Flying Blue FAQ
Mar 28, 2024, 3:40 am
#1907
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Somewhere between BHX and HUY
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, Eurobonus Silver, ALL Gold
Posts: 1,676
Iirc long haul is usually minimum 3 hrs before. More if there are multiple flights that day or if an AF flight leaves before, but you have to check this out yourself.
Class of service makes zero difference apart from queue length
Class of service makes zero difference apart from queue length
Mar 28, 2024, 3:12 pm
#1909
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K, Hyatt Globalist, and Marriott Titanium Member
Posts: 266
Cheap J Awards from California?
I understand it's rare to find cheap J awards from SFO or LAX, but I've read you're able to find cheaper awards if there's a layover, such as SFO to FRA via CDG. Anyone have any luck finding cheaper J awards to a specific city in Europe or North Africa?
Also, out of curiosity, say I were to find a cheap award with a layover in CDG. Does Immigration allow you to exit at CDG if I want to stay in France? I'm guessing AF would frown upon this.
Also, out of curiosity, say I were to find a cheap award with a layover in CDG. Does Immigration allow you to exit at CDG if I want to stay in France? I'm guessing AF would frown upon this.
Mar 28, 2024, 3:19 pm
#1910
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: FRA/SXB
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 1,999
I understand it's rare to find cheap J awards from SFO or LAX, but I've read you're able to find cheaper awards if there's a layover, such as SFO to FRA via CDG. Anyone have any luck finding cheaper J awards to a specific city in Europe or North Africa?
Also, out of curiosity, say I were to find a cheap award with a layover in CDG. Does Immigration allow you to exit at CDG if I want to stay in France? I'm guessing AF would frown upon this.
Also, out of curiosity, say I were to find a cheap award with a layover in CDG. Does Immigration allow you to exit at CDG if I want to stay in France? I'm guessing AF would frown upon this.
If you were paying for the ticket, then perhaps adding a leg would reduce costs.
Contrôle passeports would of course let you leave if you have the necessary visa or right to arrive in France/Schengen, but AF will cancel all future segments of your itinéraire automatically without refund if you don't show up.
Mar 29, 2024, 3:18 am
#1911
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,083
If you have a connector to MUC or FRA, it's not a question of will they let you, you have to enter in France anyway.
Awards being typically bought as two oneways, the cancellation of the rest of the ticket should not be a big deal, bit if you want to check a bag in, you would be hit with a pretty hefty fine for pulling it out early.
Awards being typically bought as two oneways, the cancellation of the rest of the ticket should not be a big deal, bit if you want to check a bag in, you would be hit with a pretty hefty fine for pulling it out early.
Mar 31, 2024, 1:59 am
#1913
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: VLC
Programs: FB Plat (Y3), All Accor Gold (Y2)
Posts: 644
* depends on the airport. Search for the Fast Lane Master Thread here, it has an extensive and updated wiki with airports and what to expect.
Apr 1, 2024, 11:32 am
#1915
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 122
I am flying J on an award ticket from AMS > JFK in June on KLM. I have to fly from LIS > AMS that morning to make the connection. If I book a cash fare w/ KLM for the LIS > AMS leg, what are the odds that they will allow me to check a bag through to the next flight w/o charging me the bag fee?
Apr 1, 2024, 2:52 pm
#1916
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,939
I am flying J on an award ticket from AMS > JFK in June on KLM. I have to fly from LIS > AMS that morning to make the connection. If I book a cash fare w/ KLM for the LIS > AMS leg, what are the odds that they will allow me to check a bag through to the next flight w/o charging me the bag fee?
- without paying the bag fee (if you buy a light ticket for the positioning flight) : very unlikely. Just buy a standard fare with bag included.
Apr 1, 2024, 3:32 pm
#1917
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Kiel
Programs: Fying Blue Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Silver Elite, Hilton Silver
Posts: 101
Out of curiosity, I have two flights on Friday KL1758 HAM-AMS and then on Saturday DL47 AMS-JFK.
Both flights are from separate bookings.
Would it be possible to get my luggage checked in through to JFK from HAM even the JFK flight is the following day? or if its possible to check in luggage a day before flight at AMS?
Trying to see if its possible going only to the hotel for the night with my hand luggage only (maybe there is a place at AMS to store luggage overnight?).
Both flights are from separate bookings.
Would it be possible to get my luggage checked in through to JFK from HAM even the JFK flight is the following day? or if its possible to check in luggage a day before flight at AMS?
Trying to see if its possible going only to the hotel for the night with my hand luggage only (maybe there is a place at AMS to store luggage overnight?).
Apr 2, 2024, 10:15 pm
#1919
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BRE
Programs: Flying Blue Ultimate, LATAM Black, Vistara Gold, Accor/IHG Platinum, Marriott/Hilton Gold
Posts: 480
Out of curiosity, I have two flights on Friday KL1758 HAM-AMS and then on Saturday DL47 AMS-JFK.
Both flights are from separate bookings.
Would it be possible to get my luggage checked in through to JFK from HAM even the JFK flight is the following day? or if its possible to check in luggage a day before flight at AMS?
Trying to see if its possible going only to the hotel for the night with my hand luggage only (maybe there is a place at AMS to store luggage overnight?).
Both flights are from separate bookings.
Would it be possible to get my luggage checked in through to JFK from HAM even the JFK flight is the following day? or if its possible to check in luggage a day before flight at AMS?
Trying to see if its possible going only to the hotel for the night with my hand luggage only (maybe there is a place at AMS to store luggage overnight?).
Apr 3, 2024, 2:16 pm
#1920
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Kiel
Programs: Fying Blue Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Silver Elite, Hilton Silver
Posts: 101
KL1758 arrives around 8pm, so yes, it should be possible to ask for them to interline your bags at HAM. Did this exact thing in HAM a few months ago on separate tickets, with arrival in AMS around 8pm, and next flight out on separate ticket the next day around noon. My parents did this around January this year too.
Many thanks.