Flying Blue

What Flying Blue does

Flying Blue is the integrated loyalty program of the Air France-KLM Group, founded in 2005 through the merger of the Air France and KLM frequent-flyer programs and headquartered in Paris with co-located operations in Amsterdam. The program serves over 30 million members organized in five status tiers — Explorer, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Ultimate — qualified through an XP (Experience Points) system tied to flight distance, cabin class, and qualifying partner activity.

The platform is accessible via flyingblue.com, dedicated iOS and Android applications, and direct integration into Air France and KLM booking flows. Members earn Miles through 37+ airline partners (including all SkyTeam alliance members, Delta Air Lines, Qantas, Japan Airlines, and GOL) and 100+ non-airline commercial partners spanning financial services (American Express co-branded cards, Allianz, bunq, Revolut), hotels (Accor, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG, Hyatt, Booking.com), car rentals (Hertz, Europcar, Avis, SIXT), shopping (Apple, The Bicester Collection, Kolet eSIM, Aelia Duty Free), and experiences (GetYourGuide, Ticketmaster). Miles are redeemed for award flights, cabin upgrades, merchandise via the Flying Blue Store, hotel stays, car rentals, and partner services; the unified 24-month validity policy (effective May 2026) extends balances automatically on any qualifying activity. Premium features include Cash & Miles hybrid payment, Choice Benefits customization for Platinum and Ultimate members, and Flying Blue+ payment integration at partner retailers.

Flying Blue's business model combines multiple revenue streams: interchange economics from the co-branded AIR FRANCE KLM American Express card suite (Silver, Gold at no annual fee; Platinum at €66/month), commissions from partner transactions across travel and retail, direct Miles sales and conversions, and recurring subscription revenue from Flying Blue Extra (Essentiel at €379/year, Étendu at €699/year). The program reported €325 million in revenue in Q2 2026, up 42.5% year-over-year, establishing it as a standalone profit center within the Air France-KLM Group. Distribution is primarily digital-direct plus co-marketing through Air France, KLM, American Express, and the broader partner network; product-led acquisition leverages in-flight touchpoints and post-purchase communications to capture airline passengers at the point of ticket purchase.

Name

Flying Blue

Legal name

Flying Blue

Website

https://flyingblue.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Flying Blue is Air France-KLM's loyalty program serving 30+ million members across five status tiers, enabling earning and redemption of Miles across 37 airline partners and 100+ commercial partners spanning travel, retail, and financial services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Loyalty Program

NAICS

Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881), Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Points/Miles Sales & B2B Monetization (to Partners) (THABAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elite Status & Benefits (Tiers, Upgrades, Lounge Access) (THABAKAF), Ancillary & Paid Loyalty Products (Subscriptions, Paid Status) (THABAKAN), Loyalty Technology Platforms (LMS, Wallets, APIs) (THABAKAH)

Keywords

• Airline loyalty program
• Frequent flyer rewards
• Miles redemption
• Travel rewards program
• Airline miles currency

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loyalty Program Revenue: Flying Blue generates revenue through interchange fees on co-branded credit cards (Air France-KLM American Express cards), commissions from partner transactions (hotels, car rentals, retail), and direct mile sales to members. The program reported €325 million in revenue in Q2 2026, up 42.5% year-over-year, as a standalone profit center within Air France-KLM.
2. Mile Transactions: Members can purchase additional miles (Buy Miles), convert points from other loyalty programs, or accelerate earning through subscriptions. These transactions generate direct revenue while driving engagement toward redemption thresholds for award travel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program of Air France, KLM, and Transavia, serving more than 30 million members worldwide. Members earn Miles on flights with 37 airline partners and on everyday spending through 100+ commercial partners spanning financial services, hotels, car rentals, shopping, and experiences, and redeem Miles for award flights, cabin upgrades, merchandise, and partner services. Status qualification is driven by XP (Experience Points), unlocking five tiers (Explorer, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Ultimate) with progressively richer perks including lounge access, priority services, and customizable Choice Benefits.

Product overview

Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France-KLM, serving over 30 million members across five tiers (Explorer, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Ultimate). The core program (Flying Blue) is built around earning Miles on flights with 37 airline partners and 100+ non-airline partners (financial services, hotels, car rentals, shopping, and experiences), and redeeming Miles for reward tickets, cabin upgrades, merchandise in the Flying Blue Store, and partner services. Key product modules include: XP (Experience Points) as the status currency determining tier benefits; Flying Blue Extra (premium subscription at €379–€699/year) for bonus Miles, lounge passes, and XP acceleration; Flying Blue+ as a payment integration enabling earn-and-spend at partner retailers; Miles+Points joint earning with Accor's ALL program; Choice Benefits for Platinum/Ultimate customization; and the AIR FRANCE KLM American Express co-branded card suite for everyday Miles accumulation. Miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, extended automatically by any qualifying activity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flying Blue Extra: Premium annual subscription offering enhanced miles earning (5-10 extra miles per €10 spent), exclusive promo award tickets, discounted upgrade rewards, complimentary airport lounge vouchers, and 20% bonus XP on flights.

Products and services

• Flying Blue Core Loyalty Program Air France-KLM's flagship consumer loyalty program with 30+ million members, enabling members to earn Miles on flights with 37+ airline partners and 100+ non-airline partners (financial services, hotels, car rentals, shopping, experiences) and redeem Miles for award flights, cabin upgrades, and partner products/services.
• Flying Blue Extra Subscription Premium annual subscription product in two tiers (Essentiel €379/year and Étendu €699/year) offering 5–10 bonus Miles per €10 spent on Air France-KLM flights, exclusive Promo reward tickets, complimentary lounge access vouchers, never-expiring miles, and a 20% XP bonus for Étendu members.
• AIR FRANCE KLM American Express Co-branded Cards

Quantifiable outcome

• 42.5% year-over-year revenue growth to €325 million in Q2 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• TransaviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Transavia joined Flying Blue as a participating airline, allowing members to earn miles and XP on Transavia flights and redeem awards, extending the program's low-cost carrier presence.
• Air FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2005Air France is the founding airline partner of Flying Blue, through which members earn miles on all Air France flights and can redeem awards. Flying Blue serves as Air France's primary loyalty vehicle, with the airline providing the largest share of earn/fulfillment volume.
• KLM Royal Dutch AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2005KLM is the co-founding airline partner of Flying Blue alongside Air France, providing miles earning on KLM flights and award redemption capacity. KLM contributes to the program's pan-European reach and Amsterdam hub connectivity.
• Delta Air LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelta Air Lines is a key Flying Blue airline partner enabling members to earn up to 300% bonus miles on Delta flights. Delta's joint venture with Air France-KLM provides strategic alignment and joint venture partner support for the TAP Air Portugal acquisition.
• SkyTeam Alliance PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlying Blue is the loyalty program for the SkyTeam airline alliance in Europe, with members able to earn miles on all 19 SkyTeam member airlines including Korean Air, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, Kenya Airways, and others.
• American ExpresscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Express issues co-branded AIR FRANCE KLM American Express cards (Silver, Gold, Platinum) enabling members to earn miles on everyday spending, with accelerated earn rates for Platinum cardholders (up to 30 miles per €10). The partnership includes Membership Rewards point conversion and joint marketing.
• Accor (ALL – Accor)strategicGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Miles+Points partnership with Accor allows members to earn both Flying Blue miles and ALL reward points on flights and hotel stays, with 2,000 Flying Blue miles convertible to 2,000 ALL points. Over 6,900 Accor hotels participate globally.
• Hotels for MilesstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerHotels for Miles is Flying Blue's dedicated hotel booking platform offering up to 10,000 miles per night at 500,000+ hotels worldwide. The platform enables members to earn miles on hotel stays while searching and booking within Flying Blue's ecosystem.
• HertzstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerHertz car rental partnership enables members to earn up to 12 miles per euro spent (for electric vehicles and Ultimate members), with exclusive 15% discount on global rentals. Hertz operates over 10,200 locations worldwide.
• Kolet eSIMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKolet eSIM partnership allows members to earn 10 miles per euro spent on prepaid mobile data in 190+ countries, with 1GB free data for first-time users. Members can earn 250 referral miles per sponsored user.
• GetYourGuideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGetYourGuide partnership enables members to earn 3 miles per euro spent on travel experiences and activities, with access to 150,000+ activities including tours, concerts, and sporting events.
• The Bicester CollectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Bicester Collection luxury shopping village partnership allows members to earn 2 miles per euro/pound spent at 9 European villages (including La Vallée Village near Paris) and 3 miles per 10 yuan spent at 2 Chinese villages.
• Loyalty Status CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive status match partnership for Hong Kong and Taiwan members, allowing eligible frequent flyers to upgrade to Silver or Gold status for 12 months by paying a fee, with benefits including priority check-in, free seat selection, and lounge access for Gold members.
• Air France HolidaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAir France Holidays partnership allows members to earn miles on vacation package bookings including flights and hotels through the Air France Holidays platform.
• NextoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNextory ebook and audiobook partnership enables members to earn up to 125 miles per month through subscription, with 45-day free trial and 300 welcome miles for new subscribers. Partnership expanded from Nordic countries to Germany, Spain, France, and Netherlands.
• Booking.comstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerBooking.com partnership enables members to earn 2 Flying Blue miles per euro spent with at least 15% discount on selected properties, combining earning opportunity with immediate travel savings.
• GOL Linhas AéreasstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerGOL partnership enables members to earn up to 125% bonus miles on GOL flights within Brazil, providing South American connectivity and alternative redemption options beyond SkyTeam.
• Japan AirlinesstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerJapan Airlines partnership enables members to earn up to 150% bonus miles on JAL flights, providing Asia-Pacific coverage and access to JAL's award inventory for redemption.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Delta SkyMiles: Delta Air Lines' flagship loyalty program with 100M+ members and deep Air France-KLM joint venture alignment, offering directly comparable mile earning on partner airlines, co-branded Amex cards, and tiered elite status—Flying Blue's closest functional analog in the SkyTeam ecosystem.
• United MileagePlus: United Airlines' loyalty program featuring comparable tiered Premier status, MileagePlus co-branded credit cards, and award redemption across Star Alliance partners—a direct global competitor to Flying Blue for premium traveler mindshare.
• American Airlines AAdvantage: American Airlines' loyalty program with Citi co-branded cards, tiered Executive Platinum status, and oneworld alliance partner earning—offering a structurally similar B2B monetization and consumer loyalty model to Flying Blue.
• Lufthansa Miles & More: Lufthansa Group's European loyalty program and Flying Blue's most direct continental competitor, featuring tiered Senator/ HON Circle status, Star Alliance partner earning, and co-branded credit cards—competing for the same European corporate and leisure traveler base.
• British Airways Executive Club (Avios): IAG's flagship loyalty program using Avios as a shared currency across BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Vueling, with tiered Premier status and co-branded cards—a primary competitor for European frequent flyers and a near-substitute currency model to Flying Blue's miles.
• Aeroplan (Air Canada): Air Canada's relaunched loyalty program featuring tiered Elite status, Star Alliance earning, and Aeroplan co-branded Chase cards—a directly comparable North-Atlantic competitor with similar partner breadth and award pricing.
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Singapore Airlines' loyalty program offering PPS Club elite tiers, KrisFlyer co-branded cards, and Star Alliance partner earning—comparable to Flying Blue in tier structure, premium positioning, and partner monetization logic.

Emerging players

• Marriott Bonvoy: Marriott's hospitality loyalty program and Flying Blue's hotel-earning partner. Relevant as a peer because Bonvoy competes for the same discretionary-travel-loyalty wallet and offers directly comparable tiered elite status (Silver/Gold/Platinum/Titanium/Ambassador).
• Accor Live Limitless (ALL): Accor's hotel loyalty program integrated with Flying Blue via Miles+Points. Comparable because it competes for the same traveler loyalty while also operating as a strategic partner, making it a hybrid peer—relevant for benchmarking hotel-co-loyalty economics.

Broad incumbents

• American Express Membership Rewards: Amex's transferable points program—Flying Blue is both a transfer partner and a competitor via the co-branded card suite. Relevant as a peer because it competes for cardholder loyalty spend and offers airline-mile conversion economics that influence Flying Blue's card partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flyingblue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frequence-plus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Flying Blue