To the point
Flying Blue has announced the launch of a new feature: the Flying Blue Free Stopover for members redeeming Flying Blue Miles.
At the end of 2022 Flying Blue announced a new feature to its program: a free stopover on an airline award booked with Flying Blue Miles! Initially, this feature was reserved only for flights on Air France and KLM.
It’s nowpossible to add a free stopover on Flying Blue partner flights too, giving access to a very wide range of possibilities and flight combinations for flying with miles!
Flying Blue is a fast-growing program, particularly in Canada following the partnership with American Express Membership Rewards and the launch of a credit card with Brim. In recent months, we have seen the addition of features such as the Flying Blue Family accountthe possibility for families to pay 25% less in miles for children aged 2 to 11, and the launch of unbeatable promotional rates from Canada to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East (starting at 12,500 points).
Let’s analyze this new feature.
Free stopover on Flying Blue Flight Rewards
Ben Lipsey, head of the Flying Blue program at Air France-KLM (and former senior manager at Air Canada), said in November 2022 that the Flying Blue program would soon offer a free stopover on an itinerary booked with Flying Blue Miles.
And this is now the case, according to this announcement from Flying Blue! Here’s a webinar posted in Autumn 2022 on the new feature:
You can make a free stopover with Flying Blue for up to one year.
Given the combined network of Air France and KLM and their partners, the possibilities offered by Flying Blue are immense. For example, here are those of Air France and KLM only:
This new free stopover feature with Flying Blue also applies to flights of all its airline partnersincluding Aeromexico, Copa, Delta Airlines, Japan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and WestJet to name but a few, as well as fifth freedom flights (i.e. flights operated by an airline between two non-EU countries).
For example, you could book a flight from Montreal to Amsterdam to Bangkok with a free Flying Blue stopover in Amsterdam for up to a year.
But this could also include flights like Paris – Montreal – Pointe à Pitre with a free Flying Blue stopover in Montreal.
With Flying Blue’s many airline partners, you can search for an almost unlimited range of destinations! To guide your search and manage your price expectations in points, you can consult the program’s price list and interactive map.
Tips for finding Flying Blue Flight Rewards
On the Air France KLM website, there is a tip you need to know to run a 30-day search using your Flying Blue Miles.
Instead of doing a one-way search as you would typically do when searching for a flight reward, search for a round-trip flight. By indicating the same date for the outbound and inbound flights.
This unlocks a hidden option: a 30-day flight reward calendar. As shown below:
You can then select the date with the best price in Flying Blue Miles and proceed with the booking.
It should soon be possible to add a free Flying Blue stopover on your journey.
Earn Flying Blue Miles in Canada
A Flying Blue credit card
In October 2022, the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® was launched in Canada. With this card, you can earn Flying Blue Miles directly.
The earning rates are:
| Expenses | Earning rate |
| Air France and KLM flight ticket (for Flying Blue members) | 5 Miles per Euro (in addition to the miles earned with your Elite Status) |
| Restaurants and bars | 2 Miles per dollar |
| Other purchases | 1 Mile per Dollar |
| Selected BRIM retail partners | Up to 30 Miles per dollar |
Transfer your Membership Rewards Points to Flying Blue Miles
The primary method of earning Flying Blue miles in Canada is through American Express Rewards Cards. You can transfer your Membership Rewards into Flying Blue Miles at a ratio of 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 750 Flying Blue Miles.
Here are the American Express Rewards Cards available in Canada:
The best Membership Rewards card in Canada for earning Flying Blue Miles is the American Express Cobalt® Card. Here are the earning rates and the equivalent in Flying Blue Miles:
| Category | Membership Rewards | Flying Blue Miles equivalent |
| Grocery | 5 | 3,75 |
| Food delivery | 5 | 3,75 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 | 3,75 |
| Convenience stores | 5 | 3,75 |
| Streaming subscriptions | 3 | 2,25 |
| Gas station | 2 | 1,5 |
| Transportation | 2 | 1,5 |
| Travel | 2 | 1,5 |
| Other | 1 | 0,75 |
Transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to Flying Blue Miles
Another way to earn Flying Blue miles in Canada is with the Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards from American Express. You can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points into airline miles including Flying Blue Miles at the ratio of 3 Marriott Bonvoy points = 1 Mile.
And if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll earn 5,000 bonus Miles. Thus, 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 25,000 Flying Blue Miles.
The two Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards available in Canada are:
Bottom line
The Flying Blue free stopover is a new feature of the Flying Blue program to compete with other programs like Aeroplan (and its stopover costing 5,000 points). We’re looking forward to testing this feature, now that it’s been rolled out to other Flying Blue airlines such as Delta Airlines and Korean Air.
And to see what kind of combinations this could give with Flying Blue Promo Rewards.
At this time, reservations can only be made by phone. Let’s hope Flying Blue adds the ability to do this online!
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
