Why Is No One Talking About Using Flying Blue Miles for Intra-Europe Flights?

Editor's note: Why Is No One Talking About This? is a series where I look at under-the-radar credit cards, redemptions, and other points and miles topics that are often overlooked by other blogs. A new issue is out every Friday.

Most of us think of Flying Blue as a transatlantic program — book a flat bed to Paris for 60,000 miles and call it a day.

But that's not the only great way to redeem Flying Blue miles. Another sweet spot is booking short-haul intra-Europe awards on Air France and KLM. These flights start at around 10,000 miles one-way in economy or 25,000 in business class. This covers the entire continent, from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean.

For example, this flight from Oslo (OSL) to Bucharest (OTP) via Amsterdam (AMS) is available at the above pricing. In economy, you'll pay $55.80 in taxes and fees on this trip.

It gets better with the monthly Promo Rewards, which further discount these award tickets to specific cities. This month, for example, you can book flights from Amsterdam (AMS) to London (LHR), Vienna (VIE), and other destinations for as few as 7,500 miles in economy.

Remember, just about every transferable points program transfers to Flying Blue. This includes American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Points, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Wells Fargo Rewards.

Andrew's Take

I've been a Flying Blue fan for years — it's how I book most of my trips to Europe. This is another great way to redeem them, especially when you're flying around Europe during peak season and cash fares on short hops are anything but cheap.