How to Redeem a Complimentary Stopover with the Flying Blue Award Program
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Advertiser Disclosure: Melissa's Travel Addiction has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Melissa's Travel Addiction and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
The Flying Blue award program, which is the loyalty program for Air France and KLM, is a fantastic option for travelers looking to maximize their miles. One of the hidden gems of this program is the ability to add a complimentary stopover to your award booking. This allows you to explore an additional destination without spending extra miles, making your valuable credit card points stretch even further. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to redeem a complimentary stopover with Flying Blue.
Just recently, we used this benefit to book our flights for the summer of 2025. We secured a flight from Phoenix to Oslo, Norway, with a layover in Paris. The total cost for three adults and two children (under 11) was 90,000 points plus $648 in taxes. We’re planning to spend three nights in Paris during our complimentary stopover.
What Stopover is complimentary?
A stopover lasting more than 24 hours up to a year is included between two flights on Air France, KLM, or any partner flights. For example, if you’re flying from Los Angeles to Athens, you could have a stopover in Amsterdam for a few days to explore the city before continuing your journey to Greece.
Why Use a Stopover?
A stopover is an excellent way to see two destinations for the price of one. Instead of simply passing through a city, you can take a few days to explore a new country. This feature is particularly valuable for those who want to make the most of their miles and experience more destinations on a single trip.
Step-by-Step Guide to Redeeming a Stopover with Flying Blue
1. Log into Your Flying Blue Account
First, you need to log into your Flying Blue account on the Air France or KLM website. If you don’t have an account, you can easily create one for free.
More on searching for Award Travel on Flying Blue
2. Search for Flights
Enter your departure and destination cities, along with your travel dates, into the search tool. For example, let’s say you’re flying from Phoenix to Oslo, Norway with a potential stopover in Paris. You’ll want to search for a saver fare which is going to be around 20,000 points each way. You’ll search for a one-way flight, with your ideal stopover city as the layover city.
3. Look at the award price of the connecting flight
Once you find the perfect flight—like our flight from Phoenix to Oslo with a layover in Paris for 20,000 points one way—you’ll want to examine the second leg of the journey. In our case, that was the Paris to Oslo flight. Make a note of the flight details, then search for that route separately. For us, that segment cost 12,500 miles. Next, decide how many days you’d like to stay in Paris. Then, search again for the Paris to Oslo segment, looking for a nonstop flight that matches the original booking price of 12,500 points. Be sure there are enough seats available for your party. Make note of all the details.
I want to mention that it may be possible to book a more expensive segment. If you have a specific flight in mind, it’s worth asking the agent if you can book it! My booking reflects my experience and the options the agent allowed for the complimentary stopover.
4. Call Flying Blue to book
You must call 800-375-8723 to book. Yes, I agree it’s frustrating that you can’t book the free stopover online and must call instead. However, the wait was short, and I was able to book the flight I needed for a total of 90,000 points plus $648 in taxes for three adults and two children (11 and under). If the flight you select isn’t available, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan. Once they confirm availability, they can put the flight on hold, but in my case, I was able to transfer the points I needed in seconds and get it booked. If you’re unsure how to transfer points, grab my free transfer guide.
5. Pay and Confirmation
The agent will send you a link to pay with your credit card and once the payment for the taxes goes through, you will receive a confirmation email.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Flying Blue Stopover
Check for Special Offers: Flying Blue has monthly promotions that allow you to save even more miles or earn bonus miles for specific routes or stopovers. And don’t forget about transfer bonuses from banks! If you can transfer points during this time, you can save as much as 20-40%!
Be Flexible: Flexibility in your travel dates and destinations can help you find better options for stopovers.
Flying Blue miles can be transferred from several major credit card rewards programs, including:
American Express Membership Rewards®
Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Citi ThankYou® Points
Capital One Venture Miles
And of course Bilt Rewards! These programs allow you to transfer your points to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio in most cases, making it easy to top up your Flying Blue account for award flights.
Conclusion
Redeeming a complimentary stopover with the Flying Blue award program is an excellent way to enhance your travel experience without using additional miles. By taking advantage of this perk, you can explore new cities, break up a long journey (which is great for families when flying economy!), and make your trip even more memorable. Happy travels!
Advertiser Disclosure: Melissa's Travel Addiction has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Melissa's Travel Addiction and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
