I’m Thinking Of Going For Flying Blue Elite Status

I don't look for airline status anymore. The value of status isn't there in the way that it used to be, and airlines have made it more difficult to upgrade to a better cabin.

I want to pursue a new airline status opportunity for the first time in a long time. I want to go for elite status with Air France-Klm Flying Blue.

What intrigues me about Flying Blue elite status

It would be great to be able to redeem miles for Air France first class with Flying Blue.

Air France has one of the best first class products in the world and the ground experience is the best in the world, but only if you have Flying Blue Gold elite status.

These awards aren't cheap even if you have elite status You can fly from the United States to Europe in first class for as little as 220,000 miles. There are cases where this is a good option.

I don't want to just fly across the Atlantic in Air France first class with miles since it's not cheap. Flying Blue elite status is the easiest way to get it for a special occasion.

There are some reasons that crediting SkyTeam flights to Air France-KLM Flying Blue is the best option.

• I find Flying Blue to be the most useful SkyTeam loyalty program, especially for those looking to travel across the Atlantic in business class; Flying Blue has a lot more access to Air France and KLM business class awards than partner programs do
• I fly SkyTeam airlines a fair bit (including Delta), though frankly I don’t really have much interest in going for elite status or crediting my flights to Delta SkyMiles

What it takes to earn Flying Blue elite status

The metric for earning status is called "XP" and is used by Flying Blue. The system of qualification for status is different than other programs.

• 100 XPs gets you Flying Blue Silver status
• You then need 180 additional XPs to earn Flying Blue Gold status
• You then need 300 additional XPs to earn Flying Blue Platinum status

It is easier to earn status due to the more nuanced nature of this. You don't need a lot of points to get Platinum status.

• Once you earn 100 XPs in a year, you’ll earn Silver status
• Your status will then be reset, and you’ll need to earn 180 XPs over the next 12 months to earn Gold status
• Your status will then be reset, and you’ll need to earn 300 XPs over the next 12 months to earn Platinum status
• Maintaining status on an ongoing basis simply requires 100 XPs for Silver, 180 XPs for Gold, and 300 XPs for Platinum

Flying Blue Gold status is enough for me if I get into the Flying Blue community and find it to work well for me, but lifetime Flying Blue Platinum status is something else.

The chart below shows how much you earn for each segment.

With short haul international flights, it is easy to rack up points. Give a few examples.

• A roundtrip nonstop Delta business class ticket from Tampa to New York would earn you 12 XPs
• A roundtrip Aeromexico business class ticket from Miami to Lima via Mexico City would earn you 78 XPs
• A roundtrip Aeromexico business class ticket from New York to Sao Paulo via Mexico City would earn you 108 XPs

How I would earn Flying Blue elite status

I don't want to spend my entire life running in order to become a Flying Blue elite. I think I could get it with very little effort.

• The Air France-KLM Flying Blue Card in the United States often offers XPs as part of the welcome bonus; for example, this past spring we saw a bonus that included 100 XPs (in addition to miles), so I’ll wait until an offer like that is available once again
• I would simply credit the Delta flights that I take within the United States to Air France-KLM Flying Blue instead of Delta SkyMiles
• Pursuing Flying Blue elite status would be a good motive to review some more SkyTeam products; for example, maybe this is the push I need to do another Aeromexico review, as I’d like to review the carrier’s Boeing 737 MAX and Boeing 787-9 business class
• Flying Blue awards members with XPs for donating to charity or buying carbon offsets, and XPs potentially rack up pretty quickly this way (however, it looks like part of this program has been suspended, maybe temporarily)

Flying Blue elite status would help me form a strategy with SkyTeam since I am not really invested in any SkyTeam program beyond transferring points to Flying Blue when there are transfer bonuses and I am looking to fly across the Atlantic.

It would be great if there was a status match or status challenge program from Flying Blue, but it shouldn't be that hard.

Bottom line

I might go for elite status with Air France-KLM. Flying Blue Gold members can't redeem miles for Air France first class awards, so I'm trying to get access to that.

It makes sense to pursue status with SkyTeam since I don't have much of a strategy for crediting my flights. When it comes to elite recognition, it would be interesting to see how well Air France and KLM do.

Is this idea dumb? I am curious if anyone else has a similar strategy.