I just lately wrote about how I’m considering of going for elite standing with Air France-KLM Flying Blue. I’m undecided my logic is 100% sound, because the incremental perks to me could be pretty restricted. Actually what I’m attempting to get entry to is Air France top quality awards, that are reserved for Flying Blue Gold members and above.
Whereas I used to continually go on mileage runs again within the day, it’s not one thing I actually do anymore. But in some way I’m oddly discovering myself intrigued on the idea of mileage working and going for elite standing with Flying Blue? Let me clarify…
Easy methods to earn Flying Blue elite standing
First for some background, let me share a reminder of the way you earn Flying Blue elite standing. No, incomes standing isn’t based mostly on how a lot you spend, however quite it’s based mostly on what number of “XPs” you earn (that stands for “expertise factors”). The system of qualifying for standing works a bit otherwise than with different applications:
- 100 XPs will get you Flying Blue Silver standing
- You then want 180 further XPs to earn Flying Blue Gold standing
- You then want 300 further XPs to earn Flying Blue Platinum standing
Nonetheless, there’s a bit extra nuance to this, which additionally makes it simpler to earn standing. For instance, you don’t want 580 XPs in a 12 months to earn Platinum standing:
- When you earn 100 XPs in a 12 months, you’ll earn Silver standing
- Your standing will then be reset, and also you’ll have to earn 180 XPs over the following 12 months to earn Gold standing
- Your standing will then be reset, and also you’ll have to earn 300 XPs over the following 12 months to earn Platinum standing
- Sustaining standing on an ongoing foundation merely requires 100 XPs for Silver, 180 XPs for Gold, and 300 XPs for Platinum
Flying Blue additionally presents true rollover standing, so any XPs earned past what’s wanted for standing rolls over to the next 12 months.
So far as incomes XPs goes, beneath is the chart displaying what number of XPs you earn per section.
From the attitude of a member in america, there’s a giant incentive to journey internationally quite than domestically. For instance, though an Atlanta to Honolulu flight is far additional than an Atlanta to Nassau flight, the latter could be extra rewarding for XPs.
Plotting Flying Blue mileage runs is type of enjoyable
I like any loyalty program that has a component of gamification to incomes elite standing, as a result of it makes it enjoyable for us nerds to plan journey. So I can’t assist however mess around with every kind of various pathways for incomes Flying Blue elite standing.
If I have been to go for Flying Blue elite standing, I’d wish to make it enjoyable for OMAAT readers — it wouldn’t simply be about qualifying for elite standing as inexpensively as potential, however it will be about racking up XPs whereas reviewing as many new and attention-grabbing merchandise as potential, with out breaking the financial institution.
By way of racking up numerous XPs at a low value, you’ll be able to’t beat paid enterprise class fares inside Europe that permit connections in each Amsterdam and Paris. For instance, you would fly roundtrip enterprise class from Krakow to Düsseldorf for simply over $500, and would earn 90 XPs — wow! For those who have been an current Platinum member, you’d greater than requalify for standing with 4 of those roundtrips.
I’ve been desirous to overview Aeromexico’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 787-9, and there are fairly first rate one-way enterprise class fares from New York to Sao Paulo, of beneath $1,100 one-way. That one-way would rack up 54 XPs.
I’ve been desirous to overview Aircalin, the airline of New Caledonia, and the airline has first rate enterprise class fares from Japan to Australia and New Zealand. A one-way ticket from Tokyo to Brisbane through Noumea would rack up 40 XPs.
Again within the day I might have in all probability simply moved to Krakow and would have flown round Europe for a few months to earn Flying Blue Platinum Final standing (which is Flying Blue’s uber-top-tier standing, requiring 1,800 XPs in two years, simply on Air France and KLM steel). One thing tells me that might get me a standing downgrade with my household, although, and that’s in all probability not an amazing tradeoff. 😉
Backside line
I’m significantly considering of going for Flying Blue elite standing, and need to say that I fairly just like the XP system for incomes standing. I like the enjoyable gamification of it, and it incentivizes planning routings strategically. It’s just a little extra thrilling than American’s Loyalty Factors system, for instance, which just about oversimplifies incomes standing.
I’m not at a degree in my life the place I’m going to do pure mileage runs purely to earn standing, however it may very well be enjoyable to see what number of new airline evaluations I may crank out whereas qualifying for Flying Blue elite standing with moderately priced premium tickets.
What do you assume — ought to I am going for Flying Blue elite standing? Every other significantly good mileage run alternatives I’m lacking?
