Air France KLM offering good Dubai business class sale fares for autumn

There is an excellent deal running from many European cities to Dubai at the moment, via the SkyTeam alliance.

From the UK, you can depart from any UK airport with Air France or KLM flights, and change in either Paris or Amsterdam.

If you are willing to depart outside the UK, you save even more.

Here some examples based on a seven night stay (appears to be the minimum required) for the Autumn:

• From the UK – £1,495 return
• From Budapest – €1,244 return
• From Helsinki – €1,125 return
• From Nice – €1,330 return

Note that these tickets book into ‘O’ class which does not earn miles or status points in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. This may change when Virgin Atlantic joins SkyTeam in a few weeks.

You would probably end up crediting them to Air France KLM’s Flying Blue programme, from where you could – if you wished – top them up with American Express Membership Rewards points and redeem for Virgin Atlantic flights.

As you would be paying in Sterling, your best card to pay with would be American Express Preferred Rewards Gold. This gives double points – two per £1 – on all airline spend, and the points convert at 1:1 into many airline programmes including Avios and Virgin Flying Club.

You can book for either airline via the KLM website 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.