Ouch: Flying Blue Makes Earning XPs Through SAF 50% More Expensive

The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program has just rolled out a quiet devaluation, and it’s one that many savvy Flying Blue members won’t be happy about. The airline group has increased the cost to contribute toward sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and in turn, has reduced the ability to earn elite status through this method. And we’re not talking about a minor price increase either…

Offsetting Air France-KLM flights now more expensive

Personally I consider Air France-KLM Flying Blue elite status to be valuable, not just for the SkyTeam Elite Plus perks, but also for the more Air France- KLM specific benefits, like access to more award availability.

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Earning Flying Blue elite status is based on the concept of XPs (“experience points”), and how many of those you rack up. One really innovative thing that Flying Blue has done is that it has been possible to earn XPs through environmental contributions:

• You can earn one XP per 2,000 miles contributed toward a variety of environmental projects
• You can buy sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to offset the emissions from your flight, and up until now, it has been possible to earn one XP per €10 contributed toward this

As I see it, this is a win-win — this program can genuinely help you earn status, while doing something that’s good for the environment, and also contributing to Air France-KLM’s long term environmental goals.

Well, seemingly overnight, Flying Blue has increased the cost to purchase SAF, and in turn, earn XPs. With these changes, you earn one XP for every €15 contributed toward SAF, compared to the previous amount of €10.

A 50% overnight increase is rough. It gets even worse than that, though. There’s no longer any “rounding” with this, so for short haul economy flights you might find that you’re not offered any XPs if the contribution amount is €14, and you’re offered one XP if the amount is €28.

Flying Blue status is getting more useful, but only punitively

The past year or so has definitely been rough for the overall value of the Flying Blue program, including for elite members:

• Flying Blue Platinum members can no longer assign the front row business class suites at no extra cost, but instead, have to pay for them
• We saw a significant devaluation to Flying Blue miles, whereby the introduction of “Light” fares essentially means that customers have to pay more to get the same inclusions
• We’ve seen the cost of La Premiere first class awards increase massively, even though they’re limited to Platinum members and above
• Now we’re seeing the cost to earn XPs through SAF increased by 50% overnight

This is of course all frustrating, though I guess the other side of the equation is that Flying Blue Platinum status has become more valuable over time, but primarily through punitive measures:

• Flying Blue Platinum members get access to more long haul business class award space, which is useful, given how much worse saver level award availability has otherwise become
• Flying Blue Platinum members are largely spared from the latest devaluation, since they can still book “Light” award tickets, while having flexibility, getting lounge access, and more

How do we make sense of increasing the cost to contribute to SAF, and in turn, earn XPs? I wonder if Flying Blue management thinks that people will still buy SAF at the same rate as before? I know I certainly won’t, though maybe I’m in the minority (I’ll instead increasingly earn XPs through Flying Blue’s co-branded credit card in the US, since that opportunity was recently improved).

For that matter, I’m curious to what extent the number of people buying SAF matters to Air France-KLM? Does this materially contribute to any environmental initiatives, or is it not a priority?

I still get value from my Flying Blue Platinum status, and don’t have plans to change my strategy. Honestly, that partly comes down to how hard it has become to find award availability in business class on long haul flights through other programs.

But I’m definitely slowly becoming less enthused by the program. Then again, I guess that sums up the reality of miles & points more broadly — this isn’t what it once was, and it’s getting harder and harder to make the case for being loyal. It’s no different than World of Hyatt, where they’re clearly trying to cash in. I guess that is the goal of any for-profit business, eh?

Bottom line

Flying Blue has just devalued the rate at which you earn XPs for SAF contributions. You used to earn one XP for every €10 contributed, while you now earn one XP for every €15 contributed. A 50% increase in cost overnight is huge.

I always thought this was a unique aspect of the Flying Blue program, since it’s a win-win for consumers, the airline group, and the environment. Obviously they’ve decided on a different equation now, and for us members, this isn’t good news.

What do you make of this change to Flying Blue when it comes to earning XPs for SAF?