Air France-KLM Flying Blue Earnings Changes On Non-SkyTeam Member Airlines From January 1, 2024

Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program has added a cryptic message about how earning miles and XP (tier points) will change on January 1, 2024, and that you should consult their website for these changes.

The notice appears only on non-SkyTeam partner airlines’ Flying Blue pages.

You can access Flying Blue here.

Notice on Select Partner Pages:

*** Please note: the Flying Blue programme rules around earning Miles and XP on flights will change starting 1 January 2024. Visit the Flying Blue Programme for more information on the various ways to earn Miles and XP starting 1 January 2024. ***

SkyTeam Airlines

• Aerolineas Argentinas
• AeroMexico
• Air Europa
• China Airlines
• China Eastern
• Czech Airlines
• Delta
• Garuda Indonesia
• ITA Airways
• Kenya Airways
• Korean Air
• MEA
• Saudia
• TAROM
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Xiamen Airlines

The notice doesn’t appear on these pages.

Non-SkyTeam Airline Partners

• Air Corsica
• Air Mauritius
• Chalair Aviation
• China Southern
• Copa Airlines (Star Alliance)
• GOL
• Japan Airlines (Oneworld)
• Malaysia Airlines (Oneworld)
• Qantas (Oneworld)
• Twin Jet
• WestJet

Until the end of the year, you will continue to earn miles, XP points, and tier bonus miles on all these flights (if eligible fare class). It seems that this will change on January 1, and you will only earn redeemable miles.

It won’t affect flights marketed by Air France or KLM and operated by these partners because you continue to earn XPs, award, and bonus miles per Air France or KLM schedule.

• Bangkok Airways (only redemption partner)
• Winair (only redemption partner)

There is no change on Bangkok Airways and Winair, which are only Flying Blue’s redemption partners.

Non-Alliance Partners

• AirBaltic
• Aircalin (uses Flying Blue as their frequent flier program)
• Transavia (Air France-KLM owned LLC)

There have been no benefits for Flying Blue members who fly on AirBaltic flights that are NOT marketed by Air France or KLM.

Aircalin, an airline based in New Caledonia, uses Flying Blue as their frequent flier program, but they are NOT part of SkyTeam.

Air France-KLM owns Transavia, and you earn a small number of miles on higher fares on this airline.

Conclusion

I became a Flying Blue elite member during the pandemic when I flew a lot on their SkyTeam partner airline, AeroMexico (around the country).

It was unclear to me that you earn Experience Points (weird name for Tier Points) and elite bonus miles on ALL partner flights, not only those that SkyTeam members operate.

Airlines, in general, have expanded their roster of non-alliance partners in recent years, and Air France – KLM here takes precisely the opposite move by removing XP earnings and elite bonus miles from all.

They recently announced (read more here) that they are forming a partnership with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, including reciprocal elite benefits (and I assume earning XPs and elite bonus miles).

I wish Flying Blue would be more transparent in their communication and wouldn’t refer to pages and information on their website that don’t exist, where these January 1, 2024, changes are supposedly communicated.