Can you upgrade to Business Class with Flying Blue miles?

Upgrading with Flying Blue miles - the options

The desire to upgrade to Business Class is understandable, especially on long flights. But at Flying Blue, upgrading with miles is less straightforward than you might think. Here are your options.

Option 1: Award upgrade at booking

The most reliable method is to choose an upgrade with miles directly when booking. This works as follows:

• You need an upgradeable fare class - usually the more expensive Economy fares (Y, B or M class)
• Not all tickets qualify: the cheapest Economy fares (Light) are almost never upgradeable
• You pay the difference in miles plus any surcharges

Check when booking on flyingblue.com whether the upgrade option is available. On popular routes it is often difficult because Business fills up quickly.

Option 2: Voluntary upgrade offer

KLM and Air France sometimes send an email after your booking with an upgrade offer. This is usually a bid upgrade (you bid a cash amount), not a miles option. Sometimes you can choose to pay with miles, but this is not guaranteed and varies per flight.

Option 3: Last-minute upgrade at the gate

On the day of departure, upgrades are sometimes offered if Business Class is not full. This goes via the KLM app or at the desk. The price is in euros, not in miles.

Honest advice: better to book directly with miles

In most cases it is more cost-effective to book a Business Class award ticket directly with your miles than to upgrade. Reasons:

• More availability on Promo Rewards (sometimes 50% discount on miles)
• No dependency on your fare class
• You know in advance what you are getting

A return Amsterdam-New York in Business costs around 100,000 miles on a standard award. During Promo Rewards that can drop to 50,000-75,000 miles. That is often a better deal than upgrading from an expensive Economy ticket.

Tip

Be flexible with your dates. Award availability in Business varies enormously per day. Use the calendar view on flyingblue.com to find the cheapest options.

Tip: want to reach enough miles for a Business Class award sooner? With a Flying Blue Amex Platinum (1.5 miles per euro, welcome bonus up to 120,000 miles) you build up a serious balance in a short time.