The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® is one of Bank of America’s lesser-known credit cards, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook it. In fact, it can be a powerful travel credit card to keep in your wallet if you’re shooting for Flying Blue elite status.
Let’s take a closer look at the Air France KLM Mastercard and why you might want it in your wallet, especially if you’re a Flying Blue loyalist. We’ll also discuss the card’s welcome offer, earn rate and other interesting features.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard has a straightforward welcome offer that can be lucrative for those chasing Flying Blue elite status. Right now, you’ll earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening
Note that the card has an $89 annual fee. This is lower than many comparable airline credit cards and we think it’s a solid deal, especially when you consider the welcome offer.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard earns:
This makes the Air France KLM Mastercard a solid choice for un-bonused spending. For example, you might put dining and groceries on the American Express® Gold Card to earn 4 points per dollar. Then, you can put all other purchases on this card to earn bonus rewards.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard‘s main benefits are tied to earning Flying Blue elite status and earning miles with the program. This section will focus on ongoing benefits instead of the welcome bonus.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard gives cardholders 5,000 bonus Flying Blue miles once per year. The only requirement is that you spend $50 or more on the card within your anniversary year, which should be easy enough with normal spending.
Additionally, the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard awards 20 XP on your account anniversary. You can earn another 40 XP on your account anniversary when you spend $15,000 or more within your card’s anniversary year, for a total of 60 XP.
This is a nice boost toward Flying Blue elite status. If you’re able to spend $15,000 per year on the card, you’re over halfway to the 100 XP required to earn or keep Flying Blue Silver status.
This credit card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, so use it to pay in any currency without paying extra.
Flying Blue is one of our favorite loyalty programs here at Milesopedia US. This is in large part because of its excellent redemption rates on transatlantic flights. You can read our full guide to Flying Blue for more information about the program, but here’s a primer on its best redemptions and special features.
It’s hard to directly compare the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard to other airline credit cards, as benefits may be similar but will not apply to the same airline. Instead, we’ll compare it to a card with similar annual fees.
The first that comes to mind is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. This transferable points credit card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which transfer 1:1 to 14 different airline and hotel loyalty programs. This includes Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt, among others.
Further, this card earns 2 points per dollar on travel and 3 points per dollar on dining. These are broad categories, so it’s possible to earn more points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. That said, you’d forgo the Flying Blue elite status benefits from the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard has an $89 annual fee, which we find reasonable. This is especially true when you consider the 5,000 bonus miles you earn for spending at least $50 on the card per year. We value Flying Blue miles at 1.7 cents per mile, so this is worth at least $85.
The value of the card is heightened for travelers who want to earn Flying Blue elite status. Being able to earn 60 XP per year with the card could be the difference between earning a higher status tier. Just make sure to keep track of the $15,000 spending required to earn the 40 XP bonus
Additionally, the welcome offer and bonus XP offered to new cardholders far outweigh the annual fee when you first get the card. Based on our 1.7 cent per mile valuation of Flying Blue miles, the bonus is worth $1,190 without factoring in the bonus XP.
Long story short: Yes, we think the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard is worth it if you fly Air France or KLM and need Flying Blue miles. It’s a keeper card for US-based Flying Blue elites, too, as it’ll make it easier to qualify or requalify for status.
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard is a solid option for Flying Blue loyalists. It provides a way to earn more XP toward elite status on an ongoing basis, and the welcome offer will get you enough XP for Silver status.
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