newflyer27

CDG AMS (L class) 99 or 12400 miles. did not take it.
AMS-HKG (N class), 449€ or 64 100 miles. Took the cash option. i had the option of cash & miles as well. First time i get this option, i did it on KLM app.

Goldorak

Ditto

Yes I've seen it quite often, also price in miles for preferred seats could vary between the different sites (for the same flight!)

BobTL

Goldorak

BobTL

Goldorak

BobTL

fifty_two

These two flights are not the same , so i would suggest to compare flights on the same route

But again , we know that many other factors need to be considered , especially since dynamic prices were introduced

For instance i had a situation last year when almost everything was supposed to be the same but it wasnt

two paxs (me and a colleague) , on the same route (waw-cdg) , same booking code , same fare , same day , same flight , different status (me = silver / colleague = gold) , i checked-in 20h before and he did the same 18h (more or less) before

The result = upgrade to J for ~50euros , but for colleague the price was around 150 euros (Sorry i forgot the exact amount and also to check the price in miles)

irishguy28

Indeed; but the OP is not actually comparing the routes, but rather how the 2 airlines appear to put a very different "value" on the mileage amounts.

AF values 24800 miles as being equivalent to €99 in the example; KL values an amount of miles that is 30% ~less (17300) as being worth ~50% more (€149).

That's quite a marked inconsistency in the valuation of the miles.

fifty_two

yes i know , but the two airlines are separate entities , and also flying blue , while being a part of AFKL group , so KL is still free to decide many aspects of their business strategies

but since this dynamic pricing we cant be 100% sure if it was good/bad luck or really the airlines direct decision to value upgrades in such way

irishguy28

While this is true, Flying Blue is a single entity owned by both. As such, the "value" of an FB mile should be standardised across all of its users.

As such, and while FB miles clearly aren't a fully convertible currency - imagine if for example one airline used an EUR:USD exchange rate of 1:1.14 and the other used a rate of, say, 1:0.53 (which is in keeping with the "spread" of the FB valuation commented on above) - this would appear to indicate that the airlines are happy to "shaft" customers who make the mistake of paying in miles when the airline decides to use a particularly beneficial "exchange rate" (the benefit being to the airline).

Well then there's dynamic pricing, and then a further "dynamic" conversion into FB miles. Dynamic squared, if you will!!!

Flying Blue....Generous by Nature.

fifty_two

i agree with you , and globally it would be interesting to see how KQ or RO estimate the price of 1 FB mile

I understand what you mean , but in my opinion currency is a big word , cause miles are the sole property of an airline

i would rather call FB miles in such way = ''crumbreads that the airline ''gives'' you in order to make you believe you will make a sandwich on your own for free''

irishguy28

All true. But somewhat circumventing the point raised above by the original poster.

To show such wildly differing valuations of the "breadcrumb" is to show that they are more than happy to gouge their customers!!!

Goldorak