In September 2023, Air France-KLM & Etihad Airways announced plans to expand their partnership. There’s now a major update, as both airline groups have rolled out frequent flyer reciprocity, giving flyers the opportunity to earn and redeem miles for travel on the other airline group. This has major implications for passengers.
In this post:
Air France-KLM & Etihad launch new customer initiatives
Air France-KLM and Etihad have had a partnership dating back to 2012, though it historically hasn’t been that close. It included an interline agreement plus a limited codeshare arrangement, but that has now been expanded.
The carriers are enhancing collaboration opportunities across passenger operations, loyalty programs, talent development, and maintenance. This expanded partnership includes the following:
- The codeshare agreement between the airlines has been expanded significantly, to cover 40 new routes across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Australia
- We’ve now seen the introduction of frequent flyer reciprocity for Air France-KLM Flying Blue members and Etihad Guest members, allowing members of both programs to earn and redeem miles on Air France, KLM, and Etihad
- The airlines are also exploring terminal co-location, reciprocal lounge access and ground handling, and more; we’re told that this development will be coming soon
Etihad currently flies to both Amsterdam (AMS) and Paris (CDG), and as of October 2023, Air France started flying to Abu Dhabi (AUH).
Details of Air France-KLM & Etihad frequent flyer reciprocity
If you ask me, the most exciting aspect of this expanded partnership is frequent flyer reciprocity, and we now have the details of what that will look like.
When it comes to earning miles, Etihad Guest members can earn the following number of miles for travel on Air France:
Meanwhile Etihad Guest members can earn the following number of miles on KLM:
When it comes to redeeming Etihad Guest miles, redemptions on Air France-KLM will follow the standard partner award chart:
Air France-KLM Flying Blue members can earn the following number of miles on Etihad (though can’t earn XPs, which is what you need to earn status):
The real value with this partnership is the ability to redeem Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for travel on Etihad, and I’ll cover that in more detail in a separate post, since I’m excited about this opportunity.
This expanded partnership is great for passengers
Often there are concerns about what new partnerships mean for passengers. I’d say this partnership is entirely good news for frequent flyers.
My concern with airline partnerships is when we see joint ventures, where airlines coordinate fares and schedules, and it’s the equivalent of a competitor in a market being eliminated. That’s not the case here. Instead we’re seeing a codeshare agreement and more reciprocity, all of which is good for frequent flyers.
For Etihad, this is positive in terms of more connectivity beyond Amsterdam and Paris. For Air France-KLM, this is good in terms of being able to get passengers to long haul destinations that the airline doesn’t directly serve. Passengers could fly Air France to Abu Dhabi, and then connect onto an Etihad flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Sydney, etc.
It’s always fascinating to see how partnership with Gulf carriers evolve over time. The major US and European global carriers obviously view the Gulf carriers as being major competition, given their extensive networks. However, at some point you realize that you’re better off working with them rather than against them.
I mean, at this point American has a strategic alliance with Qatar Airways, Air Canada and United have a partnership with Emirates, Qatar Airways owns a major stake in IAG (the parent company of British Airways), etc. In fairness, Air France-KLM was never the most anti-Gulf company out there, as the airline group has partnered with Etihad for over a decade now.
Bottom line
Air France-KLM and Etihad have expanded their partnership. In addition to increasing their codeshare agreement, the carriers have introduced frequent flyer reciprocity, and even plan to co-locate in terminals and offer reciprocal lounge access.
This is a great development, and it’s awesome to have another opportunity for redeeming Etihad awards.
What do you make of the new Air France-KLM and Etihad partnership?
I’ve been saying this for awhile now. The writing is on the wall that Etihad and Emirates will eventually join an alliance. With Qatar already in One World the natural progression (as we are seeing) is for Etihad to join SkyTeam and Emirates to join Star Alliance.
I can definitely see LH and TK being super unhappy about EK joining *A. Don't think it will happen tbh.
LH doesn't have much to worry about, as it's part of Star's TATL j/v; so its partners will almost always prioritize it over EK for traffic from the Americas and onward, because of revenue sharing split between them.
TK on the other hand, is not so well positioned, should EK join.
As of this morning, Air France is not listed among the programs available to credit flight miles on my April EY flight.
For those looking to use Flying Blue on Etihad business; rates are higher than AF and taxes (already high with AF) are almost twice...YIKES! (For reference, I was checking SE Asia to Europe flights, where there is availability. However this may be due to the need for a stop in AUH whereas the AF flight is direct).
Etihad has significantly changed its business model and is acting as a much more viable business esp. in light of very intense competition and airline growth within the Middle East, addition of new carriers, and growth of carriers in major destination countries such as India.
Comparing what the US 3 or even their alliances objected to 10 years is not reflective of where the industry is now.
Etihad is becoming a very strong, rational competitor.
Does this mean that Flying Blue members can earn XP on Etihad flights? Or maybe that’s in the works with the reciprocal lounge access, etc.?
No news on that one yet, but I think it's unlikely. AFKL are cancelling XP earnings for all non-alliance partners from April onwards.
not true at all - you can still earn XP as long as you book on the AF or KL websites, even with non-alliance partners
Are the gulf carriers finally joining alliances? Emirates is so much inclined to the Star Alliance group and now Etihad with the SkyTeam Alliance. Maybe in the foreseeable future we could see a Delta flight to AUH.
Redeem AF points for Etihad first class. BUT, can't redeem Etihad points for AF first class? So typically French.
I will withhold my excitement until it is clear what the FlyingBlue redemption rates are going to be for Etihad flights.
I hope it's not a debacle like Aeroplan's redemption rates for Emirates flights, which are eye-wateringly high!
So far so good~ time will tell!
FlyingBlue Rates on partners are consistently bad, notably compared to an AF/KLM redemption and especially compared to other programmes. This becomes even worse with non alliance partners like JAL, Qantas and Westjet. I wouldn't hold your breath.
With Qatar Airways in Oneworld, Etihad should join SkyTeam and Emirates should join Star Alliance.
That's exactly what's happening.
That's exactly what's happening.
Based on what?
Why should Turkish let Emirates into Star?
Unless something's changed, Star does not allow total veto power to a single member, in the way that OneWorld apparently does.
Thai (a founding member) tried their best to keep Singapore out, but were overridden.
I’ve been wondering where to credit my upcoming EY flight miles. Air France is my go-to airline for US-EU flights, so this would be great.
Will this mean EY and LH group will cut their (very limited) partnership?
Wonder if we'll see Etihad or Emirates join Star Alliance / SkyTeam
Emirates has always given a hard "no" to the question of alliances, whenever asked, including post-Covid.
But as with all things in the aviation industry, that could be subject to change as soon as it's convenient to do so.
Exactly. AS is a great example of your comment.
I wonder if this makes it more likely that Delta will try to poach Etihad from American (shouldn't be too hard, as the latter has a "strategic alliance" with Qatar, but only a few codeshares with EY).
IMO, this makes it more likely.
It honestly wouldn't surprise me that much if SkyTeam ends up with at least three of four from Saudia, RIA, Etihad, and El Al (and it could well be Saudia leaving: if RIA is the foreign connector and Saudia primarily for hajj, it makes more sense for RIA to be in an alliance).
this is definitely worth watching. EY is a higher quality airline in many respects than the other big 4 - including TK- even if much smaller.
A further test will be if DL shows any interest in showing the fun as a means to return to the Arab ME along w/ VS
Definitely, with Etihad starting to fly to Boston a codeshare with Delta/Skyteam would be a great combo!
The real issue is the ME3's access to India. DL says it will return to India but didn't have the right aircraft. It receives 7 new A350s in the next year, all of which should be the highest performance models and also potentially w/ a larger business class cabin and fewer overall seats which would increase their range and revenue generating abililty.
SQ uses the A350-900ULR from JFK/EWR to SIN and overflies India in...
The real issue is the ME3's access to India. DL says it will return to India but didn't have the right aircraft. It receives 7 new A350s in the next year, all of which should be the highest performance models and also potentially w/ a larger business class cabin and fewer overall seats which would increase their range and revenue generating abililty.
SQ uses the A350-900ULR from JFK/EWR to SIN and overflies India in the process, although crossing Iran - which US carriers are not allowed to do - and also with far fewer seats than DL would have on any A350.
Some may remember right after the MS flight was shot down over Ukraine that DL routed its then operating flight to BOM over the Middle East so the 777LR took the route that the A350 would now have to take to serve BOM if DL chooses to serve the region.
India is a growing market; AF/KL and VS all serve it and DL carries alot of passengers via its JVs on all or part of the routes.
DL flew ATL-DXB pre-covid but has not returned to the Arab Middle East. AUH could be a way to do so.
QR and TK serve ATL and EY's contribution would be to serve markets the coasts while DL serves ATL.
It is all possible. DL, like AF and KL have to decide if it is worth it.
AF already flies to HCMC/SGN…
And funnier still: Etihad does not. :)
Things are looking up for Etihad with new partnerships, A380 revival, Midfield and a genuine effort to release award space to frequent fliers.
Contrast that with the contempt Qatar has for its passengers on the ground (lounge access, JFK/PHL cancellations and lack of reaccommidations, zero frequent flier availability and overall poor ground service).
Future looks bright for Etihad!
Doesn't AA also partner with Eitihad? Further pushing your argument of if you can't beat them, join them.
This is such a cool partnership, can't wait to redeem Flyingblue miles on Etihad!