Can I Transfer Air France Miles To Another Airline? | Essential Mileage Facts

Understanding Air France Miles and Transfer Policies

Air France Flying Blue miles are a valuable currency for frequent flyers, but the rules around transferring these miles can be confusing. Many travelers wonder, Can I Transfer Air France Miles To Another Airline? The straightforward answer is no—Air France does not allow direct transfers of Flying Blue miles to other airlines outside its network. However, there are nuances worth exploring to maximize your mileage use.

Flying Blue is the loyalty program shared by Air France and KLM. It operates under the SkyTeam alliance umbrella, which includes about 20 member airlines worldwide. While you can’t transfer miles from your Flying Blue account to another airline’s loyalty program, you can redeem your miles for award flights on any SkyTeam partner airline. This indirect flexibility often leads to confusion about “transferring” miles.

The inability to transfer miles directly is a common policy among many airline programs, designed to maintain control over their mileage ecosystem and prevent arbitrage or abuse. But Flying Blue offers plenty of redemption options that effectively let you use your miles across multiple carriers without needing an actual transfer.

How Flying Blue Miles Work Within the SkyTeam Alliance

Flying Blue miles are earned by flying with Air France, KLM, and other partner airlines or through credit card spending and promotions. Once accumulated in your account, these miles represent a form of currency for award travel and upgrades.

While you can’t move these points to another airline’s program like United MileagePlus or American AAdvantage, you can book flights operated by any SkyTeam member using your Flying Blue miles. This includes airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Aeromexico, and China Eastern Airlines.

Here’s how it works:

• You keep your miles in your Flying Blue account.
• When booking an award flight online or via customer service, select a SkyTeam partner flight.
• Redeem the required number of Flying Blue miles for that flight.

This system allows you to leverage your points across a broad network without needing actual transfers.

Why Direct Transfers Are Not Allowed

Direct transfers between airline loyalty programs are rare because each program has its own rules, valuation systems, and partnerships. Allowing unrestricted transfers would complicate revenue accounting and open doors for exploitation through points arbitrage or fraud.

Air France Flying Blue aims to retain value within its own ecosystem while providing flexibility through alliance partners. This approach balances customer benefits with business interests.

Alternative Options for Using Your Air France Miles Flexibly

Since direct transfers aren’t possible, consider these strategies for maximizing the value of your Flying Blue miles:

• Book Partner Airline Flights: Use your points on any SkyTeam carrier flight you need.
• Mile Pooling with Family: Although not officially supported by Flying Blue as “transfer,” some family members can pool miles under certain conditions or accounts linked through promotions.
• Mile Sales & Promotions: Occasionally buy or gift miles during promotions; however, this is limited and costly compared to earning through travel.
• Use Miles for Upgrades: Upgrade paid tickets on Air France or partner airlines using your mileage balance.

These options keep your mileage valuable even without direct transfers.

The Role of Credit Card Partnerships

Certain credit cards linked with Flying Blue allow you to earn points convertible into Flying Blue miles. Some cards also permit transferring points between different loyalty programs (like hotel chains or other airline programs), which might indirectly increase flexibility in earning or using Air France miles.

Still, once points convert into Flying Blue miles, they remain non-transferable outside the program but fully usable within SkyTeam partners.

Comparing Transfer Policies: How Does Air France Stack Up?

Some airline programs do allow point transfers between accounts or even between different airlines within an alliance. For example:

Loyalty Program	Direct Mile Transfers Allowed?	Alliance/Partnership Notes
Air France Flying Blue	No	Miles redeemable on SkyTeam partners only; no direct transfers.
British Airways Avios	Yes (within family accounts)	Miles transferable among household members; also usable on Oneworld partners.
American Airlines AAdvantage	No (except gifting)	Miles can be gifted but not transferred; redeemable on Oneworld partners.
Delta SkyMiles	No (except gifting)	Miles usable on SkyTeam; gifting possible but no transfers.

This comparison highlights that while some programs offer limited transfer options (often among family members), most major airlines restrict direct mileage transfers entirely. Air France’s policy aligns with industry norms focused on controlled mile management.

The Impact of Not Being Able To Transfer Miles Directly

For travelers holding multiple frequent flyer accounts across different alliances or airlines, this lack of transferability means managing separate balances carefully.

It encourages loyalty within one program but also requires strategic planning when collecting and redeeming points. You might find yourself with stranded balances if you accumulate small amounts across various programs without enough for awards individually.

However, since Flying Blue covers a wide range of partners via SkyTeam coverage—including many global routes—you still enjoy extensive redemption options without moving points around manually.

Avoiding Mile Expiration Issues

Another important consideration is mile expiration policies. Flying Blue miles expire after 24 months of inactivity unless you have elite status or recent qualifying activity.

Because transferring isn’t an option to “rescue” expiring points by moving them elsewhere, keeping active accounts through flights or partner transactions is essential to maintain mileage validity.

How To Redeem Your Air France Miles Effectively Across Airlines

Maximizing value from your Flying Blue balance means understanding redemption pricing and availability across all eligible carriers:

• Award Flights: Search for flights operated by any SkyTeam member directly in the Flying Blue booking portal.
• MileSAAver Awards: Look out for promotional awards offering discounted mileage rates periodically.
• Mile + Cash Options: Combine cash and miles if short on points but want a reduced fare upgrade.
• Cargo & Car Rentals: Some non-flight redemptions exist but usually less cost-effective than flights.

Booking early increases chances of securing partner seats at lower mileage levels since availability varies widely by route and seasonality.

Since you cannot transfer your Air France miles elsewhere if plans change drastically, staying flexible about destination choices helps avoid losing value. If a preferred flight isn’t available via one carrier in the alliance, explore alternatives operated by others within SkyTeam using the same mileage balance.

This adaptability makes up somewhat for the lack of direct point transfers between completely separate programs outside this network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Transfer Air France Miles To Another Airline Directly?

No, Air France Flying Blue miles cannot be directly transferred to other airlines. The program restricts direct transfers to maintain control over its mileage ecosystem and prevent misuse.

How Can I Use Air France Miles With Other Airlines?

You can redeem your Flying Blue miles for award flights on any SkyTeam alliance member airline. This allows you to use your miles across multiple carriers without transferring them.

Are Air France Miles Transferable To Non-SkyTeam Airlines?

No, Flying Blue miles are not transferable to airlines outside the SkyTeam alliance. You must keep your miles in your Flying Blue account and redeem them within the network.

Why Does Air France Not Allow Direct Mile Transfers?

Direct transfers are generally not allowed because each airline loyalty program has unique rules and valuations. Preventing transfers helps avoid program abuse and maintains mileage value integrity.

What Are My Options If I Want To Use Air France Miles On Partner Airlines?

You can book award flights operated by SkyTeam partners like Delta or Korean Air using your Flying Blue miles. Simply select partner flights when redeeming miles through Air France’s platform.