There are countless chances to book travel at a discount, from paid ticket sales to redemption programs.
Few deals, though, are as dependable as the Promo Rewards that Air France-KLM Flying Blue offers each month.
These specials, which offer savings on flights to and from particular cities or area pairs, frequently appear on the Flying Blue website. There is a predetermined travel window and all discounts are only bookable through the end of the month.
There are under 12,000-mile one-way economy flights this month to a number of European locations. This is considerably less expensive than what many rival programs charge for the same award tickets. If you're seeking to travel to Europe in the summer or fall, it can be a great offer.
The deal
Airlines: Air France and KLM.
Routes: Low-cost flights connect Europe with Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Miami International Airport (MIA), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Business class awards are available from Newark, Houston, Washington-Dulles, Atlanta, and Dallas, while premium economy awards are offered between Europe and Houston, Washington-Dulles, and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Price: Depends on the airport.
Dates: Travel is permitted from May 1 to October 31. Bookings must be made by May 31.
Rewards promo between North America and Europe
Although I also discovered availability for the first 11,250 miles from Chicago, the cheapest awards are from Boston.
12,750 miles from Miami are also eligible for awards.
This calendar search to Munich Airport (MUC) shows that there are many premium-economy award seats available from Washington Dulles.
How to reserve
On the websites for Air France or KLM, purchase Promo Rewards tickets. Once you've logged in, go to the home page of your account and click the "Book with Miles" button. Next, enter your preferred itinerary and select "Search flights" by clicking the red button.
Select the flight you want to book now, then follow the on-screen instructions to finish the booking.
If you plan to transfer points to book this award, first look for award space before doing so because you should never transfer points without firm deadlines in mind.
Getting Flying Blue miles
Since Flying Blue works with all of the main transferable point currencies, increasing your balance is simple.
Points from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, Marriott points can be transferred at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
Our tests indicate that transfers made using Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Citi should post almost promptly. That wasn't the case, though, with the Marriott test transfer, which took three days to reach our Flying Blue account. Because of this, if you want to make a reservation immediately away, credit card points are your best option.
Enhance your purchase
To pay taxes and fees on your award ticket, use a credit card that offers bonus points on airfare purchases.
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).
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