Air France-KLM World Elite MasterCard Overview
Many seasoned points and miles fans have at least one or two cobranded airline cards. If you’re currently looking for a new airline card to add to your wallet, the Air France-KLM World Elite Mastercard® may be the right choice for you. With a solid earning structure and bonus anniversary miles, this card is best suited for frequent Air France and KLM flyers. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card ratings are based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and are not influenced by the card issuer.
Once you’ve unlocked the core set of cards that earn transferable points, it’s time to move on to cobranded airline cards. Opening a card or two with your favorite airline can offer additional benefits, a faster path to higher status, and the chance to earn extra rewards on every purchase.
The Air France-KLM World Elite MasterCard isn’t much different from its mid-tier airline card peers. While its benefits are slimmer than some other options, it still offers good value for those who fly with Air France and KLM at least twice a year.
This card has an annual fee of $89 and we recommend a credit score of 700 or higher for the best chance of approval.
Let’s dive into the details of this card so you can decide if it’s the right airline card for you.
Information for the Air France-KLM World Elite MasterCard has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Air France-KLM MasterCard Advantages and Disadvantages
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Air France-KLM MasterCard welcome offer
For a limited time, new cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus miles and 40 experience points (XP) after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. Also, new cardholders will receive an additional 60 XP upon account approval.
XP is the currency of elite status Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue program. If you earn all the XP possible through this welcome offer, you’ll have enough XP to reach Flying Blue Silver status for 12 months.
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As of September 2024, TPG Flying Blue miles are worth 1.3 cents per mile. That means the welcome offer is worth $910, not including the potential value of Flying Blue Silver status.
It’s important to note that you’ll need to apply for this card through Air France’s landing page to receive this limited-time offer.
Related: This Month’s Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses
Air France-KLM MasterCard benefits
Air France-KLM MasterCard is limited Benefits for a card with an $89 annual fee, but still some notable perks.
The most notable feature of this card is the bonus of 5,000 miles on each account anniversary. However, anniversary bonuses have a spending requirement, which is unusual. Fortunately, the spending requirement is exceptionally low: $50 in the previous cardmember year. Even if you rarely use this card, it’s not a difficult threshold to meet.
According to TPG’s September 2024 valuation, these 5,000 miles are worth $65. That almost completely covers the card’s annual fee.
You’ll also earn 20 XP on each account anniversary. This annual XP bonus can help you reach the 100 XP you need to maintain your Silver status after earning through your welcome bonus during your first cardholder year. Silver status benefits include priority check-in and boarding, free selection of standard seats and one additional free checked bag on flights operated by SkyTeam.
Additionally, you’ll enjoy benefits that are fairly standard for a mid-tier travel card, such as no foreign transaction fees and a contactless payment option.
These added benefits easily help justify the $89 annual fee, but frequent Air France and KLM flyers will struggle. Maintain silver status After their first year since XP is awarded on a per-flight basis, depending on flight type and fare class. Award flights do not earn XP as an added challenge.
Earn miles on the Air France-KLM MasterCard
The Air France-KLM Mastercard earns miles relatively easily. It has only one bonus category, which can be either pro or con.
With this card, you can earn 3 miles per dollar spent on purchases on Air France, KLM and SkyTeam member airlines. You’ll earn 1.5 miles on everything else.
While those rates are nothing spectacular, they certainly aren’t bad either. At 1.3 cents per mile, based on our September 2024 Flying Blue miles valuation, this gives a 3.9% return on purchases on Air France, KLM and SkyTeam member airlines, and about 2% on all other purchases.
In fact, the Air France-KLM MasterCard can work as a non-bonus spend card if you need one and you fly with the airline frequently enough to use these miles.
Redeeming miles on Air France-KLM MasterCard
In addition to redeeming miles for Air France and KLM flights, you can redeem them for award tickets on other SkyTeam airlines like Delta Air Lines. This can be a great way to find award tickets at a better price than if you used a given airline’s own rewards program.
Flying Blue frequently releases Promo Rewards, which are deeply discounted award tickets. These tickets often have more restrictions than standard Flying Blue award tickets, so be sure to pay attention to any relevant terms and conditions.
Which cards compete with the Air France-KLM MasterCard?
When thinking about other cards that compete with the Air France-KLM MasterCard, cards that earn transferable rewards to Flying Blue come to mind. Here are some options:
For additional options, check out our picks The best airline cards and the best travel cards.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Vs. Capital One Venture Rewards: Which $95 Card Should You Get?
Is the Air France-KLM MasterCard worth it?
For Air France and KLM fans, the Air France-KLM MasterCard is definitely worth considering. While its annual fee may be hard to justify compared to other mid-tier travel cards, it offers enough to be useful in the hands of a frequent flyer. If you don’t fly with Air France and KLM at least twice a year, I recommend considering another airline card or a general travel card that earns transferable rewards.
The bottom line
If you want to get serious about points and miles, opening an airline cobranded card is the way to go. The Air France-KLM MasterCard is just one of many options, but it’s a solid choice for fans of the two airlines. The card can go even further if you are able to maintain Flying Blue Silver status for a long period of time.
If you are not a frequent Air France and KLM flyer, other airline cards may be more suitable for you.
Related: How to choose an airline credit card
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