Flying Blue award availability: how to search
What is award availability?
Award availability is the number of seats an airline makes available on a specific flight for booking with Flying Blue miles instead of cash. Not every seat can be booked with miles, and the price in miles varies by day. The difference between searching smartly versus not can save you tens of thousands of miles on the same flight. This guide shows you how to always find the lowest price.
Quick facts
Dynamic pricing: how it works
Since June 2018, Flying Blue uses dynamic award pricing. There is no longer a fixed award chart: the price in miles varies per flight, per day and per cabin class. Just like cash tickets, supply and demand determine the price.
In practice this means:
- A different price every day - the same flight can cost 60,000 miles on Tuesday and 120,000 miles on Friday
- Minimum fares still exist - Flying Blue maintains a floor price per route and cabin (see table below)
- One-way pricing - awards are priced per direction. A round trip is simply two one-way tickets
- Flexibility pays off - shifting by one day can sometimes save 50% in miles
There are two price levels to watch for:
- Lowest fare (saver) - the floor price in miles. Limited availability, but the best deal. Requires flexible dates.
- Higher fare (flex) - two to three times more expensive, but available on virtually any flight that still has cash seats. Useful when you must travel on a specific date.
The calendar trick: find the cheapest day
Most travelers search for award tickets by entering a specific date and checking what is available. That is the slowest method. There is a much smarter way: the calendar trick.
How the calendar trick works (step by step)
- Go to airfrance.com or klm.com and log in with your Flying Blue account
- Select "Book with miles" (the toggle above the search form)
- Enter your origin (e.g. Amsterdam) and destination
- Choose one-way
- Select 1 passenger
- Leave the date field empty - remove any pre-filled date using the X button
- Click search
You will now see a calendar overview showing the lowest award price per day across approximately 11 months. The cheapest days are highlighted in green, and each month shows a grey bar with the lowest fare for that month.
Using the arrows you can navigate month by month through the entire booking window. This way you find the cheapest day to fly in a few seconds, instead of running dozens of individual searches.
Minimum fares by route
Despite dynamic pricing, Flying Blue maintains a fixed floor price per route and cabin. These are the minimum fares for award tickets on Air France and KLM flights (one-way):
| Route | Economy | Premium Eco | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-haul Europe (AMS-BCN) | 5,000 - 10,000 | - | 10,000 - 20,000 |
| Long-haul Europe (AMS-IST) | 10,000 - 15,000 | - | 20,000 - 35,000 |
| North America (AMS-NYC) | 25,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
| Asia (AMS-NRT) | 25,000 - 35,000 | 40,000 - 50,000 | 60,000 - 80,000 |
| Africa (AMS-NBO) | 20,000 - 30,000 | - | 50,000 - 70,000 |
| South America (AMS-GRU) | 25,000 - 35,000 | 40,000 - 50,000 | 60,000 - 80,000 |
Minimum fares after the increase of January 13, 2025. Prices per one-way, excluding taxes and surcharges. The transatlantic minimums (25,000/40,000/60,000) are exactly verified. Other regions are indicative based on multiple sources. Source: flyingblue.com, One Mile at a Time.
Keep in mind that the minimum fares in the table are the absolute floor price. The actual dynamic price on popular dates and routes is often two to three times higher. A Business Class seat to New York can cost 180,000+ miles on a busy Friday in July, while the same route on a quiet Tuesday in February shows the minimum fare of 60,000 miles.
Promo Rewards: the best deals
The absolute cheapest award tickets are not found through regular searching, but through the monthly Promo Rewards from Flying Blue. These are temporary offers with 25-50% discount on the regular award price for selected routes.
- When: new Promo Rewards appear on the first day of every month
- Discount: typically 25% on Economy, sometimes up to 50% on Premium Economy and Business Class
- Travel period: usually valid for travel up to approximately 6 months after the publication date
- Where to find them: on flyingblue.com under "Spend miles"
- Booking: online only, not by phone
Example: Promo Reward in action
AMS-SFO Business Class: regular minimum fare 60,000 miles one-way. With a Promo Reward at 50% discount you pay 30,000 miles. A cash ticket for the same flight easily costs EUR 2,500+. The value per mile: over EUR 0.08.
Short-haul routes sometimes drop to 7,500 miles one-way in Economy during a Promo Reward. Compare that to the regular minimum fare of 10,000+ miles.
More about spending your miles wisely in our guide to spending miles and points.
Partner awards via SkyTeam and more
Flying Blue miles are not limited to KLM and Air France. You can spend them with 36+ partner airlines, including all SkyTeam members and a range of non-alliance partners. This opens up an enormous network of destinations.
SkyTeam partners (18 active members)
As a SkyTeam member, Flying Blue gives access to the full alliance network:
- Korean Air - excellent Business Class to Asia, often good availability
- Delta - large US network, but availability can be limited
- Virgin Atlantic - to London, the Caribbean and the US (joined SkyTeam in 2023)
- SAS - to Scandinavia and the US (joined SkyTeam in September 2024)
- Air Europa - to South America, often with very low surcharges
- Kenya Airways - to East Africa
- Saudia - to the Middle East
- Vietnam Airlines - to Southeast Asia
- China Eastern, China Airlines, Xiamen Airlines - to China and Taiwan
- Aeromexico, Aerolineas Argentinas - to Latin America
- Garuda Indonesia - to Indonesia
- Middle East Airlines, TAROM - regional partners
Non-alliance partners
Additionally, you can spend Flying Blue miles with airlines that are not SkyTeam members:
- Japan Airlines - premium product to Japan
- Qantas - to Australia
- Etihad Airways - to the Middle East and beyond
- Malaysia Airlines - to Southeast Asia
- El Al - to Israel
- Transavia - European destinations with Flying Blue miles
- GOL, Copa Airlines, WestJet - to the Americas
More about all partners in our guide to Flying Blue partner airlines.
Tools for award searching
Besides the official Flying Blue website, there are external tools that make searching for award availability easier.
1. Flying Blue website (free)
The official search engine on airfrance.com and klm.com is the starting point. Use the calendar trick for the best overview. KLM's website generally has fewer technical issues than Air France's.
2. AwardFares (paid)
AwardFares is currently the best external tool for Flying Blue award searches. It offers:
- Search availability across many dates and routes at once
- Automatic alerts when desired availability appears
- A dedicated Promo Rewards finder for Flying Blue
- Pricing: Gold plan USD 9.99/month, Diamond plan USD 19.99/month
3. ExpertFlyer (paid)
ExpertFlyer shows award fare class availability (e.g. whether a seat in booking class "X" is available). It does not show the dynamic miles price - for that you still need to check the airline website. Useful for setting up alerts though. Pricing: USD 9.99/month.
4. Seats.aero (free/paid)
Seats.aero is a popular award search engine for 20+ programs. Flying Blue support is inconsistent though: in August 2024, Flying Blue data became temporarily unavailable after Flying Blue placed its search function behind a login. Check the current status on the website. Pro plan: USD 9.99/month or USD 99/year.
10 tips for smart searching from Amsterdam
1. Always use the calendar trick
Leave the date field empty and search with 1 passenger. In a few seconds you see the cheapest day across 11 months. See the step-by-step instructions.
2. Always search one-way
Flying Blue prices everything per direction. By searching one-way you can combine different dates, different cabins or even different airlines for the outbound and return. This gives you maximum flexibility.
3. Check Promo Rewards on the 1st of the month
Popular routes in Business Class sell out within days. Check immediately on the 1st and book without hesitation. Promo Rewards can only be booked online.
4. Be flexible with dates
The difference between Tuesday and Friday can be 50% or more. Midweek flights (Tuesday, Wednesday) are almost always cheaper than Friday and weekends.
5. Book early for premium cabins
The booking calendar opens 359 days in advance. Search immediately when your desired date becomes available for the best chance at the lowest fare in Business Class.
6. Consider last-minute too
Airlines sometimes release unsold premium seats 1-2 weeks before departure for award bookings at the lowest fare. If your dates are flexible, last-minute booking can be surprisingly cheap.
7. Try a connection
If a direct flight is expensive, try a route with a connection. AMS via Paris CDG to your final destination costs no extra miles on Flying Blue, but can yield a lower award fare.
8. Compare KLM with Air France
On routes that both KLM and Air France fly (e.g. AMS vs CDG to New York), award prices can differ per day. Compare both to find the cheapest one. Bonus: from Amsterdam the taxes and surcharges are generally lower than from Paris.
9. Check partner airlines
If the KLM or AF price is high, search the same route via a SkyTeam partner. Korean Air to Asia and Air Europa to South America regularly offer better fares or availability.
10. Use AwardFares for alerts
Set up an alert for your desired route and cabin. You will automatically get a notification when the lowest fare becomes available, without having to search manually every day.
Taxes and surcharges
With every award ticket you pay, in addition to miles, an amount in euros for taxes, airport fees and carrier-imposed surcharges (the term Flying Blue uses for fuel surcharges). The amount differs by route, airline and departure airport.
| Route | Economy (indicative) | Business (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| Within Europe | EUR 30 - 60 | EUR 50 - 80 |
| AMS to North America | EUR 100 - 150 | EUR 200 - 350 |
| CDG to North America | EUR 150 - 200 | EUR 300 - 500 |
| Asia/Africa | EUR 100 - 200 | EUR 200 - 400 |
Amounts are indicative and vary by flight and date. Departing from Paris CDG is more expensive due to French aviation taxes. Always check the total price when booking. Last verified: 27 February 2026.
Some partner airlines charge significantly less in surcharges. Air Europa and Delta have lower surcharges than KLM and Air France on comparable routes. This can make the difference when choosing a partner award.
Rebooking and cancellation: changes to award tickets cost a flat fee of EUR 70. Flying Blue Platinum members have this fee waived.
Track your miles balance
Know exactly how many miles you have, what they cost you and when you have enough for your next award ticket.
Start tracking for freeFrequently asked questions
How far in advance can I book an award ticket?
Flying Blue opens the booking calendar up to 359 days (approximately 12 months) in advance. This applies to Air France and KLM flights. Partner airlines sometimes have a shorter window. For the best availability in Business Class, it is wise to search as soon as the calendar opens.
What is the calendar trick?
By searching on airfrance.com or klm.com with "Book with miles", 1 passenger, one-way and leaving the date field empty, you get a calendar overview with the lowest award price per day across approximately 11 months. Read the step-by-step instructions.
Are award tickets cheaper on certain days?
Yes. Due to the dynamic pricing model, flights on Tuesday and Wednesday are on average cheaper than on Friday and weekends. During the low season you are more likely to find the minimum fare. Promo Rewards offer the absolute lowest fares.
Do I pay taxes on top of an award ticket?
Yes, every award ticket includes taxes, airport fees and carrier-imposed surcharges in euros. Within Europe approximately EUR 30-60, intercontinental EUR 100-400 depending on route and cabin. See the full overview.
Do I get better award prices with Flying Blue status?
Only from Platinum level onwards. Platinum and Ultimate members get significantly better access to the lowest fares. A Platinum member can book a Business Class seat to New York for 60,000 miles while a Gold member can only book the same flight for 142,000+ miles. Silver and Gold do not have this benefit. Read more about Platinum status.
Can I book a free stopover on an award ticket?
Yes, Flying Blue allows a free stopover of 24 hours to 1 year on one-way awards. This must be booked by phone. Example: AMS to Bangkok with a stopover of a few days in Paris, all on a single award ticket. This also works on partner airlines.
Can I book an award ticket for someone else?
Yes, you can use Flying Blue miles to book a ticket in someone else's name. The miles are deducted from your account, but the passenger does not need to be a Flying Blue member.
Sources and verification
Last verified: February 19, 2026. All facts verified against at least two independent sources.
- Flying Blue - Reward Tickets - official award search page and Promo Rewards
- Flying Blue - Book award flights - official award search and booking
This guide is based on publicly available information from Flying Blue, independent sources and personal experience as of February 2026. Award prices are dynamic and can change daily. Always check current prices on flyingblue.com or klm.com. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM or Flying Blue.