Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
From paid ticket sales to redemption promotions, there are endless opportunities to book travel at a discount.
However, few sales are as reliable as the Promo Rewards we see each month from Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
These deals regularly appear on the Flying Blue website and offer discounts on flights to and from select cities or region pairs. All discounts are only bookable through the end of the month, and there’s a set travel window.
This month, we’re seeing one-way economy flights from Austin and Miami to various European cities starting at under 15,000 miles. This is a fraction of what many competing programs charge for the same award tickets. It can be an excellent deal if you’re looking for a spring trip to Europe.
The deal
Airlines: Air France and KLM.
Routes: Economy awards between Europe and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Denver International Airport (DEN), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (HOU), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and Dulles International Airport (IAD). There are also some premium-cabin flights available to San Jose, Costa Rica, and to Saint-Denis in Reunion, France.
Cost: Varies by the airport. Economy awards start at 10,500 miles each way from Atlanta and 18,375 from Austin.
Dates: Travel from April 1 through Sept. 30. You must book by April 30.
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Related: The ultimate guide to earning and redeeming with Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Promo Rewards between North America and Europe
The cheapest awards are from Atlanta, but I found availability lacking. I was able to find a flight from Washington, D.C., to Stockholm for as low as 18,500 Flying Blue miles, plus taxes and fees. We also found these prices on some spring and summer dates to cities like Frankfurt and Prague.
We’ve also seen fares from Austin to various cities starting below the stated minimum of 18,375 miles one-way. For example, this ticket from Austin to Stockholm costs just 15,000 miles one-way, plus taxes and fees.
Related: The best ways to get to Europe using points and miles
How to book
Book Promo Rewards tickets on the Air France or KLM website. Log in to your account and click the “Book with Miles” button on the home screen. Then, enter your desired itinerary and click the red “Search flights” button.
Now, select the flight you’d like to book and follow the on-screen prompts to complete your booking. You may often find that connecting flights charge fewer miles than nonstop flights.
If you plan to transfer points to book this award, find award space first and then transfer your points, as you never want to transfer points without concrete dates in mind.
Related: When should I transfer points to airline and hotel partners?
Earning Flying Blue miles
It’s easy to boost your Flying Blue balance since the program partners with all major transferable points currencies.
You can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards. You can also transfer Marriott points at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer.
Based on our tests, Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase and Citi transfers should post almost instantly. However, that wasn’t the case with our test transfer from Marriott, which took three days to arrive in our Flying Blue account. Because of this, credit card points are your best bet if you hope to book right away.
Related: Use Flying Blue miles to fly to Hawaii for just 35,000 miles round-trip
Maximize your purchase
Use a card that earns additional points on airfare purchases to pay taxes and fees on your award ticket.
Some of the best cards include The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Premier® Card (3 points per dollar on air travel), the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on travel), the American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel).
Additional reporting by Ehsan Haque, Clint Henderson, Kyle Olsen and Benji Stawski.
