Flying Blue stopover: free stop on award tickets
Most people redeeming Flying Blue miles book one route to one place and call it a trip. You can do better. The stopover rule turns a single award ticket into two destinations, letting you spend days in a second city before flying on, without spending extra miles. The catch is that it only works under specific conditions, and one wrong booking choice quietly forfeits it. This guide shows exactly when it applies, how to build the itinerary, and where travelers lose the free stop.
What is a stopover?
A stopover is a planned stop of at least 24 hours on your award ticket. Flying Blue allows you to add a free stopover to one-way awards. For example, you can fly from Amsterdam to Bangkok with a stopover of a few days in Paris, on a single award ticket, without paying extra miles. This also works on partner airlines.
Quick facts
How does a Flying Blue stopover work?
Flying Blue prices award tickets per direction. When you book a one-way award, you may add a stop at the connecting airport on your route without paying extra miles. Air France and KLM funnel almost everything through Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol, so that is where most stopovers land. The stopover must last at least 24 hours and at most 1 year.
In practice, this means you combine two destinations on a single award ticket:
- Segment 1: your origin to the hub city (e.g. New York to Paris)
- Stopover: 1 day to 1 year in Paris
- Segment 2: the hub city to your final destination (e.g. Paris to Bangkok)
You pay the miles rate for the longest route (in this case New York - Bangkok via Paris). The stop in Paris is included for free. You only pay the taxes and surcharges for all segments in cash. This through-price only holds when the same airline operates both segments, so keep the whole route on Air France or on KLM. Mix carriers, for example a KLM feeder onto a partner long-haul, and each airline's segments are priced separately, so the stopover is no longer free.
Step by step: booking a stopover
Booking a stopover requires a phone call. Here is how to do it:
Booking process
- Check availability online: go to klm.com or airfrance.com. Search each segment separately with "Book with miles" - 1 passenger, one-way. Note the available dates and miles prices for both segments.
- Verify the route: the stopover must be on a logical connection. Amsterdam works for KLM routes, Paris for Air France routes. Your two flights have to connect at that city.
- Call customer service:
- KLM Flying Blue: +31 20 474 7747
- Air France Flying Blue: +33 9 69 39 36 54
- Request a one-way award with stopover: provide your preferred flights, dates and cabin class. Make sure to state explicitly that you want a stopover (not just a connection).
- Confirm the price: you should pay the same number of miles as for a direct flight to your final destination. The surcharges (taxes + fees) may be slightly higher due to the extra segment.
Concrete examples
Example 1: Amsterdam - Bangkok via Paris (Business Class)
- Segment 1: AMS to CDG (Air France, 1 hour)
- Stopover: 3 days in Paris
- Segment 2: CDG to BKK (Air France, 11 hours)
- Miles: 60,000 miles one-way (same as direct AMS-BKK)
- Bonus: 3 days in Paris on your award, without extra miles
Example 2: Paris - Tokyo via Amsterdam (Economy)
- Segment 1: CDG to AMS (KLM, 1 hour)
- Stopover: weekend in Amsterdam
- Segment 2: AMS to NRT (KLM, 11 hours)
- Miles: 25,000 miles one-way (same as direct CDG-NRT)
- Bonus: weekend in Amsterdam included for free
Example 3: New York - Cape Town via Amsterdam (Business Class)
- Segment 1: JFK to AMS (KLM, 7 hours)
- Stopover: 5 days in Amsterdam
- Segment 2: AMS to CPT (KLM, 11 hours)
- Miles: 60,000-80,000 miles one-way
- Bonus: five days in Amsterdam on a single award ticket
Rules and conditions
The Flying Blue stopover has a number of important rules:
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Ticket type | One-way awards only (single direction). Not available on round-trip bookings through the website. |
| Stopover location | Any airport where two eligible flights connect. Flying Blue allows the stop "during a connection between 2 flights, operated by Air France, KLM or our airline partners". In practice that means Amsterdam (AMS) or Paris (CDG), or the operating airline partner's hub on a partner award. |
| Minimum duration | 24 hours. Anything shorter counts as a regular connection. |
| Maximum duration | Up to 1 year after your first flight segment. |
| Number of stopovers | 1 per one-way award. |
| Extra miles | None. You pay the same rate as for a direct flight. |
| Booking method | Phone only. Cannot be booked online. |
| Partner airlines | Stopovers also work on SkyTeam partner awards. The stop stays free only when one airline operates the flights before and after it. Mixing carriers means each segment is priced separately. |
| Payment | Miles or Cash & Miles. Taxes and surcharges are paid in cash on top. |
| Promo Rewards | Not combinable. Promo Rewards only apply to standard one-way or round-trip bookings. |
| Cabin class | Both segments may be in different cabins (e.g. Economy outbound, Business after the stopover). |
From September 8, 2026: Air France and KLM award fares come in Light, Standard and Flex, and options only combine within the same brand across cabins. For a stopover itinerary that means every segment ends up in the same option: one leg that needs Flex flexibility makes the whole booking Flex-priced, and a Light booking leaves every segment without voluntary changes or refunds.
Smart stopover strategies
1. Combine a Promo Reward outbound with a stopover return
Promo Rewards offer up to 25% off but do not allow stopovers. The smartest strategy: book the outbound as a Promo Reward (cheaper in miles) and the return as a regular award with stopover. This way you benefit from both advantages.
Example: Amsterdam - Bangkok round trip with maximum value
- Outbound (Promo Reward): AMS-BKK, Business Class, 45,000 miles
- Return (regular + stopover): BKK-CDG (stopover 4 days Paris) - CDG-AMS, 60,000 miles
- Total: 105,000 miles + 4 days in Paris for free
- Without strategy: 120,000 miles (regular round trip, no Paris)
- Savings: 15,000 miles AND 4 days in Paris
2. Build in a mini-vacation
A stopover of 2-5 days in Amsterdam or Paris is the perfect mini-vacation. You are in the city for your connection anyway. Instead of waiting 2 hours at Schiphol, spend a weekend in the city center. Hotels in Amsterdam and Paris cost EUR 100-200 per night, but the flight portion is free.
3. Use stopovers to make long trips more enjoyable
A stopover makes long journeys more pleasant. Instead of waiting hours at an airport, you explore a city. This works on both award tickets and paid tickets. Note: for mileage runs focused on Flying Blue XP, you need a paid ticket, since award tickets do not earn XP.
4. Mix cabin classes
You may book different cabin classes per segment. Fly Economy to the hub city and Business Class for the long segment, or the other way around. This can reduce the total miles price if Business Class on the short segment is relatively expensive.
5. Combine with a paid ticket for XP
Award tickets (booked with miles) earn no XP. Want both a stopover and to earn Flying Blue XP? Then book a paid ticket with a connection and stay more than 24 hours in the hub city. Alternatively, book the outbound as a paid ticket (for XP) and the return as an award with stopover (for the extra city).
Track your miles for your next stopover
Keep track of how many miles you have, and plan your next award with a stopover.
Start tracking for freeStopover vs. open jaw vs. multi-city
These three terms are often confused. Here is the difference:
| Type | Explanation | Example | With Flying Blue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stopover | Stop of 24+ hours at a connecting city, same ticket | AMS - CDG (3 days) - BKK | Free on one-way awards (by phone) |
| Open jaw | Return from a different city than your destination | Out: AMS-BKK, return: Singapore-AMS | Book as two separate one-way awards |
| Multi-city | Multiple destinations on one ticket | AMS-BKK-SIN-AMS | Not available as a single award ticket. Book as separate one-way awards. |
The advantage of one-way awards with Flying Blue is flexibility. You can simulate an open jaw by booking two separate one-way tickets, each with its own stopover. This gives you more control over dates and cabin classes than a round-trip ticket.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Flying Blue stopover?
A stopover is a planned stop of at least 24 hours and up to 1 year on your award ticket. You can add a free stopover to one-way awards with Flying Blue. The stop is at the connecting airport on your route, usually Amsterdam (AMS) or Paris (CDG). You pay no extra miles.
Is a stopover free?
Yes. You pay the same number of miles as for a direct flight to your final destination. Taxes and surcharges may be slightly higher due to the extra flight segment, but the miles price does not change.
How do you book a stopover?
Stopovers must be booked by phone through Flying Blue customer service. Online booking is not possible. Call KLM (+31 20 474 7747) or Air France (+33 9 69 39 36 54) and request a one-way award with a stopover.
Can I combine a stopover with Promo Rewards?
No. Promo Rewards only apply to standard one-way or round-trip bookings. Stopovers, multi-city and open-jaw bookings are excluded. You can book the outbound as a Promo Reward and the return as a regular award with stopover.
Which cities allow a stopover?
Any airport where two flights on your award itinerary connect. Because Air France and KLM funnel their networks through Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), most stopovers land in one of those two. On an award flown by an airline partner, the connecting city is that partner's hub instead.
Do I earn XP on an award ticket with a stopover?
No. Award tickets (booked with miles) do not earn Flying Blue XP, even with a stopover. Want to earn XP and include a stopover? Then book a paid ticket with a connection and stay more than 24 hours, or split your trip: paid ticket outbound (for XP) and award with stopover on the return.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 27 August 2026. All facts checked against at least two independent sources.
- Flying Blue - Complimentary stopover - official stopover rules and FAQ, read 6 August 2026
- Flying Blue - Reward Tickets - official award booking rules
- KLM - Spend miles - booking rules and conditions
- FlyerTalk - Flying Blue Stopover Rules - community experiences and routing rules
- Flying Blue - Book award flights - official multi-city award booking
This guide is based on publicly available information from Flying Blue, independent sources and personal experience as of August 2026. Booking rules may change. Always check the current terms on flyingblue.com or call customer service. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM or Flying Blue.