Maximizing The New Air France / KLM Promotion To Easily Earn Status
There’s an intersting new Air France / KLM promotion. It runs until the end of the year, and you can maximize it to easily earn SkyTeam status. Here’s how the promotion works and how you can take advantage of it.
New Air France / KLM Promotion From Flying Blue
Until the end of the year, Air France / KLM are offering a promotion to earn double XP on flights operated by them. Info is here.
I’ve previously highlighted why Flying Blue status (from Air France & KLM) is easier to attain than status with Delta. For those who want elite status with SkyTeam, here’s that article. This new Air France / KLM promotion makes it even easier.
From now until the end of the year, you earn double XP (experience points) on all flights operated by Air France and KLM. Remember that the key to earn lots of XP in this program is to fly in a premium cabin and cross into another country. Let’s see some examples of how you can easily earn status with this promotion.
Example 1 – East Coast USA
Example 1 – East Coast USASince XP (experience points) are earned based on distance, here’s an example from the US East Coast. Remember that this promotion only applies to flights operated by Air France & KLM, so we’ll obviously be looking at flights to Europe.
This calculator tells you how many XP you’ll earn on a given flight, based on what cabin you fly in. If you’d fly round-trip to somewhere in Europe BEYOND the Air France / KLM hubs in Paris and Amsterdam, you’ll get another flight. That leg, if it crosses a border, automatically becomes “medium” distance.
In economy, this round-trip itinerary would earn 32 XP. Not that great, since you need 100 XP to qualify for Silver status. But if you’d fly in Premium Economy on that trip, you’d earn 136 XP by the time you come home.
Combine that with the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard from Bank of America to earn SkyTeam Gold status. The welcome offer (details here) includes not only 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 within 90 days, you also get 60 XP just for opening the card.
60 XP from the card + 136 from your flights = 196 XP. Flying Blue Gold status (you need 180 for it) that you can enjoy across all SkyTeam partners.
You need 300 XP to qualify for Platinum status, so we couldn’t reach that just on this itinerary.
If you’re coming from the West Coast of the US, there are direct flights from Air France & KLM that push you into “Long 3” on the distance chart. Here’s the chart for SFO to Madrid with a connection in Amsterdam.
If you fly business class, you’ll earn (36 + 15) x 2 for a one-way itinerary. That’s 102 XP, already earning Silver status because of this Air France / KLM promotion. Take a return flight also in business class and you’re at 204. Add the 60 from the credit card and you’re getting close to Platinum status. You could get those missing 36 XP with some cheap international flights over a border while in Europe.
Final Thoughts
This is a very interesting promotion from Air France & KLM. You earn double XP until the end of the year, but only on flights operated by them. If you find a good deal on flights to Europe, you should be able to come home with elite status from SkyTeam. Now that numerous countries in Europe are open to American tourists again, the timing of this is perfect for those wanting the status.
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This is the same promo flying blue had last year. It’s great for those who live in the EU. It’s great for Americans too but really depends on one’s comfort level with traveling abroad given all the covid tests etc.
Yes, that’s a fair point. There are some good points, but it has drawbacks when there’s an ocean between.