Collect Flying Blue miles or use Accor hotels? You can double dip

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• John says:

  7 Nov7 November 07:56

  Every time I’ve decided that an accor hotel is really the best option in terms of location for me, it has been cheaper on hotels.com – and I get the 9.1% back too

• Alan says:

  7 Nov7 November 09:14

  That’s not right re needing a flight every 12 months, Rob – it’s 24 months now. They also have a very confusing system re ‘partial extending activity’ although I’ve found it extends everything so far!

  “How long are my Miles valid?expand_less
  All your Miles are valid for life as long as you take an eligible flight on Air France, KLM, Aircalin, Kenya Airways, TAROM or other airline partners at least once every 2 years, or if you’re an Elite or Elite Plus member, or if you make a purchase with an eligible co-branded credit card at least once every 2 years. These “Overall extending activities” extend the validity of all Miles 2 years from the date of the activity.

  You can also extend the validity of Miles earned with all other partners (car rental partners, hotel partners, and experience partners) for 2 years by earning Miles with any of these other partners. These “Partial extending activities” with other partners will extend the validity of Miles earned with any of these other partners by 2 years from the date of the activity. Please note, “Partial extending activities” do not extend the validity of Miles earned from “Overall extending activities”.”

  • Flying Misfit says:

    7 Nov7 November 09:58

    This. In simple terms, for those without high AF status or a AF credit card, the programme seperates your miles into 2 categories, those earnt from flying on the above airlines, and all the rest from other partners including erewards, accor and the like.

    I have found that an Amex MR transfer always resets the clock for 2 years on all the miles (other than the ones earnt by flying), so you end up in a situation with a twin expiry date of miles depending on how they were earnt.

    Naturally, a flight on AF for example resets all of them by 2 years.

    • Flying Misfit says:

      7 Nov7 November 10:02

      And to follow up on the AF scheme, I have previously credited some Garuda and China Southern J flights to them so as to take advantage of any miles generated from those flights.

      I have found the monthly award ticket promos by AF quite useful on occassion and actually providing real good value, although that was all pre pandemic.

      Not the most ideal of schemes but does have value to be found.

    • Rob says:

      7 Nov7 November 10:06

      Thanks, will amend.

• Jan M says:

  7 Nov7 November 10:05

  Thanks! I had forgotten I had registered for this, and as a frequent KLM traveller just discovered a nice stash of ALL points. 😊

• Max says:

  7 Nov7 November 12:55

  I have 9000 Flying Blue points expiring next month. Would transferring them to Accor points stop them expiring? – with the possibility of transferring them back to Flying Blue?

  • Rob says:

    7 Nov7 November 18:03

    It’s a decent way to get some value BUT there is no point transferring them back – you’ve basically destroyed all the value if you do. You’d go 8000 FB to 2000 Accor to 1000 FB.

• DarrenS says:

  7 Nov7 November 21:47

  Good in theory, but I am not getting any Flying Blue miles crediting at present and Accor CS is worse than useless.

• AlanC says:

  8 Nov8 November 10:49

  Award wallet informed me I have 39k AF/KLM points expiring at year end. Any advice? Cheers

  • Rob says:

    8 Nov8 November 12:02

    Move to Accor? Move 1k Amex offer to hit 40k, would get you 10,000 Accor so €200 of hotel room.

  • Lady London says:

    8 Nov8 November 13:31

    Have a drink in an Accor hotel, which you can now credit to Accor, asap to give it time for the Accor to also.credit to AF/KLM?

• Simon Adlington says:

  8 Nov8 November 12:36

  Orient Express from Paris to Montreux, 6 course lunch cooked enroute by winner of the Young French Chef of the year, 2 nights in Lake View room with full board at Fairmont Hotel ,tickets for Janet Jackson one night and Chilly Gonzales the other. VIP afterparty both nights . 30,000 Accor points for 2. .What’s not to like about Accor ?

  • Rob says:

    8 Nov8 November 12:54

    Wow. Very tempting …. if it wasn’t for those pesky kids etc. I may post this.

• Stuart says:

  17 Nov17 November 12:00

  One downside I did not see in this article. As far as I can see your status in the ALL program does not affect the amount of FB Miles you get. Since in the ALL program if you have status (Silver for me at the moment) the Reward Points are given in two separate amounts: the base Reward Points (e.g. 25 per 10EUR spent from a non-budget hotel stay) and Accelerator (e.g. 31 per 10EUR spent minus 25 per 10EUR spent as a Silver member above the baseline Classic status). It then appears that the FB Miles are based on the base Reward Points only. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is how I see it when adding up the numbers from the line entries in my ALL and FB accounts.

  • Rob says:

    17 Nov17 November 12:31

    That’s correct. FB points (mine finally arrived today from my Barbados trip by the way) are based on the Euro you spend, not the total number of ALL points you earn which is impacted by status bonuses.

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