The Air France / KLM Flying Blue devaluation isn’t actually as bad as it seems because rather than raise prices, they give an out to loyal customers.

The new award schemes coming to Air France / KLM Flying Blue

Air France / KLM Flying Blue has a loyalty program that appeals to many in the United States. One of the best features of the program was its 60k miles award price in business class between the United States and Europe. That same award pricing will still exist post-devaluation, but it comes with new restrictions.

Previously, an economy award was an economy award, and a business class award was a business class award. Air France and KLM both created a difference with cash fares, introducing “light” paid options with unbundled fares. Now that same scheme is coming to award pricing.

Starting with awards booked as of September 8, 2026, Flying Blue will introduce the following options.

• Light: Award pricing remains the same as what you see today, including the 60k miles price in business class between the United States and Europe. However, it loses the following:
  • Flexibility (no voluntary changes or refunds)
  • Checked baggage (no allowance for economy, only 1 bag for business)
  • Lounge access (for business class awards)
  • Seat selection (now for a free)
• Standard: Consistent with how awards operate today, but at a higher mileage price. Refunds are possible with a €70 fee. Seat selection, checked baggage, and lounge access on business class awards are still possible.
• Flex: The highest award pricing, comes with free changes and refunds and potentially a smaller carrier surcharge.

Rather than devalue miles directly by charging customers more, Air France has instead decided to offer less benefit for the same price. For those without elite status, it could be a devaluation if you placed a value on the features you’re losing.

But those with status get to avoid much of the restrictions

However, if you have Flying Blue elite status, you get to bypass much of the devaluation. What do you get with Flying Blue elite status? Here is a brief rundown of the key features.

As you might tell from the chart, elite members get back some of the benefits otherwise lost from the new award fares:

• Silver: Restores free seat selection and 1 checked bag
• Gold: Silver benefits, plus priority services and lounge access
• Platinum: Gold benefits, plus an extra checked bag (total of 2) and preferred seating
• Ultimate: Platinum benefits, plus Light fares remain both refundable and changeable

While having top-tier status will still result in some loss on Light fares, it’s mostly just contained to an extra checked bag.

This is a way that Flying Blue can reward loyal customers, and just another example in a long line of airlines playing favorites to members who invest in the program. It’s not as explicit as United’s requirement to get their credit card, but it’s not too far off.

You don’t need Flying Blue status–any SkyTeam carrier status can still help

What’s interesting about the Flying Blue award changes is that you don’t just need status with Air France or KLM to bypass some of these restrictions. Consider the following:

• SkyTeam Elite status comes with priority check-in and boarding, and an extra checked bag
• SkyTeam Elite Plus status comes with SkyTeam Elite benefits, plus access to business class lounges

This doesn’t unlock nearly as many features as Flying Blue status would give, but you can easily add another loyalty program to your Flying Blue bookings. I’ve done this all the time when making my reservations–mostly in the event of irregular operations where the carrier can see I at least have status with Delta, one of their close partners.

This can also help if you’re considering a status match with a SkyTeam carrier like Vietnam Airlines. Sure, there is a fee to apply, but your hotel status can match to SkyTeam Elite status and give you a free checked bag. Depending on how often you fly and how many bags you check, the match could pay for itself.

Earning Flying Blue elite status is actually easy

There are a couple of easy ways to get Flying Blue elite status.

• The Bilt partnership: Earn Platinum status with Bilt and you can unlock Flying Blue Gold status after transferring 10,000 Bilt points to Flying Blue. The status match is good for 12 months, and it appears it’s repeatable annually.
• The Flying Blue credit card: Awards 100 XP as part of the sign-up bonus (not sponsored), which is enough for Flying Blue Silver status.

You can also fly other airlines and earn Flying Blue elite status the hard way. If you fly Delta enough, each flight earns a minimum of 2 XP in economy, but you’ll earn more if you purchase higher fares. Connections add up too, as the chart below is based on each flight segment.

One last thing about Flying Blue elite status. It’s actually easier to renew your status than it is earning it the first time. If you’re moving up from a regular member to Platinum, you need to first earn 100 XP to get to Silver, then an extra 180 XP to get to Gold, and then another 300 XP to get to Platinum. That’s 580 XP if you’re starting from scratch. Renewing Platinum status would only require 300 XP, significantly less.

Thus, if you have an aspiration to get Flying Blue Platinum status, consider first getting a match via Bilt to Gold status. Then, apply for their card to get 100 XP. It would only require 200 XP more to get to Platinum. That’s a better route to Platinum if you can combine the two opportunities together with some Delta flying.

The timing seems intentional with Delta’s changes

Delta currently has a stake in Air France / KLM. While it was once as high as 10% when they first invested, word is the minority stake has shrank to 2.79%. While the percent doesn’t matter significantly to the customer experience, there’s a reason we bring it up.

Recall that Delta is also introducing its own basic business product. It’s slated to go in effect as of January 18, 2027. Is it merely coincidence that Air France is making an edit related to ‘basic’ or ‘light’ fares shortly after Delta made the announcement a few weeks earlier?

While it’s true that Delta as of yet doesn’t penalize award travel for its own members, don’t be surprised to see this come. Delta needs other airlines to turn this into a norm so people don’t book away from them. But Delta also benefits from its own partners making the switch to align offerings, particularly on its joint venture flights.

We’d love to just blame Delta for everything remotely negative, but Air France is a little ahead of the game by pinning this on award flights. The timing just seems too convenient for there to not be some collaboration in the announcements.

What do you think of the latest Air France / KLM Flying Blue devaluation?