pointstopictures Flying Blue is the loyalty program for Air France, KLM, and other airlines in the SkyTeam alliance. The Flying Blue program has four tiers—Explorer, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—these are determined by earning XP (Experience Points) from flights. Flying blue can be very valuable for flights to Europe. It is especially valuable if you can book one of their Promo Awards like the one below.
Unfortunately, the miles have 24-month validity policy, which resets with qualifying activity. The official Terms and Conditions say “The validity of all Miles shall be extended by two (2) years after an Overall Extending Activity, therefore Miles will expire two (2) years after the last Overall Extending Activity date.” But the policy is anything but straightforward.
How to Keep Your Flying Blue Miles From Expiring
Flying Blue miles have a two-year expiration policy, but you can extend their validity through qualifying activities. Unfortunately, it can be quiet complex to keep track of the expiration dates. Flying Blue does not have just one expiration date but two. There are two types of activities: Overall Qualifying and Partial Extending. Here’s how each works:
Overall Qualifying Activity for Flying Blue
This resets the expiration for all your miles (regardless of how they were earned) for two years. Qualifying actions are:
- Taking a flight with Air France, KLM, or SkyTeam partners like Delta or Kenya Airways.
- Making a purchase with a Flying Blue co-branded credit card.
- Holding Flying Blue Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Ultimate status.
For U.S.-based travelers, this is easy. You can simply take a Delta flight and credit it to your Flying Blue account. This will extend the validity of all miles by two years.
Partial Extending Activity
This applies only to miles earned through non-flight partners (e.g., car rentals, hotels, or experiences). Any new activity with Flying Blue partners extends the validity of these partner-earned miles by two years. This extension does not apply to miles earned from flights with Air France, KLM, or SkyTeam airlines.
Example: Booking a hotel with a Flying Blue partner will reset the clock for miles. These miles are earned from hotels, car rentals, and experiences. Unfortunately, it won’t affect miles earned from flights.
When it comes to Air France Flying Blue, be careful mixing flight and credit card miles
Flying Blue has a tricky system for extending the validity of your miles. This is especially true if you’re using a mix of flight miles and credit card miles. Here’s the catch: Flying Blue treats “flight miles” and “credit card miles” differently. Mixing the two can have big consequences.
If all your miles come from a credit card transfer, like Amex or Chase, you can extend their expiration. Simply transfer more miles. However, if you credit miles from a flight to your account, all the miles in your account become “flight miles.” For example, this includes miles from a Delta flight, as well as those from credit card transfers. Here’s the problem: once your miles are reclassified as flight miles, you can’t extend them anymore. Transferring credit card points no longer works. You must now rely on flying. Alternatively, use a co-branded Air France Flying Blue credit card to prevent your miles from expiring.
As you will see below, transferring points from Amex does not extend the validity of miles.
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To avoid this, be strategic:
- Don’t mix miles types: If you plan to keep extending your miles through credit card transfers, do not add flight miles to your Air France Flying Blue account. This is easier said than done. Only real way to do this is if you only spend from this account and never credit any flight miles to it. Even if you redeem points for an award flight and buy extras such as seats or extra bags, you will receive Flying Blue points into your account. Unlike the US carriers, KLM/Air France gives you miles for all expenses, not only the flight portion of your ticket.
- Keep your co-branded card active: If you use an Air France/KLM credit card, make at least one small purchase every two years. This will keep your miles alive.
- Monitor your expiration dates: Use tools like AwardWallet or set reminders to avoid surprises.
Flying Blue’s system can be confusing. However, with a little planning, you can make the most of your miles. You can also avoid any unpleasant expiration surprises.
Summary
Flying Blue Miles can be incredibly valuable. Still, it is somewhat annoying trying to keep track of the expiration dates. Check your Air France Flying Blue account carefully and make a note when the miles expire. If you have the Air France/KLM credit card, your miles are safe. If you don’t, credit a flight to your account at least once every two years. Alternatively, transfer some points from credit cards regularly.
