Flying Blue (Air France, KLM, and Other Partners) - Convert Delta Skymiles into Flying Blue miles

Hello,
Is there a possibility to convert Delta Skymiles into Flying Blue miles?
Thank you.

If Delta SkyMiles allows you to transfer SkyMiles into points in a hotel program which then in turn allows transfers to Flying Blue, then it would be possible (but at horrendously poor rates, you would lose most of the value by doing the two conversions).

Direct transfers between the programs are not possible.

You should be able to do most things using your SkyMiles from within Delta's own program that you could do with those miles in Flying Blue, anyway, so check again.

There is always the possibility to buy FB miles, should it be really necessary.

For what purpose?

Thanks for your answer. That's too bad. :(

The purpose is to gather miles from both programs together. I have not quite enough Skymiles to use them for a free flight and yet too much -losing them would be a pity.

Thank you again.

That's why holding duplicate frequent flyer accounts with different airlines within a single alliance is not always a good idea. If you're travelling infrequently, or are not specifically targetting having status with two different airlines for reasons related to frequent travel, it's best to have only a single (well-chosen, based on your typical travel profile) frequent flyer program per alliance, and to place all the miles from that alliance in a single program.

Thanks for the advice, a bit too late for me though. What annoys me is that most of the flight that allowed me to collect Skymiles were DL and AF, but the miles were at the time credited on the DL account while I would have preferred to credit them on my FlyingBlue account. In the end, I am stuck with a bit less than 23000 Skymiles that would be doing awesome in my FlyingBlue account. :( :( :(

but the miles were at the time credited on the DL account while I would have preferred to credit them on my FlyingBlue account.

What do you mean? It should be you deciding which FF number to enter at booking and/or any time up to check in if you want to change, right?

What do you mean? It should be you deciding which FF number to enter at booking and/or any time up to check in if you want to change, right?

Probably. This was a few years back and I may have not understood how things work. I have been traveling much more since those times and I would now indeed present the right FF number. I think those trips were booked by my work travel agency and they messed up the FF numbers (they gave Delta automatically). Thanks a lot again!

Well if I was at 23k miles with DL I would have minimal activity on the account once in a while to prevent miles from expiring (eg credit a short segment that does not matter too much for my FB account or move 1000 MR points...) and be patient. As soon as there is a fairly good oopportunity to redeem those miles (eg a domestic flight in the US or Europe or a DL upgrade, remembering that you can credit the earned miles to FB while using skymiles to upgrade), do it and forget about that account. Then only use that account as a one-off when it makes immediate sense (e.g. if you see a promo to transfer 75,000 MR, get 100,000 skypesos and know you can immediately book an award you want such as transatlantic business).

That's why holding duplicate frequent flyer accounts with different airlines within a single alliance is not always a good idea. If you're travelling infrequently, or are not specifically targetting having status with two different airlines for reasons related to frequent travel, it's best to have only a single (well-chosen, based on your typical travel profile) frequent flyer program per alliance, and to place all the miles from that alliance in a single program.


Not necessarily. For Example AF program allows one way tickets whicg delta does not so that is an advantage. Also AF has promos that I have used for half the miles in business on one way awards. Same case for United and SQ. I have tons of miles on United but I still keep miles in SQ because I can redeem SQ business and first awards via Krisflyer and these awards are almost always not available on United

Not necessarily. For Example AF program allows one way tickets whicg delta does not so that is an advantage. Also AF has promos that I have used for half the miles in business on one way awards. Same case for United and SQ. I have tons of miles on United but I still keep miles in SQ because I can redeem SQ business and first awards via Krisflyer and these awards are almost always not available on United

I think that what you say makes sense once someone has a very heavy flying rhythm with an alliance. Indeed, I've done the same on *A in the past (although now my BMI account is no longer *A :( ) but not for 'regular' or rare flyers. Take the OP's example of AF and DL. If you do some DL domestic flying, then dispersing could make you drop status on DL SM thereby reducing your chances of domestic upgrades, access to Comfort plus seats on long haul flights, etc. Or conversely, if it means you 'only' have gold instead of platinum on FB, you will miss on the Platinum for life qualification. Of course, if you fly enough to get, say, both DL Diamond and FB Platinum, then it makes perfect sense to do what you say and multiply programmes to pick and choose.

I have not quite enough Skymiles to use them for a free flight and yet too much -losing them would be a pity.


Since sometime this year, DL Skymiles don't expire any more, even with no activity.

Since sometime this year, DL Skymiles don't expire any more, even with no activity.

exactly, so keep earing some miles and eventually spend them once you have enough.

I wrote: That's why holding duplicate frequent flyer accounts with different airlines within a single alliance is not always a good idea.

Not necessarily.

So if something is "not necessarily not always a good idea" - what is it, actually?

:D

I wrote: That's why holding duplicate frequent flyer accounts with different airlines within a single alliance is not always a good idea.



So if something is "not necessarily not always a good idea" - what is it, actually?

:D

You are right :)). Just was pointing out the other side of "sometimes"

What do you mean? It should be you deciding which FF number to enter at booking and/or any time up to check in if you want to change, right?
Let's not forget that there was a time in recent history when USA mailing addresses could only participate in the NW FF program while those with mailing addresses in most countries in Europe could only participate in KLM and not NW. If someone moved overseas, they necessarily had miles in both programs unless they managed to maintain a mailing address in a country in which they were no longer a resident.

If someone moved overseas, they necessarily had miles in both programs unless they managed to maintain a mailing address in a country in which they were no longer a resident.

Exact!

Pre-Flying Blue, your miles would have been moved from your existing KLM to a brand new NWA (or vice versa) account upon changing your registered address from Europe to the USA (or vice versa).

With the advent of Flying Blue, apparently one had the option to maintain separate US and EU based accounts - or to transfer over from one to another - when moving registered address across the Atlantic.

These days, such geographical restrictions are not in force.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/flying-blue-air-france-klm-other-partners/640539-transfering-northwest-worldperks-miles-flying-blue.html

In any case, orbitmic's post, which was quoted when this forced dual KLM/NWA accounts issue was first brought up, was about a different thing entirely. orbitmic's point took up something said by the OP. Even if one holds two accounts, it is surely up to the traveller themselves which of their (multiple) frequent flyer accounts to associate with the booking. Regardless of how many FFPs any one person holds, it is within the rights and abilities of the traveller to decide which of those FFPs should get the miles. So the apparent scenario of miles unexpectedly going to SkyMiles, rather than to Flying Blue, should not arise.

Regardless of how many FFPs any one person holds, it is within the rights and abilities of the traveller to decide which of those FFPs should get the miles. So the apparent scenario of miles unexpectedly going to SkyMiles, rather than to Flying Blue, should not arise.

Normally I would agree with you, but a few years ago I used Delta SkyMiles to upgrade a TATL flight on Delta, but wanted to have the flight credited to my Flying Blue account, and at that time they couldn't seem to do it. I had to get the miles earned on that flight switched from my SkyMiles account to my Flying Blue account after the fact, and it was quite a hassle. Finally Delta agreed, because the record showed I had attempted to do this (without success) at check-in and by calling Delta from the airport. They said this was truly an exception, and normally miles stayed in the account where they were initially posted.

They have since fixed this problem. Last month I again was flying Delta trans-Atlantic and again wanted to upgrade the flight using miles from my SkyMiles account but also wanted the miles earned for the flight to be credited to my Flying Blue account. "No problem," they said, and it wasn't.

One can readily see the "danger" when you associate two different frequent flyer account numbers with a single booking.

But in most cases (and I don't think using miles from one program to ugprade, while earning in another is a frequent case overall, even if you do it quite often) the traveller should have no business bringing a second FFP number anywhere near their booking. If they have two, they should just decide which one they want to earn to, and only use that number/card when dealing with that booking.

Yes, there are indeed exceptions to every thing. But in the straight-forward, most frequently occurring cases, it should be pretty easy to manage where the miles are earned.