How to Book Delta Flights for Half the Miles (Without a Delta Card)
I’ll be honest — I was a few years into my points and miles hobby when I figured out this trick. But I want share it with you so you can take advantage now. if you fly Delta, there’s a good chance you’re paying more SkyMiles than you need to, and the fix doesn’t even require a Delta credit card.
Delta and Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program are both part of the SkyTeam alliance, which means Flying Blue miles can book the exact same Delta flights you’d otherwise book with SkyMiles. On a recent trip, I compared a Delta flight (DL1269, Philadelphia to Atlanta) on both sites just out of curiosity. Delta’s own site wanted 20,700 SkyMiles plus $6 in taxes.
Then I looked for the same exact seat, same flight, but this time on the Air France website booking with Flying Blue miles. And I found it for 9,000 miles. Less than half!
I wasn’t expecting that big of a gap, honestly. If you’ve got Delta flights in your future and you’ve never checked the Flying Blue price, it’s worth a quick comparison before you book.
Why Flying Blue Miles Go Even Further in Europe
Domestic Delta flights are a nice trick, but Flying Blue really shines when you’re headed overseas. Air France and KLM fly to dozens of European cities from the US, and Flying Blue’s standard award chart starts at 25,000 miles one-way in economy for a transatlantic flight, 40,000 in premium economy, and 85,000 in business.
Here’s the part most people miss: every month, Flying Blue publishes a list of “Promo Rewards” — specific routes discounted 25-50% off those standard rates for travel over the following several months. A transatlantic economy seat that would normally run 25,000 miles can drop to 18,750 under a Promo Reward. Business class, which usually starts at 85,000 miles each way, has shown up discounted to as low as 45,000 miles on select North America-to-Europe routes.
If you’re flexible on dates and willing to check the new list each month, this is where Flying Blue miles can book a trip that would otherwise feel out of reach.
Flying Blue Status Perks
Flying Blue doesn’t just reward you with miles — it also has its own elite status currency called XP (Experience Points), separate from the miles you earn and spend. If you’re starting from scratch and don’t have any existing Flying Blue status, you need 100 XP to reach Silver status, 280 for Gold, and 580 for Platinum.
Compare Status Levels and Benefits Here
Why does that matter for a points-and-miles family? Because Silver status alone gets you a 50% mileage-earning bonus, an extra checked bag, priority check-in, and better boarding — real perks for a family traveling together, not just solo-traveler conveniences. You also get SkyTeam Elite benefits, which gives you added benefits when flying SkyTeam carriers like Delta. Gold is where things get really good, unlocking SkyTeam lounge access at over 750 airports worldwide.
A Built-In Discount for Traveling with Kids
Here’s one more Flying Blue perk that’s tailor-made for families: kids ages 2 to 11 flying with an adult get 25% off the miles price on Air France and KLM award flights. Unlike Promo Rewards, this isn’t a rotating monthly deal — it’s a standing Flying Blue policy, so you can count on it whenever you’re booking an award flight for your family.
That discount stacks right on top of whatever rate you’re already booking at, including a Promo Reward fare if one’s available. For a family of four or five booking award flights to Europe, that adds up fast — it’s one of the more quietly generous family perks in a loyalty program that doesn’t always get credit for being family-friendly.
How to Actually Stock Up on Flying Blue Miles
You don’t need to fly Air France or KLM at all to build a meaningful Flying Blue miles balance. Here are a few ways our family does it:
Transferable points
Flying Blue is a 1:1 transfer partner with several major flexible points currencies — American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Capital One miles all move over at 1:1. Marriott Bonvoy also transfers, but at a less favorable 3:1 ratio. If you’re already sitting on points in any of those programs, moving some into Flying Blue is usually just a few clicks.
A Dedicated Credit Card
This is where the Air France KLM Visa Signature® credit card comes in — it’s a direct way to earn Flying Blue miles on purchases without relying on transfers. Its current welcome offer earns 70,000 miles plus 100 Experience Points (XP) after $3,000 in spend within 90 days, which is worth calling out specifically: 100 XP is exactly the threshold for Silver status, so the welcome bonus alone can hand you elite perks before you’ve taken a single flight.
Air France KLM Visa Signature® Credit Card
Current Bonus
For an $89 annual fee, this welcome offer punches above its weight. Spend $3,000 in your first 90 days of account opening and you'll earn 70,000 Flying Blue miles plus 100 Experience Points (XP) toward elite status. Here's how I think about the miles side of that math: at roughly 1.3 cents apiece, 70,000 Flying Blue miles works out to somewhere around $900 in travel value — enough to meaningfully offset a flight to Europe on Air France or KLM, especially once you start transferring in miles from other flexible points currencies. The 100 XP is a nice head start too, since it gets you Flying Blue Silver status right away (math below). For a modest spend requirement and a low annual fee, that's a strong combination.
Rent payments, if you use Bilt
If you’re a Bilt Rewards member, this card also earns 3 Flying Blue miles on rent paid through Bilt, up to $50,000 in rent per year. For anyone already using Bilt to earn points on rent, that’s a meaningful stream of Flying Blue miles with no extra effort.
Is Flying Blue Worth Adding to Your Strategy?
If you’re already deep into points and miles and you’ve maxed out your go-to programs, Flying Blue is another smart “pool” to draw from — especially if Delta is part of your regular travel. It’s not going to replace a program like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards as your main currency, but as a complement, it earns its spot. The Delta sweet spot alone is worth knowing about even if you never fly internationally, and the Promo Rewards calendar makes Europe feel a lot more reachable than the standard award chart suggests.
The Flying Blue Sweet Spot Every Family Should Know About
