Flying Blue Partner Airlines: Complete Guide

Q: Do non-SkyTeam partners still earn XP?

Since April 1, 2024, flights marketed and operated by non-SkyTeam partners no longer earn XP. Exceptions include Virgin Atlantic, Air Corsica (on specific routes), and Aircalin. Always check the partner page for current rules.

Last updated: 17 February 2026 · 35+ airline partners · Based on official Flying Blue data · See sources

By Remco Flying Blue Platinum member since 2005, every status from Silver to Platinum. 30 years building digital products, 15+ mileage runs, 50+ countries. Founder of SkyStatus.

The Critical Distinction

Not all partner flights are equal. Some earn both Miles and XP (counting toward status). Others earn Miles only (no status progress). And only Air France and KLM marketed flights earn UXP for Ultimate status (official UXP rule). This guide shows exactly what each partner earns.

Understanding Miles, XP, and UXP

Three Types of Earnings

Miles: Currency you spend on award flights. Most partners earn Miles on eligible fares. Learn about what your Miles are worth.
XP (Experience Points): Determines your status level (Silver at 100, Gold at 180, Platinum at 300). Only some partners earn XP.
UXP (Ultimate XP): Required for Ultimate status (900 UXP). Only AF/KL marketed flights earn UXP.

⚠️ Status Chasers Beware: If you are working toward Gold, Platinum, or Ultimate status, flights that earn "Miles only" do NOT count toward your goal. Always verify XP earning before booking if status matters to you.

April 2024 Rule Change

⚠️ Important: As of April 1, 2024, XP and Elite bonuses are no longer credited on flights marketed and operated by non-SkyTeam airline partners. This affects partners like Japan Airlines, Qantas, El Al, and others. Source: Flying Blue programme rules update.

SkyTeam Airlines: Miles + XP

These SkyTeam member airlines earn both Miles and XP on qualifying flights. They count toward your status qualification. Some even qualify for XP rollover when you exceed your threshold.

Airline	Code	Max Earning	Earns	Notes
Air France	AF	Up to 9 Miles per EUR	Miles + XP + UXP	Program owner. Full earning on all cabins.
KLM	KL	Up to 9 Miles per EUR	Miles + XP + UXP	Program owner. Full earning on all cabins.
Transavia	HV	Varies by status	Miles + XP	Part of AF-KLM Group. Fixed Miles by status level.
Delta Air Lines	DL	Up to 300%	Miles + XP	Different rates for domestic/international. Since June 2019.
Aeromexico	AM	Up to 150%	Miles + XP	Founding SkyTeam member.
Aerolineas Argentinas	AR	Up to 125%	Miles + XP	Some flight number ranges excluded.
Air Europa	UX	Up to 100%	Miles + XP	RENFE train services excluded.
China Airlines	CI	Up to 130%	Miles + XP	Taiwan's flag carrier. Includes Mandarin Airlines.
China Eastern	MU	Up to 150%	Miles + XP	Includes Shanghai Airlines (FM).
Garuda Indonesia	GA	Up to 175%	Miles + XP	Various flight ranges excluded (VIP, ferry, charter).
ITA Airways	AZ	—	Partnership Ended	Partnership ended November 15, 2025. No longer earns Miles or XP. Source.
Kenya Airways	KQ	Up to 175%	Miles + XP	Includes Precision Air routes in East Africa.
Korean Air	KE	Up to 175%	Miles + XP	Some flight number ranges excluded.
Middle East Airlines	ME	Up to 150%	Miles + XP	Charter and HAJ flights excluded.
Saudia	SV	Up to 250%	Miles + XP	High earning rates. First Class up to 250%.
SAS Scandinavian	SK	Up to 200%	Miles + XP Since Sept 2024	XP earning started September 1, 2024. Source.
TAROM	RO	Up to 150%	Miles + XP 2x Domestic	Double XP on domestic Romania flights!
Vietnam Airlines	VN	Up to 200%	Miles + XP	Many specific flight numbers excluded.
Xiamen Air	MF	Up to 150%	Miles + XP	China's first independent commercial airline.

SkyStatus flight list showing KLM, SAS Scandinavian, and Transavia flights with XP and UXP columns - Economy, Business, and Premium Economy cabins earning different XP amounts per segment — SkyStatus tracks XP earnings across all your SkyTeam partner flights - here showing KLM, SAS, and Transavia segments with cabin class and XP per flight.

📅 ITA Airways Update: The partnership between ITA Airways and Flying Blue ended on November 15, 2025. Flights after this date no longer credit Miles or XP to Flying Blue. Source: Flying Blue ITA partner page.

SkyTeam Airlines: Miles Only (No XP)

These SkyTeam members earn Miles but NOT XP. Flights on these airlines do not count toward status qualification.

Airline	Code	Max Earning	Earns	Why No XP
China Southern	CZ	Up to 150%	Miles Only	SkyTeam member but XP not available on own flights.
Malaysia Airlines	MH	Up to 175%	Miles Only	XP only on MH5000/MH7000 series (operated by AF/KL).

💡 Malaysia Airlines Exception: While MH marketed and operated flights earn Miles only, flights with MH5000 or MH7000 series numbers that are actually operated by Air France or KLM DO earn XP. Always check who operates the flight. This matters especially for XP runs where every point counts.

Other Partner Airlines: Miles + XP

These non-SkyTeam partners still earn both Miles and XP on qualifying flights (exceptions to the April 2024 rule).

Airline	Code	Max Earning	Earns	Notes
Virgin Atlantic	VS	Up to 200%	Miles + XP	UK routes to North America, Caribbean, and beyond.
Air Corsica	XK	Up to 200%	Miles + XP Limited Routes	XP only on Paris-Orly to Corsica (Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, Figari).
Aircalin	SB	Up to 175%	Miles + XP	New Caledonia's carrier. Wallis/Futuna flights excluded from XP.

Other Partner Airlines: Miles Only (No XP)

These partner airlines earn Miles but NOT XP (since April 2024). Useful for accumulating award currency but not for status. If you need to top up your Miles balance, you might also consider whether buying Miles makes sense.

Airline	Code	Max Earning	Notes
Etihad Airways	EY	Up to 400%	Manual claim required! Submit within 6 months of flight. Source.
Oman Air	WY	Up to 275%	Business Studio earns 275%. Must be on AF/KL ticket for earning.
WestJet	WS	Up to 175%	Canada's second largest airline.
Japan Airlines	JL	Up to 150%	Separate rates for domestic and international. Various subsidiaries excluded.
Qantas	QF	Up to 150%	Including Qantas Link. Must be on AF/KL ticket.
El Al	LY	Up to 150%	Israel's national carrier. Domestic and international rates.
Air Mauritius	MK	Up to 150%	Indian Ocean carrier.
Copa Airlines	CM	Up to 150%	Hub in Panama connecting the Americas.
GOL	G3	Up to 125%	Brazil's largest domestic airline.
Twin Jet	T7	Up to 100%	French regional carrier. Economy only.
Chalair Aviation	CE	Up to 100%	French regional carrier based in Caen.
Winair	WM	Up to 100%	Caribbean inter-island carrier based in St. Maarten.

⚠️ Etihad Requires Manual Claim: Unlike other partners, Etihad flights do not automatically credit to your Flying Blue account. You must submit a claim to Flying Blue Customer Service within 6 months of your flight, including your boarding pass and e-ticket. See Etihad partner rules.

Special Cases and Exceptions

airBaltic: The Hybrid Partner

Code: BT

airBaltic has a unique arrangement:

AF/KL marketed, BT operated: Earns Miles + XP
BT marketed and operated: Earns nothing (no Miles, no XP)

Always check the marketing carrier (flight code on your ticket). If it starts with AF or KL, you earn. If it starts with BT, you earn nothing.

TAROM: Double XP Bonus

Code: RO

TAROM offers a unique bonus: Double XP on domestic Romanian flights. If you are connecting through Bucharest and can split your booking to include a domestic RO segment, you earn twice the normal XP on that leg.

SAS: Recent XP Addition

Code: SK

SAS Scandinavian Airlines began earning XP on September 1, 2024. Previously, SAS flights earned Miles only. Flights taken before this date do not earn XP. SAS has separate earning tables for medium haul (domestic/Europe) and long haul flights. See SAS earning table.

UXP for Ultimate Status

If you are pursuing Ultimate status, you need to understand UXP. This is the most exclusive tier with benefits like guaranteed upgrades and lifetime status potential.

⚠️ Critical Rule: Only flights marketed by Air France (AF) or KLM (KL) earn UXP. The marketing carrier is shown by the flight code on your ticket. Even SkyTeam partners like Delta earn zero UXP. Official UXP rule.

SkyStatus Add Flight wizard showing a SAS Scandinavian Airlines Business Class round trip Amsterdam to Copenhagen - 30 XP total and 2,364 miles earned across 2 segments — A SAS Business Class round trip earns 30 XP and 2,364 miles - partner flights show XP but zero UXP since only AF/KL marketed flights qualify.

Scenario	Flight Code	Earns UXP?
KLM operated, KLM marketed	KL1234	Yes
Delta operated, KLM marketed (codeshare)	KL5678	Yes
KLM operated, Delta marketed (codeshare)	DL9123	No
Delta operated, Delta marketed	DL456	No
Air France operated, Air France marketed	AF789	Yes
Any other SkyTeam partner	AM/AR/KE/etc.	No

💡 Booking Tip: To ensure UXP earning, always book through klm.com or airfrance.com. When booking through partner websites (like delta.com), double-check the flight code before completing your purchase.

Choosing the Right Partner

For Status Chasers

Prioritize airlines that earn XP. Avoid "Miles only" partners if status is your goal. When planning an XP run, use our mileage run calculator to find the best cost per XP. The best XP value often comes from:

Delta (DL): Up to 300% earning in First Class
Saudia (SV): Up to 250% earning
Virgin Atlantic (VS): Up to 200% earning, non-SkyTeam
SAS (SK): Up to 200% earning (since September 2024)

SkyStatus flight list with Air France, KLM, SAS, and Transavia flights showing XP and UXP columns side by side - Air France Business CDG-BKK earning 36 XP, monthly totals of 74 XP and 40 UXP — Compare XP and UXP earnings across airlines at a glance - only Air France and KLM flights show UXP, while all SkyTeam partners contribute XP toward status.

For Miles Collectors

If you just want Miles for award flights (not status), all partners work. Check our guide on Miles valuation to understand what your earnings are worth. The highest earning rates are:

Etihad (EY): Up to 400% (but requires manual claim)
Delta (DL): Up to 300%
Oman Air (WY): Up to 275%
Saudia (SV): Up to 250%

For Ultimate Aspirants

Only book AF or KL marketed flights. No exceptions. Partner flights (even SkyTeam) do not contribute to the 900 UXP requirement. Read our complete Ultimate guide for detailed strategies.

Track Your Partner Flights

Import your Flying Blue PDF and see exactly how each flight contributed to your Miles and XP balance.

Start Tracking Free →

FAQ

Which airlines earn XP for Flying Blue status?

Most SkyTeam airlines earn both Miles and XP. However, some partners like Japan Airlines, Qantas, El Al, and others earn only Miles. Since April 2024, non-SkyTeam partners generally no longer earn XP (with exceptions like Virgin Atlantic and Aircalin).

What is the difference between Miles and XP?

Miles are a currency you can spend on award flights. XP (Experience Points) determine your status level. Some partner flights earn Miles but not XP, meaning they do not count toward status qualification.

Which airlines earn UXP for Ultimate status?

Only flights marketed by Air France (AF) or KLM (KL) earn UXP. The flight code on your ticket must start with AF or KL. Partner flights, even SkyTeam members like Delta, earn zero UXP.

Do non-SkyTeam partners still earn XP?

Since April 1, 2024, flights marketed and operated by most non-SkyTeam partners no longer earn XP. Exceptions include Virgin Atlantic, Air Corsica (on specific routes), and Aircalin.

Sources and verification

Last verified: 17 February 2026. Earning rates and partner status verified against official Flying Blue partner pages. Rates may change without notice.

KLM: Flying Blue membership levels — General XP earning overview
Flying Blue: Ultimate info — UXP rule (AF/KL marketed only)
Flying Blue: April 2024 rule update — Non-SkyTeam XP changes
Flying Blue: SAS earning table — September 2024 XP start
Flying Blue: ITA Airways — Partnership ended November 2025
Flying Blue: Etihad partner rules — Manual claim requirement

This guide is based on official Flying Blue partner pages as of December 2025. Rates may change without notice. Always verify current earning rates on the official Flying Blue website before booking. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM or Flying Blue.