Nov 6, 2017, 3:33 am
Last edit by: irishguy28
Introduction
As you have been following the past thread, the Flying Blue programme will change as of 1 April 2018. In order to split the discussion from the earlier thread, we have created a new thread.
On 6 November Flying Blue has organised a press conference to inform the public about the changes to the programme. In addition, a mailing will be sent out to all members on the 6th and 7th of November and more information can be found on the designated website (link: https://explorefurther.flyingblue.com).
As an introduction, please find a summary of the changes below.
Please note that at the current time there is no difference expected to the benefits of the current tier.
Change 1: no more level miles, no more segments, but Experience Points
As of 1 April 2018 you will no longer earn level miles and segments per flight, but you will earn Experience Points (XP). The number of XP earned per flight depends on your cabin (multiplier times 2 for Premium Economy, 3 for business, 5 for La Premiere) and the type of flight (distinction between domestic, medium haul, long-haul 1/2/3).
For flights between 1 January – 31 March 2018 all earned level miles and segments will be converted into XP (1 segment = 7 XP; 1,000 level miles = 5 XP for members outside France). Please note that the highest conversion applies (it is not cumulative).
The number of XP required per tiers is:
- 100 for Silver;
- 180 for Gold;
- 300 for Platinum;
- 1,800 for Platinum Ultimate (in 2 years).
Please note that for current flyers who qualify on segments based on only intra-EU flights this could see an increase in the number of flights required. However, if you fly a mix if intra-EU and intercontinental (but qualify on segments), this will most likely see a reduction in the number of flights required to qualify.
For elite members, there is a roll-over of all XP above your tier threshold.
The rules for soft-landing have been extended. It is now no longer required to make at least 1 qualifying flight and in case you do not meet your threshold you will only drop one tier.
Change 2: number of miles earned dependent on fare paid (including fuel surcharge)
The number of award miles (for AF/KL/A5) earned is now depending on the fare paid (including fuel surcharge). Ivory members earn 4 miles per Euro, Silver 6, Gold 7 and Platinum 8.
Also earn award miles on AF/KL purchases (relating to seats, baggage and meals) according to the above schedule.
Earnings on partners remains as-is (based on fare class and distance flown).
Change 3: dynamic pricing of award tickets (on AF/KL/HV)
Another change will be that award tickets will have dynamic pricing, e.g. an award AMS-JFK could be more expensive than an award DUS-AMS-JFK. This is also in line with change 2, as flights from AMS are also more expensive than flights from DUS (you also earn more miles).
This also implies that we will see a difference in the number of miles required per flight. For example, an award from continental Europe to continental USA will currently set you back 25,000 miles for a one-way in economy. It does not matter if you fly to LAX or NYC, the number of miles is currently fixed. Under the new proposition, this will change. The cheaper flight (in this example: NYC) will see a slight reduction in the number of miles required, whilst LAX will see a slight increase in the number of miles required.
Furthermore, there will be a standard base level for the number of miles required per destination. As the standard revenue price increases, so does the number of award miles.
Change 4: status valid for 12 months (+ 3 months), personal membership year
FB will be moving away from membership year = calendar year (in case of upgrade of tier). Instead, FB will have an individual membership year. This means that after obtaining the higher tier, you will have 12 months to requalify. Benefit of this is that members are not bound by the calendar year (e.g. members who earn 20,000 level miles in a December of a given year and 20,000 level miles in January of the next year, do not have any benefit of their flights in case limited flights before/after).
I know some will feel that this is a significant downgrade compared to the current – at maximum – 27 months. Please note that based on FB information the majority of members (re)qualify in the last quarter of the year.
In addition, please note that for an Ivory member would like to go obtain Platinum in one year, as it will become more difficult, as (s)he will have to earn each threshold (so not 300 XP in the first year, but (100 + 180 + 300 = 580 XP).This is only applicable in the first year.
Change 5: changes to the co-branded American Express credit cards (FR/NL)
Currently you earn segments and level miles (on AF/KL purchases for Gold and Platinum card holders). This will change that you will receive additional XP when reaching your membership anniversary each year.
As you have been following the past thread, the Flying Blue programme will change as of 1 April 2018. In order to split the discussion from the earlier thread, we have created a new thread.
On 6 November Flying Blue has organised a press conference to inform the public about the changes to the programme. In addition, a mailing will be sent out to all members on the 6th and 7th of November and more information can be found on the designated website (link: https://explorefurther.flyingblue.com).
As an introduction, please find a summary of the changes below.
Please note that at the current time there is no difference expected to the benefits of the current tier.
Change 1: no more level miles, no more segments, but Experience Points
As of 1 April 2018 you will no longer earn level miles and segments per flight, but you will earn Experience Points (XP). The number of XP earned per flight depends on your cabin (multiplier times 2 for Premium Economy, 3 for business, 5 for La Premiere) and the type of flight (distinction between domestic, medium haul, long-haul 1/2/3).
For flights between 1 January – 31 March 2018 all earned level miles and segments will be converted into XP (1 segment = 7 XP; 1,000 level miles = 5 XP for members outside France). Please note that the highest conversion applies (it is not cumulative).
The number of XP required per tiers is:
- 100 for Silver;
- 180 for Gold;
- 300 for Platinum;
- 1,800 for Platinum Ultimate (in 2 years).
Please note that for current flyers who qualify on segments based on only intra-EU flights this could see an increase in the number of flights required. However, if you fly a mix if intra-EU and intercontinental (but qualify on segments), this will most likely see a reduction in the number of flights required to qualify.
For elite members, there is a roll-over of all XP above your tier threshold.
The rules for soft-landing have been extended. It is now no longer required to make at least 1 qualifying flight and in case you do not meet your threshold you will only drop one tier.
Change 2: number of miles earned dependent on fare paid (including fuel surcharge)
The number of award miles (for AF/KL/A5) earned is now depending on the fare paid (including fuel surcharge). Ivory members earn 4 miles per Euro, Silver 6, Gold 7 and Platinum 8.
Also earn award miles on AF/KL purchases (relating to seats, baggage and meals) according to the above schedule.
Earnings on partners remains as-is (based on fare class and distance flown).
Change 3: dynamic pricing of award tickets (on AF/KL/HV)
Another change will be that award tickets will have dynamic pricing, e.g. an award AMS-JFK could be more expensive than an award DUS-AMS-JFK. This is also in line with change 2, as flights from AMS are also more expensive than flights from DUS (you also earn more miles).
This also implies that we will see a difference in the number of miles required per flight. For example, an award from continental Europe to continental USA will currently set you back 25,000 miles for a one-way in economy. It does not matter if you fly to LAX or NYC, the number of miles is currently fixed. Under the new proposition, this will change. The cheaper flight (in this example: NYC) will see a slight reduction in the number of miles required, whilst LAX will see a slight increase in the number of miles required.
Furthermore, there will be a standard base level for the number of miles required per destination. As the standard revenue price increases, so does the number of award miles.
Change 4: status valid for 12 months (+ 3 months), personal membership year
FB will be moving away from membership year = calendar year (in case of upgrade of tier). Instead, FB will have an individual membership year. This means that after obtaining the higher tier, you will have 12 months to requalify. Benefit of this is that members are not bound by the calendar year (e.g. members who earn 20,000 level miles in a December of a given year and 20,000 level miles in January of the next year, do not have any benefit of their flights in case limited flights before/after).
I know some will feel that this is a significant downgrade compared to the current – at maximum – 27 months. Please note that based on FB information the majority of members (re)qualify in the last quarter of the year.
In addition, please note that for an Ivory member would like to go obtain Platinum in one year, as it will become more difficult, as (s)he will have to earn each threshold (so not 300 XP in the first year, but (100 + 180 + 300 = 580 XP).
Change 5: changes to the co-branded American Express credit cards (FR/NL)
Currently you earn segments and level miles (on AF/KL purchases for Gold and Platinum card holders). This will change that you will receive additional XP when reaching your membership anniversary each year.
Upcoming changes to Flying Blue in 2018
Mar 21, 2018, 9:51 am
#1156
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
G
Mar 22, 2018, 10:27 am
#1157
Join Date: May 2014
Location: AMS
Programs: FB Platinum | A3 Gold | BA Silver
Posts: 58
I don't know why, but I am somehow under the impression that if you earned a new status before the 31st of March of the current year, it would only be valid until the 31st of March next year whereas if you earned it on 1st April you would keep it until 31st of March +2 years. I don't remember where I read that.
Mar 22, 2018, 11:10 am
#1158
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GOT
Programs: KL Plat
Posts: 484
I don't know why, but I am somehow under the impression that if you earned a new status before the 31st of March of the current year, it would only be valid until the 31st of March next year whereas if you earned it on 1st April you would keep it until 31st of March +2 years. I don't remember where I read that.
e.g. qualify for Gold sometime during 2017, you will have Gold until 31 March 2019. What seems to be happening this calendar year, pre-changeover is people aren't receiving status for the following year, just the current year + the 3 months.
Edit - just re-read your message and see what you mean. I don't know if previously there were exceptions for people who go up in status before April in a year, I expect not though.
Mar 23, 2018, 12:49 am
#1159
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
EDIT: changed in light of later discoveries regarding the status prolongation period
Gold earned in March 2018 will be valid until 31/03/2020. Platinum earned via XPs after 1 April will only be valid for 15 months from the date achieved; assuming a soft-landing to Gold in the following year, that means they end up "losing" Gold in 27 months from the date Platinum is earned. That's not much better than just getting Gold now, if at all, particularly given that to get to that state requires the accumulation of another 120 XPs. (if it was me, I would keep flying, as the surplus will roll over, but would probably ensure that I didn't earn Platinum just yet. Of course, each member should be engaged with their flying patterns and use the system to their best advantage).
And getting to Gold is probably enough for most people. Regardless of whether you have Gold, or have Platinum, your targets are the same - 180XP in a membership year for Gold, 300XP in a membership year for Platinum. By getting to Gold, you are past the step of having to first pass through the lower tiers; Gold is where you should be if you want an ongoing "easy" qualification/re-qualification track. [Put another way: by maintaining at least Gold status, you have a target of 300XP each membership year going forward to reach Platinum. As long as you never drop below 180XP, you never drop below Gold, and therefore will not have to first re-negotiate the step of getting back to Gold, which then instantly robs you of those 180XP and resets your year]
In addition, now it seems that it does not make much difference whether I become Gold before the changeover date, right? It is just a matter of whether the new Gold status expires on April 1st 2019 or July 1st 2019? If this is the case, I would not need the extra mileage run then. Please correct me if my understanding is incorrect
Mar 23, 2018, 3:12 am
#1160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,710
In addition, now it seems that it does not make much difference whether I become Gold before the changeover date, right? It is just a matter of whether the new Gold status expires on April 1st 2019 or July 1st 2019? If this is the case, I would not need the extra mileage run then. Please correct me if my understanding is incorrect
(If you are aiming for Platinum, you should definitely get Gold BEFORE 1 April; for anyone going up to Gold after 1 April, you lose 180XP as part of the upgrade to Gold, and therefore need to do another full 300XP of flying; for those who get up to Gold BEFORE 1 April, they get to keep all the XPs accumulated in Jan-March 2018 [there will be no XP deduction if you are already Gold before the conversion/change] which will means they only need to earn another ~120 XP or so).
In my case, I decided that, as Platinum is just too much Skyteam flying for me, I am happy to get back to Gold - and have arranged only to get as far as Silver before the changeover.
For people hoping to climb (multiple) status levels in 2018, you should aim to be already at your desired status level, or at the status level just below your desired status level, before 1 April if at all possible.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:08 am
#1161
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
No, in light of the fact that they are already handing out shorter status periods even before 1 April, and on the understanding that your goal is to end up with Gold only, i.e. you are NOT aiming for Platinum, then it doesn't matter much if you go up to Gold before 1 April, or afterwards.
(If you are aiming for Platinum, you should definitely get Gold BEFORE 1 April; for anyone going up to Gold after 1 April, you lose 180XP as part of the upgrade to Gold, and therefore need to do another full 300XP of flying; for those who get up to Gold BEFORE 1 April, they get to keep all the XPs accumulated in Jan-March 2018 [there will be no XP deduction if you are already Gold before the conversion/change] which will means they only need to earn another ~120 XP or so).
In my case, I decided that, as Platinum is just too much Skyteam flying for me, I am happy to get back to Gold - and have arranged only to get as far as Silver before the changeover.
For people hoping to climb (multiple) status levels in 2018, you should aim to be already at your desired status level, or at the status level just below your desired status level, before 1 April if at all possible.
(If you are aiming for Platinum, you should definitely get Gold BEFORE 1 April; for anyone going up to Gold after 1 April, you lose 180XP as part of the upgrade to Gold, and therefore need to do another full 300XP of flying; for those who get up to Gold BEFORE 1 April, they get to keep all the XPs accumulated in Jan-March 2018 [there will be no XP deduction if you are already Gold before the conversion/change] which will means they only need to earn another ~120 XP or so).
In my case, I decided that, as Platinum is just too much Skyteam flying for me, I am happy to get back to Gold - and have arranged only to get as far as Silver before the changeover.
For people hoping to climb (multiple) status levels in 2018, you should aim to be already at your desired status level, or at the status level just below your desired status level, before 1 April if at all possible.
Thanks for your help!
Mar 23, 2018, 2:03 pm
#1162
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK/FR
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 886
I find it a little "unfair" that they change some long-established rules before the official programme change. In the previous system, a status earned during a calendar year would yield the status for the remainder of the year + the next year. Feels a bit low to take that away.
Anyone willing to ping flyingblue and question them on this matter? It's possible they didn't expect anyone to reach a new status within 3 months so let's see what they say.
I agree it looks a little like a double dipping but it's not stolen and no one asked for the change so I don't see any problem if some people benefiting from it.
Anyone willing to ping flyingblue and question them on this matter? It's possible they didn't expect anyone to reach a new status within 3 months so let's see what they say.
I agree it looks a little like a double dipping but it's not stolen and no one asked for the change so I don't see any problem if some people benefiting from it.
Mar 23, 2018, 3:55 pm
#1163
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
I find it a little "unfair" that they change some long-established rules before the official programme change. In the previous system, a status earned during a calendar year would yield the status for the remainder of the year + the next year. Feels a bit low to take that away.
Anyone willing to ping flyingblue and question them on this matter? It's possible they didn't expect anyone to reach a new status within 3 months so let's see what they say.
I agree it looks a little like a double dipping but it's not stolen and no one asked for the change so I don't see any problem if some people benefiting from it.
Anyone willing to ping flyingblue and question them on this matter? It's possible they didn't expect anyone to reach a new status within 3 months so let's see what they say.
I agree it looks a little like a double dipping but it's not stolen and no one asked for the change so I don't see any problem if some people benefiting from it.
G
Mar 23, 2018, 4:43 pm
#1164
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS, BRU, POA
Programs: Skyteam E+ (FB PfL), Latam Black, LH MM, Iberia plus, HH: Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy: Plat
Posts: 1,119
If you had re-qualified nothing would change before April 1st.
Mar 23, 2018, 6:08 pm
#1165
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
It seems to me that it is a little early to call this a "fact", given that it is merely an unconfirmed conjecture at this stage. Bearing in mind that that the individuals concerned will have qualified for status until a year later before the change, it seems to me that FB would be in rather dubious waters if they were to remove status for 2019 from the members concerned. The date of status expiration displayed on the website cannot be regarded as conclusive at this point, imo.
Mar 24, 2018, 3:04 am
#1166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,710
It's not conjecture.
Mar 24, 2018, 4:56 am
#1167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
It is a fact that the website currently displays an expiry date of 2019 for the persons concerned.It IS conjecture that this means that the persons concerned will not see their status maintained after March 2019. Unless I have missed it, there is absolutely nothing whatsoever in what AF/KL/FB have published that says so. The fact that they have started to update their system to new programme is not per se conclusive. It is a reason to have doubts as to what will happen and be vigilant but it does not conclusively establish that status gained in the first quarter of 2018 will not be valid for 2019..
Mar 24, 2018, 5:40 am
#1168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,710
What is also true is that is not written in the Terms & Conditions that status is currently granted for the remainder of the current year, all of the following year, plus the 3 month's grace period. [If I am wrong on this point, please let me know].
What IS clear is that, whenever someone goes up in status in the NEW scheme, the likelihood is that the period of the "new" status will be shorter than the period of the status previously given [not only is it likely - it is guaranteed, unless you contrive to go up in status in the last days of December].
As such, it is NOT conjecture that, inevitably, some people will have their longer, lower status replaced by a higher, shorter status. There can be no doubt that, on and after 1 April, everyone going up in status will only be awarded a status period of 12 months (+3 months grace) - instead of the "old" 0-12 months [depending on how early in your fixed membership year you qualified] + 12 months + 3 months grace [where the status awarded would have been good for anything from 15 to 27 months]
What IS clear is that, whenever someone goes up in status in the NEW scheme, the likelihood is that the period of the "new" status will be shorter than the period of the status previously given [not only is it likely - it is guaranteed, unless you contrive to go up in status in the last days of December].
As such, it is NOT conjecture that, inevitably, some people will have their longer, lower status replaced by a higher, shorter status. There can be no doubt that, on and after 1 April, everyone going up in status will only be awarded a status period of 12 months (+3 months grace) - instead of the "old" 0-12 months [depending on how early in your fixed membership year you qualified] + 12 months + 3 months grace [where the status awarded would have been good for anything from 15 to 27 months]
Mar 24, 2018, 6:55 am
#1169
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
G
Mar 24, 2018, 9:18 am
#1170
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS, BRU, POA
Programs: Skyteam E+ (FB PfL), Latam Black, LH MM, Iberia plus, HH: Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy: Plat
Posts: 1,119
I was P and requalified P, reason why I made the (possibly wrong) assumption that the new expiry date would reflect on the account/card as soon as I had hit the required threshold. Admittedly, though, this is the first time I've reconfirmed status before APR1 hence I may be getting mixed up (apologies). To sum it up: am I correct in understanding (from what you're saying) that the new expiry date (MAR2020) would show only on or after the forthcoming APR1?
G
G
And I'm puzzled that you got the new date already. I've also re-qualified for next year already but my current expiry date shows still 31/3/2018.