What is changing, in one table
For new award bookings from 8 September 2026 on flights operated by Air France or KLM, each cabin — Economy, Premium Economy and Business — is sold in three bundles that mirror the airlines' paid fares. La Première is outside the new structure, and so is every partner-airline award. Tickets issued before 8 September keep the conditions they were booked with.
| Bundle | Miles (Flying Blue's CDG–NYC business example) | Cash component | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Light | 60,000 — today's headline price | ≈US$608 | One 32 kg bag. No changes, no refunds, no advance seat selection, no lounge access. Promo Rewards sit here. |
| Business Standard | 75,000 — closest to today's award | ≈US$608 | Two bags, lounge access, SkyPriority. Changes and refunds for a fee (about €70); seat selection still extra. |
| Business Flex | 110,000 | ≈US$302 | Everything in Standard, plus free changes and refunds and advance seat selection. Notice the much lower cash component. |
Economy and Premium Economy follow the same pattern, with one harsher twist: Economy Light and Premium Light include no checked bag at all. Across the examples Flying Blue supplied, Standard runs roughly 25–30% more miles than Light, and Flex 70–85% more. Bags and seats can still be bought as add-ons on a Light ticket, so the real question is whether the add-on cash beats the extra miles.
Why this is a devaluation even though the headline price did not move
Today's 60,000-mile business award includes lounge access, two bags and the ability to cancel. From 8 September the ticket with those inclusions costs 75,000 miles. That is a 25% increase for the same product, dressed as a "new choice". Flying Blue's own emails to members describe the effect as 20–25%, which matches the examples. For a member with no status who redeems on Air France or KLM metal, that is the honest number to plan around.
Two groups are largely spared. Elite members — Silver, Gold, Platinum and Ultimate — keep their tier benefits on any bundle, so a Platinum on a Business Light award still gets lounge access, free bags and free changes. And anyone redeeming on a partner airline sees no change at all: the partner charts and conditions are untouched.
What it means in cash, at our rates
Our Flying Blue list rate starts at 1.45 cents per mile. At that rate, today's 60,000-mile business one-way costs US$870 in miles. From 8 September, the comparable Standard bundle at 75,000 miles is US$1,088 — US$218 more for the same seat, before the cash component. Volume pricing brings both figures down, but the gap stays proportional.
| Transatlantic business one-way | Miles | Miles cost at 1.45¢ | Cash component |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today (booked before 8 Sep) | 60,000 | US$870 | ≈US$608 |
| Business Light (from 8 Sep) | 60,000 | US$870 | ≈US$608 + paid seat, no lounge, no changes |
| Business Standard (from 8 Sep) | 75,000 | US$1,088 | ≈US$608 |
| Business Flex (from 8 Sep) | 110,000 | US$1,595 | ≈US$302 |
Flex is worth a second look for people who value the lower cash component: 35,000 more miles than Standard buys roughly US$306 less in fees plus free changes. At our rates that trade is close to break-even on cash alone, and better than that if you might need to cancel.
If you have a trip in mind: book it before 8 September
This is the practical takeaway. A ticket issued before the deadline keeps today's inclusions at today's mileage, and remains valid even if it is changed later. Flying Blue miles bought through us are deposited to your own account — most Air France / KLM transfers are instant, and the current transfer time is always shown on our Flying Blue page — so there is still time to buy, book and lock the old terms if you move this week. Tell us the route and dates and we will confirm the live award price before you commit.
Who should still buy Flying Blue miles after 8 September
- Partner-award bookers. Nothing changes on SkyTeam partners and other Flying Blue partners. Our guide to Etihad business class with Flying Blue miles is as valid on 9 September as it was in August.
- Elite members. If you hold Silver or above, Light is effectively today's ticket at today's price. Ultimate and Platinum members in particular lose almost nothing.
- Fixed-plan, hand-luggage travellers. If you will not change the booking and do not need a bag or a lounge, Light is the same deal as before — and Promo Rewards, which sit in Light, remain the cheapest way into Europe from 10,000 miles.
The member who should pause is the non-status traveller who books Air France or KLM metal and values flexibility. For them the true price is Standard, and the 25% should be priced in before buying miles — we will tell you that plainly on WhatsApp rather than sell you miles you will regret.
Holding Flying Blue miles you no longer need?
Three routes. Redeem them on a partner, where the value is unchanged. Book an Air France or KLM trip before 8 September under current rules. Or, if neither fits, sell them: we buy Flying Blue miles from members who no longer have a use for them, paid in your own currency — see the Sell Miles page for the process and current rates.
Our best uses of Flying Blue miles guide has been updated to reflect the September structure, and the airline miles price index will show any movement in the Flying Blue rate as the market absorbs the change.
Frequently asked questions
What changes for Flying Blue awards on 8 September 2026?
New award bookings on Air France and KLM-operated flights in Economy, Premium Economy and Business are sold in three bundles: Light, Standard and Flex. Light keeps today's headline mileage price but drops changes, refunds and advance seat selection (and the checked bag in Economy and Premium Economy; no lounge access in Business). Standard is closest to today's award and costs more miles. Flex costs the most miles but includes free changes and refunds and a lower cash component. Partner-airline awards and La Première are not affected.
Is this a Flying Blue devaluation?
In practice, yes — roughly 20–25% for members without status. The cheapest price stays the same, but the ticket it buys has fewer inclusions. To keep what a standard award includes today you book Standard, which in Flying Blue's own transatlantic business example rises from 60,000 to 75,000 miles. Elite members keep their tier benefits on any bundle, so they are largely unaffected.
Do bookings made before 8 September keep the old rules?
Yes. Award tickets issued before 8 September 2026 keep their existing conditions. If you have a specific Air France or KLM trip in mind, booking it before that date locks in today's inclusions at today's price.
Should I still buy Flying Blue miles after 8 September?
It depends on how you redeem. Partner awards on SkyTeam and other partners are unchanged, elite members keep full benefits on Light, and a fixed-plan traveller with hand luggage may be perfectly happy with Light. A non-status traveller who needs flexibility should price the Standard bundle — about 25% more miles — before deciding. Our Flying Blue rate starts at 1.45 cents per mile with volume pricing above that.
I hold Flying Blue miles and no longer plan to use them. What are my options?
Use them on a partner award, where nothing has changed; book an Air France or KLM trip before 8 September under current rules; or sell them. We buy Flying Blue miles from members who no longer need them — see our Sell Miles page for how it works.