How to spend Flying Blue miles and points wisely
The golden rule
Miles and points are most valuable when you use them for premium cabin award tickets. The official value of a Membership Rewards point is EUR 0.003, but with smart spending you can get up to EUR 0.034 per point - more than 10x as much. This guide shows you how to maximize the value of your Flying Blue miles and MR points.
What do you want to know?
The golden rule: maximizing value per point
The same points can be worth 10x more depending on how you spend them. This is the most important insight from this guide. Many people redeem their points for gift cards or statement credits, but that is almost always the worst option.
Below you can see the value per 1,000 Membership Rewards points across different redemptions:
| Redemption | Value per 1,000 MR points | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Statement credit | EUR 3.00 | Avoid |
| Gift card (retailers) | EUR 3.00 - 4.00 | Avoid |
| Economy award ticket | EUR 5.00 - 8.00 | Decent |
| Business Class award ticket | EUR 15.00 - 34.00 | Best value |
The value per point depends on three factors: the cabin class (Business and First yield the most), the route (long-haul flights give more value) and the timing (when a cash ticket is expensive, your award is worth more).
Spending Flying Blue miles
You earn Flying Blue miles by flying with KLM, Air France and SkyTeam partners, or through a credit card. These are the best ways to spend them.
Award tickets: the best option
Award tickets are by far the best way to spend your miles. Since 2018, Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing: there is no longer a fixed award chart. The price in miles varies per flight, just like cash tickets.
Flying Blue offers three types of award tickets:
- Classic Awards - the standard rate in miles. Available on most flights.
- Promo Rewards - monthly offers with 25-50% discount. The best deals.
- Flex Awards - flexible rebooking and cancellation, but more expensive in miles.
Price indication per cabin and distance (one-way):
| Route | Economy | Premium Eco | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-haul Europe (AMS-BCN) | 10,000 - 15,000 | - | 20,000 - 35,000 |
| Long-haul Europe (AMS-IST) | 12,000 - 20,000 | - | 25,000 - 45,000 |
| Transatlantic (AMS-NYC) | 25,000 - 45,000 | 35,000 - 55,000 | 60,000 - 120,000 |
| Asia (AMS-NRT) | 30,000 - 50,000 | 40,000 - 60,000 | 65,000 - 130,000 |
Prices are indicative and vary per date. Prices exclude taxes and surcharges. Source: flyingblue.com, February 2026.
Promo Rewards: monthly discounts
Every month Flying Blue publishes a selection of routes at 25-50% discount in miles. These are Promo Rewards, and they are often the best deal you can find.
- Discount: 25% on Economy, up to 50% on Premium Economy and sometimes Business Class
- Availability: new selection at the beginning of each month
- Booking window: usually for travel up to 6 months ahead
- Where to find them: on flyingblue.com under "Spend miles"
Example: Promo Reward in action
AMS-SFO (San Francisco) Business Class: normally 62,500 miles one-way. With a 50% Promo Reward: 31,250 miles. A cash ticket for the same flight easily costs EUR 2,500+. The value per mile: more than EUR 0.08. That is better than any other redemption.
Partner airlines
Flying Blue miles can be spent not only with KLM and Air France, but also with partner airlines. Sometimes partners offer better availability or a better product.
SkyTeam partners:
- Korean Air - excellent Business Class to Asia, good availability via Flying Blue
- Delta - to the US, but availability can be limited
- China Eastern - affordable award tickets to China
- Kenya Airways - to Africa, priced as medium-haul
Non-SkyTeam partners:
- Air Europa - to South America, often without fuel surcharges
- Transavia - European destinations with Flying Blue miles
Read more about all partners in our guide to Flying Blue partner airlines.
Miles & Cash
With Miles & Cash you combine miles with money for a ticket. This can be useful when you are just short of miles for a full award ticket.
Upgrades with miles
You can purchase an upgrade from Economy to Business Class with miles. This only works on KLM and Air France flights, and availability is limited. The upgrade appears as an option in "My Trips" when there is space.
The value of a miles upgrade can be good, but it is not guaranteed to be available. Do not plan ahead counting on it.
What to avoid
Not every way of spending Flying Blue miles is smart. Avoid these options:
- Flying Blue web shop - buying products with miles yields a value below EUR 0.005 per mile. That is less than half of what an Economy award ticket delivers.
- SkyTeam Lounge access - expensive in miles. If you want regular lounge access, consider working toward your Flying Blue Gold status.
- Hotels or car rental via Flying Blue - poor value per mile. Book these separately and pay cash.
Spending Membership Rewards points
Do you have a regular American Express card (not the Flying Blue variant)? Then you earn Membership Rewards (MR) points. These points are extremely flexible because you can transfer them to multiple airline programs.
Transfer partners: the overview
The power of MR points lies in the transfer options. From a European perspective, these partners are the most relevant:
| Partner | Transfer ratio | Max. value per MR point | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Blue | 5:4 (1,000 = 800 miles) | Up to EUR 0.027 | KLM/AF, Promo Rewards |
| British Airways Avios | 1:1 | Up to EUR 0.020 | Iberia, Qatar QSuite |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Up to EUR 0.034 | Singapore Airlines Suites/Business |
| SAS EuroBonus | 3:2 (1,000 = 667) | Up to EUR 0.015 | Short SAS flights |
| Delta SkyMiles | 3:1 (1,000 = 333) | Avoid | Almost never |
Transfer ratios as of February 2026. The "max. value" is with optimal use (Business/First Class award tickets). Source: americanexpress.com.
When to choose which partner?
Choose Flying Blue when:
- You want to fly KLM or Air France (the most logical choice from Europe)
- There is an attractive Promo Reward on your desired route
- You already have Flying Blue miles and want to top them up
- You want SkyTeam partner destinations (Korean Air to Asia, Kenya Airways to Africa)
Choose British Airways Avios when:
- You want to book Iberia Business Class (one of the best sweet spots from Europe)
- You want to fly Qatar Airways QSuite (widely considered the best Business Class product in the world)
- You want to book short flights within Europe on British Airways
Choose Singapore KrisFlyer when:
- You want to fly Singapore Airlines Business or First Class (consistently the best airline product)
- You want the highest possible value per MR point (up to EUR 0.034)
- You are traveling to Southeast Asia or Australia
Choose SAS EuroBonus when:
- You want to book specific SAS routes (Scandinavia)
- Short European flights via SAS (from 5,000 points)
What to avoid with MR points
- Statement credits (EUR 0.003 per point) - the worst option. You are throwing away 90% of the potential value.
- Buying gift cards (EUR 0.003 - 0.004 per point) - barely better than statement credits.
- Small transfers without a plan - do not transfer 10,000 points to Flying Blue "just in case." Keep them until you have a specific booking goal. Once transferred, you cannot reverse it.
Sweet spots: the best award tickets
Not all award tickets are created equal. Some routes and cabins deliver significantly more value than others. These are the sweet spots you need to know.
Short-haul Europe: the quick wins
- KLM/AF Economy within Europe: 10,000-15,000 miles one-way. Ideal for a weekend trip to Barcelona, Lisbon or Rome.
- Promo Rewards Europe: regularly 25% off, bringing the price down to 7,500 miles.
- North Africa: Morocco and Tunisia are priced by Flying Blue as European destinations. Marrakech from 10,000 miles.
- Transavia: also bookable with Flying Blue miles. Handy for destinations KLM does not fly to.
Transatlantic: the classics
The Amsterdam-New York route is one of the most popular award routes. Here are the options:
- Economy: from 25,000 miles one-way. During a Promo Reward sometimes from 18,750 miles.
- Premium Economy: from 35,000 miles, during Promo Reward from 26,250 miles. A good middle ground between comfort and miles.
- Business Class: from 60,000 miles. During Promo Reward from 45,000 miles. KLM World Business Class is a solid product on the 787 Dreamliner.
Example: AMS-NYC Business Class
A return Business Class Amsterdam-New York easily costs EUR 3,000-5,000 in cash. With Promo Rewards you book the same flight for 90,000 miles return (2x 45,000). If you earned the miles through the Flying Blue Platinum Card (1.5 miles/euro), you would need EUR 60,000 in spending. But with the welcome bonus of 120,000 miles you have more than enough for this flight.
Premium cabins with partners
The real sweet spots are often found with partner airlines. With MR points you have access to world-class products:
Qatar Airways QSuite via Avios:
- Book via British Airways (Avios) - transfer MR points 1:1
- QSuite is widely regarded as the best Business Class product in the world
- Routes from Europe to the Middle East, Asia and Australia
- Availability can be limited, book as early as possible
Singapore Airlines Business/First via KrisFlyer:
- Transfer MR points 1:1 to KrisFlyer
- Singapore Airlines consistently ranks in the top 3 of the world's best airlines
- Singapore Suites (First Class on the A380) is one of the most exclusive flight products
- Delivers the highest value per MR point: up to EUR 0.034
Korean Air Business to Asia via Flying Blue:
- Book directly with Flying Blue miles
- Korean Air has a solid Business Class product
- Often better availability than KLM on routes to Asia
- Via Seoul (ICN) to numerous Asian destinations
Hidden gems
Lesser-known sweet spots worth exploring:
- Air Europa via Flying Blue - to South America, often without fuel surcharges. That saves hundreds of euros compared to KLM.
- SAS short European flights via EuroBonus - from 5,000 points per flight. Handy for trips to Scandinavia.
- Iberia Business Class via Avios - to South America and the Caribbean. Iberia charges lower surcharges than BA.
Real-world examples
How much are your points worth in practice? Below are concrete scenarios based on common point balances.
"I have 40,000 Flying Blue miles"
With 40,000 miles you can choose from:
- 4 return Economy flights within Europe (e.g. AMS-BCN, AMS-FCO, AMS-LIS, AMS-ATH)
- 1 return Premium Economy to the US during a Promo Reward (2x 20,000 miles)
- 1 one-way Business Class to the US during a Promo Reward (45,000 miles - you need to earn 5,000 more)
"I have 120,000 Flying Blue miles"
With 120,000 miles premium options open up:
- 2 return Business Class to the US during Promo Reward (2x 45,000 = 90,000 miles, 30,000 left over)
- 1 return Business Class to Asia (approximately 100,000-130,000 miles return)
- 12 return Economy flights within Europe (approximately 10,000 miles per return)
"I have 170,000 MR points"
With 170,000 MR points you have three strong options:
- Option A - Flying Blue: transfer to FB (136,000 miles via 5:4 ratio) = 2x return Business Class to the US during Promo Reward
- Option B - Singapore Airlines: transfer to KrisFlyer (170,000 miles via 1:1 ratio) = return Business Class Singapore Airlines. Value: up to EUR 5,780.
- Option C - Split: 100,000 to Flying Blue (80,000 miles = 1x Business US return during Promo) + 70,000 to Avios (70,000 Avios = 1x Business Iberia to South America)
Track your miles and their value
Want to know exactly what your miles are worth, what they cost per mile and whether you are spending them wisely? SkyStatus calculates it automatically.
Start tracking for freeFrequently asked questions
What are my Flying Blue miles worth?
The value depends on how you spend them. For Economy award tickets they average EUR 0.008-0.012 per mile. For Business Class the value can reach EUR 0.015-0.025 per mile. With discounted Promo Rewards you get even more value. Avoid the Flying Blue web shop, where values often drop below EUR 0.005 per mile. Read the full value analysis.
Should I transfer MR points to Flying Blue or keep them?
Keep them until you have a specific booking goal. Flying Blue is the best choice for KLM/AF flights and Promo Rewards (ratio 5:4). For Qatar Airways QSuite or Iberia Business Class, Avios are better (1:1 ratio). For Singapore Airlines, KrisFlyer is the best option (1:1). Never transfer points without a plan.
When is the cheapest time to book with miles?
The cheapest deals can be found during Flying Blue's monthly Promo Rewards (25-50% discount). Use the calendar view on flyingblue.com to find the cheapest day. Book well in advance for popular routes. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are often cheaper than weekends.
Do my miles or points expire?
Flying Blue miles expire after 24 months of inactivity on your account. Any activity (flight, earning or spending miles) resets the clock. Membership Rewards points do not expire as long as your Amex card is active. If you cancel your card, you lose any unused points.
Can I share miles or points with family?
Flying Blue miles can be shared via Transfer Miles (up to 100,000 miles per year, with a small fee). You can also book an award ticket directly in someone else's name. MR points cannot be transferred to other people, but you can book flights for others with them.
What are Promo Rewards and how do I find them?
Promo Rewards are monthly offers from Flying Blue with 25-50% off in miles. Each month new routes are selected. You can find them on flyingblue.com under "Spend miles." New offers appear on the 1st of each month.
Sources and transparency
Last verified: February 19, 2026. All facts verified against at least two independent sources.
- Flying Blue - award pricing, Promo Rewards, partner airlines
- American Express - transfer partners, MR value, ratios
This guide is based on publicly available information from Flying Blue, American Express and independent sources as of February 2026. Award prices are dynamic and can change daily. Always check current prices on flyingblue.com. Transfer ratios are as of publication date and can be adjusted by Amex. SkyStatus is not affiliated with Air France-KLM, Flying Blue or American Express.