Flying Blue now asks €15 of SAF per XP, up from €10
Earning elite credit through sustainable aviation fuel contributions just got 50% more expensive, with no rounding on small amounts, One Mile at a Time reports.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue has raised the price of earning elite credit through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) contributions. Members now earn one XP for every €15 contributed toward SAF, up from one XP per €10, One Mile at a Time reported on Nov. 2, 2026.
That is a 50% increase in the cost of each XP earned this way. One Mile at a Time described the change as happening "seemingly overnight." We could not find an announcement from Flying Blue about it.
What XP are and why SAF mattered
Flying Blue status is based on XP, short for experience points. Members earn XP mainly by flying on Air France, KLM and partner airlines. Enough XP in a year unlocks Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
Flying Blue has also let members earn XP through environmental contributions. According to One Mile at a Time, there are two ways:
- Contribute miles to environmental projects, at one XP per 2,000 miles.
- Pay for SAF linked to your flight, which until now earned one XP per €10.
The SAF option is the one that changed. For many members, it had become a simple way to add XP on top of their flights.
The rounding change
The new rate is not the only change, the outlet reports. There is no longer any rounding on SAF purchases.
One Mile at a Time gives an example. On a short economy flight, a €14 SAF contribution may now earn no XP at all. A €28 contribution would earn one XP. Under the old rate, smaller amounts went further.
In practice, that means members should check how many XP are shown before paying for SAF. Paying just under a €15 step may earn nothing.
Part of a broader pattern
The outlet lists several other Flying Blue changes over the past year or so:
- Platinum members can no longer pick front-row business class suites at no extra cost.
- Flying Blue introduced "Light" award fares, which One Mile at a Time says means paying more to get the same extras.
- The cost of La Première first class awards has risen sharply.
On the other hand, the outlet says Platinum status has gained value in some ways. Platinum members get access to more long-haul business class award space. They can also book Light awards while keeping perks like flexibility and lounge access, the outlet says.
Other ways to earn XP
Members who relied on SAF may want to look at other routes to status:
- Revenue flights on Air France, KLM and SkyTeam partners
- The Flying Blue co-brand credit card in the US, which One Mile at a Time says was recently improved
- Mile contributions to environmental projects, which were not reported as changing
Keep in mind that award tickets and XP don't always work the same way. Check what a given booking will earn before you count on it for status.
How members are reacting
Comments on the One Mile at a Time story were split. Some readers were upset that the change came without notice. Others argued that status should go to people who fly often, not those who buy their way there.
The One Mile at a Time author wrote that he won't buy SAF at the same rate as before. He said he plans to earn more XP through the US co-brand card instead.
What to do now
If you are close to a status level and planned to finish with SAF, rerun the numbers at €15 per XP. Compare that with the cost of an extra flight or card spending.
If SAF contributions matter to you for environmental reasons, the change does not stop you from buying them. It only lowers the status credit you get in return.
We'll update this story if Flying Blue publishes an official note on the new rate.
Flying Blue miles are also on sale this month in other ways. Capital One is offering a 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue through Nov. 30.
What people are saying on X
One Mile at a Time shared the story on X on Nov. 2.