Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program for Air France, KLM, and several other partner airlines. Understanding how Flying Blue Miles expire is crucial for members looking to preserve their balance.
Flying Blue Miles Expiration Policy
Flying Blue Miles have a specific expiration rule based on account activity. Your Miles will expire if you do not have any qualifying 'extending activities' on your account within a 24-month period.
It's important to note that not all activities extend the validity of all your Miles. Flying Blue distinguishes between general activity and 'extending activities'.
Extending Activities: Keeping Your Miles Valid
To extend the validity of your entire Miles balance for another 24 months, you need to perform one of the following 'extending activities':
- Take an eligible flight with Air France, KLM, Aircalin, GOL, Japan Airlines, Kenya Airways, TAROM, SkyTeam partners, or other airline partners credited to your Flying Blue account.
- Make a purchase with a Flying Blue co-branded credit card (where available, like the Bank of America Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® in the US).
- Earn Miles with an eligible non-airline partner (e.g., certain hotel or car rental partners - check the Flying Blue website for specifics).
Important Note: Simply transferring points from a flexible currency program (like Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, or Capital One Miles) does not typically count as an 'extending activity' on its own, although it adds miles to your account. Redeeming miles also generally does not extend the validity of the remaining balance.
If you only perform non-extending activities (like transferring points in), only the newly acquired miles might have their own validity period, while your older miles could still expire after 24 months of no extending activity.
Understanding Partial Extending Activity in Flying Blue
Flying Blue miles have specific rules for extending their validity. Not all earning activities will refresh the expiration date for your entire balance. Instead, Flying Blue distinguishes between overall extending activity and partial extending activity.
What Is Partial Extending Activity?
Partial extending activities include earning miles through:
- Hotel partners
- Car rental partners
- Experience partners
- Select non-SkyTeam airlines
When you earn miles through these channels, the expiration date is extended by two years — but only for the miles earned from these partners.
For example:
- Booking a hotel stay and earning Flying Blue miles extends the life of hotel-earned miles and other partner-earned miles.
- However, those activities do not extend the validity of miles earned from flying with Air France, KLM, or other SkyTeam partners.
- Miles earned from flying still require an overall extending activity, such as flying on Air France or KLM and crediting miles to Flying Blue.
Earning Flying Blue Miles With Credit Cards
One of the easiest ways to keep your Flying Blue miles active is through co-branded credit cards. Spending on these cards counts as qualifying activity that extends your balance by two years.
- United States: Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®
- France & The Netherlands: Flying Blue American Express cards
- Switzerland: Flying Blue Mastercard
Boosting Your Flying Blue Mileage Balance
Flying Blue is a transfer partner of nearly all major flexible points programs. This makes it easy to add miles when you need them for an award booking.
| From Program | To Program | Transfer Ratio | Minimum Transfer | Average Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards (Canada) | Flying Blue | 4:3 | – | Unknown |
| Amex Membership Rewards (Germany) | Flying Blue | 5:4 | 625 | Unknown |
| Amex Membership Rewards (US) | Flying Blue | 1:1 | – | Immediate |
| Amex Membership Rewards (UK) | Flying Blue | 1:1 | 500 | Unknown |
| Capital One | Flying Blue | 1:1 | 1,000 | Immediate |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Flying Blue | 1:1 | – | Immediate |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards (US) | Flying Blue | 1:1 (reduced 10:7 for some cards) | – | Immediate |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Flying Blue | 3:1 | 3,000 | 1–3 days |
| Barclaycard (Arrival Plus) | Flying Blue | 7:5 | – | Unknown |
| Bilt Rewards | Flying Blue | 1:1 | 2,000 | Unknown |
| Brex Cash | Flying Blue | 3:2 | 500 | Unknown |
| HSBC Rewards (US) | Flying Blue | 1.25:1 | – | Unknown |
| Livelo (Clube Livelo) | Flying Blue | 3.5:1 | 35,000 | Unknown |
| Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards | Flying Blue | 1:1 | – | Unknown |
Important Note
Transferring points from bank programs does not extend the validity of miles earned from flying. Transfers are best used to top off your account before redeeming miles, especially for high-value redemptions like Flying Blue Promo Rewards.
Official Policy
For the most precise details on qualifying activities and the expiration policy, always consult the official Flying Blue documentation:
- Flying Blue Terms and Conditions (Navigate to the section about Miles validity)
To keep your Flying Blue Miles safe, ensure you complete at least one 'extending activity'—like taking an eligible flight or using a co-branded card—every 24 months.
Summary
Flying Blue has a stricter expiration policy than many other airline programs, requiring at least one qualifying extending activity every 24 months to protect your entire balance. Simply transferring points from a bank program will not safeguard previously earned miles, which makes it important to focus on eligible flights, co-branded credit card spending, or select partner activity that fully resets expiration.
While partial extending activity, such as earning through hotel or rental car partners, only protects the miles earned from those transactions, it does not refresh your whole account. To make the most of Flying Blue, keep an eye on the 24-month window, plan your earning or redemption activity carefully, and save transfers for when you are ready to redeem so you do not risk losing valuable miles.
Disclaimer: Always use credit responsibly. Program terms and conditions can change. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Verify details directly with Air France/KLM Flying Blue.