Getting to Know the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®
With the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®, travelers can quickly earn miles with purchases from Air France, KLM, or any other SkyTeam partner, or other eligible purchases. Cardholders also earn 5,000 miles in anniversary rewards when they spent $50 or more in the anniversary year. The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® boasts no cap on the number of miles you can earn. It also features no foreign transaction fees, and the excellent customer service typical of Air France, and Bank of America,
How It Works
Cardholders can expect the following from the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®:
How to Earn Rewards:
Fly with SkyTeam Partners: Travelers 3 miles for every dollar spent on flight ticket purchases. These include tickets with Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or any other SkyTeam Member.
Everyday Purchases: Cardholders earn 1.5 miles on all other purchases.
Anniversary Miles: Earn 5,000 bonus miles each year on the account anniversary. This bonus comes after you spend $50 or more on purchases during the anniversary year. 5,000 bonus miles equates to around $50-60 in value for members.
Experience Points: New members earn 60 experience points (XP) upon approval. They also get 20 XP every year on their account anniversary. Cardholders receive an extra 40 XP on their account anniversary if spending $15,000 on purchases during the anniversary year. XP is what travelers need to earn elite status. XP is also earnable through domestic and international travel with SkyTeam partner airlines.
No Cap: There is no cap on the number of bonus miles that members can earn.
Miles Expiration: Flying Blue miles expire after 24 months of inactivity on the account.
How to Redeem Miles:
Travel: Redeeming bonus miles with Air France, KLM, any of the 39 SkyTeam members is very straightforward. Cardholders can also use their accrued miles on Flying Blue flights, with over 1,000 destinations across the globe.
Redeeming XP: XP helps achieve – and maintain – frequent flyer status with Air France, KLM, and their partners. With 60 XP given to new members, cardholders are already halfway to achieving Silver status (100 XP). At this level, travelers receive priority check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding. They also geta 25% discount on seat options and one extra bag on all SkyTeam flights.
Today’s Bonus Offer
Earn 25,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening the account. This bonus roughly equates to $300 in value for cardholders, or potentially a free domestic flight.
The Plane Facts
Can you expect a smooth flight from the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®, or will there be turbulence?
Annual Fee: The card features an annual fee of $90. This is higher than some other airline rewards cards with no annual fee. It isn’t, however, a huge burden given the impressive ability to earn triple points on flights.
Airline and Airport Perks:
None, Really: The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® offers significant mile-earning potential but lacks on airport perks. There is, for example, no allowance for checked bags, or lounge access. Airport perks are gained through collection and redeeming XP, with 100 XP enough to qualify for Flying Blue Silver status – suitable for priority check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding, as well as a 25% discount on seat options and one extra checked item on all SkyTeam flights. Higher tiers earn even greater rewards and privileges.
Cardholder Protections:
Digital Wallet Technology: Bank of America offers the ability to pays through Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, or Samsung Pay.
Chip Card Technology: Chip technology is the latest innovation in card security. Chip technology offers additional security and offers near-global acceptance.
Overdraft Protection: With the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®, members have the option of overdraft protection, meaning they won’t have to worry about the possibility of a declined transaction or returned check. Cardholders need to link their Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® with an eligible Bank of America checking account, though transfer fees may apply.
Fraud Protection: Cardholders have complete protection from all fraudulent or unauthorized transactions made on their Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®. Bank of America provides 24/7 fraud protection, monitoring abnormal patterns of spending on accounts, and blocking potential fraud before it occurs.
Account Alerts: Cardholders can stay informed about anything to do with their account through the option of email or text alerts – letting them know when payments are due, or if there has been suspicious activity detected on their account.
Additional Benefits:
No Foreign Transaction Fees
FICO® Score Access: Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® cardholders have the choice to opt-in to receive an updated FICO® score each month, allowing them to know what their credit report holds.
The Perks That Make the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® Worthwhile
What are some of the pros that set this card ahead of the rest?
A Generous Introductory Bonus Offer: Earn 25,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Cardholders also receive 60XP on approval.
Booking Flights: Miles earned can be used on ticket purchases for both SkyTeam members and Flying Blue partner airlines – with access to over 1,000 destinations worldwide.
No Blackout Dates: There are no blackout dates on when miles can be used.
Additional Rewards: Beyond miles, cardholders earn XP on approval, on each anniversary of their account, and all flights booked with Flying Blue of SkyTeam partners. XP is used to reach Elite frequent flyer status and unlock even more rewards.
No Foreign Transactions: Cardholders can expect no foreign transaction fees, making this card a powerful tool for world travelers.
Potential Turbulence with the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®:
What are some cons that take the wind from beneath this card’s wings?
Initial Rewards Are So-so: While this card has very favorable mile-earning potential, the initial sign-u rewards aren’t a world-beater. Sure, they aren’t terrible – with a value of about $350 – but if you are looking for initial benefits that know your socks off, look elsewhere.
Lack of Additional Benefits: Unlike other airline rewards cards from major carriers, the card does not offer perks cardholders usually receive. The card has no automatic benefits in terms of checked baggage, lounge access, or other similar perks, instead of focusing on rewards miles and experience points, which indirectly provide these benefits. For those looking for benefits such as these automatically, this may not be the right card for them.
Additional Charges: Flight bookings with SkyTeam or Flying Blur may be subjected to additional fees, such as fuel surcharges, which are not covered by miles.
Thoughts Before Takeoff
Is the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® right for you? If you regularly fly with Air France, or are looking for a rewards credit card that allows you to earn serious miles when buying tickets from dozens of partner airlines, then this may be the card for you. With access to over 1,000 destinations around the world, there isn’t anywhere business or pleasure can take you that this card won’t accrue miles or XP. If, however, you are looking for a head-turning sign-up offer or built-in airport perks, the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® isn’t going to inspire you. These negatives, however, can be easily offset by those who frequently travel, meaning they are really a nit-pick, as this card is designed for those who put some serious miles under their belt each year.