There can be lots of value to having airline elite status, though it goes without saying that not all elite status levels are created equal. In this post I wanted to take a closer look at Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue Ultimate elite status.
I’ve written about Flying Blue elite status — particularly Platinum and Gold status — and in this post wanted to focus on the highest tier. While this is a published elite tier, it’s very exclusive, and the requirements are way beyond what you’d otherwise need for status.
Each of the “big three” airline groups in Europe has such a status — Lufthansa Miles & More has HON Circle status, while British Airways Executive Club has Gold Guest List status.
In this post:
How do you earn Flying Blue Ultimate status?
Flying Blue uses “XP” (which stands for “experience points”) as the metric for earning status. For the three main elite tiers, the requirements are as follows (in each case when you earn a membership tier, your 12-month qualification clock resets for the next tier):
- 100 XPs gets you Flying Blue Silver status
- You then need 180 additional XPs to earn Flying Blue Gold status
- You then need 300 additional XPs to earn Flying Blue Platinum status
Flying Blue Ultimate status, by comparison, has much higher elite requirements:
- Flying Blue Ultimate status requires earning 900 UXPs, so that means the requirements are three times as high as qualifying for Platinum status
- Not only that, but Ultimate status is based on earning UXPs and not XPs; UXPs are earned exclusively for travel on flights marketed by Air France and KLM, and not for travel marketed by partner airlines (otherwise you can qualify for Flying Blue status based exclusively on travel with partner airlines)
- For what it’s worth, the XPs earned by buying sustainable aviation fuel in conjunction with Air France-KLM itineraries do qualify as UXPs as well, so would count toward Ultimate status
As you can see, Ultimate status is way, way, way harder to earn. It has triple the requirements of Platinum status, plus only travel on Air France and KLM counts toward it.
For context, below is the rate at which you ordinarily earn XPs.
So just as an example, earning 900 UXPs would require:
- Nine roundtrip first class tickets annually on long haul flights (up to 5,000 miles)
- 15 roundtrip business class tickets annually on long haul flights (up to 5,000 miles)
- 90 roundtrip economy tickets annually on short haul flights (up to 2,000 miles)
What are the perks of Flying Blue Ultimate status?
What benefits do you receive for having Flying Blue Ultimate status, above and beyond Flying Blue Platinum status (which gets you SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits, and more)?
- An Ultimate Assistant, who can help you with making all of your travel plans, and assisting with any operational issues
- Four upgrade vouchers per year, valid on revenue or award tickets; you need one voucher to go from economy to business on a short haul flight or from economy to premium economy on a long haul flight, and two vouchers to go from economy to business on a long haul flight (skipping premium economy)
- Free Wi-Fi onboard Air France-KLM flights, with no data caps
- The ability to nominate a companion to Flying Blue Platinum status
- The ability to make same day flight changes to other nonstop flights in the same market, including for long haul itineraries (assuming there’s more than one daily frequency)
- The ability to take up to eight guests into Air France and KLM business class lounges
- More personalized service at airports, including an exclusive check-in facility, an exclusive area in most lounges, pre-boarding on demand, and fast track immigration upon arrival (where allowed by law)
- If flying in La Premiere first class, you can bring two guests into the lounge, rather than the typical one
- A blocked adjacent seat whenever possible (this isn’t a guarantee, but the airline will make an effort)
- The ability to overdraft a mileage balance; you can redeem for an award up to 20% more than your current mileage balance, up to 100,000 miles
- Hertz Platinum status
There’s no doubt that a large part of the value with Flying Blue Ultimate status is better “soft” treatment from staff. From check-in agents, to lounge agents, to flight attendants, you can expect that you’ll get more attention.
As you can see, Flying Blue Ultimate status doesn’t actually get you access to a better lounge. Rather, you can bring more guests into the lounges that you have access to. Furthermore, you’ll find that just about every Air France and KLM lounge has a roped off area for Flying Blue Ultimate members.
How does this status compare to British Airways & Lufthansa?
How do the perks of Air France-KLM Flying Blue Ultimate status compare to the perks of Lufthansa Miles & More HON Circle status and British Airways Executive Club Gold Guest List status? I’d say there’s one biggest point of differentiation:
- The biggest perk of Lufthansa HON Circle status is that you get access to Lufthansa First Class Lounges and SWISS First Class Lounges, regardless of which cabin or route you’re flying
- The biggest perk of British Airways Gold Guest List status is that you get access to “true” first class lounges, like the British Airways Concorde Room London, the Chelsea Lounge New York, etc.
So I do think that probably makes HON Circle and Gold Guest List status more compelling in terms of the incremental perks offered. At the same time, I understand why this difference exists:
- Air France tries to make its first class product exclusive in a way you won’t find at the other airlines, so it’s not surprising that Ultimate members don’t get access to the Air France La Premiere Lounge; conversely, alcohol selection aside, I find the British Airways Concorde Room to not even be as good as some of the world’s best business class lounges
- Flying Air France is actually pleasant for the most part, and the carrier has phenomenal products in A350 business class and 777 business class; meanwhile on Lufthansa, you have to put up with a pretty lousy product to earn that status
What I’m impressed by is that Flying Blue keeps improving the Ultimate status. For example, in recent times we’ve seen the addition of free Wi-Fi, same day flight changes, and the ability to use upgrade vouchers on award tickets. I appreciate the direction the program is headed, and hopefully that trend continues.
Bottom line
Flying Blue Ultimate is the top tier elite status in the Air France-KLM program. This has triple the requirements of Platinum status, plus only allows you to qualify based on flying with Air France and KLM.
Flying Blue Ultimate members can expect special treatment throughout their journey, from special check-in, to exclusive seating in lounges, to pre-boarding on demand, and more. On top of that, Ultimate members receive Platinum status for a companion, and Hertz Platinum status, as well as free Wi-Fi, same day flight changes, and much more.
Are any OMAAT readers Flying Blue Ultimate members? If so, what has your experience been with the status?
If I read this right, you can buy 900 XP buy buying SAF on several award flights? (I am already a Platinum.)
The total cost would be around $9000? And you wouldn't have to fly on any paid flights?
I hope the 'ultimate assistant' is also a psychologist, as I can imagine having to fly with AF and via CDG dozens of times a year (if the flight even commences and isn't cancelled due to strikes or collapsing terminals) will cause some mental harm.
I've been on LH First, and the lounge in FRA is fun, but not worth investing a six digit number annually to get in as HON. The biggest step...
I hope the 'ultimate assistant' is also a psychologist, as I can imagine having to fly with AF and via CDG dozens of times a year (if the flight even commences and isn't cancelled due to strikes or collapsing terminals) will cause some mental harm.
I've been on LH First, and the lounge in FRA is fun, but not worth investing a six digit number annually to get in as HON. The biggest step is getting to gold level, when some proper perks get introduced. My experiences with 'soft' perks are that they get easily 'forgotten' if it doesn't suit the local airline employee - and that goes for all three alliances. Especially 'priority luggage' and 'priority boarding' at non-hubs are just a disaster. If I'd facepalmed every time that went wrong, I'd have decapitated myself by now. So, no, no interest nor incentive here to go for that super star status. Especially not on AF.
Apparently, you haven't flown AF for a long time. Strikes are a thing of the past... especially compared with LH. Your comment is clearly ignorant and biased at best.
As to the Airport... I find all big hubs difficult to navigate and I don't find CDG to be worse than the others. If you are flying with AF or Skyteam partners, they are all in the same terminals so I find it easy. If you are connecting to a non-partner airline that can be a nightmare.
There’s one inofficial list/status at AF that gets you entry to La Première lounge in CDG regardless the class of flight, there are around 300 people on the “list”. Source: La Première lounge manager when she saw my HON status on my flight with LG after AF F, asking why I don’t have status with AF, while having HON with LH
It's well known and it's called HIPP (for hippocampe) status.
Invitation only and does not target very frequent flyers like Ultimate does.
The thing about the product is a bit swings and roundabouts - AF premium economy or KL short haul business isn't my definition of 'pleasant', whereas LH long haul business can be avoided by purchasing a keenly-priced F ticket which wouldn't be possible with La Première.
@ben Ultimate flyers actually do get access to different lounges. At CDG, Air France maintains functionally separate and private rooms (generally connected to the main lounge) for Ultimate (and First Class passengers). These private rooms are fairly large and are catered differently (with an a la carte menu and different alcohol as well). This is only the case in some terminals, as in others it's just a roped off area (though there's a la carte...
@ben Ultimate flyers actually do get access to different lounges. At CDG, Air France maintains functionally separate and private rooms (generally connected to the main lounge) for Ultimate (and First Class passengers). These private rooms are fairly large and are catered differently (with an a la carte menu and different alcohol as well). This is only the case in some terminals, as in others it's just a roped off area (though there's a la carte even in lounges with just a roped off area). Happy to send photos of these lounges if curious!
Flying a lot intra-europe on Lufthansa group recently, being driven to and from the lounges as HON when there’s a bus gate seems like the biggest perk to me. Those drives are looong.
Also collecting ducks would be cool.
There are also two other exclusive tiers: Club 2000 and Hippocampe which are by invitation only.
My understanding is that HIPP is replacing club 2000?
So from what I read is that HIPP is given to CEO‘s of important companies. With HIPP they are enjoying first class services including first class lounge access. (Presumably, they’re flying First Class and Private Jet anyway)
Club 2000 had been like BA Premier but its ranks grew too large. Rather than disaffect those members by culling the herd, they kept it and watered down its benefits. They then created Hippocampe (with very limited membership), which is where the super-duper service is experience. Ask a ground agent or flight attendant about Ultimate or 2000 and you'll get a blank stare.