Should You Buy Flying Blue miles?
Short Answer: Usually No
Buying Flying Blue miles rarely makes financial sense. Standard purchases cost €0.028/mile, but typical redemptions are worth only €0.012/mile. Even with an 80% bonus (€0.016/mile), you need a high-value Business Class redemption to break even. Transfer partners are almost always better.
Flying Blue: Buy miles · Flying Blue: Subscribe to Miles · Flying Blue: Reward Tickets & Promo Rewards · KLM: Earning miles
The Math Problem with Buying miles
The fundamental issue is simple: miles typically cost more to buy than they are worth when redeemed. Here is the breakdown:
| Acquisition Method | Cost Per Mile | vs Baseline Value (€0.012) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard purchase | €0.028 | 2.3x higher | ❌ 57% loss |
| 80% bonus promo | €0.016 | 1.3x higher | ❌ 25% loss |
| Subscribe to Miles | €0.011 | ~Equal | ⚠️ Break-even |
| Transfer (with 25% bonus) | €0.008 | 0.67x lower | ✅ 50% profit |
| Transfer (standard) | €0.01 | 0.83x lower | ✅ 20% profit |
The only way buying miles works is if your planned redemption has a value per mile that exceeds your purchase cost. For standard purchases, you would need redemptions worth €0.028+/mile. That is extremely rare outside of La Première.
Current Purchase Pricing (April 2026)
Flying Blue sells miles through their miles Hub (powered by Points.com). The standard rate is 3.05 US cents per mile (approximately €0.028). Promotions offering 50 to 100% bonus miles reduce the effective cost.
| Purchase Option | Price (USD) | Effective CPM | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (no promo) | 3.05¢/mile | €0.028 | ❌ Never worth it |
| 50% bonus | 2.03¢/mile | €0.019 | ❌ Still too expensive |
| 80% bonus (typical promo) | 1.69¢/mile | €0.016 | ⚠️ Only for high-value redemptions |
| 100% bonus (rare) | 1.53¢/mile | €0.014 | ⚠️ Best promo, still marginal |
| Subscribe to Miles | $0.0134/mile | €0.011 | ✅ Best purchase option |
Pricing verified at Flying Blue miles Hub. Last verified: 3 April 2026.
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Better Alternatives: Transfer Partners
Before buying miles, consider transfer partners. If you have credit card points, transferring is almost always cheaper than purchasing.
Flying Blue Transfer Partners (1:1 Ratio)
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Points
- Capital One miles
- Bilt Rewards
- Wells Fargo Rewards
All transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue. Transfer bonuses of 20 to 30% happen multiple times per year.
Official info: KLM earning miles overview.
Why Transfers Beat Purchases
If you earn credit card points on everyday spending, your "cost" for those points is low. Example:
📊 Transfer vs Purchase Comparison
Scenario: You need 60,000 miles for a Business Class award.
Option A: Buy miles (80% bonus)
- Cost: $1,014 (60,000 miles at 1.69¢)
Option B: Transfer from Amex (25% bonus)
- Need: 48,000 Amex points (becomes 60,000 with bonus)
- If earned on 2x category spend: €24,000 spending
- Effective cost: €0 incremental (points earned on spending you do anyway)
Winner: Transfer, by a massive margin.
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Calculate your ROI →When Buying miles CAN Make Sense
✅ Scenario 1: Small Top-Off for Specific Redemption
You have 55,000 miles and need 60,000 for a Business Class award worth €2,000.
Buying 5,000 miles at €80 (even at 1.69¢) makes sense because:
- 5,000 miles at €0.016 = €80
- Your redemption value: €2,000 ÷ 60,000 = €0.033/mile
- You are paying €80 to unlock €2,000 in value
✅ Scenario 2: High-Value Business Class During Promo
A Business Class ticket costs €3,500 cash. Award price is 60,000 miles + €200 taxes.
With 80% bonus promo: 60,000 miles costs $1,014 (€943)
Total: €943 + €200 = €1,143 vs €3,500 cash. Savings: €2,357
Value per mile: €3,300 ÷ 60,000 = €0.055. This exceeds purchase cost of €0.016.
✅ Scenario 3: Subscribe to Miles for Planned Redemption
You need 17,000 miles to complete a booking. Subscribe to Miles for one month at Complete tier ($227.80 for 17,000 miles), book your award, then cancel. See Flying Blue Subscribe to Miles for current pricing.
At $0.0134/mile (€0.011), this is cheaper than any promotional purchase.
When NOT to Buy miles
❌ Speculative Buying
Buying miles "just in case" or because there is a promo is almost always a bad deal. Flying Blue award pricing can change without notice. Devaluations have happened before, which can reduce the value of purchased miles overnight.
❌ Economy Redemptions
Economy awards typically yield €0.008 to 0.012 per mile. Even with an 80% bonus (€0.016/mile), you lose money. Just pay cash for Economy tickets.
❌ Standard (Non-Promo) Pricing
At €0.028/mile, you would need redemptions worth more than 2x the baseline value. This is essentially impossible outside of La Première during peak season. Wait for at least a 50% bonus.
❌ When You Have Transfer Partners Available
If you have Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, or Bilt points, transferring is cheaper than buying. Even without a bonus, 1:1 transfer beats an 80% purchase promo.
❌ Peak Dynamic Pricing
If the award you want costs 150,000+ miles (vs 60,000 saver), do not buy miles to book it. Wait for better availability or pay cash. Buying miles at inflated dynamic rates destroys value.
❌ Expecting XP or Status Credit
Purchased miles do not earn XP (Experience Points). Only flying on eligible flights earns XP toward Flying Blue status levels. If you need status, see our XP run guide.
The Decision Framework
Before Buying miles, Answer These Questions
- Do I have a specific redemption in mind? If no, do not buy.
- Is saver-level availability confirmed? If no, do not buy.
- Do I have transfer partner points? If yes, transfer instead of buying.
- Is there a purchase promo active? If no, wait or use Subscribe to Miles.
- What is my redemption value per mile? Calculate: cash price ÷ miles needed.
- Is redemption value > purchase cost? If yes, consider buying. If no, pay cash.
📊 The Calculation
Step 1: Find the cash price of your desired flight (e.g., €2,500)
Step 2: Find the award price in miles (e.g., 60,000 miles + €200 taxes)
Step 3: Calculate redemption value: (€2,500 - €200) ÷ 60,000 = €0.038/mile
Step 4: Compare to purchase cost (e.g., €0.016 with 80% bonus)
Step 5: €0.038 > €0.016 → Buying makes sense
- You have a specific redemption confirmed at saver pricing
- Redemption value exceeds €0.02/mile (preferably €0.025+)
- Purchase cost is under €0.017/mile (80%+ bonus or Subscribe)
- You do not have transfer partner points available
Maximizing Value with Promo Rewards
If you do buy miles, redeem them during Promo Rewards for an extra 25% off award prices. This effectively increases your value per mile. New Promo Reward destinations are released on the first of each month.
📊 Promo Rewards Stacking
Normal Business Class award: 60,000 miles
With 25% Promo Reward: 45,000 miles
If cash price is €2,500: value = €2,500 ÷ 45,000 = €0.056/mile
Even at 80% bonus purchase (€0.016/mile), you are getting 3.5x return.
Note for European / Netherlands Users
Most transfer partner information online focuses on US credit cards. In Europe, your options are more limited but still valuable:
- American Express (EU cards): Transfer to Flying Blue at 1:1
- Flying Blue credit cards: Earn miles directly on spending
- Subscribe to Miles: Available globally, often the best option for EU members
For EU-based members without US credit cards, Subscribe to Miles at €0.011/mile is typically the most cost-effective way to acquire miles outside of flying.
Calculate Your miles Value
See your cost per mile across all sources and determine if buying makes sense for your situation.
Analyze miles Free →Official References
- Flying Blue: Buy miles — Official miles purchase portal
- Flying Blue: Subscribe to Miles — Monthly subscription for miles
- Flying Blue: miles Hub — Overview of miles management options
- Flying Blue: Reward Tickets — Award booking and Promo Rewards
- KLM: Earning miles — Partners and earning overview
Check what your miles are worth
Enter your miles balance to see which flights are within reach:
Frequently asked questions
Is buying Flying Blue miles worth it?
Usually no. Standard purchases cost around €0.028 per mile, but typical redemptions are only worth €0.012 per mile. You would lose money on most redemptions. Only consider buying during promotions (80% bonus = €0.016/mile) for specific Business Class redemptions worth €0.02+ per mile.
What is the cheapest way to get Flying Blue miles?
The cheapest methods are: 1) Transfer partners during bonus periods (effectively €0.006-0.008/mile if you value credit card points at 1 cent each), 2) Subscribe to Miles at €0.011/mile, 3) Promotional purchases with 80%+ bonus at €0.016/mile. Earning miles through flights is essentially free as part of your ticket cost.
Should I buy miles or transfer from credit cards?
Transfer from credit cards is almost always better. Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and Bilt all transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue. If you earn points on everyday spending, your effective cost is much lower than buying miles. Wait for 20-30% transfer bonuses for even better value.
Is buying Flying Blue miles refundable?
No. Miles purchases through Flying Blue are final and non-refundable. Only buy miles when you have a specific redemption in mind with confirmed availability.
Do bought miles count toward status (XP)?
No. Purchased miles do not earn XP (Experience Points). Only flying on eligible flights earns XP toward Flying Blue status levels.