The ET 777 is unacceptable for long haul, but so is the AF business class product to IST and RAK, from where their app advertises hot meals which they haven't served in aeons. The lounge at 2E is cute but taking buses and shuttles to connect 'within' the terminal (non-Schengen pax are sent elsewhere and have to make their way back) makes my blood boil, and so do the rodents at AMS. I like certain parts of AF but not enough to pay a huge premium to fly them.
- Air Europa have plenty of award availability for my routes- the only problem is that Eurobonus will charge me double miles so I have to ring Virgin up for redemptions.
I get that you're based in the USA but nobody's going to start evaluating AA on the basis of whether they offer good value specifically for travellers who are exclusively flying on routes involving France or the UAE so I'm not sure why anyone would do that with AF, TP etc and the US.
@ Throwawayname -- I'm curious, which routes are you flying? When you're citing how much you're paying in fees, award availability, etc., that's a helpful detail to include.
Helpfully the blog munched my comment, something that hadn't happened in a while.
Briefly, Brazil is TAP's most important transatlantic market, so, if you were going to make an assumption about my destination, that would be a lot more logical than the US- and it would be correct.
I go to other places, too- basically everywhere other than Oceania. It doesn't really matter though. AFKL surcharges are not as horrible as those of LHG and BA, and you're absolutely right to point that out, but they're worse than those of basically all other European airlines (curiously including IB!) and many/most foreign airlines that fly to Europe (e.g. AV, VN, KQ).
@ Throwawayname -- Okay, so then using Brazil to Europe as an example, Flying Blue charges as little as 85K miles with no carrier imposed surcharges. That's not bad, right? 🙂
No, that's Europe TO Brazil.
Surcharges FROM Brazil are outlawed, so my last F redemption on Lufthansa was ca. €35 in fees.
@ Throwawayname -- Right, I don't think that contradicts anything I said. So I'm just looking at TAP business availability from LIS to GRU to GIG. I see zero dates through the end of the schedule with availability through Lifemiles. Are you seeing something different?
That's bizarre, I literally bought my return last night!
Pointsyeah.com is showing me 2 business class seats available through LifeMiles on the direct LIS-GIG for 29 Aug and one via OPO on the previous day @72500+$70. A fair few seats available through Aeroplan for 80k+$84 late Aug/early Sep.
TAP have been a bit tighter with partner availability in the past, but I'm seeing quite a bit now.
@Ben,
Lounges, CX > any and all AF. I had some excellent made to order crepes compared to the two (and only two!) hot dishes I've had for breakfast at the AF Lounge in CDG. For their hub airport, their offering is quite sad.
Cabins, UA > AF. I prefer the Polaris seats over the AF seats. Yes, the AF seats are good, but Polaris bedding is better. The "comforter" is much thinner than I was expecting on AF, and personally, I rank a flush Polaris seat with any AF seat. On this topic, I can select a flush Polaris seat for free.
Food, any airline > AF. This is probably not popular, but I am not a huge fan of the food on AF. I last flew them in early July. Looking at my pictures, I don't like seafood, so virtually the whole first portion of the meal I didn't eat anything. The salad had a bit too much spinach for me. The bread was cold, but ok. I may sound like a picky eater, I just don't really like cold seafood on planes. The meat entree I had looked bad, but tasted pretty good, and similar with the dessert. Overall, I found it (in my many cases) to be overhyped and average, at best. Pre-ordering had lackluster options as well. AA has lots of misses, but their catering is usually decent, and I prefer it much more than AF. I'll even throw B6 in here, I had a great flight on them a few years ago, but haven't flown them recently, so hard for me to give an accurate assessment.
Price, AA and UA booked with Alaska/HA or LM/AC/UA. This is just me, but again I don't see the hype for AF/KLM when it comes at a high premium in tax/fees, especially when these redemptions were 50K not too long ago.
Heck, you can still book AA for 55K and the minimum in taxes/fees.
This is just for CDG, going over the whole continent of Europe brings much more competition with regards in products to/from the US. I've purposely only selected airlines that fly nonstop to CDG for this comment.
Why not? The ticket can cost $5000. I'll gladly pay 75,000 Flying Blue miles and $600 as an alternative. Maybe I'm just different with respect to finances but sub $1000 fees isn't a problem. I just deduct that from the price listed for the ticket, do the math and understand still how much value I'm getting from the miles.
What does 'the ticket can cost $5000' mean? It can cost even more than that, or a lot less. Condor are currently selling €1480 return tickets in business class flat seats on FRA-PUJ. Using your logic, we can deduct $1000 from that and be left with €624 which can be saved if one uses just 170k Flying Blue miles which in turn gives us a valuation of €0.0036 (just over a third of a cent) per mile. Sounds like a great deal, in fact it's so well-priced that they can't even afford to let you into the lounge!
I can't think of many FFPs introducing two huge devaluations in the space of a couple of years. In late 2024 I bought a ticket from SCL all the way to ATH for just 50k FB miles and it included two bags and two lots of lounge access. It looks like same ticket today is going to be ca. 106k and with a higher YQ to boot...and the worst part is that there's no guarantee of the prices not climbing even further. Do you really see that modus operandi as 'attractive'?
While I agree that E+ status is very useful across the alliance, the only sensible conclusion appears to be that keeping any sort of mileage balance in FB has become extremely risky.
@ Throwawayname -- "I can't think of many FFPs introducing two huge devaluations in the space of a couple of years." Really?! :p
Really!
I should've clarified I was only talking about redemptions. Changing earning rates and/or elite qualification criteria may take value away from a programme but it doesn't actively harm what members have already accrued.
@ Throwawayname -- Take your pick of programs. I can think of major back-to-back devaluations within that timeframe with United MileagePlus, Avianca Lifemiles, Etihad Guest, and Emirates Skywards, just to name several.
It does not look like the fees are lower for the standard ticket. $608 for light and $608 for standard.
@ Peter -- It's the Flex fares that come with reduced carrier imposed surcharges. The Light and Standard fares have the same surcharges, though Flex fares allow changes and redeposits for a fee.
Looks like tiffany funk wasnt a great pick after all lol
"we’re not going to punish you for booking the cheaper fare"
proceeds to punish you for booking the cheaper fare.
No other program has been devalued so sharply than Flying Blue. Its a very horrible redemption program now. I don't know how i will spend my remaining flying blue points but once i do I will delete my account,
"There’s A New Head Of Flying Blue, And I Couldn’t Be More Excited!"
Proceeds to nickel and dime the entire program and devalue it LOL
Seriously, the least they could do would have been to lower redemption rates for the light fares, then they could have credibly claimed to enhance value and choice for at least some members, but they're obviously not concerned about coming across as customer-friendly.
@ Throwawayname -- I'd love that too, but there just isn't a reality in 2026 where a program tied to a publicly-traded airline is going to be lowering redemption rates across the board AND preserving inventory levels.
There are always tradeoffs and balances to consider. For Flying Blue, with all things considered in this environment, I'm hopeful we've landed in the right place.
@Tiffany , you wouldn't be 'lowering redemption rates' if you moved the standard business class redemption to 105k each way - exactly as you have done- while keeping the light fare at 75k.
The light fare IS the new product, and it IS about value and choice. In fact, there's a publicly quoted airline that's recently done exactly that; none other than your main competitor! And I haven't seen anyone criticising them for 'lowering' the price of a product that they'd never previously offered (though we can all criticise them for a multitude of other things). I'm a bit surprised that I need to spell all this out to you when you've been working with an entire team of people whose job is to look at that sort of stuff.
LOL - it's disappointing. At least Scott and Mark at Air Canada would personally make statements. No statement here.
I see a response saying how wonderful pricing is for Platinums. I'm very content with the fact that my FB Gold days are in the rearview mirror so I will be leaving all that special pricing to the masochists that enjoy it!
Don’t get me wrong. I love flying blue for certain aspects but my god do I think surcharges are getting more and more expensive. I’m wondering how they are passing on surcharges for Delta domestic flights when Virgin Atlantic doesn’t charge for them. Also I feel like this reaction towards this Flying Blue change is hypocritical, considering how basically the same changes towards delta one and united Polaris were met with much more criticism
Thanks for framing this as the devaluation it is. Very disappointing changes.
You know the change is extremely bad when recognising status benefits is labeled as "good news", lol.
I also love how FB frames this as adjusting to individual travel needs. That makes so much sense - removing flexibility from a ticket that costs the same amount of miles as ticket with flexibility used to totally makes the offer more aligned with my travel needs. All I ever needed was to not be able to change/cancel ticket when my needs change.
Honestly, this is even more insane gaslighting than what they did with BOB at KLM.
Flying Blue was arguably the best FF program maybe 3-4 years ago but when you partner with every single transferrable currency, have your own credit card, and fly to the US a lot, it seems that the inevitable result is a series of increasing devaluations.
It keeps on mentioning providing the individual with what they value. But, I also would like some clarification. As a flying blue gold elite, if I book a light fare for me and two traveling companions will my traveling companions get the extra 2 bags per person and lounge access also or do I get the benefits only and we now have 2 bags for 3 people and lounge access only for me? It makes a big difference. If it is the latter it seems to be punitive towards frequent fliers wishing to holiday with their family or friends. I am relatively new to sky team elite status with flying blue but from what I understand sky team benefits only apply to the traveler and not their traveling companions.
Also, your ads keep on automatically opening on my computer and going into full screen mode. I can't take it anymore. I close the ad and it does the same thing a second time 2 seconds later. While typing this message it has happened 8 times now. The worst part is after the second time there isn't even an x to close the ad on the screen, it just keeps on going into full screen mode.
@ JC1 -- They each receive those perks of elite status, assuming you are all on the same booking.
Its a race to the bottom amongst the big European airlines. Loyalty to an airline or hotel in any form is simply not worth it any more.
Given the comparatively high cash component on these fares (especially ex-EU as opposed to ex-NA), AF is becoming less and less of a competitive option to me. Maybe this is me being an "American tourist" but I usually won't travel to EU without a check-in bag so at that point I'm relegated to the 75K price point. JFK-CDG on B6 can be had for effectively the same point cost (78K avios) with essentially negligible taxes/fees. When factoring in the cash component, isn't AF basically the most expensive way to travel East coast - EU now (without status), barring maybe EK?
@ Bhasket -- With how long haul premium cabin award availability has evolved over time (for the worse), I tend to focus less on the minimal differences in pricing between programs, and more on whether there's actually availability. After all, it's not like I typically have five different saver level award options when I'm considering a particular trip.
Yes, in your situation I'd absolutely rather do JetBlue at that price. But of course Air France and KLM have a much more comprehensive network across Europe and North America (when it comes to long haul service).
What about AF award seats booked using other airlines' miles? For example, AF economy is much cheaper booking w/ Virgin. Will they book into Standard or Lite?
@ Trey -- I just updated the post to answer that. Nothing should change if booking Air France or KLM through another program.
Hi Ben, would you be interested in doing a little blurb confirming how this impacts “non-solo” travel for Plats/Ultis? I haven’t seen that addressed anywhere yet.
This is a devaluation impacting families checked bags, grandparents access to lounges, correct?
I don’t think the graphics make that abundantly clear.
It used to be all passengers still had lounge access, or 2 checked bags. Has that changed? Thanks!
And if that’s the case, there’s no simple answer to the loss of benefits.
If booked all together, only 1 guest can enter the lounge?
But it’s not like you could only book 1 passenger Light as your guest, and then the others Standard so they can get in too? Or can you?
If not, then separate PNR’s for them as Standard would mean they can’t select free seats etc.
So some VERY complicated math for larger families now on value of bag fees, lounge access? In addition to ambiguity in the graphic.
I’m getting ahead of myself. Have I missed anything or is this just now all much more complicated for families?
I’m sorry, the more I look at it I’m seeing extra.
Lounge access is now included “per passenger” with Platinum status?
But has the number of checked bags changed? The wording there is slightly more complicated. 1 bag for everyone now, but the Plat member gets 3 total?
@ loess-combers -- I just updated the post to reflect that. If you're an elite member, everyone traveling on the same reservation gets the same perks, including for lounge access, checked bags, free ticket changes, etc.
Thanks Ben! That makes sense.
If I asked one more it would be… these “perks” are dynamic now? If your status goes up or down inbetween booking and flying, these perks come and go also?
Or if booked while Platinum, they are locked in?
@ loess-combers -- If your status is downgraded before you travel, you would no longer receive those elevated perks, as I understand it.
Actually i think not I had experience on return leg from Vie as sky team elite plus. they mentioned that only one on the same ticket with status has the free bag. When mentioned that we did not have any issue otw there the call to supervisor changed that Meanwhile when iwas googling it the Ai have me the answer that it is not always guaranteed.
The biggest advantage of having some sort of elite status at a European airline is basically the perks you get when flying, like added luggage, fast track and lounge access. Because the points themselves are sort of pointless (no pun intended) by now. I'm part of programs in the three major alliances and share about one million points between the accounts, but there's been no way to redeem them with award flights that make sense with any of these programs for well over a year now. If there's even award flights available in the first place, then I'm not going to use 30000 points on a redemption ticket that costs more in fees than a normal revenue ticket would cost. It basically prices the points in the negative values, a liability instead of an asset.
So it makes perfect sense that people in Europe just want to cut the crap and fly Ryanair and Wizzair and not contribute to such loyalty 'incentives' anymore.
Ben, I disagree with your swipe at M&M. FB is basically copying the changes that Miles & More introduced roughly a year ago. I think the comparative usefulness of these programs very much depends on your travel patterns. I never found Flying Blue a particularly useful program because I have rarely found decent award availability at acceptable prices for the flights that I was interested in (ie excluding Business class tickets for 600,000 miles). M&M has gone downhill in recent years, but still has better award availability than FB imho.
@ CSP18 -- You're absolutely right that travel patterns of course matter. You're also right that Lufthansa has more saver level award availability than Flying Blue, I think that's hard to dispute.
What I struggle with for Miles & More is the surcharges. Best I can tell, a one-way business class award from JFK to FRA currently has $1,425 in carrier imposed surcharges. To me that's very different than $340 in surcharges. And that says nothing of the very high fees to cancel. That pricing is so high that I wouldn't even consider booking it.
Surcharges with United for North America - Europe in business class can be as low as $70, while Flying Blue is over $500, which is awful. Quit making the argument this is good news because you are Platinum and your friend now leads Flying Blue.
@ Jd -- United MileagePlus has zero surcharges, just taxes & fees. And nowhere did I make the argument that these changes are good news, so I'm not sure what you're reading? This is a devaluation...
Yes, that is a particular problem of flights from and to North America and think that these surcharges are outrageous. For flights from Europe to other continents, surcharges are still high, but largely in line with what you would pay in other European programs as well. Lufthansa recently also increased changing and cancellation fees across the board (including for revenue tickets), and these changes are tough and significantly reduce the value proposition of these fares. But you can avoid the change and cancellation fees by booking a flex ticket (and it seems that the mileage surcharge for such tickets is often reasonable, just a few thousand miles). However, there is a quirk in the booking system. If you do not specifically search for Business class availability, it will still show you business class prices, but not all of the available fare options.
If we're being honest, KLM's lounges aren't worth accessing anyways.
I think Flying Blue is continuing to be very smart about their changes and making sure to 1. reward loyalty and frequent flyers 2. not making things too complicated to understand 3. going out of their way not to loose frequent flyers the way British Airways, Lufthansa or even a United have in terms of steering spend their way.
It's currently the only frequent flyer program I actually pay attention to because I feel spend on their airlines makes sense. For every other airline I've gone free agent because they went the opposite route.