Flying Blue simplifies its miles expiration starting May 2026

Good news for Canadian members of the Air France-KLM loyalty program: Flying Blue announces a major simplification of its miles expiration policy, effective May 4, 2026.

For years, Flying Blue’s expiration policy has been one of the most complex among major loyalty programs. Two categories of miles, different rules depending on how they were earned, multiple expiration dates to track… The result: members losing part of their balance without really understanding why. All of that will soon be history.

What changes with the new policy

Starting May 4, 2026, any eligible activity—booking a flight, renting a car, hotel stay, or purchase with a partner—will extend the validity of your entire miles balance by 24 months. No more tracking multiple expiration dates based on the origin of the miles.
Until now, Flying Blue distinguished two types of miles with very different rules:

From now on, there will be only one type of miles, with unified expiration. Any eligible activity extends the entire balance by 24 months.

Existing balances are also affected

Good news for those who have already accumulated miles: existing balances will be merged on the implementation date, applying the most favorable validity period. Any eligible activity starting May 4, 2026 will extend the entire balance by 24 months.

Who is exempt from expiration?

Certain members continue to benefit from miles that never expire, regardless of their activity:

What this means in practice for Canadians

For Canadian travelers who accumulate Flying Blue miles through American Express, Cobalt, or other bank program transfers, this change is particularly advantageous. In practice, simply transferring a small amount of Amex points to Flying Blue will reset the 24-month clock to zero, making Amex transfers a true safety valve for keeping your balance active.

In other words, even without flying, you can protect your miles through a simple commercial activity with a partner.

This update is one of the best news from Flying Blue in a long time. Here’s how to take advantage of it:

Set an annual reminder (or at 22 months) to perform a small eligible activity: a minimal point transfer, car rental, or hotel booking through a Flying Blue partner is more than enough to extend everything. If you’re building a reserve of miles for a business class trip to Europe, a strategy often recommended to maximize the value of your points, this simplified rule allows you to build long-term without stress.

Finally, this announcement is also a good time to check your current Flying Blue balance and identify miles that might be at risk of expiration before May 4, 2026.