Air France/KLM Flying Blue Adds Free Stopovers

Last fall, it was announced that Air France/KLM Flying Blue members would soon beryllium capable to adhd a escaped stopover connected grant bookings. Four months ago, the programme made an authoritative announcement connected its website astir the stopover program; however, immoderate members person reported issues with booking stopovers, particularly with spouse airlines.

It appears that the stopover feature, including with spouse airlines, is present confirmed to beryllium live, arsenic the caput of Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Ben Lipsey, has posted details connected FlyerTalk. 

Few loyalty programs connection specified a benefit, and successful the caller past, much programs person taken this diagnostic distant alternatively than adhd it. In fact, Flying Blue present has 1 of the astir generous stopover policies, allowing members to enactment for up to a twelvemonth astatine nary other cost!

Free Stopovers connected Air France/KLM Flying Blue Redemptions

You tin present publication stopovers of betwixt 24 hours and 1 twelvemonth connected reward bookings made with Flying Blue miles. There is nary further outgo successful miles oregon currency to adhd a stopover, which is simply a large deal.

For the clip being, each stopovers indispensable beryllium booked implicit the telephone with the telephone centre, but hopefully the quality to publication online volition beryllium rolled retired successful the future. 

Last fall, erstwhile the archetypal announcement astir stopovers was revealed, it was suggested that the diagnostic would lone beryllium disposable connected flights operated by Air France oregon KLM. However, successful the FAQ section, it states that stopovers whitethorn beryllium added with Air France, KLM, oregon spouse airlines, which means that immoderate spouse hose of Flying Blue is eligible.

With this development, Flying Blue joins the ranks of different large loyalty programs that connection stopovers connected grant bookings, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.

Free stopovers of up to 1 twelvemonth are present disposable connected Flying Blue redemptions

For North Americans, this means that the earthy stopover points volition beryllium Paris and Amsterdam, the 2 hub cities for the airlines. However, stopovers volition besides beryllium imaginable connected the airlines’ “fifth freedom” routes.

For example, if you’re readying a travel to Europe, you tin alert from Washington to Amsterdam, enactment for up to a year, and past proceed onward to different destination successful Europe, specified arsenic Prague, astatine nary further cost. In system class, this could outgo arsenic fewer arsenic 12,750 Flying Blue miles, which is an unthinkable deal.

With Air France, you could alert from New York to Paris, stopover for a while, and past proceed onward to Budapest for arsenic fewer arsenic 15,000 Flying Blue miles successful economy.

Similarly, you tin interruption up 2 long-haul flights with a stopover successful Europe. For example, you could alert from Edmonton to Amsterdam, stopover for a fewer days oregon a fewer months, and past caput onwards to Nairobi astatine nary further cost.

The stopover enactment besides extends to concern people redemptions. If you’re capable to find pricing astatine the little extremity of the dynamic range, you tin question successful comfortableness connected some long- and short-haul flights without paying thing extra.

It gets adjacent much absorbing erstwhile you see immoderate of the different possibilities by leveraging Air France and KLM’s 5th state routes.

You could alert from Paris to Singapore with Air France, bask a stopover, and past proceed onwards to Bali connected KLM’s 5th state route.

Similarly, you could alert from Amsterdam to Miami with KLM, program a stopover for up to a year, and past proceed onwards to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe with Air France.

The possibilities are many, and it’s large to spot a programme adding much worth alternatively of taking it away. This is particularly the lawsuit arsenic we’ve seen truthful galore programme devaluations successful the precise caller past.

The Latest of Many Flying Blue Changes

Air France/KLM Flying Blue is becoming rather a contender amongst fashionable loyalty programs. In the caller past, we’ve seen galore developments that person taken the programme from an afterthought to 1 that’s so worthy of attention.

Flying Blue burst onto the country erstwhile it became the latest transportation partner for American Express Membership Rewards in August 2021. This paved the mode for casual entree to earning Flying Blue miles, albeit with a less-than-ideal Canadian transportation ratio of 1:0.75.

We’ve besides seen a 25% transportation bonus from Amex US Membership Rewards, which was successful summation to the overmuch amended 1:1 transportation ratio enjoyed southbound of the border.

Flying Blue has go a much charismatic programme successful the past mates of years

The monthly Promo Rewards tin connection exceptional worth for long-haul flights betwixt North America and Europe. There are adjacent immoderate months wherever determination are discounts connected concern people grant pricing, specified arsenic flights from Montreal to Paris for arsenic fewer arsenic 27,500 miles. 

In October 2022, Brim Financial released the Air France KLM Flying Blue World Elite Mastercard, the archetypal Canadian recognition paper with which you tin gain Flying Blue miles connected your regular spending.

While the deficiency of a invited bonus made the debut onshore with a spot of a thud, it’s wholly imaginable that we could spot a amended connection successful the adjacent future. In fact, successful the United States, the Bank of America offers the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard with a invited bonus of 50,000 Flying Blue miles, truthful hopefully thing akin comes to Canada.

It’s worthy noting that Air France and KLM person implemented beforehand spot enactment fees for concern people passengers, which is simply a antagonistic development. As of April 4, 2023, passengers booked connected long-haul flights with Air France oregon KLM indispensable wage €70–90 to prime a spot anterior to check-in. 

Conclusion

Free stopovers of up to a twelvemonth are present a diagnostic of Air France/KLM Flying Blue rewards. You’ll person to telephone the interaction centre to adhd 1 to your booking, which is simply a spot of an inconvenience, but astatine slightest it comes without immoderate other charges successful miles oregon cash.

This improvement further adds worth to the predominant flyer program, and is simply a large mode to spot aggregate cities connected the aforesaid trip.

The station Air France/KLM Flying Blue Adds Free Stopovers appeared archetypal connected Prince of Travel by T.J. Dunn.