How To Use Flying Blue Miles On Delta
Flying Blue tin can be a fantastic program for honour travel. Booking awards with the programme is adequately straightforward, but sometimes presents challenges.
You can't slice together award travel like you can with other programs. Their call center agents are always pleasant, but the agents are express in what they tin do.
This guide will walk you through searching for Flying Blueish award availability, how to hold and volume awards, and how to make changes should your plans change.
Earning Flying Blue miles is like shooting fish in a barrel. Points earned with American Express, Capital One, Chase, and Citi all transfer to Flying Blue.
Best for travelers Earn 3x points on all dining and 2x on travel purchases
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best for dining and groceries Earn 4x points at restaurants globally and at The states supermarketes
American Express® Gold Card
Best for gas stations Earn 3x points at gas stations, as well as restaurants, supermarkets, and on air travel and hotels
Citi Premier® Carte
Best for non bonus spend Earn 2x Capital One miles on all purchases
Upper-case letter 1 Venture X Rewards Credit Carte
All-time for not bonus spend Earn 2x Capital I miles on all purchases
Uppercase One Venture Rewards Credit Menu
Searching Flight Blue honour space
There are a few means you lot can search for Flying Blue awards. The loyalty programs chief airlines, Air France and KLM, accept similar sites that both display Flight Bluish award prices.
AirFrance.com vs. KLM.com
I of the unique things about Flying Blueish is the different websites y'all can make reservations on. Both AirFrance.com and KLM.com prove honour availability and pricing, and both are quite easy to use.
If y'all're looking for a premium economic system award or an award in "La Premiere" (Air French republic's ultra-lux first-class cabin), you'll accept to search on AirFrance.com. La Premiere awards are restricted to Flying Blue Golds and higher. About people tin't volume those.
KLM.com volition not show premium economy or first grade, as they don't operate either motel on whatever of their flights. Their highest cabin is business class.
It's worth noting that the prices shown on each engagement's tab are not ever accurate! It typically only takes into account pricing on Air France and KLM flights, not partner flights. It doesn't even always testify the accurate cost for AF and KL metal, as you can meet below:
When yous're searching for award flights, y'all tin toggle betwixt cabins on the results folio. You lot can too motion effectually dates to run across how pricing varies if yous've got a flake of engagement flexibility.
Searching by origin and destination
It's important to note that when searching for award space with Flying Blue yous must always search from origin to destination to get the authentic price. Y'all can't search segment by segment and hope to piece those segments together into a single booking afterward on. Air France and KLM are very strict about this, fifty-fifty when booking by telephone. Long story brusk: always search by your origin and destination.
Air French republic and KLM utilise married segment logic for award travel. That means the price of a nonstop from Minneapolis to Amsterdam might exist more than expensive than an honor on that same flight from MSP to AMS, but connecting onwards to Frankfurt. Married segment logic is a strategy airlines use to control acquirement, and it spills over into awards with Flying Blue.
Pricing Flying Blue awards
Why do award prices with Flight Blue vary so much? Ii words: dynamic pricing. That's 1 of Flying Blueish'south biggest complexities. Let'due south break it down.
What's dynamic pricing?
Flying Blue has perhaps the most dynamic pricing of any loyalty programme. Awards on Air France and KLM tin be either very attractively priced, or ridiculously expensive, and everywhere in between.
For example, Washington, DC to Paris can be every bit cheap every bit 53,000 miles in business grade or as loftier as 287,000 miles. There are lots of prices between the two extremes. Because of the variable pricing, it'southward always worth holding honor flights with Flying Blue before transferring or purchasing any miles. More on that below.
Booking multiple passengers at dissimilar honor levels
With dynamic pricing comes boosted complexities when searching for award infinite. If you look for four seats on an Air French republic or KLM flight and they're non offered at the cheapest level, it's worth searching for one, two, or three seats to run across if there are any available at the lower rates. You tin can book a few passengers at the cheaper toll, and then book the additional seats at the higher price.
To improve empathise this, let's utilize an case. Hither are the results when you lot search for a party of five from Atlanta to Rome on Th, August half-dozen, 2021:
You'll see the price with KLM is 640,000 total miles, or 128,000 miles per passenger. In that location are eight seats left at the price.
If you search the aforementioned date for only one rider, y'all'll get the following results:
There are 3 seats available at 69,000 miles per passenger. And then, what we tin can do is volume three people at that charge per unit, so passengers four and five at the 128,000 miles rate.
A search for iii confirms that cost is bachelor:
Once you lot place the flights on hold for three passengers, the price for ii passengers at the aforementioned rate will jump to 128,000 points each. You tin then think to hold 2 more than seats at the higher rater.
This is a tricky maneuver and is something I'd recommend doing with care. Nosotros admittedly recommend property each reservation by phone to shop the pricing.
If you're daring you lot tin can try doing this on the website. Y'all tin summate how many points you'll need, book the maximum number of passengers at the everyman rate, then proceed with booking the remaining passengers at the higher charge per unit.
You can also call and create a temporary booking for a few passengers at the everyman cost, and so the remaining passengers at the higher price. That's the better option.
Flying Blue routing rules
The upside with Flying Blue is that there aren't any strict routing rules. You can route from San Francisco to Sydney to Johannesburg with Qantas, from New York to Rome to Buenos Aires with Air France, or Los Angeles to Amsterdam to Singapore with KLM.
More often than not speaking, you'll meet at nigh 3 segments per direction of travel. Partner flights don't e'er mix well on the website either. While in that location might be availability with Delta from Seattle to Tokyo and Garuda Indonesia from Tokyo to Bali, information technology won't always show upwards online.
You're really at the mercy of the booking engine, and can simply volume what shows upward online.
Searching for award infinite on other websites
If y'all are traveling a route served by Delta or Virgin Atlantic and looking for awards on those carriers, it is generally easier to search for that laurels infinite on VirginAtlantic.com. The Virgin website is a scrap easier to navigate, and y'all don't have to login to perform a search.
One of Flying Blue's overlooked partners is Japan Airlines. The rates for award travel from the The states to Asia on JAL aren't every bit competitive with Flying Blueish as they are with American and Alaska, just it'due south worth knowing about.
Yous can search for Nihon Airlines laurels availability on the American Airlines website. Flights you observe on AA.com should be bachelor to Flying Blueish members, but won't e'er testify up online. It's ever worth calling Flight Blue to check on Japan Airlines award availability.
Booking partner flights via Flying Bluish
Flying Bluish is often the best program to book honour flights on either Delta or Virgin Atlantic. Air France, Delta, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic are part of a transatlantic joint venture, but award pricing between the programs can vary considerably.
Redeeming Flight Blueish miles for Delta flights
You can redeem Flying Blue miles for travel on Delta anywhere Delta flies. The rates are much more competitive than what you'll typically find available when booking with Delta SkyMiles. If yous're transferring points from Amex, Citi, or Chase to Flying Bluish it's worth considering Virgin Atlantic Flying Club for Delta awards, as they can be even cheaper depending on the destination.
Both Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club toll Delta awards differently. Flying Blue charges based on origin and destination, while Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has a very complicated pricing scheme depending on the zones in which you're traveling.
Generally speaking, Delta flights from the U.s. to the Uk in any cabin are cheaper when booked via Flying Club. Delta nonstop flights in concern class from the US to Europe are too cheaper via Flight Club. Other than that, Flying Blueish will probable be your improve option.
Flight Bluish does non levy surcharges on Delta awards either, so you'll ordinarily pay less in surcharges when booking Delta flights via Flying Blue.
Searching for Delta laurels seats
If you're looking for flights on Delta, it'due south easier to search on the Virgin Atlantic website if you lot're searching for specific segments. The calendar view doesn't always work equally intended on the Flying Blue website. If there is laurels travel available inside a few days of when you're searching for, VirginAtlantic.com will prove those flights. Air French republic or KLM will probable take you dorsum to the elevation search folio and say "No awards available on this specific date."
For example, if yous want to go to Tokyo you tin can start by searching on VirginAtlantic.com for flights from Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Atlanta. Once you find space on the long haul flight with Delta, you tin search from your specific departure airport in the US on the Flying Blue website on that date to see if there is a connecting flight available.
It is non worthwhile searching for Delta awards on Delta.com if you're going to be using either Flight Bluish miles or Virgin Atlantic Flying Order miles. The inventory and pricing never lines up.
Once you've found laurels infinite and determined the best ticketing program is Flying Blue, you'll desire to book these awards past phone. That's considering both the Air France and KLM websites typically error out when you select Delta flights. If this happens to yous it doesn't mean it'due south phantom infinite or anything, information technology'southward just Flight Blue'southward tech that can't process Delta awards online for whatever reason.
Regardless, it's always a good idea to hold the Delta awards by phone before transferring points. That fashion you tin can secure the space earlier issuing the tickets. After yous set upwards your reservations you can select seats online at Delta.com or by using the Delta app.
Redeeming Flying Bluish miles for Virgin Atlantic flights
If you lot're booking travel on Virgin Atlantic, you tin save on the award surcharges by booking those flights via Flying Bluish. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club levies hefty surcharges on Virgin Atlantic award flights. Those aren't passed along if yous volume with either Flying Blue or even Delta SkyMiles.
Yous can concur flights on Virgin Atlantic by phone just like you tin other partner awards. It's always worth double checking the toll for different programs to run into which is cheapest, and be sure to consider the award surcharges as well.
If yous're traveling on Virgin Atlantic, be sure to compare the prices between Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Delta SkyMiles, and Flight Blue.
Mostly speaking, Flying Bluish is the best program of the three to have miles in, so I would too consider that when transferring points from someone like Amex. Delta SkyMiles is prone to frequent devaluations, and Virgin Atlantic has fewer partners making their miles less valuable.
Property and ticketing an honour by phone
Once you lot've found flights you lot want to book, it's always recommended to create a temporary booking and concur those flights earlier transferring any points. That mode the prices stick, and you lot're not stuck looking at a more than expensive award one time you transfer your points.
What to say to an agent
You can only agree award flights by telephone. Finding an agent who understands what you lot're request them to do is the trickiest function virtually this. Verbiage makes all the difference hither.
I typically phone call the European call centers, and you'll typically get an agent in the EU or the Philippines. Flight Blueish's number in Kingdom of spain is +34 913 753 335. If yous phone call from Google Voice information technology'southward just ane center per minute.
If y'all ask the agent to concur a flight for yous they might not understand what you're request them to do. The cardinal phrase seems to exist "temporary booking" and mentioning that you'll be transferring miles from American Limited or Chase to Flying Bluish.
Once the agent understands what you need, just feed them the itinerary, cabin of service, and number of passengers and they should have access to the same pricing you lot see on the Air France and KLM websites. They'll inquire for the passenger names, and create a hold that'due south typically valid for 48 to 72 hours. You can even hold partner flights, like Virgin Atlantic or Delta awards.
Write down the details
The agents don't always enquire for the rider's date of birth when belongings flights. If they don't, when you remember to fix upward the award for ticketing the agent volition get an error subsequently taking your card details and say "oh await, we need to enter the secure rider details".
When you hold the flights, be sure to enquire for the Air France/KLM record locator, and to ask for the time limit on the booking. I recommend calling the solar day before the hold is set to elapse, as we've seen holds expire prematurely and things become messy if the pricing changes or the flights are no longer available.
Call back to issue your tickets
Once you have an award on concur and miles in your business relationship, you lot'll desire to telephone call Flying Bluish once again to ticket the reservation. You can't ticket a reservation held by phone online; it must be ticketed by telephone.
Call the service line, give them your booking locator, and they'll set upward payment for the award taxes, fees, and surcharges. There is typically a phone booking fee of $20 or and then per passenger. Information technology doesn't seem like Flying Blue is collecting those correct now, perhaps as a temporary benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Y'all'll want to be certain you receive the e-tickets by email. Those volition be xiii digit numbers, starting with either 057- (Air French republic stock) or 074- (KLM stock). Be sure to write those down. As well inquire for the partner record locator if you're traveling on whatsoever partners other than Air France, KLM, Delta, or Virgin Atlantic.
Selecting your seats
You lot can select seats online at either AirFrance.com or KLM.com for AF and KL flights. For partner flights, you'll demand to become through the respective airline.
If you're traveling on Delta, you can pull up your reservation at Delta.com with the Flying Blueish record. Still, your Delta record is different and will populate when the reservation loads. The same is true for Virgin Atlantic awards. Other partners may have different tape locators that you may need to ask for by telephone.
Making reservations on the Flying Blue website
If you already have miles in your Flying Blue account and don't need to transfer points, or if you're an adrenaline junky and don't care virtually potentially paying more miles if the website errors out, y'all can go alee and set up the reservations online. That saves yous the footstep of holding the reservations past telephone.
If your reservation includes anything on Delta, it'southward not advisable to use the Air French republic or KLM websites. You can usually select the flights, but and then when you continue to the page to enter the passenger details the website errors out and takes you back to the search page. This event doesn't seem to happen with any other partners.
Y'all'll want to select the flights you want to volume, proceed through the five booking pages and enter the passenger details, confirm the price, and enter your credit card details.
Frozen Flying Blue accounts
If y'all're setting up a Flight Blue business relationship for the first fourth dimension and transferring a large number of points for a booking, there accept been instances where the account volition exist frozen. Flying Bluish combats a lot of fraud, and these measures are in place to verify the identity of newly created account holders and travelers to make certain nothing nefarious is happening.
If you book your awards past phone, this won't exist an issue. If by chance your business relationship does become blocked, you will either accept to visit an Air French republic ticketing office (at an aerodrome served past Air France). You tin can also call a European call centre and they can commonly unblock the account on their terminate. The North American call middle does not seem to have the ability to exercise this.
This wasn't oft an issue, just information technology wasn't uncommon. It'south something to be enlightened of, but Air French republic does seem to be blocking accounts like this less and less.
One thing you'll want to be sure to practice is use a credit card in the name of the Flying Bluish account holder. That raises fewer flags when it comes to fraud.
Changing or cancelling Flying Blue awards
Fortunately Flying Blue is one of the more generous programs when making changes, but it does require doing so at least a few hours before departure.
Change/Cancellation borderline
If you need to make any changes to a Flight Bluish laurels or cancel information technology, it'southward vital that y'all call at least four hours prior to divergence. Changes and cancellations inside 4 hours of departure aren't permitted, and you'll forfeit all miles. If you do miss the four-hour deadline you tin ask for a partial tax refund.
To be safe, plan to make changes at least a day before departure to avoid running into whatever issues.
Voluntary changes
If you've booked a Flying Blue honour and need to make voluntary changes, essentially yous'll accept to kickoff from scratch. You'll take to wait at alive pricing based on origin and destination to see how many miles yous'll demand to use.
For instance, if you've booked an laurels from New York to Paris to Rome, and you desire to change the Paris to Rome segment to a Paris to Athens flight, you lot'll have to search for honour space and pricing from New York to Athens, even though you think you lot've already got a seat on the New York to Paris leg.
So, when making voluntary changes it'southward typically piece of cake to cancel an honour, redeposit information technology, and start from scratch. The fees are reasonable likewise. It's either €45 or $55 per ticket to cancel an award or brand changes.
Involuntary changes and even exchanges
The only instance where Flying Blue won't charge any difference in miles is either during irregular operations or when the airline has canceled a flight in advance. If this happens they have the power to process any changes every bit an "fifty-fifty exchange", which means you won't have to pay any more miles or additional taxes.
During the COVID pandemic, Air France and KLM were both actually skillful about processing even exchanges. They'd typically accommodate you at a later date without repricing the laurels. If your flights were canceled you could keep your ticket open up, but you'd accept to pay the departure for future travel unless your flights were booked inside a calendar week of your originally scheduled departure date.
Cancelling Flying Bluish awards
Normally if y'all need to cancel an honour and redeposit the miles, it's just a €45 or $55 fee per ticket. Yous'll get a full refund for the miles, taxes, and fees.
Because of the pandemic, most cancellations and changes are gratis with Flight Blue. They accept a very flexible booking policy in identify.
It'southward important to remember that all Flying Blueish awards must be canceled at least 4 hours prior to departure or y'all'll forfeit your miles. Given that the phone call centers are not open 24 hours a day, this tin can be a bit tricky depending on where and when you're departing from, so be certain to keep this policy in mind.
Bottom line
Flying Blue is a great plan for award travel, especially to Europe. Once y'all've booked a few awards with Flying Blueish y'all'll see how competitive the program is once you get an understanding of its complexities.
Have yous redeemed miles on Flying Blue earlier? What was your experience like?
How To Use Flying Blue Miles On Delta,
Source: https://onemileatatime.com/how-to-redeem-flying-blue-miles/
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