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Flying Blue is the loyalty programme of Air France and KLM. From the UK it's most useful for trips through Paris or Amsterdam. Each month it publishes Promo Rewards, reward tickets on selected routes with "up to a 25% discount" on the miles. Amex UK Membership Rewards points transfer to Flying Blue at 1:1, but Amex says the miles arrive "within 4 working days", and transfers can't be reversed. Since September 2026, Flying Blue says the Promo price is the price of its Light fare, which has no checked bag in Economy and Premium and "cannot be changed or refunded" (except for Platinum and Ultimate members). So find the Promo Reward first, check the taxes, surcharges and fare conditions, and only then move points, knowing the seat or the offer could go while you wait.
What we'd do first: open or log in to a Flying Blue account, search your route on the dates you want, and note the miles and cash shown for the whole party, with the time you checked.
What Flying Blue is good for from the UK
Flying Blue rewards are used on Air France, KLM and partner airlines. Flying Blue says reward tickets "can be booked for anyone" (Flying Blue: Reward tickets, checked 13 Nov 2026, 21:21 Lima). For UK travellers, that typically means:
- Long-haul via Paris or Amsterdam. Flying Blue's long-haul Promo Rewards include connecting flights within Europe through Paris or Amsterdam, so from the UK you'd typically connect there.
- Short-haul to France and the Netherlands, and onward in Europe.
- A second option to BA. If Avios seats don't show on your dates, Flying Blue gives you a different set of seats to search. Our Avios vs Virgin Points guide compares the two main UK programmes.
How Promo Rewards work
Flying Blue describes Promo Rewards like this on its Reward tickets page (checked 13 Nov 2026, 21:21 Lima):
- "Promo reward tickets are reward tickets with up to a 25% discount." They are "subject to availability".
- "New Promo reward tickets are released on the first day of each month." Each set has a booking period and a travel window, stated on the page.
- "Promo reward tickets to long-haul destinations are available for flights to/from Europe on Air France and KLM operated flights. These rewards include connecting flights within Europe (either outbound or return) through Paris or Amsterdam."
- Prices are shown as "Starting from" a number of miles, the "lowest possible price displayed, subject to availability".
- Subscribers to Flying Blue Extra, a paid subscription, get extra Promo Rewards marked "Extra Exclusive".
- The fare matters. "From September 2026, the Promo price is the price of the Light fare. Light does not include checked baggage in Economy and Premium and cannot be changed or refunded. Platinum and Ultimate members can change and refund Light free of charge." Standard and Flex fares, which cost more miles, are the alternatives if you need a bag or flexibility.
- No miles or XP are earned on reward tickets, and if you're travelling with an infant under two, the page says to contact Flying Blue Customer Service to book.
The routes, discounts and travel window change every month, so we don't list them here. Check the Promo Rewards list on flyingblue.com for the current month, then search your dates: a "from" price is the lowest available, for the Light fare, not a promise for your dates.
The surcharges and charges
Flying Blue's terms make the member responsible for "all applicable taxes, sale and after-sale fees, levies and, or surcharges associated with the issue, change, cancellation or use of a Reward (including carrier surcharges when applicable)" (clause 3.1.4, Flying Blue General Terms and Conditions, apply from 4 May 2026, checked 13 Nov 2026).
What that means in practice:
- The discount is on the miles. Flying Blue says reward tickets "are subject to airport and security taxes and carrier surcharges. These taxes and surcharges are not covered by Miles and must be paid separately." The page doesn't say they're reduced on Promo Rewards, so assume they aren't until the booking page shows otherwise.
- Add a bag if you need one. A Promo price is a Light fare, without a checked bag in Economy and Premium. Price the bag, or the Standard fare, into your total.
- The cash can be significant, especially on long-haul business and on journeys that start in the UK. We couldn't reproduce a live Flying Blue price for a UK departure, so we don't quote one. Read the total on the payment page before you transfer anything.
- Compare it with Avios. BA's own Reward Flight Saver charges are fixed on eligible bookings, and some programmes that use Avios charge less in fees. See Iberia and Qatar for cheaper fees.
Moving Amex points to Flying Blue
Amex UK lists Flying Blue as a 1:1 partner, with a minimum of 500 points and steps of 250, and says the miles arrive "within 4 working days". Transfers "cannot be transferred back", and points can only go to an account in your own name. Your first transfer may need your account verified, which Amex says can take "up to 14 days" (Amex Membership Rewards UK transfer partners).
That timing matters more for Promo Rewards than for most bookings. A discounted seat can sell out, and each month's offers have a booking deadline. If the seat goes while your points are in transit, the miles stay in Flying Blue.
Credit Club guidance: link your Flying Blue account to Amex well before you need it, so any verification is done. When you find a Promo Reward, decide whether you can accept losing it during the transfer. If you can't, either use miles you already hold or book a different reward.
The rules to read before booking
From Flying Blue's General Terms and Conditions (checked 13 Nov 2026):
- Promo Rewards can't be changed or refunded, for most members. Flying Blue's Reward tickets page says the Promo price is the Light fare, which "cannot be changed or refunded", unless you're a Platinum or Ultimate member. The general terms point the same way: their standard cancellation rule, which lets a member cancel a reward ticket before departure "subject to applicable conditions", says "These provisions do not apply in case of no-show and Promotional Offers" (clause 3.2.9). Only book a Promo Reward you're sure you'll use.
- Names can't be changed. "A change of beneficiary is not possible" (clause 3.2.14).
- Tickets are valid for 12 months from issue, "with some exceptions such as special Promotional Offers" (clause 3.2.7).
- Miles expire after 24 months without activity for Explorer members aged 18 and over. Each "earn activity" extends "the validity of the Member's entire Miles balance for an additional period of twenty four (24) months" (clause 1.2.9). Miles don't expire for Elite and Elite Plus members, Flying Blue Extra subscribers, or members under 18. KLM's explanation of the rule adds holders of a co-branded credit card, and says the German market keeps a three-year rule (KLM: Miles validity, checked 13 Nov 2026).
Conflict to note: the general terms we read don't list co-branded card holders among members whose miles don't expire, but KLM's page does. This doesn't matter much for most UK readers, who are unlikely to hold an Air France–KLM co-branded card, but check before committing if it affects you.
A worked example (hypothetical)
All prices are hypothetical, not Flying Blue quotes. Avios and points valued at an assumed 1p each.
Two people want a long-haul economy reward via Amsterdam. Suppose the usual Light fare is 30,000 miles one way per person, with £150 per person in taxes and surcharges. A Promo Reward at 25% off would be 22,500 miles; we assume the charges stay the same. Both are Light fares, so neither includes a checked bag.
| Option (two people, one way) | Miles | Cash | One number at 1p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual Light reward (hypothetical) | 60,000 | £300 | £900 |
| Promo Reward, 25% off the miles (hypothetical) | 45,000 | £300 | £750 |
In this example, the discount saves 15,000 miles, about £150 at 1p, but the cash doesn't change, and you still need to add any bags. On a route with high surcharges, the cash may outweigh the miles saving. Compare the total with a cash fare and with Avios before you transfer, using when cash beats Avios.
Step by step
- Open a Flying Blue account and link it in Amex in advance.
- Check the current Promo Rewards list on flyingblue.com.
- Search your dates for the whole party and note the miles and cash.
- Read the fare conditions: a Promo price is a Light fare (no checked bag in Economy and Premium; no changes or refunds for most members).
- Transfer only what you need, in 250-point steps over the 500 minimum, accepting the up-to-four-working-day wait.
- Book as soon as the miles arrive, and check the booking confirmation.
Flying Blue: FAQs
Can I book a Promo Reward for someone else?
Flying Blue says reward tickets can be booked for anyone, and that only the member can request a reward (clause 3.1.2).
Do Promo Rewards come back every month?
Flying Blue says new ones are released on the first day of each month. Which routes, how much they're discounted and the travel window change.
Can I add an infant to a Promo Reward online?
Flying Blue's page says to contact its Customer Service to book if you're travelling with an infant under two.
Is Flying Blue better than Avios?
Neither is better in general. It depends on the route, the dates and the charges. Price both.