Up to 50% bonus when you buy Flying Blue miles

Flying Blue, the Air France / KLM loyalty programme, is running a bonus promotion for anyone who is looking to top up their account:

As a Flying Blue member, you can buy yourself Award Miles to get the award of your choice. Until 31 December 2013, you can benefit from a bonus of up to 50% when you purchase Award Miles for yourself. The more Miles you buy, the more you benefit.

Flying Blue Ivory members will benefit from the following bonus:

• 10,000 – 18,000 Award Miles = 10% Bonus
• 20,000 – 28,000 Award Miles = 20% Bonus
• 30,000 – 38,000 Award Miles = 30% Bonus
• 40,000 Award Miles = 40% Bonus

Flying Blue Elite members will benefit from the following bonus:

• 10,000 – 18,000 Award Miles = 10% Bonus
• 20,000 – 28,000 Award Miles = 20% Bonus
• 30,000 – 38,000 Award Miles = 30% Bonus
• 40,000 – 58,000 Award Miles = 40% Bonus
• 60,000 – 88,000 Award Miles = 45% Bonus
• 90,000 – 100,000 Award Miles = 50% Bonus

Is that a good deal? Well, Flying Blue is not exactly well regarded amongst European frequent flyer programmes. However it does have regular ’50% discount’ sales on some routes. This is the latest list of promotional routes . Some of the deals are OK, eg 62,500 miles for a business class round-trip from Europe to Dallas or Washington.

Base level (Ivory) members can buy up to 40,000 miles per year, plus any bonus. Flying Blue status members can buy up to 100,000, whilst top-level Elite members can buy an unlimited amount (although its not clear why an Elite level member who presumably already has a large pile of them would want to!).

At the end of the day, though, I don’t imagine anyone except an existing Flying Blue member topping up an account getting excited by this. It is also worth remembering that Flying Blue is an American Express Membership Rewards partner – why pay for a pile of FB miles when you can take out an Amex Gold and get 20,000 miles free (22,000 if I refer you)?

The ‘buy miles’ page is here.

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How to earn Flying Blue miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

Air France and KLM do not have a UK Flying Blue credit card.  However, you can earn Flying Blue miles by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.

These cards earn Membership Rewards points:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 20,000 Flying Blue miles. This card is FREE for your first year and also comes with four free airport lounge passes.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• The Platinum Card from American Express (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 50,000 Flying Blue miles

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• American Express Rewards credit card (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 10,000 Flying Blue miles. This card is FREE for life.

Membership Rewards points convert at 1:1 into Flying Blue miles which is an attractive rate.  The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 1 Flying Blue mile.

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on all flights you charge to it, not just with Air France and KLM but with any airline.