NEW: Get a Flying Blue (SkyTeam) status match from your British Airways or other airline status

Flying Blue, the Air France / KLM loyalty programme, has launched a status match specifically for UK residents.

You can use your British Airways Executive Club status to get a direct match into the Flying Blue programme. This includes giving Flying Blue Platinum status to British Airways Executive Club Gold members.

Your elite status would be valid across all 19 airlines in the SkyTeam alliance, including Virgin Atlantic, as well as Flying Blue’s own partners.

You can apply here.

Whilst there is a fee to apply, this can be less than you initially think if you are a BA Gold member. I explain why below.

Which airlines are being matched?

The key one, for our readers, is obviously British Airways.

• Executive Club Bronze will get you Flying Blue Silver (SkyTeam Elite)

• Executive Club Silver will get you Flying Blue Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus)

• Executive Club Gold will get you Flying Blue Platinum (SkyTeam Elite Plus)

Virgin Atlantic status is NOT being matched, unsurprisingly, since they are a fellow member of the SkyTeam airline alliance with Air France / KLM.

You can also match from the following airlines: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, American Airlines, Emirates, Iberia, Lufthansa / SWISS / Austrian, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, SAS, TAP, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines.

Click here to see exactly what level is matching to what, as some are more generous than others.

What status benefits do I get with Flying Blue?

You can see the status benefits you get with each tier here when flying with Air France / KLM.

The benefits of Silver, which matches from BA Bronze and is equivalent in terms of what you get, are mainly around seat selection and additional checked baggage.

Gold is where it starts to get interesting, which is what a BA Silver member gets. At this level you get lounge access (with a guest) plus seating and baggage benefits. This is arguably the sweet spot.

Platinum members get additional priority, baggage and seating benefits. For example, you can select an ‘extra leg room’ seat, a seat at the front of the aircraft or a KLM ‘Economy Comfort’ seat for free at the time of booking, whilst a Gold can only book one 72 hours before departure if any remain.

There is a detailed matrix on this page which shows the full list of benefits by tier.

A quick word about children

One key difference between Flying Blue Platinum and Flying Blue Gold is lounge access for children under 18.

A Flying Blue Platinum member can, as well as their standard one guest, bring children under 18 into an Air France or KLM lounge with them. This is a very generous policy by global standards.

A Gold member can only bring one guest in total.

A quick mention about La Premiere

As this is HfP, it would be amiss not to mention La Premiere, the exceptionally well regarded Air France First Class product. This includes what is generally accepted to be the best ‘ground’ experience in the world when travelling from Paris CdG.

You can only redeem Flying Blue miles for La Premiere if you hold Platinum status or above in Flying Blue. This status match could give you the status you need, and you could transfer in – say – American Express Membership Rewards points to pay for the redemption. Note that you will never see more than one redemption seat available per flight, but that’s not surprising given that it is only a four seat cabin.

Which airlines can I get benefits on with my Flying Blue status?

Your status is valid across the entire SkyTeam alliance, which now comprises 19 airlines:

• Aerolíneas Argentinas
• Aeromexico
• Air Europa
• Air France
• China Airlines
• China Eastern
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• SAUDIA
• TAROM
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• XiamenAir

In addition, Flying Blue Gold and Platinum members can access Air Mauritius, GOL and Qantas lounges when travelling on Air France or KLM codeshares operated by these carriers. No guests are allowed.

I need to flag one thing about Virgin Atlantic. There is a carve out from SkyTeam rules for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Heathrow Terminal 3:

• if you have Platinum status with Flying Blue, you can only enter the Heathrow Clubhouse if flying in Premium Economy with Virgin Atlantic. If you are in Economy, you will be sent to another lounge in the terminal.

• if you have Flying Blue Gold you will be sent to another lounge whether you are in Economy or Premium Economy

This rule does NOT apply to other Clubhouse lounges – only Heathrow T3. All other SkyTeam benefits apply – you can use the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Wing to check-in if you are Flying Blue Gold or Platinum for example.

It is important to note that both Flying Blue Gold and Flying Blue Platinum match to SkyTeam’s top Elite Plus level. You get an identical level of alliance benefits irrespective of whether you get Gold or Platinum in Flying Blue.

How long does your matched status last?

12 months.

Your match should be approved within three business days (subject to requests for further ID or UK residency proof) and your account will be upgraded within the next five business days.

You will need to earn the standard number of XP (the Flying Blue tier points currency) within that time to retain your status.

Whilst Flying Blue usually operates a ‘soft landing’ policy, it does not apply to these matches. If you do not requalify you will drop straight back down to the base level.

How do you apply for your status match?

Flying Blue and its processing partner, Loyalty Status Co, have set up an application website here.

There are application fees, unfortunately:

• Silver: €79 (requires BA Bronze, BA Silver or BA Gold)
• Gold: €199 (requires BA Silver or BA Gold)
• Platinum: €399 (requires BA Gold)

Are you BA Gold? You can save €200 by applying for Flying Blue Gold instead of Platinum

The application website automatically defaults to the highest level of status you can get. You may not want this.

For example, a British Airways Gold member may be happy with Flying Blue Gold. You save €200 on the fee and the benefits are very similar to Flying Blue Platinum, including lounge access and SkyTeam Elite Plus status.

To ‘downgrade’ your match, you should say on the application form that you have a lower level of BA status than you actually do. A BA Gold who only wants Flying Blue Gold for €199 should claim to have BA Silver status. It doesn’t matter that you will be uploading a scan of a BA Gold card – your match will still validate.

Conclusion

If you currently have British Airways elite status and are thinking of giving the world of Air France / KLM / Virgin Atlantic / SkyTeam a try, then this is a good opportunity.

It should be especially interesting if you live outside the Heathrow catchment area, since KLM flies from 17 regional airports – including some you wouldn’t expect, such as Norwich and Humberside – to the world via Amsterdam. Air France also has a strong regional presence, although not quite as big.

It is also well worth a look if you have occasional Virgin Atlantic trips. Being able to use the Upper Class Wing is cool – and you can get that even as Flying Blue Gold – and you get seating and baggage benefits, even if the Clubhouse at Terminal 3 is restricted.

You can find out more, and apply, on the status match website here.