What is the best way to spend Flying Blue miles?

The smartest ways to spend your miles

Not every redemption delivers the same value. Here is my overview, from best to worst value.

Best value: award flights in Business Class

The highest value per mile comes from award tickets in Business or La Premiere. Why? Because those tickets cost a fortune in cash (often EUR 2,000-5,000), but are relatively affordable in miles. Sweet spots:

• Europe return in Business Class - from about 50,000 miles. A cash ticket easily costs EUR 1,500-2,500.
• Caribbean return in Business - from about 62,000 miles (Curacao, Aruba, Sint Maarten).
• North America one-way in Business - from 53,000 miles.

Good value: Economy award flights on long-haul routes

A return to New York in Economy costs around 34,000 miles. With a cash price of EUR 500+ you get a reasonable value of 1.5 eurocent per mile.

Don't forget Promo Rewards

Every month Flying Blue publishes Promo Rewards: award tickets with 25-50% discount to selected destinations. That Business Class flight of 50,000 miles can suddenly cost 25,000-37,500 miles.

Poor value: merchandise and upgrades

Do not spend your miles on products in the Flying Blue Shop. The value per mile is dramatically low there, often less than 0.5 eurocent.

My advice

Wait for a Promo Reward to a destination that interests you, or book a Business Class return within Europe. Always calculate the value per mile: divide the cash price by the number of miles. Above 1.5 eurocent it is a good deal.

Tip: meanwhile earn extra miles with a Flying Blue American Express so you reach enough for a Business Class award sooner.