We're always watching for transfer bonuses that allow you to get more out of your credit card points by sending them to specific airlines. There's a great one available for American Express cardholders, but not for much longer..
Points from cards like the American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express can earn you a bunch of bonus miles with Air France or KLM. American Express is offering a 25% bonus on transfers to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, a great mileage program to get from the U.S. to Europe using fewer points. It runs through next Monday, May 22, so you've got just a few more days to take advantage.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide on Amex transfer partners and how to make it happen!
Using transfer partners like Air France/KLM is one of the best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points for even more value. And these transfer bonuses make it even better – think of it as a way to get some free airline miles. Transfer bonuses to Air France seem to crop up a few times a year. If you've got Citi ThankYou points, you're in luck: Citi is running an identical 25% bonus to Air France/KLM through June 17.
No matter how appealing a 25% bonus might be, you should never transfer credit card points willy nilly. This is a one-way street: Once you send your credit card points to an airline account, you can't get them back. That means you'll want to have a purpose for these miles.
Fortunately, there are some great ways to put this bonus to use…
Best Ways to Use This Bonus
We'll never turn down some free Flying Blue miles.
This is the combined mileage program for Air France and KLM, and it's one of the best ways to book flights with SkyTeam airlines including Delta, Korean Air, and Air France or KLM, of course.
Fly Air France or KLM to Europe
With low rates and fairly solid availability to actually book these flights with your miles, this is one of the best ways to book business class to Europe.
Whether you want to get to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS), or connect almost anywhere flying business class to Europe for just 55,000 to 58,000 miles each way. With this transfer bonus, you’d need as low as just 44,000 Amex points to make it happen.
You can also book economy awards to Europe using Air France and KLM miles – including one-way trips from several U.S. cities for less than 20,000 miles. But Flying Blue also passes on some hefty cash surcharges on award tickets that make it less appealing for economy prices, while it can easily be worth paying $228 or so for a one-way business class ticket for Europe.
Finding flights at these low rates may require some flexibility, as you won't find them one very single date. Luckily, Air France and KLM allow you to easily scroll through up to a month's worth of flights to find the best deals. Flying Blue typically tacks on about $200 for a one-way business class award to Europe – and about $380 or more for the way back. That's a small price to pay for $6,000-plus flights.
It’s a great ride across the Atlantic ocean whether you’re flying with Air France or KLM.
Read our full Air France business class review!
You can also book economy awards to Europe using Air France and KLM miles – including one-way trips from several U.S. cities for less than 20,000 miles. But Flying Blue also passes on some hefty cash surcharges on award tickets that make it less appealing for economy prices, while it can easily be worth paying $228 or so for a one-way business class ticket for Europe.
Book Discounted Promo Rewards
Every month, Flying Blue unleashes a set of discounted routes it calls Promo Rewards. And the airlines' latest monthly promo is a doozy, offering deeply discounted economy, premium economy, and business class rates to Europe from a handful of U.S. cities.
Just beware: You'll have to act fast, as availability at these rates is flying fast (or has already disappeared) – especially if you want to fly business class. But even in economy, the deals are amazing: With fares as low as 11,250 miles each way, it could easily be worth paying $100 or so in taxes and fees to pull off a trip to Europe this summer or fall.
For travel through October 2023, you can book:
Economy to Europe
- Boston (BOS) starting at 11,250 Flying Blue Miles
- Chicago (ORD) starting at 12,750 Flying Blue Miles
- Washington, D.C. – Dulles (IAD) starting at 12,750 Flying Blue Miles
- Miami (MIA) starting at 12,750 Flying Blue Miles
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) starting at 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
- Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) starting at 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
- Atlanta (ATL) starting at 15,750 Miles Flying Blue Miles
- Austin (AUS) starting at 18,375 Flying Blue Miles
- Los Angeles (LAX) starting at 20,250 Flying Blue Miles
Premium Economy to Europe
- Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) starting at 30,000 Flying Blue Miles
- Washington, D.C. – Dulles starting at 22,500 Flying Blue Miles
- Newark (EWR) starting at 22,500 Flying Blue Miles
Business Class to Europe
- Newark (EWR) to Paris (CDG) starting at 41,250 Flying Blue Miles
- Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) starting at 48,750 Flying Blue Miles
- Washington, D.C. – Dulles (IAD) starting at 52,500 Flying Blue Miles
- Atlanta (ATL) starting at 52,500 Flying Blue Miles
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) starting at 52,500 Flying Blue Miles
No matter which route or cabin you choose, this 25% bonus just makes these flights even cheaper.
Fly to Taipei in Business Class
One of the best ways to get to Taiwan – or connect elsewhere in Southeast Asia – is in China Airlines' spiffy business class seats. And using Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles is the best way to make it happen.
Whether you fly from San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), or all the way from New York City (JFK), you can get to Taipei (TPE) for just 87,500 Flying Blue miles.
Factor in this 25% transfer bonus, and you'll need to transfer just 70,000 Amex points. Not bad for a 15-plus hour flight in seats like these, right?
Bottom Line
Transfer bonuses like this one are great – it means you need fewer points to book your next getaway. And a 25% bonus when transferring Amex points to Air France/KLM Flying Blue is a great one.
Just be sure to use it soon because this transfer bonus ends next Monday, May 22.
Have been trying to transfer Amex miles to Flying Blue for past week. They reject the transfer and points bounce back to my Amex account. Amex says they are rejecting transfer. Very frustrating as I would like to book an award flight. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?