May 9, 2019, 3:08 pm
Last edit by: Goldorak
FLYING BLUE ULTIMATE
Main facts
Ultimate is the top status in FB. It may be added to Club 2000 – Skipper status.
While other FB status (Silver/Gold/Platinum) are based on experience points earning (XP), Ultimate status is obtained by Ultimate XP (UXP) earning. UXPs are earned exclusively on AF- and KL-coded (= marketed) flights, whatever the operating airline.
Some examples :
- CDG-JFK AF-marketing, AF-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- CDG-JFK DL-marketing, AF-operating : NON-eligible to UXP earning
- AMS-BOS KL-marketing, DL-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- BOS-IND KL-marketing, DL-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- SIN-SYD AF-marketing, QF-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- CDG-FCO AZ-marketing, AZ-operating : NON-eligible to UXP earning
XP earned via AFKL Amex cards are not eligible (those are XP and not UXP).
To qualify for Ultimate, it is needed to have 900 UXP over a year. It is similar to the normal XP counter, resetting as soon as the tier is reached. Ultimate is valid for 1 year once granted. Note 03/2023 : the qualification system just changed from 1800 UXP over 2 years to 900 UXP/1 year. Some transitional measures are in place for the current Ultimate members. See here for details about handling of transition period :
https://www.flyingblue.com/fr/landin...m_content=main
Since 03/2023, a rollover of surplus UXP (over 900) is now possible to the next year and only to the next year (example : year 1, the member earns 2000UXP. At the end of year 1, only 900 UXP will be rolled-over to year 2 and the remaining 1100 UXP earned in Y1 will be lost and not be transferred to year 3. If during year 2, the member earned 1000 new (fresh) UXP, 100 will be rolled-over to year 3.
Hard benefits
- All FB Platinum/Club 2000-Skipper benefits
- Access to a Travel Assistant service 24/7. They are reachable by phone or by email. In practice, from 8 pm to 8 am CET, calls are taken by the Platinum line.
- highest priority on waiting list and in case of irrops
- Possibility to register up to 8 persons who can benefit from Sky Priority services and lounge access when traveling with the Ultimate member and on same PNR (lounge access is only in AFKL lounges here).
- one companion Platinum card
- when the Ultimate member is flying P, 2 guests are allowed in CDG P lounge.
- Zone 1 boarding, irrespective of travel class.
- Access to Hertz Platinum status
- four one-class upgrade certificates per membership year, requiring 1 from W to J, or 2 from Y to J. Upgrades are confirmed instantly at the time of booking (via the Travel Assistant). One voucher = one way. Vouchers can also be used by one of the 8 registered friend/family members travelling by themselves. In case of a long-haul flight with a medium-haul connection/feeder (e.g. CDG-AMS-JFK), the medium-haul segment will be upgraded also with still only one voucher used. In case of 2 long-haul flights in connection (e,g. DXB-CDG-JFK), the use of 2 vouchers is required to upgrade the 2 segments. Upgrade vouchers are usable only on AF- or KL-marketing and operating flights and the PNR must contains only the AFKL flights to be upgraded (if the PNR contains other non-AFKL flights, you cannot upgrade even just the AFKL flights).
The upgrade coupons are valid as soon as you reach Ultimate and is valid for 12 months. The vouchers need to be used within the membership year, but can be applied for travel post expiry date.
Rules for eligible booking classes for the upgrade vouchers are described below :
AF flights, long-haul
Premium Eco to Business
Original booking class : A, S, W
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C (it means that if the flight has only J fare available, one cannot upgrade)
Eco to Business (all flights, except to/from USA, Canada, Mexico)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C (it means that if the flight has only J fare available, one cannot upgrade)
Eco to Business (flights to/from USA, Canada, Mexico, including LAX-PPT)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N
Upgraded booking class : Z, C
KL flights, long-haul
Eco to Business (all flights, except to/from USA, Canada, Mexico and DEL)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C
Eco to Business (flights to/from USA, Canada, Mexico and DEL)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N
Upgraded booking class : Z, I.
Airline-specific soft (unpublished) benefits
- AF, KL and contract staff at airports have a popup message on their computer screen when checking-in an Ultimate pax or when scanning a BP at the lounge (AFKL lounges only) asking them to be attentive at any special request of the Ultimate pax. See also below for airport-specific soft benefits. There is no known official policy for operational upgrades of Ultimates, but Ultimate members have all reported on FT a higher rate of op-up (but those remain rare !).
- AF and KL cabin crews are instructed to provide extra care and attentions on-board. It can take different forms : special greetings, extra amenities (pillow, oshibori, etc), F&B from the upper class, upgrades on board (Y to J medium haul, W to J or Y to W long haul), earlier and quicker meal service. This is not systematic and is up to the appreciation of the crew. Based on the reports of Ultimate members of this forum, AF crews seems to be more compliant than KL crews with those directives, although there has been several reports in this thread of nice attentions provided by KL crews.- Unlimited downloads (any day) in AF PLAY app.
Other Skyteam airlines do not provide any extra service or attentions to FB Ultimate passengers.
Airport-specific soft (unpublished) benefits
All benefits below should be understood for departure, unless otherwise noted. In addition to what is mentioned below, it has been reported several cases of expedited transfers organised by AFKL staff in case of short/endangered connection at various airports.
Please complete/edit this list as needed.
AFKL HUBS
Amsterdam
- AMS : some reserved tables in the Non-Schengen lounges. Reserved area in the Schengen lounge (need to ask staff at long entrance). Pre-boarding sometimes granted at the gate.
Paris CDG
Paris ORY
EUROPE
Austria
- VIE: no special treatment to report
Croatia
- DBV: no special treatment to report
- SPU: no special treatment to report (not even lounge access)
Czech Republic
- PRG: no special treatment to report. Pre-boarding refused.
Denmark
- CPH: no special treatment to report
France (non-hubs)
- AJA: no special treatment to reportMain facts
Ultimate is the top status in FB. It may be added to Club 2000 – Skipper status.
While other FB status (Silver/Gold/Platinum) are based on experience points earning (XP), Ultimate status is obtained by Ultimate XP (UXP) earning. UXPs are earned exclusively on AF- and KL-coded (= marketed) flights, whatever the operating airline.
Some examples :
- CDG-JFK AF-marketing, AF-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- CDG-JFK DL-marketing, AF-operating : NON-eligible to UXP earning
- AMS-BOS KL-marketing, DL-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- BOS-IND KL-marketing, DL-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- SIN-SYD AF-marketing, QF-operating : eligible to UXP earning
- CDG-FCO AZ-marketing, AZ-operating : NON-eligible to UXP earning
XP earned via AFKL Amex cards are not eligible (those are XP and not UXP).
To qualify for Ultimate, it is needed to have 900 UXP over a year. It is similar to the normal XP counter, resetting as soon as the tier is reached. Ultimate is valid for 1 year once granted. Note 03/2023 : the qualification system just changed from 1800 UXP over 2 years to 900 UXP/1 year. Some transitional measures are in place for the current Ultimate members. See here for details about handling of transition period :
https://www.flyingblue.com/fr/landin...m_content=main
Since 03/2023, a rollover of surplus UXP (over 900) is now possible to the next year and only to the next year (example : year 1, the member earns 2000UXP. At the end of year 1, only 900 UXP will be rolled-over to year 2 and the remaining 1100 UXP earned in Y1 will be lost and not be transferred to year 3. If during year 2, the member earned 1000 new (fresh) UXP, 100 will be rolled-over to year 3.
Hard benefits
- All FB Platinum/Club 2000-Skipper benefits
- Access to a Travel Assistant service 24/7. They are reachable by phone or by email. In practice, from 8 pm to 8 am CET, calls are taken by the Platinum line.
- highest priority on waiting list and in case of irrops
- Possibility to register up to 8 persons who can benefit from Sky Priority services and lounge access when traveling with the Ultimate member and on same PNR (lounge access is only in AFKL lounges here).
- one companion Platinum card
- when the Ultimate member is flying P, 2 guests are allowed in CDG P lounge.
- Zone 1 boarding, irrespective of travel class.
- Access to Hertz Platinum status
- four one-class upgrade certificates per membership year, requiring 1 from W to J, or 2 from Y to J. Upgrades are confirmed instantly at the time of booking (via the Travel Assistant). One voucher = one way. Vouchers can also be used by one of the 8 registered friend/family members travelling by themselves. In case of a long-haul flight with a medium-haul connection/feeder (e.g. CDG-AMS-JFK), the medium-haul segment will be upgraded also with still only one voucher used. In case of 2 long-haul flights in connection (e,g. DXB-CDG-JFK), the use of 2 vouchers is required to upgrade the 2 segments. Upgrade vouchers are usable only on AF- or KL-marketing and operating flights and the PNR must contains only the AFKL flights to be upgraded (if the PNR contains other non-AFKL flights, you cannot upgrade even just the AFKL flights).
The upgrade coupons are valid as soon as you reach Ultimate and is valid for 12 months. The vouchers need to be used within the membership year, but can be applied for travel post expiry date.
Rules for eligible booking classes for the upgrade vouchers are described below :
AF flights, long-haul
Premium Eco to Business
Original booking class : A, S, W
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C (it means that if the flight has only J fare available, one cannot upgrade)
Eco to Business (all flights, except to/from USA, Canada, Mexico)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C (it means that if the flight has only J fare available, one cannot upgrade)
Eco to Business (flights to/from USA, Canada, Mexico, including LAX-PPT)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N
Upgraded booking class : Z, C
KL flights, long-haul
Eco to Business (all flights, except to/from USA, Canada, Mexico and DEL)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R
Upgraded booking class : Z, I, D, C
Eco to Business (flights to/from USA, Canada, Mexico and DEL)
Original booking class : Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, N
Upgraded booking class : Z, I.
Airline-specific soft (unpublished) benefits
- AF, KL and contract staff at airports have a popup message on their computer screen when checking-in an Ultimate pax or when scanning a BP at the lounge (AFKL lounges only) asking them to be attentive at any special request of the Ultimate pax. See also below for airport-specific soft benefits. There is no known official policy for operational upgrades of Ultimates, but Ultimate members have all reported on FT a higher rate of op-up (but those remain rare !).
- AF and KL cabin crews are instructed to provide extra care and attentions on-board. It can take different forms : special greetings, extra amenities (pillow, oshibori, etc), F&B from the upper class, upgrades on board (Y to J medium haul, W to J or Y to W long haul), earlier and quicker meal service. This is not systematic and is up to the appreciation of the crew. Based on the reports of Ultimate members of this forum, AF crews seems to be more compliant than KL crews with those directives, although there has been several reports in this thread of nice attentions provided by KL crews.- Unlimited downloads (any day) in AF PLAY app.
Other Skyteam airlines do not provide any extra service or attentions to FB Ultimate passengers.
Airport-specific soft (unpublished) benefits
All benefits below should be understood for departure, unless otherwise noted. In addition to what is mentioned below, it has been reported several cases of expedited transfers organised by AFKL staff in case of short/endangered connection at various airports.
Please complete/edit this list as needed.
AFKL HUBS
Amsterdam
- AMS : some reserved tables in the Non-Schengen lounges. Reserved area in the Schengen lounge (need to ask staff at long entrance). Pre-boarding sometimes granted at the gate.
Paris CDG
- CDG 2E:
- Departure : Escort from check-in to immigration in the morning (super fast track). Reserved space at K/L/M lounges. Pre-boarding upon request at the gate before beginning of general boarding
- Arrival : access to dedicated lane at passport control, all the way to the left, follow the "ULTIMATE" sign.
- Departure : There is a special Ultimate check-in counter in the SkyP zone (on the left of terminal). Reserved room in the lounge. Pre-boarding upon request at the gate before beginning of general boarding. Escort is provided from the counter to security (skipping the line).
- Arrival : no special treatment to report
- Departure : Reserved space in the lounge
- Arrival : no special treatment to report
Paris ORY
- Departure : Reserved space at Schengen and non-Schengen lounges. Pre-boarding upon request at the lounge.
- Arrival : no special treatment to report
EUROPE
Austria
- VIE: no special treatment to report
Croatia
- DBV: no special treatment to report
- SPU: no special treatment to report (not even lounge access)
Czech Republic
- PRG: no special treatment to report. Pre-boarding refused.
Denmark
- CPH: no special treatment to report
France (non-hubs)
- BES: no special treatment to report
- BIQ: no special treatment to report
- BOD: pre-boarding from lounge to plane inconsistently proposed
- CDG: see top of the list in "AFKL hubs".
- LYS: Escort from lounge to plane when flying from B gates provided upon request . Preboarding with escort to the plane consistently provided.
- MPL: pre-boarding with escort from lounge to plane, sometimes proposed (AF agent comes to the contract lounge to meet the Ultimate guest)
- MRS: no special treatment to report
- NCE: Reserved area in Infinity lounge (inconsistently provided : seems to be provided only when lounge crowded). Pre-boarding with escort from lounge to plane, sometimes proposed.
- NTE: no special treatment to report
- ORY: see top of the list in "AFKL hubs".
- PUF: bypass queue at security and pre-boarding provided upon request
- RNS: bypass queue at security and pre-boarding provided upon request
- TLS: Escort from check in to lounge inconsistently provided. Pre-boarding consistently provided
Germany
- BER: no special treatment to report
- DUS: no special treatment to report
- FRA: no special treatment to report
- HAM: no special treatment to report
- HAJ: No special treatment to report.
- MUC: Reserved area in the lounge, escort from lounge to plane with pre-boarding proposed.
- STR: reserved area in the lounge, pre-boarding
Greece
- ATH: no special treatment to report
- HER: no special treatment to report
- JTR: no special treatment to report
Hungary
- BUD: escort through security from check-in to lounge proposed
Ireland
- DUB: no special treatment to report
Italy
- BLQ: escort from check-in to lounge, and through security to plane.
- BRI: no special treatment to report
- CTA: no special treatment to report
- FCO: no special treatment to report
- FLR: no special treatment to report
- LIN: no special treatment to report
- MXP: pre-boarding granted by request
- VCE: escort through security from check-in to lounge, pre-boarding with escort from lounge to plane (not always consistently proposed)
- NAP: no special treatment to report
Netherlands
- AMS: see top of the list in "AFKL hubs".
Norway
- OSL: no special treatment to report
- TRF: no special treatment to report
- KRS: no special treatment to report
- SVG: no special treatment to report
Poland
- WAW: no special treatment to report
- KRK: no special treatment to report
- GDN: no special treatment to report
Portugal
- LIS: pre-boarding proposed upon request
Russia
- SVO: no special treatment to report
- LED: no special treatment to report
Spain
- AGP: no special treatment to report
- BCN: no special treatment to report
- MAD: no special treatment to report
- PMI: no special treatment to report
- SVQ: no special treatment to report
- TFS: no special treatment to report
- VLC: no special treatment to report
Sweden
- ARN: no special treatment to report
- GOT: no special treatment to report
Switzerland
- GVA: pre-boarding upon request. Reserved area in the lounge
- ZRH: no special treatment
United Kingdom
- ABZ: no special treatment to report
- EDI: no special treatment to report
- LHR: no special treatment to report
NORTH AMERICA
Canada
- YUL: Escort from check-in to lounge upon request. Reserved area in lounge, pre-boarding with escort from lounge to plane
- YYZ: escort on arrival through immigration, consistently offered. / Escort from check-in to lounge and from lounge to airplane
- YQB: escort from check-in to lounge proposed
- YVR: no special treatment to report
USA
- ATL: no special treatment to report (in connection)
- BOS: escort through security from check-in to lounge, pre-boarding, all consistently provided mostly spontaneously, sometimes upon request. A separate room in the AF lounge is also proposed.
- DTW: no special treatment to report (starting from DTW or in connection)
- IAD: escort through security from check-in to lounge upon request, but inconsistently provided. Reserved area at the lounge.
- IAH: no special treatment to report
- JFK (AF only / terminal 1) : reserved table in the dining area of the lounge (upstairs),
- JFK (KL only / terminal 4) : no special treatments to report.
- LAX: no special treatment to report
- ORD: On arrival, escort through immigration (not consistently provided). On departure, escort through security to lounge and from lounge to plane (pre-boarding)
- MSP: no special treatment to report, except one case of special DL Elite VIP treatment with expedited immigration and Porsche transfer to/from lounge (not a regular benefit to expect)
- SEA: pre-boarding with escort to plane
- SFO: reserved area in lounge
Mexico
- MEX (Terminal 1): escort through security to lounge with access to dedicated space. Ride from lounge to gate. Sometimes escort on arrival
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
- BOG: no special treatment to report
- LIM: escort to lounge, provided spontaneously
- GIG: Pre-boarding upon request.
- GRU: escort in case of short connection upon request, inconsistently provided; as of 02/2024 pre-boarding offered at check-in and provided by gate-staff (inconsistently provided).
- SCL: as of 03/2024 escort to lounge offered at departure check-in, pick-up from lounge and pre-boarding done
- EZE: escort to lounge with special crew lane for immigration provided spontaneously
ASIA / PACIFIC
- BKK: escort through security from check-in to lounge, upon request but inconsistently proposed. In connection : escort in case of short connection (better to request it before departure).
- BLR: escort from lounge to gate, pre-boarding provided
- BOM : escort from plane to immigration, and from checkin to the lounge
- DEL: as of 01/2024 escort upon arrival; proactive pre-departure call to arrange terminal entry via VIP entrance and escort to gate for pre-boarding (if lounge used, offered to pick up for pre-boarding)
- HKG: no special treatment to report.
- HND: Arrival : new 09/2023 = escort through immigration. Departure : escort from check-in desk to private (crew) security, proposed spontaneously
- KIX: Arrival : escort through immigration, wait at baggage claim. Departure : escort from check-in desk to lounge All proposed spontaneously
- SIN: no special treatment to report
CARIBBEAN & INDIAN OCEAN
- CUR: no special treatment to report, there is no (sky)priority lane for security or immigration, but escort/short track is available for 100 $.
- HAV: at departure, escort from check in counters until security checks. Pre-boarding offered. No escort at arrival. No reserved space in Lounge.
- FDF: No reserved space in Lounge. Pre-boarding upon request at the gate.
- MRU: escort on arrival through immigration. Unknown for departures (no data point)
- PTP: Reserved table in lounge. Pre-boarding upon request at the lounge with escort from lounge to plane.
- RUN: Pre-boarding proposed at check-in and in the lounge, with escort from lounge to plane. Reserved seats in lounge
- SXM: Escort for incoming transit pax (from/to AF flight) through passport controls and security, pre-boarding pro-actively offered for AF departure
MIDDLE EAST
- AUH : no special treatment to report
- BEY: no special treatment to report
- DXB: escort from check-in to lounge and from lounge to plane, all upon request, consistently provided. Access to the Ahlan lounge (normally reserved for P pax) instead of Skyteam lounge.
- JED: no special treatment to report
- RUH: no special treatment to report
- IST: no special treatment to report
AFRICA
- AGA: escort from check in to lounge and from lounge to aircraft, provided spontaneously
- CAI: no special treatment to report
- CMN: escort on arrival through immigration (not always consistently provided)
- CPT: escort from counter to lounge, provided spontaneously
- JNB: escort from counter to lounge (no fast track at immigration), provided spontaneously
- LOS: no special treatment to report
- RAK: escort on arrival, upon request (not provided on departure)
- RBA: on departure : escort to lounge and to plane, provided spontaneously.
- TUN: escort on arrival through immigration provided. Escort from check-in to lounge provided
- ZNZ: no special treatment to report (not even lounge access)
Flying Blue Platinum Ultimate Status
Dec 12, 2017, 12:41 am
#931
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Paris, France
Programs: Flying Blue (LTPE) All (Gold)
Posts: 1,519
Dec 13, 2017, 3:17 am
#932
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: AF/KL FB Ultimate Platinum for Life/Club 2000, UA MileagePlus
Posts: 524
Funny story at CDG 2G on Saturday afternoon. Leaving the Embraer operated by Luxair, I saw an AF ground staff waiting at the foot of the stairs, and, a few yards away from him, the all familiar black AF limo. As I could not see the name printed on the piece of paper that he held, I boldly approached him and asked whether he was here to pick up an Ultimate client. With a snooty attitude he curtly answered that he was waiting for a client in P, whom he would accompany to the exclusive first-class lounge. Undeterred by the snobbery I inquired why an escort service between terminals was no longer offered to Ultimates. In a very elliptical answer, he suggested that I ask my question to the higher management of the program. So, there it is — another soft perk that we are unlikely to enjoy again. What was the point of this one-shot experience (the escort, the limo, the line cutting) when the program was launched last spring? Was that just glitz and glitter, and a mere demonstration of what they can potentially offer to their top-tier clients, but eventually would not due to a balky staff, unwilling to handle this new chore added to its daily agenda? I personally could not care in the slightest to not be offered this "nice to have" soft perk, were all the other perks properly delivered... but are they?
Macaron54
Macaron54
Dec 14, 2017, 4:11 pm
#933
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Up in the air
Programs: LH HON, BA LT Gold, AFKL ULTI, WOH Lifetime Globalist, Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 385
Since I reached out to you guys recently on advice I have collected another 60K FB level miles over the threshold and as of today I have 430K level miles since January 2016 only on AF. I did not hear anything form AF yet, so contacted the Platinum service line and they wrote to me "Dear Mr MumbaiDan, yes you have achieved the required level of miles, but your account needs to be reviewed by the ULTI team. They will approach you as soon as they have reviewed the situation. Please get back to us if you have not heard anything by Mid December. Thank you for you patience. Kind Regards, FB Plat Service Line"
This is pathetic! Anyone has a contact for me to speed this up (per pm, I would appreciate). Thanks!
This is pathetic! Anyone has a contact for me to speed this up (per pm, I would appreciate). Thanks!
No one has contacted me, no upgrade of my account.....I think they give a .... about this status
Dec 14, 2017, 5:38 pm
#934
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: AF/KL FB Ultimate Platinum for Life/Club 2000, UA MileagePlus
Posts: 524
You may not hear from them, MumbaiDan, before March 2018, time at which they will review your mile accrual over a two-year period. If you are above the 360,000-mile threshold, I see no reason why they would not grant you the Ultimate status. I would not go as far as saying they do not care — I think they just got more than they bargained for. As noted by hfly last month, we have not seen yet an overwhelming enthusiasm for the program. No ecstatic comments nor heartfelt encouragements to be loyal to the airline and fly more to reach the Ultimate level. Some positive experiences mitigated by disappointment over benefits not delivered. It is very possible that the program management has at last come to grip with reality, and is backpedaling to set things right. Hard to guess. There have been rumors among the ground staff at CDG of an end-of-the-year gift to Ultimate's in the form of an upgrade to make up for the hiccups and mishaps in 2017, but I have not been able to get a confirmation of these rumors. That said, at the risk of curbing your enthusiasm, don't hold your expectations too high.
Dec 15, 2017, 2:03 am
#935
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 367
I judge this highly probable. ULTI is not - like silver/gold/plat a system generated automatism, but more a manual process which I think they do annually. And equally to Macaron, I would not set my hopes too high - you would only notice slight (heuristic) differences to PE vs ULTI.
Dec 15, 2017, 10:20 am
#936
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 191
Guys,
I was informed by FB management that ultimate eligibility review is done in February, and status would actuality be granted effective April. So just like me you Will need to wait.. .
Cheers
I was informed by FB management that ultimate eligibility review is done in February, and status would actuality be granted effective April. So just like me you Will need to wait.. .
Cheers
Last edited by breton1fr; Dec 15, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Dec 15, 2017, 12:37 pm
#937
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Dec 15, 2017, 1:06 pm
#938
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 191
It is clearly not an industrialized process (yet?). At least it seems that they will not be giving up on the Ultimate program.
I hate to wait but given, what I read on this forum, it does not look like it is going to make my traveler's life much better/different.
The only existing benefit that would really make a difference for me would be fast track at immigration/security if it was systematic.
I hate to wait but given, what I read on this forum, it does not look like it is going to make my traveler's life much better/different.
The only existing benefit that would really make a difference for me would be fast track at immigration/security if it was systematic.
Dec 15, 2017, 8:24 pm
#939
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 🇸🇬 🇭🇰 🇫🇷
Programs: Many
Posts: 4,749
Clearly it is not! At least that is consistent with the benefits which are not industrialized either
Dec 16, 2017, 7:31 am
#940
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: AF/KL FB Ultimate Platinum for Life/Club 2000, UA MileagePlus
Posts: 524
After a new experience today with the TA service, I feel that I need to elaborate further on the benefits associated to the Ultimate status, illustrating that the picture is neither all black, nor all white, but rather contrasted.
Your personal Travel Assistant available 24/7 to help organize and facilitate your trip. Sometime ago, I sent to the TA service a request for an upgrade from full-fare W to J for today's long-haul to CDG. The response was negative. As the day of departure approached, I reiterated my request, and received the same answer. In a phone conversation, I was explained that the revenue management department was holding the unsold seats, as it perceived, based on sophisticated projections, that these seats were likely to be purchased full fare by the day of departure. Under these premises, I was advised to check at the airport for a DOD upgrade. As has been discussed at length on this thread, DOD upgrades are a Russian roulette — unsold seats in the J-cabin come in small amount, and, at the airport, there is always someone coming first and served first. While it is now becoming clear that upgrades are not a hard benefit of the program (whether they will ever be remains uncertain), I reasoned that Ultimate's ought to be given a slight advantage over other PAXs, for instance through TA proactive checking with revenue management, or by setting aside one seat towards DOD upgrade. Early this morning, hours prior to departure, I was informed by the TA that revenue management had finally released all unsold seats, and the miles-based upgrade had been secured. A separate e-mail contained the boarding pass in J ^. I have several similar accounts to report, and must say that every time the matter was dealt with both very competently and courteously, making the TA service by far the most valuable benefit of the Ultimate program.
Sneak-preview offers. I have absolutely no idea what this benefit means and entails. Sneak-previews of what? If someone has a clue, please, feel free to comment.
Your personal travel preferences stored and respected (seat, meal options, etc). A "nice-to-have" benefit, but nothing extraordinary here. In practice, based on the intake when joining the program, one no longer has to worry about seating options on AFKL-operated flights. Things get a little muddier in the case of code-share flights, for which these preferences are only partially respected. As far as meal options go, I am pretty clueless, as we did not discuss them during the intake. Perhaps does it refer to paid options as alternatives to the standard meal (chicken or pasta
) proposed during the flight.
Dedicated phone or email contact to find solutions in the event of travel irregularities. This benefit is clearly a redundancy of the first item of the list, namely "Your personal Travel Assistant". My statistics for this benefit is very limited, as only on one particular occasion this year did I need it. Unbeknownst to me, the TA service addressed very competently a travel irregularity by rebooking me on alternate flights to avoid disruption. One might argue that when the airline screws up, it is its duty to fix the problem. S..t happens, and when it does, all bets are off. In a particular event at BSL, both flights to CDG and ORY got canceled, leaving stranded legions of PAXs, who in all likelihood had connections in Paris. In the meantime, the TA had rebooked me on LH, making me land at ORD only one hour after the AF flight that I was supposed to take ^.
Enjoy a fast track accompaniment, during peak times, on a case by case basis. A very useful benefit when it works, but it has proven overly inconsistent and unpredictable. At ORD, for instance, escort is proactively offered from check-in to the lounge, cutting both TSA and security-check lines, resulting in substantial time saving ^. At HKG, at SCL, and probably at many other venues, a similar service is available upon request, yet without line cutting, which makes it overall less useful
. At PEK, on good days, the escort service can be identical to that offered to P PAXs. At CAN, one can have the whole gamut of options, from nothing to full escort from the domestic flight to the international one, cutting all lines on the way. But the most baffling are without a doubt the main hubs. Nothing at AMS — zero help whatsoever to go from one terminal to another, even in the case of short connections 
, and a mixed bag at CDG, where after the early days of the Ulimate program and an escort service akin to that of P PAXs, we are down to nothing 
. For a while, an AF staff expedited police control at terminal 2E, but it is not clear whether this service is still consistently offered. From the limo service and the escort cutting lines, we are now left with the cryptic "on a case by case basis" proviso.
Your family shares your privileges when they travel with you. It would be unfair to say that this benefit is useless, even though I have never had the opportunity to enjoy it. I read Goldorak's comments of a very positive experience over the summer, but is it just an isolated success story?
Solutions suggested when you miss a flight. Here again, my statistics for this benefit is very limited, being only once this year in a situation where I needed help to find a replacement for the flight that I missed. Due to poor weather conditions and bad traffic, I arrived at PEK minutes after my flight had taken off. I was immediately offered two options — the next KL flight to AMS, downgraded from J to Y, or the AF night flight, with the same class of service ^. I chose the latter and stayed in the SkyTeam lounge for 15 hours, which, all things considered, could have been much worse.
A priority search if your luggage is delayed. Since I no longer check in suitcases, owing to an average of 2.4 delays per year, over a five-year period, I have no real interest in this benefit, nor do I want to experience it.
Strangely enough the Flying Blue website does not mention the benefit of a dedicated space in the lounges. A "nice-to-have" benefit, but, frankly speaking, nothing quintessential here. First, depending on the airport, this service does not exist, including AMS, cradle of KL, no less. Second, the dedicated spaces do not necessarily address my needs. I generally prefer a desk to work over a comfortable chair. That said, at CDG, the separate room in the lounge of terminal 2E-M is both spacious and offers different seating options and an independent bar. The AF ground staff makes a special effort to accommodate the needs of Ultimate clients, handing them their favorite newspapers when they arrive, or booking on their behalf an appointment at the Clarins spa. All nice, but not necessarily addressing a specific need.
It is also interesting to note that the Flying Blue website does not say anything about recognition, which many of us see as a benefit. My experience tells me that personal recognition (i) is totally at the discretion of the AFKL staff, whether on the ground or in the air (even though strict guidelines have been given for Ultimate clients), and (ii) is not specific to the Ultimate status (e.g., some chief pursers feel appropriate to come greet personally Platinum clients). I could not care in the slightest to not be greeted by name, but appreciate to be asked which entree I have chosen before everyone else, or have a full dinner served expeditiously while the other PAXs sip their aperitifs — a tangible form of recognition, which admittedly costs nothing to the airline, but keeps the customer satisfied.
To summarize, and from my perspective, the TA service is the only worthwhile benefit associated to the Ultimate status. It is also the only benefit that has proven both consistent and efficient. It has at last made possible something hitherto advertised, but often rendered unfeasible due to very Byzantine practices at AFKL — spend my miles as I see fit in the form of upgrades. I am not sure, however, whether this service is worth the requirement of 360,000 status miles per two-year period, especially in view of the top-tier programs proposed by competing airlines.
Macaron54
Your personal Travel Assistant available 24/7 to help organize and facilitate your trip. Sometime ago, I sent to the TA service a request for an upgrade from full-fare W to J for today's long-haul to CDG. The response was negative. As the day of departure approached, I reiterated my request, and received the same answer. In a phone conversation, I was explained that the revenue management department was holding the unsold seats, as it perceived, based on sophisticated projections, that these seats were likely to be purchased full fare by the day of departure. Under these premises, I was advised to check at the airport for a DOD upgrade. As has been discussed at length on this thread, DOD upgrades are a Russian roulette — unsold seats in the J-cabin come in small amount, and, at the airport, there is always someone coming first and served first. While it is now becoming clear that upgrades are not a hard benefit of the program (whether they will ever be remains uncertain), I reasoned that Ultimate's ought to be given a slight advantage over other PAXs, for instance through TA proactive checking with revenue management, or by setting aside one seat towards DOD upgrade. Early this morning, hours prior to departure, I was informed by the TA that revenue management had finally released all unsold seats, and the miles-based upgrade had been secured. A separate e-mail contained the boarding pass in J ^. I have several similar accounts to report, and must say that every time the matter was dealt with both very competently and courteously, making the TA service by far the most valuable benefit of the Ultimate program.
Sneak-preview offers. I have absolutely no idea what this benefit means and entails. Sneak-previews of what? If someone has a clue, please, feel free to comment.
Your personal travel preferences stored and respected (seat, meal options, etc). A "nice-to-have" benefit, but nothing extraordinary here. In practice, based on the intake when joining the program, one no longer has to worry about seating options on AFKL-operated flights. Things get a little muddier in the case of code-share flights, for which these preferences are only partially respected. As far as meal options go, I am pretty clueless, as we did not discuss them during the intake. Perhaps does it refer to paid options as alternatives to the standard meal (chicken or pasta
) proposed during the flight.Dedicated phone or email contact to find solutions in the event of travel irregularities. This benefit is clearly a redundancy of the first item of the list, namely "Your personal Travel Assistant". My statistics for this benefit is very limited, as only on one particular occasion this year did I need it. Unbeknownst to me, the TA service addressed very competently a travel irregularity by rebooking me on alternate flights to avoid disruption. One might argue that when the airline screws up, it is its duty to fix the problem. S..t happens, and when it does, all bets are off. In a particular event at BSL, both flights to CDG and ORY got canceled, leaving stranded legions of PAXs, who in all likelihood had connections in Paris. In the meantime, the TA had rebooked me on LH, making me land at ORD only one hour after the AF flight that I was supposed to take ^.
Enjoy a fast track accompaniment, during peak times, on a case by case basis. A very useful benefit when it works, but it has proven overly inconsistent and unpredictable. At ORD, for instance, escort is proactively offered from check-in to the lounge, cutting both TSA and security-check lines, resulting in substantial time saving ^. At HKG, at SCL, and probably at many other venues, a similar service is available upon request, yet without line cutting, which makes it overall less useful
. At PEK, on good days, the escort service can be identical to that offered to P PAXs. At CAN, one can have the whole gamut of options, from nothing to full escort from the domestic flight to the international one, cutting all lines on the way. But the most baffling are without a doubt the main hubs. Nothing at AMS — zero help whatsoever to go from one terminal to another, even in the case of short connections , and a mixed bag at CDG, where after the early days of the Ulimate program and an escort service akin to that of P PAXs, we are down to nothing . For a while, an AF staff expedited police control at terminal 2E, but it is not clear whether this service is still consistently offered. From the limo service and the escort cutting lines, we are now left with the cryptic "on a case by case basis" proviso.Your family shares your privileges when they travel with you. It would be unfair to say that this benefit is useless, even though I have never had the opportunity to enjoy it. I read Goldorak's comments of a very positive experience over the summer, but is it just an isolated success story?
Solutions suggested when you miss a flight. Here again, my statistics for this benefit is very limited, being only once this year in a situation where I needed help to find a replacement for the flight that I missed. Due to poor weather conditions and bad traffic, I arrived at PEK minutes after my flight had taken off. I was immediately offered two options — the next KL flight to AMS, downgraded from J to Y, or the AF night flight, with the same class of service ^. I chose the latter and stayed in the SkyTeam lounge for 15 hours, which, all things considered, could have been much worse.
A priority search if your luggage is delayed. Since I no longer check in suitcases, owing to an average of 2.4 delays per year, over a five-year period, I have no real interest in this benefit, nor do I want to experience it
.Strangely enough the Flying Blue website does not mention the benefit of a dedicated space in the lounges. A "nice-to-have" benefit, but, frankly speaking, nothing quintessential here. First, depending on the airport, this service does not exist, including AMS, cradle of KL, no less. Second, the dedicated spaces do not necessarily address my needs. I generally prefer a desk to work over a comfortable chair. That said, at CDG, the separate room in the lounge of terminal 2E-M is both spacious and offers different seating options and an independent bar. The AF ground staff makes a special effort to accommodate the needs of Ultimate clients, handing them their favorite newspapers when they arrive, or booking on their behalf an appointment at the Clarins spa. All nice, but not necessarily addressing a specific need.
It is also interesting to note that the Flying Blue website does not say anything about recognition, which many of us see as a benefit. My experience tells me that personal recognition (i) is totally at the discretion of the AFKL staff, whether on the ground or in the air (even though strict guidelines have been given for Ultimate clients), and (ii) is not specific to the Ultimate status (e.g., some chief pursers feel appropriate to come greet personally Platinum clients). I could not care in the slightest to not be greeted by name, but appreciate to be asked which entree I have chosen before everyone else, or have a full dinner served expeditiously while the other PAXs sip their aperitifs — a tangible form of recognition, which admittedly costs nothing to the airline, but keeps the customer satisfied.
To summarize, and from my perspective, the TA service is the only worthwhile benefit associated to the Ultimate status. It is also the only benefit that has proven both consistent and efficient. It has at last made possible something hitherto advertised, but often rendered unfeasible due to very Byzantine practices at AFKL — spend my miles as I see fit in the form of upgrades. I am not sure, however, whether this service is worth the requirement of 360,000 status miles per two-year period, especially in view of the top-tier programs proposed by competing airlines.
Macaron54
Last edited by Macaron54; Dec 16, 2017 at 8:53 am
Dec 16, 2017, 1:27 pm
#941
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Quick Ultimate summary of my recent AF flights, all medium-haul (Y) or domestic, all CDG 2F.
- consistent reserved space at CDG lounges
- excellent recognition and treatment on-board on 80% of flights (regular - good treatment for the remaining 20%). Free flow of Champagne and extra food on one flight. Greeted at the gate by the AF station manager on duty at CPH, when boarding the flight and asked opinion about new lounge.
- pre-boarding proposal at MPL ^ (but only one time on 2 flights ex-MPL). Inconsistency of the services, always...
- interaction with TA limited to changing a return flight. Good service, but of course nothing complicated for this basic task.
- consistent reserved space at CDG lounges
- excellent recognition and treatment on-board on 80% of flights (regular - good treatment for the remaining 20%). Free flow of Champagne and extra food on one flight. Greeted at the gate by the AF station manager on duty at CPH, when boarding the flight and asked opinion about new lounge.
- pre-boarding proposal at MPL ^ (but only one time on 2 flights ex-MPL). Inconsistency of the services, always...
- interaction with TA limited to changing a return flight. Good service, but of course nothing complicated for this basic task.
Last edited by Goldorak; Dec 16, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Dec 16, 2017, 2:15 pm
#942
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Your personal Travel Assistant available 24/7 to help organize and facilitate your trip. Sometime ago, I sent to the TA service a request for an upgrade from full-fare W to J for today's long-haul to CDG. The response was negative. As the day of departure approached, I reiterated my request, and received the same answer. In a phone conversation, I was explained that the revenue management department was holding the unsold seats, as it perceived, based on sophisticated projections, that these seats were likely to be purchased full fare by the day of departure. Under these premises, I was advised to check at the airport for a DOD upgrade. As has been discussed at length on this thread, DOD upgrades are a Russian roulette — unsold seats in the J-cabin come in small amount, and, at the airport, there is always someone coming first and served first. While it is now becoming clear that upgrades are not a hard benefit of the program (whether they will ever be remains uncertain), I reasoned that Ultimate's ought to be given a slight advantage over other PAXs, for instance through TA proactive checking with revenue management, or by setting aside one seat towards DOD upgrade. Early this morning, hours prior to departure, I was informed by the TA that revenue management had finally released all unsold seats, and the miles-based upgrade had been secured. A separate e-mail contained the boarding pass in J ^. I have several similar accounts to report, and must say that every time the matter was dealt with both very competently and courteously, making the TA service by far the most valuable benefit of the Ultimate program.
- important delay of a CDG-US flight (4 or 5 hrs delay) : informed by the ROC but was immediately proactively called by the TA to propose me to take a UA flight instead ^
- 2 connections in great danger due to delayed incoming flight (1 of this situation was on separate tickets) and, after having called them preventively (just to make sure), escort was arranged (one time with limo) and I made it thanks to them ^
Those events seems to be ore frequent in NL with KLM (we have regular reports here on FT about Platinum events organized by KL).
Your personal travel preferences stored and respected (seat, meal options, etc). A "nice-to-have" benefit, but nothing extraordinary here. In practice, based on the intake when joining the program, one no longer has to worry about seating options on AFKL-operated flights. Things get a little muddier in the case of code-share flights, for which these preferences are only partially respected. As far as meal options go, I am pretty clueless, as we did not discuss them during the intake. Perhaps does it refer to paid options as alternatives to the standard meal (chicken or pasta ) proposed during the flight.
) proposed during the flight.Dedicated phone or email contact to find solutions in the event of travel irregularities. This benefit is clearly a redundancy of the first item of the list, namely "Your personal Travel Assistant". My statistics for this benefit is very limited, as only on one particular occasion this year did I need it. Unbeknownst to me, the TA service addressed very competently a travel irregularity by rebooking me on alternate flights to avoid disruption. One might argue that when the airline screws up, it is its duty to fix the problem. S..t happens, and when it does, all bets are off. In a particular event at BSL, both flights to CDG and ORY got canceled, leaving stranded legions of PAXs, who in all likelihood had connections in Paris. In the meantime, the TA had rebooked me on LH, making me land at ORD only one hour after the AF flight that I was supposed to take ^.
Enjoy a fast track accompaniment, during peak times, on a case by case basis. A very useful benefit when it works, but it has proven overly inconsistent and unpredictable. At ORD, for instance, escort is proactively offered from check-in to the lounge, cutting both TSA and security-check lines, resulting in substantial time saving ^. At HKG, at SCL, and probably at many other venues, a similar service is available upon request, yet without line cutting, which makes it overall less useful . At PEK, on good days, the escort service can be identical to that offered to P PAXs. At CAN, one can have the whole gamut of options, from nothing to full escort from the domestic flight to the international one, cutting all lines on the way. But the most baffling are without a doubt the main hubs. Nothing at AMS — zero help whatsoever to go from one terminal to another, even in the case of short connections , and a mixed bag at CDG, where after the early days of the Ulimate program and an escort service akin to that of P PAXs, we are down to nothing . For a while, an AF staff expedited police control at terminal 2E, but it is not clear whether this service is still consistently offered. From the limo service and the escort cutting lines, we are now left with the cryptic "on a case by case basis" proviso.
. At PEK, on good days, the escort service can be identical to that offered to P PAXs. At CAN, one can have the whole gamut of options, from nothing to full escort from the domestic flight to the international one, cutting all lines on the way. But the most baffling are without a doubt the main hubs. Nothing at AMS — zero help whatsoever to go from one terminal to another, even in the case of short connections , and a mixed bag at CDG, where after the early days of the Ulimate program and an escort service akin to that of P PAXs, we are down to nothing . For a while, an AF staff expedited police control at terminal 2E, but it is not clear whether this service is still consistently offered. From the limo service and the escort cutting lines, we are now left with the cryptic "on a case by case basis" proviso.
. My last AF long-haul was in P, so no problem. I will fly from 2E during the coming week, so will be able to tell you. The service at outstations is extremely variable from top notch (VCE, HKG) to good (IAD, BOS), to "nothing to report" (you mentioned SCL in your green list, but in my case I was Mr Nobody) to even miserable (JFK).As we said multiple times, we need a consistent & predictable escort service through immigration and security at both hubs and at outstations.
Your family shares your privileges when they travel with you. It would be unfair to say that this benefit is useless, even though I have never had the opportunity to enjoy it. I read Goldorak's comments of a very positive experience over the summer, but is it just an isolated success story?
Solutions suggested when you miss a flight. Here again, my statistics for this benefit is very limited, being only once this year in a situation where I needed help to find a replacement for the flight that I missed. Due to poor weather conditions and bad traffic, I arrived at PEK minutes after my flight had taken off. I was immediately offered two options — the next KL flight to AMS, downgraded from J to Y, or the AF night flight, with the same class of service ^. I chose the latter and stayed in the SkyTeam lounge for 15 hours, which, all things considered, could have been much worse.
Strangely enough the Flying Blue website does not mention the benefit of a dedicated space in the lounges. A "nice-to-have" benefit, but, frankly speaking, nothing quintessential here. First, depending on the airport, this service does not exist, including AMS, cradle of KL, no less. Second, the dedicated spaces do not necessarily address my needs. I generally prefer a desk to work over a comfortable chair. That said, at CDG, the separate room in the lounge of terminal 2E-M is both spacious and offers different seating options and an independent bar. The AF ground staff makes a special effort to accommodate the needs of Ultimate clients, handing them their favorite newspapers when they arrive, or booking on their behalf an appointment at the Clarins spa. All nice, but not necessarily addressing a specific need.
It is also interesting to note that the Flying Blue website does not say anything about recognition, which many of us see as a benefit. My experience tells me that personal recognition (i) is totally at the discretion of the AFKL staff, whether on the ground or in the air (even though strict guidelines have been given for Ultimate clients), and (ii) is not specific to the Ultimate status (e.g., some chief pursers feel appropriate to come greet personally Platinum clients). I could not care in the slightest to not be greeted by name, but appreciate to be asked which entree I have chosen before everyone else, or have a full dinner served expeditiously while the other PAXs sip their aperitifs — a tangible form of recognition, which admittedly costs nothing to the airline, but keeps the customer satisfied.
To summarize, and from my perspective, the TA service is the only worthwhile benefit associated to the Ultimate status. It is also the only benefit that has proven both consistent and efficient. It has at last made possible something hitherto advertised, but often rendered unfeasible due to very Byzantine practices at AFKL — spend my miles as I see fit in the form of upgrades. I am not sure, however, whether this service is worth the requirement of 360,000 status miles per two-year period, especially in view of the top-tier programs proposed by competing airlines.
Cheers
Dec 16, 2017, 2:44 pm
#943
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Question to our AMS Ultimate experts. I have not flown through AMS for quite a while but I have several flights coming next week and january involving immigration, possibly security screening and of course lounge stays.
I am not very optimistic about Ultimate benefits at AMS and on KL after having followed this thread, but may be there are some recent improvements ? So can I expect :
- expedited immigration and security ? If no special escort service is provided, what is the regular SkyP situation now, as I have read plenty of horror stories in the KL sub-forum over the last months ?
- reserved space at KL lounges Schengen and non-Schengen ?
Thanks
I am not very optimistic about Ultimate benefits at AMS and on KL after having followed this thread, but may be there are some recent improvements ? So can I expect :
- expedited immigration and security ? If no special escort service is provided, what is the regular SkyP situation now, as I have read plenty of horror stories in the KL sub-forum over the last months ?
- reserved space at KL lounges Schengen and non-Schengen ?
Thanks
Dec 17, 2017, 3:01 am
#944
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: AF/KL FB Ultimate Platinum for Life/Club 2000, UA MileagePlus
Posts: 524
Question to our AMS Ultimate experts. I have not flown through AMS for quite a while but I have several flights coming next week and january involving immigration, possibly security screening and of course lounge stays.
I am not very optimistic about Ultimate benefits at AMS and on KL after having followed this thread, but may be there are some recent improvements ? So can I expect :
- expedited immigration and security ? If no special escort service is provided, what is the regular SkyP situation now, as I have read plenty of horror stories in the KL sub-forum over the last months ?
- reserved space at KL lounges Schengen and non-Schengen ?
Thanks
I am not very optimistic about Ultimate benefits at AMS and on KL after having followed this thread, but may be there are some recent improvements ? So can I expect :
- expedited immigration and security ? If no special escort service is provided, what is the regular SkyP situation now, as I have read plenty of horror stories in the KL sub-forum over the last months ?
- reserved space at KL lounges Schengen and non-Schengen ?
Thanks
Macaron54
Dec 17, 2017, 4:57 am
#945
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska MVP Gold.
Posts: 1,962
To be precise, the first parts of the new lounge (52, so the non-Schengen lounge) will open in 2018, with the entire thing scheduled to open in 2019. It will offer premium dining and drink options, and a lot more space. Let's hope they'll finally get their act together on the ULTI treatment in AMS.