Air France KLM Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
This card offers value mainly through its welcome bonus and 20 Experience Points, which can help with Flying Blue status. However, it lacks standard airline perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, or lounge access. Since Flying Blue miles transfer from all major credit card programs, most travelers are better off using this card only for the initial bonus before reassessing its worth in year two.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
The biggest draw of the Air France KLM card is the welcome offer and the head start it provides toward Flying Blue elite status:
- Earn 50,000 Flying Blue miles after spending $2,000 within the first 90 days
- Receive 20 Experience Points (XP) upon approval, giving you an immediate boost toward Silver Status
The earning structure also rewards both SkyTeam loyalty and everyday spending:
- 3x miles on restaurants and purchases with Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam airlines
- 1.5x miles on all other purchases
If you keep the card beyond the first year, you’ll receive:
- 5,000 anniversary miles each year
- 20 additional XP annually on your card anniversary
- Extra XP through spending: Earn 80 XP after $15,000 in annual spending or 160 XP after $25,000
The $89 annual fee is relatively modest for an airline card with status benefits, though we generally recommend prioritizing new signup bonuses over heavy spending for XP earnings.
You can also pair this card with Bilt Rewards to earn 3x points on rent payments (up to $50,000 annually). Because Bilt charges a 3% fee, you’re effectively purchasing Flying Blue miles for about 1¢ each. Since we value Flying Blue miles at 1.3¢ per miles, this can make sense for users who frequently maximize Flying Blue sweet spots. The rent spend will also earn Experience Points (XP), so you this help boost you to the next status tier if that's a priority.
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
Consider these situations where another card might serve you better:
- Other airline co-branded cards offer superior perks like free checked baggage, companion certificates, and better status benefits for similar annual fees
- You don't fly SkyTeam partners frequently enough to justify the card
- You'll receive better value from another travel rewards card that allows point transfers to Flying Blue
What to Know About Flying Blue (Air France-KLM)
We don’t recommend actively collecting Flying Blue points, but their monthly Promo Rewards are worth monitoring
- They are partners with all major point systems, making it easy to jump on a Promo Reward or top off
- You can transfer Flying Blue Rewards to all SkyTeam partner airlines
- Flying Blue offers free stopovers to Paris or Amsterdam to maximize your point redemption
- United is still our go-to for international flights, but Flying Blue Rewards offer competitive redemptions on long haul flights
How The Air France KLM Credit Card Fits In The Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) Ecosystem
This is the only co-branded card for Air France/KLM/Flying Blue, so there are no direct comparisons for those seeking a co-branded airline card specifically for these airlines. However, since Flying Blue partners with all major credit card programs, you might find better value with a different card offering superior welcome bonuses that can still be transferred to Flying Blue plus other, more valuable benefits .
Air France and KLM belong to the SkyTeam Alliance, allowing you to use Flying Blue points with numerous partner airlines. They also maintain partnerships outside SkyTeam, making Flying Blue one of the most versatile and valuable currencies in the travel rewards space. The issue isn't with Flying Blue points themselves, but rather that this particular card doesn't offer the best value proposition, even for Flying Blue loyalists.
Card Information
Bonus Extra
Differentiating Perks
Rules
Historical Card Offers
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Estimated Next Offer
Air France KLM Application Rules
Bank of America limits the number of personal cards issued by the bank that you can get within a certain time frame
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule