Flying Blue Family: share miles with your household
What is Flying Blue Family?
Flying Blue Family is a free service from Air France-KLM that lets you pool miles within your household. One adult becomes the Family Leader and can transfer miles from other members to their own account. The Family can have a maximum of 8 members: 2 adults and 6 children. Children get a 25% discount on award tickets and their miles never expire until they turn 18. Flying Blue Family has been available since April 2022.
Quick facts
How does Flying Blue Family work?
Flying Blue Family uses a Leader model: an adult (18+) creates a Family account and becomes the Family Leader. All other members are invited by the Leader. The core mechanism is simple, but there are several important rules to be aware of:
- One-way only: only the Leader can transfer miles, and only from members to the Leader's account. Members cannot exchange miles with each other
- Manual: miles are not automatically pooled. The Leader must initiate each transfer manually
- Permanent: transfers are irreversible. Miles cannot be sent back to the original member
- Miles only: XP cannot be shared. Each member earns and keeps their own XP for status qualification
Setting up your Family: step by step
Before you start
- All family members need their own Flying Blue account (children from age 2)
- A new account must exist for at least 24 hours before it can be added to a Family
- Decide who becomes the Leader: this is the person who manages all miles and books award tickets
Step 1: go to Flying Blue Family
Log in to klm.com or airfrance.com. Go to My Profile and click Flying Blue Family in the side menu. You automatically become the Family Leader.
Step 2: invite members
Enter the first name, last name, and Flying Blue number for each member. The member receives an invitation and must accept it within 14 days through their own Flying Blue account. If not accepted, the invitation expires automatically.
Step 3: wait 7 days
After accepting the invitation, a 7-day waiting period (168 hours) applies before miles can be transferred. This is a security measure from Flying Blue.
Transferring miles: the rules
The Leader can transfer miles from a member to their own account at any time. Here is how it works:
- Log in and go to the Flying Blue Family page
- Click "transfer miles" next to the member whose miles you want to transfer
- Choose the number of miles (full or partial)
- Confirm - the miles appear in the Leader's account
Important transfer rules
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Direction | Only from member to Leader (not the other way around) |
| Reversible? | No - transfers are permanent |
| Cost | Free (vs EUR 3/250 miles for regular transfer) |
| Waiting period | 7 days after member joins |
| Validity | Extended to 2 years from the transfer date |
| Partial? | Yes, you can transfer part of the miles |
Benefits for children
Flying Blue Family offers two exclusive benefits for children that no other comparable program provides:
25% discount on award tickets (ages 2-11)
Children aged 2 through 11 receive a 25% discount on award tickets when traveling with an adult. This applies to all cabin classes (Economy, Premium Economy, Business, La Premiere) on Air France and KLM flights. The discount does not apply to flights operated by partner airlines.
Example: family vacation to New York
A round trip Amsterdam - New York in Economy starts at 30,000 miles per person (minimum price). With the 25% child discount, a child costs only 22,500 miles. For a family of 2 adults and 2 children, you save 15,000 miles on the round trip. In Business Class, the savings are even greater.
Miles never expire for children under 18
For members under 18, miles never expire. The standard 24-month inactivity expiration does not apply. Miles that children earn through flights remain in their account until they turn 18. As Frugal Flyer aptly puts it: this makes it "an excellent gift for an 18th birthday."
Strategy: when to pool miles?
When Flying Blue Family makes sense
- You both have miles but not enough per person - combine 40,000 + 35,000 miles for a Business Class award of 70,000 miles
- Children travel with you - the 25% discount on award tickets can save thousands of miles per trip
- Miles are about to expire - the transfer resets validity to 2 years
- Promo Rewards - quick availability during monthly promotions requires a ready pool of miles
- Both of you earn miles through credit cards - both partners earn miles that can be combined through the Family when needed
When keeping miles separate is better
- You always book independently - if each person has enough miles for their own bookings, pooling adds little value
- One partner has status, the other does not - miles never expire at Silver or above. When pooled through the Family, they go on a 2-year clock
- The relationship is uncertain - transfers are permanent and the lock-in period is 6 months
Strategy: only transfer what you need
The golden rule is: only transfer miles when you have a specific booking in mind. Transfer just the amount you need, not the full balance. This prevents miles from unnecessarily going on the 2-year clock and gives you maximum flexibility.
Combination with credit cards
A credit card that earns Flying Blue miles is an excellent complement to the Family. Both partners can have their own card and earn miles on everyday spending. Through the Family, those miles are combined when needed for a booking. This is more effective than requesting a supplementary card on the same account.
Track your miles and plan family bookings
Import your Flying Blue monthly statement and see exactly how many miles you have, when they expire, and what you can book.
Start tracking for freeCommon mistakes and pitfalls
1. Transferring miles in the wrong direction
The most common mistake: a user on a frequent flyer forum accidentally transferred miles to the wrong account. Because transfers are permanent, they were stuck for 6 months. Always double-check which account you are transferring to.
2. Underestimating the 6-month lock-in
Once you join a Family, you are committed for a minimum of 6 months. You cannot leave earlier and cannot be removed earlier. After leaving, you must wait another 6 months before joining a different Family. Think carefully before adding someone or joining yourself.
3. Transferring all miles at once
Do not blindly transfer your entire balance. After transfer, the miles go on a 2-year expiration clock, even if they were previously "permanent" due to your status. Only transfer what you need for a specific booking.
4. Forgetting to transfer miles before a child's 18th birthday
If a child turns 18 and the Family already has 2 adults, the child is automatically removed. Make sure any miles belonging to the child are transferred to the Leader before that date.
Comparison with other programs
| Feature | Flying Blue Family | Miles & More (Lufthansa) | BA Household |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max members | 8 (2+6) | 7 (2+5) | 7 |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free |
| Proof of address? | No | No | Yes |
| Miles pooling | Manual (Leader) | Automatic | Automatic |
| Status sharing? | No | No | No |
| Child discount on awards | 25% (ages 2-11) | No | No |
| Miles never expire (kids) | Until age 18 | Standard rules | Standard rules |
| Geographic restriction | None | EU/EEA only | None |
| Lock-in | 6 months | Varies | 90 days |
Flying Blue Family wins on child benefits: the 25% award discount and non-expiring miles for minors are unique. The manual transfer system is less convenient than the automatic pooling of Lufthansa and BA, but gives the Leader full control over when and how many miles are combined.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flying Blue Family free?
Yes, completely free. No setup fees, no annual fees, no fees per transfer. This is a major advantage over the paid miles transfer that Flying Blue also offers (EUR 3 per 250 miles, minimum 2,000 miles).
Can you share XP through Flying Blue Family?
No. XP cannot be shared or transferred. XP always stays with the member who earned it. Flying Blue Family applies only to miles. Each family member must earn their own XP for status qualification.
Do Family members need to be actual relatives?
The official terms mention "family members", but no proof of family relationship or shared address is required. You only need the first name, last name, and Flying Blue number of the other person. In practice, it works regardless of the actual family relationship.
How many members can a Flying Blue Family have?
A maximum of 8 members: 2 adults (18+) and 6 children (under 18). The Family Leader counts as one of the 2 adults.
What happens when you leave a Flying Blue Family?
You can only leave after a minimum of 6 months. After leaving, you must wait another 6 months before joining a different Family. Miles that have already been transferred to the Leader stay with the Leader - transfers are permanent. Miles that were not transferred remain in your own account.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 27 February 2026. All facts checked against at least two independent sources.
- Air France Corporate - Flying Blue Family launch - official announcement April 2022
- KLM - Flying Blue Family - official page with setup procedure
- Flying Blue - Family & Youngs - official landing page
- Flying Blue Terms and Conditions (PDF) - official program rules
- Frugal Flyer - Complete Guide - most detailed independent guide
- AwardWallet - Family Pooling - transfer rules and restrictions
- Miles For Family - miles extension - confirmation of the extension trick
This guide is based on publicly available information from Flying Blue, independent sources, and personal experience as of February 2026. Rules and benefits may change. Always check the current terms at flyingblue.com. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM or Flying Blue.