Air France Award Ticket: How to Buy a Ticket with Miles

Updated Jun 20, 2024
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To the point Looking for a way to make the most of your Flying Blue Miles? Find out how to buy an Air France award ticket with Miles.

Once your Flying Blue Miles balance reaches a few thousand, award tickets become your passport to free travel (plus airport taxes). Want to fly to your favorite destination at a reduced rate? The editorial team explains how you can use your Flying Blue Miles for Air France and KLM award tickets. Time to pack your bags!

Using your Miles to purchase award tickets is the best way to maximize the value of your Flying Blue Miles.

Last update: June 20, 2024

What's an award ticket?

Award tickets

Air France and KLM award tickets are tickets that you can buy with your Flying Blue Miles.

Although reward tickets are payable with Flying Blue Miles, it is important to note that airport taxes must always be paid in cash. The amount varies according to the cabin and distance travelled.

You can book award tickets on flights operated byAir France, KLM or Transavia(although low-cost is not very advantageous), or any other member airline of theSkyteam alliance:

  • Aerolineas Argentinas
  • Aeromexico
  • Air Europa
  • China Airlines
  • China Eastern Airlines
  • Czech Airlines
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Garuda Indonesia
  • ITA Airways
  • Kenya Airways
  • Korean Air
  • Middle East Airlines
  • Saudia
  • TAROM
  • Vietnam Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • XiamenAir

Flying Blue Promo Award Tickets

Flying Blue Promo Reward tickets are standard award tickets offered at discounted rates and changing on a monthly basis. With offers ranging from 25% to 50% off, these opportunities are worth checking out month after month. They are available in Economy, Premium Economy and Business cabins, with particularly attractive offers in the upper cabins.

Here too, additional taxes apply. The longer the distance and the higher the cabin, the higher the costs.

How do I buy and book an award ticket with Air France?

Reservation process

To book an Air France award ticket, visit the French airline’s website. From there, you have two options:

  • Buy a ticket
  • Use your Miles

As you can see, you’ll need to press “Use miles” to purchase a flight with miles.

Flying Blue Reward Tickets

You will then be asked to log in to your Flying Blue account. To do this, you will need to enter your Flying Blue number or e-mail address.

Forgot your Flying Blue number? This can be found in the top right-hand corner of all newsletters sent by Flying Blue.

If you choose to enter your Flying Blue number, please note that you will also be asked to authenticate yourself by e-mail or SMS. You will receive a one-time PIN code that you must enter within 15 minutes, otherwise it will lose its validity.

Flying Blue Reward Tickets

You will then be asked to select the flights and fares you require. Once your selection is complete, you can proceed to payment. If you do not have enough Miles to pay for the reservation, your request will be refused.

Reservation process for another person

Whether you’re booking for yourself or for someone else, the process for purchasing a Flying Blue Award ticket is the same. Just make sure you enter all his personal details in accordance with his passport.

Air France and KLM award tickets - What are the fares?

Unlike other airline programs, Flying Blue has no fixed fare structure. As a result, ticket prices are subject to change depending on dates, seasons and destinations. It’s important to note, however, that the more high-end cabins you travel in, the higher the airport taxes and additional fees you’ll have to pay in cash. These surcharges are unfortunately unavoidable.

For a one-way ticket between Paris and Montreal in Economy cabin, fares vary around 20,000 Miles and 113 euros (around $170 CAD).

Paris - Montreal with Air France for 20,000 Flying Blue Miles

For the same one-way trip between Paris and Montreal, but in Premium Economy, fares vary around 35,000 Miles and 175 euros (around $250 CAD).

Paris - Montreal in Premium Economy with Air France for 35,000 Flying Blue Miles

Business cabin flights are sometimes available at fares similar to those in the Premium Economy cabin. For the same dates, we found a one-way ticket between Paris and Montreal in Business cabin for 37,000 Miles and 307 euros (around $455 CAD).

Paris - Montreal in Business with Air France for 37,500 Flying Blue Miles

It’s important to note, however, that the number of seats for such fares in the Business cabin is often limited; when the threshold is reached, a seat equivalent to 135,000 Miles can be found.

Children aged 2 to 11 receive a 25% discount on award tickets. This is in addition to the discount obtained by booking a Flying Blue Promo Award ticket.

Modifications, cancellations, and refunds - Pricing conditions

You can request a change or cancellation of your award ticket up to the last check-in deadline. Depending on the conditions of your ticket, modification or cancellation fees may apply. You will be able to see the conditions of your ticket just before purchase, when you select the desired fare.

Whether you are traveling in Economy, Premium Economy or Business, a fee of around 50 euros is charged for a schedule change, plus the fare difference with the new ticket. For the same price, you can also cancel your flight, provided you do so before the first flight in your booking.

It is not possible to modify or cancel a flight after departure.

To obtain a refund for a Flying Blue award ticket, you need to go to the Air France website, under the “My reservations” tab. You will then be presented with various options for modifying or cancelling your booking. Depending on the conditions of your ticket, modification or cancellation fees may apply.

Additional benefits

When you pay for your flight in the Economy cabin with Flying Blue Miles, it’s worth noting that the first hold baggage item weighing 23 kg is included, in addition to a carry-on bag and a personal item.

If you have Flying Blue status, you are entitled to an additional hold bag.

When you travel in the Premium Economy cabin, you can bring two hold baggage items weighing 23 kg each, even without Flying Blue status, and when you travel in the Business cabin, you can bring two hold baggage items weighing 32 kg each.

Flying Blue Reward Tickets

Whichever cabin you travel in, you can select your seat before check-in, free of charge. You are also entitled to all SkyPriority benefits.

SkyPriority benefits include :

To help you buy your next award ticket, we’ve written guides on the best ways to use 40,000 Flying Blue Miles and 60,000 Flying Blue Miles.

How can I maximize my Flying Blue Miles?

There are many ways to earn Flying Blue Miles. In all, Flying Blue has some sixty partners with whom you can earn a maximum number of Flying Blue Miles.

Cartes Air France KLM – American Express

Bottom Line

The best way to use your Flying Blue Miles is to get your hands on award balls and Flying Blue Promo award tickets fromAir France and KLM, even if you travel with Train + Air. That’s how you maximize the value of your Miles, even if you have to pay airport taxes. Enjoy your trip!

Air France award tickets - Frequently asked questions

How can I use my Flying Blue Miles with Air France?

There are seven different ways to use your Flying Blue Miles with Air France:

  • Buy Air France award and Promo award tickets
  • Obtaining upgrades
  • How to book a flight in the La Première cabin
  • Buy in-flight options with Air France
  • Staying in a hotel
  • Shopping in the Flying Blue Store
  • Donate to a charity

Are there any offers and promotions on award tickets?

Yes Flying Blue Promo Award tickets are standard award tickets offered at discounted rates and changing on a monthly basis. With offers ranging from 25% to 50% off, these opportunities are worth checking out month after month.

What is the value of a Mile in the Flying Blue frequent flyer program?

There is no standard value for Flying Blue Miles, as it varies according to the rewards you wish to earn with your Miles. On average, the market value of a Flying Blue Mile can fluctuate between 0.2 and 2.5 euro cents.

How many Flying Blue Miles do I need for a Paris-New York flight with Air France?

It’s possible to get your hands on a one-way ticket between Paris and New York in the Economy cabin for as little as 15,000 Flying Blue Miles and 150 euros.

How many Flying Blue Miles do I need to get a free flight with Air France?

The number of Flying Blue Miles required to obtain a free ticket with Air France depends on the destination, the number of kilometers traveled, the date and the cabin in which you wish to travel. For example, you could fly Economy from Paris to Montreal for 20,000 Miles and 113 euros. For short-haul flights, especially European flights, tickets start at 5,625 Miles.

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