Flying Blue

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM. In June 2005, the frequent flyer programs of Air France (Fréquence plus) and KLM (Flying Dutchman) were combined to the Flying Blue program after the two companies merged into a single airline. Apart from KLM and Air France, Flying Blue is also the frequent-flyer scheme of various carriers which used to share Air France's "Fréquence plus" or KLM's "Flying Dutchman" schemes, e.g. Kenya Airways (partly owned by KLM), Aircalin (partly owned by Air France), etc. On June 15, 2007 it also became the loyalty scheme of Air Europa as the company was moving towards becoming an associate member of SkyTeam sponsored by Air France (associate members have to abandon their own frequent flyer program and adopt that of the sponsoring carrier). Flying Blue members can earn and spend mileage points on flights and services of Air France-KLM, other companies of the SkyTeam airline alliance and assorted other financial, travel, and transportation companies.

Airline Partners of Flying Blue

kyteam Member Airlines

* Air France
* KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines)
* Alitalia
* Korean Air
* Aeroflot
* AeroMexico
* Czech Airlines
* Continental Airlines
* Northwest Airlines
* Delta Air Lines
* China Southern Airlines
* Kenya Airways
* Air Europa
* Copa

Other Airline Partners

* Alaska Airlines
* Aircalin
* Airlinair
* Avianca
* Bangkok Airways (redemption only)
* CityJet
* CCM Airlines
* Comair Limited
* Japan Airlines
* Jet Airways
* Kingfisher Airlines
* Malaysia Airlines
* MALEV Hungarian Airlines
* Middle East Airlines
* Qantas (redemption only)
* TAAG Angola Airlines
* TAM
* Twin Jet
* Ukraine International Airlines

ervice and Support for Members

Flying Blue is supported by the respective web sites on www.airfrance.com and www.klm.com and to a greater extent through the dedicated Flying Blue Service Centres located around the world. For instance, the European office is in Ivry-sur-Seine, France, while the service centre for North America, South America and the Caribbean is in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada. Flyers may call the service center (toll free from the US) or contact directly via internet to sign up as a member, update member accounts to claim miles for trips flown and spend miles on carriers in the Skyteam Alliance. Service Center in Kitchener, Ontario is 1 800 375 8723.

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Members of the Flying Blue program can gain Level Miles and Award Miles.

Level and Award Miles

Flying Blue contains four membership levels – Ivory (Basic level), Silver (SkyTeam Elite level), Gold (SkyTeam Elite in USA and Mexico, Elite Plus elsewhere) and Platinum (SkyTeam Elite Plus level). Level miles are gained by taking any flights with an AF or KL code (this includes codeshares not operated by SkyTeam members; however, getting mileage credited for such flights may take written complaints), or flights operated by one of SkyTeam's airline companies under the code of any other SkyTeam airline, or flights operated by Kenya Airways (including some feeder flights operated on behalf of KQ by regional carriers).

Each mile flown on KL and AF is one level mile and one award mile (minimum 750 for international and 500 for domestic). International long-haul flights in the bottom economy fare classes (class L) only get 25% of the mileage flown credited, with a minimum of 187 miles (fare classes N and V on KLM, L on AF, V on Kenya Airways and NWA). Some French domestic fare classes on AF (fare class N is well-known) do not accrue any mileage. Passengers in Business or First Class get a bonus. For airline partners, the precise mileage earning rules vary (including by fare class).

Award miles can be earned through several partners like hotels, carrental, creditcards etc. There is only one of them which can earn levelmiles also, that's the Air France Flying Blue American Express Goldcard in France (only available for people with a French bank account).

Award Miles can be used for free flights, discounts, ticket upgrades, gifts and donations. Award miles for flights on AF, KLM, SkyTeam partners and Kenya Airways correspond to the level miles earned, augmented by a status-dependent bonus of 50% (Silver), 75% (Gold), or 100% (Platinum) for elite members. Flights on non-SkyTeam airline partners (except Kenya Airways) yield award miles only, but no elite bonus is granted. Detailed mileage earning rules vary by airline partner. Award miles can also be earned by using the services of non-airline Flying Blue members like car-rental companies, hotel bookings and for buying duty-free items in flight.

Elite Benefits

Each membership level above Ivory offers an increasing amount of advantages: priority boarding and extra baggage allowance for Silver level members; lounge access for Gold and Platinum. Silver level members and US-based Gold level members enjoy SkyTeam Elite status with SkyTeam partner airlines; non-US based Gold level, and all Platinum level members enjoy SkyTeam Elite Plus status.

Lounge access is granted to Air France and KLM lounges when on a same-day SkyTeam flight (this benefit is also granted to US-based Gold members); to Northwest WorldClubs when on a same-day NW flight (this benefit is known to be extended to Platinum and non-US Gold members; it's not clear whether it applies to US-based Gold members); to SkyTeam partner lounges when on a same-day international SkyTeam flight (this benefit is only available to SkyTeam Elite Plus level members, i.e., Platinum and non-US Gold). Gold and Platinum members may invite one guest to join them in lounges, when that guest is on the same SkyTeam flight. When partner airlines use contract lounges, lounge access rules might differ from the above summary.

Elite members of Flying Blue are also eligible for confirmed upgrades to domestic First Class when flying Northwest Airlines flights in the contiguous United States and Canada.

Community

There is an active community of Flying Blue members at [http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=594 Flyertalk] .

References

* [http://www.airfrance.fr/cgi-bin/AF/FR/fr/common/util/forwardClusterAction.do?url=fblue_essentiel.htm Flying Blue Information page by Air France]
* [http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/flying_blue/programme/index.htm?intcamp=flb.generous&intchan=fb.generousmenu&inttype=txt.newmembers Flying Blue Information page by KLM]