KLM upgrade with miles: all options explained
What is a KLM upgrade?
An upgrade means moving to a higher travel class on a flight you already have a ticket for. On KLM, you can upgrade from Economy to Premium Comfort or World Business Class, and from Premium Comfort to Business. You can pay with Flying Blue miles, euros at check-in, or a combination. But upgrading is not always the smartest move - sometimes a new award ticket is cheaper.
Quick facts
All upgrade options at a glance
There are several ways to move to a higher cabin on KLM or Air France. Each method has its own timing, costs, and chances of success.
| Method | When | Payment | Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| miles upgrade | At OLCI (30h before departure, 24h US) | Flying Blue miles | Yes, once confirmed |
| Paid upgrade | At check-in (30 hours before departure) | EUR, miles, or Miles & Cash | Yes, once confirmed |
| Operational upgrade | Day of departure | Free | No, extremely rare |
KLM cabins: what can you upgrade to?
Economy Comfort vs. Premium Comfort
KLM has two products that are often confused:
- Economy Comfort - seats with extra legroom (86 cm / 34 inches) within the Economy cabin. Available on all KLM aircraft, both European and intercontinental. This is not a separate cabin, just more legroom.
- Premium Comfort - a separate premium economy cabin with wider seats, more recline, dedicated service, and 13.3-inch screens. Configuration varies by aircraft: 2-3-2 on the 787 Dreamliner, 2-4-2 on the 777. Only available on widebody aircraft for intercontinental flights.
Possible upgrades on KLM
| From | To | Flights |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | Premium Comfort | Intercontinental (787, 777) |
| Economy | World Business Class | Intercontinental (787, 777, A330) |
| Premium Comfort | World Business Class | Intercontinental |
| Economy | Europe Business | European (737, Embraer) |
Europe Business is not a true Business Class: it is Economy with a blocked middle seat for extra space.
Upgrading with miles
You can upgrade an existing paid ticket with Flying Blue miles. This requires O-class availability on your flight - a special booking class reserved for award upgrades.
How to request a miles upgrade
There are two ways to upgrade with miles:
- At online check-in (OLCI): OLCI opens 30 hours before departure (24 hours for US flights). If O-class is available on your flight, the option to upgrade with miles appears when you check in on klm.com, airfrance.com, or in the app.
- Via the Premium or Platinum Service Line: have Gold, Platinum, or Ultimate status? You can also upgrade by phone during the OLCI window through your dedicated service line.
How many miles does an upgrade cost?
Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing, so there is no fixed table. The cost depends on your original booking class - the more expensive your Economy ticket, the fewer miles you need for the upgrade.
| Route | High booking class (Y, B, M) | Low booking class (T, E, N) |
|---|---|---|
| Short-haul Europe | 10,000 - 15,000 miles | 20,000 - 30,000 miles |
| AMS - New York | 15,000 - 25,000 miles | 45,000 - 52,500 miles |
| AMS - Cape Town | 20,000 - 30,000 miles | 40,000 - 52,500 miles |
Indicative amounts based on multiple sources. Actual prices are dynamic and may vary. Upgrade from Economy to Business Class, per one-way trip.
Important: with a miles upgrade, you earn XP and miles based on your original booking class, not at Business Class level. You fly Business, but your ticket remains administratively an Economy ticket. This is a key difference from booking a full Business Class award ticket.
Paid upgrade at check-in
The most common way to upgrade on KLM is the paid upgrade that appears when online check-in opens, 30 hours before departure (24 hours for US flights).
Where to find the offer
- Online check-in on klm.com or in the KLM app
- Self-service kiosks at the airport
- Check-in desk
- On board - sometimes the crew offers upgrades when premium seats are left over
What does it cost?
The price depends on route, availability, your original ticket, and season. You can pay with credit card, iDEAL, or Flying Blue miles (or a combination).
| Route | To Premium Comfort | To Business Class |
|---|---|---|
| Short-haul Europe | - | EUR 100 - 200 |
| Intercontinental (Asia, Africa) | EUR 200 - 400 | EUR 250 - 550 |
| Intercontinental (North America) | EUR 200 - 350 | EUR 270 - 700 |
Prices per person, per one-way trip. Highly dependent on availability and season. Source: KLM.com, travel forums, February 2026.
Example: last-minute Business Class for EUR 200
On travel forums, travelers regularly report upgrade offers of EUR 200 - 350 for intercontinental flights to Business Class. A cash Business Class ticket on the same route easily costs EUR 2,500+, so the savings can be enormous.
These kinds of deals appear mostly on flights with many empty Business Class seats during the low season.
Upgrading vs. new award ticket: which is smarter?
The most important question when upgrading is: is it cheaper to upgrade your Economy ticket with miles, or to cancel it and book a full Business Class award ticket?
Scenario: AMS - New York, Business Class
Option A: upgrade (high booking class)
Option B: full award ticket
Scenario: AMS - New York, cheap Economy ticket
Option A: upgrade (low booking class)
Option B: Promo Reward award ticket
Air France and La Premiere
Air France offers the same upgrade options as KLM, plus one exclusive extra: La Premiere, Air France's First Class cabin.
Upgrade options at Air France
Just like KLM, you can upgrade at Air France via online check-in (OLCI). The miles upgrades and paid upgrades work the same as at KLM:
- Economy to Premium Economy - comparable to KLM Premium Comfort
- Economy to Business (Affaires) - comparable to KLM World Business Class
- Premium Economy to Business
La Premiere: the ultimate cabin
La Premiere is Air France's First Class product, available on just 4 seats per aircraft on selected long-haul routes from Paris CDG. There are three ways to fly La Premiere:
- Award ticket: approximately 165,000 - 285,000 miles one-way (route-dependent, most US routes around 232,500), only available to Platinum and Ultimate members. Note: you can reserve a maximum of 1 La Premiere award ticket per booking. If you are traveling with a partner, you always need at least 1 paid ticket.
- Cash upgrade from Business: EUR 1,500 - 2,600, by invitation for Platinum members and above. Appears at online check-in (24 hours before departure)
- Upgrade vouchers (Ultimate): 2 vouchers needed for an upgrade from Business to La Premiere
Status benefits for upgrades
No status level entitles you to automatic free upgrades. This is a common misconception. Here are the actual benefits per level:
| Status | Upgrade benefits |
|---|---|
| Explorer / Silver | No upgrade benefits |
| Gold | No explicit upgrade benefits. Possibly slight priority for operational upgrades (not confirmed by Flying Blue) |
| Platinum | Better award pricing (lower miles costs for upgrades). La Premiere invitations (Air France). Priority for operational upgrades. EUR 70 change fees waived. |
| Ultimate | All Platinum benefits plus 4 upgrade vouchers per year. Vouchers valid on paid and award tickets. 2 vouchers = 1 cabin upgrade (or Business to La Premiere). |
Read more about the path to Platinum in our Platinum guide. More about Ultimate in our Ultimate guide.
Tips for the best chance at an upgrade
1. Check your booking class
Look at your ticket to find your booking class (the letter after "Economy", e.g. Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, E, N). The higher the class, the cheaper the upgrade in miles. With class Y, B, or M, upgrading is almost always a smart move.
2. Monitor O-class availability
Regularly check whether there is award availability in Business Class on your flight. Availability often appears at opening (10-11 months before departure) or close to departure (last 2 weeks).
3. Check at online check-in
The paid upgrade appears 30 hours before departure. This is often the cheapest option when there are many empty Business Class seats. Also check the self-service kiosks at the airport - sometimes different offers appear there.
4. Combine Miles & Cash
With a paid upgrade, you can pay up to 25% with miles. Useful if the euro amount is just too high but you have miles to spare.
5. Always compare with an award ticket
Before spending miles on an upgrade, check the award availability for a full Business Class ticket. With a cheap Economy ticket, a new award ticket is often better value.
Track your miles balance
Know exactly how many miles you have and whether you have enough for an upgrade or award ticket.
Start tracking for freeFrequently asked questions
How many miles does an Economy to Business upgrade cost?
Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing. As a rough guide, an intercontinental upgrade costs 25,000 to 52,500 miles, depending on your booking class. A more expensive Economy ticket (class Y, B, M) costs fewer miles than a cheap ticket (class T, E, N). A miles upgrade requires O-class availability and is available at online check-in (30 hours before departure, 24 hours for US flights) or via the Premium/Platinum Service Line.
Can I upgrade an award ticket?
No, award tickets (booked with miles) cannot be upgraded with additional miles. Upgrades are only available on paid tickets. The only exception: Ultimate members may use their upgrade vouchers on award tickets since May 2025.
When is upgrading smarter than booking a new ticket?
Upgrading makes sense with a high booking class (Y, B, M, U): the upgrade costs only 15,000-25,000 miles. With a low booking class (T, E, N), the upgrade can cost 45,000-52,500 miles - almost as much as a full Business Class award ticket (60,000 miles). In that case, a new award ticket is usually better, especially during Promo Rewards.
What is the difference between Premium Comfort and Economy Comfort?
Economy Comfort seats offer extra legroom (86 cm / 34 inches) within the Economy cabin, available on all KLM aircraft. Premium Comfort is a separate premium economy cabin with wider seats, more recline, dedicated service, and 13.3-inch screens. Configuration: 2-3-2 on the 787 Dreamliner, 2-4-2 on the 777. Only available on widebody aircraft for intercontinental flights.
Does status give me a better chance at an upgrade?
No status level gives automatic free upgrades. Platinum and Ultimate members get better award pricing. Ultimate members receive 4 upgrade vouchers per year. For operational upgrades (when the airline relocates passengers), higher-status members get priority, but this is rare. Read more about Platinum status.
Do I earn Business Class XP with an upgrade?
No. With a miles upgrade or paid upgrade, you earn XP and miles based on your original booking class (Economy), not at Business Class level. You fly Business, but your ticket remains administratively Economy. This is a key difference from booking a full Business Class ticket.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 27 February 2026. All facts verified against at least two independent sources.
- KLM - Upgrade to Premium Comfort or Business Class - official upgrade options and conditions
- KLM - Spending miles - miles upgrade process
- Flying Blue - Upgrades - official upgrade information
This guide is based on publicly available information from KLM, Air France, Flying Blue, and independent sources as of February 2026. Upgrade prices are dynamic and can change daily. Always check current prices on klm.com or airfrance.com. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM or Flying Blue.