Air France-KLM Mastercard review: Good for Air France and KLM loyalists

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 seeking 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 earnings structure and bonus anniversary miles, this card is best suited for frequent Air France and KLM flyers. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Once you’ve opened a 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 provide additional perks, a faster path to elite status and the opportunity to earn additional rewards on every purchase.

The Air France-KLM World Elite Mastercard, issued by Bank of America, isn’t too different from its mid-tier airline card peers. While its perks are slimmer than some other options, it still provides good value for those who fly with Air France and KLM at least a couple of times per year.

In March, current cardholders will see their cards converted from a World Elite Mastercard to a Visa Signature. This means some benefits and insurance coverage, such as extended warranty and auto rental coverage, will change on or after March 20. Current cardholders received notice of these changes in January, so look into Visa Signature benefits if you’ve been using World Elite Mastercard benefits with this card.

This card has an $89 annual fee, and we recommend a credit score of 700 or higher for the best chance of approval.

Let’s dive into this card’s details so you can decide if it’s the right airline card for you.

The information for the Air France-KLM World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Air France-KLM Mastercard pros and cons

Pros	Cons
<ul> <li>Bonus miles every account anniversary after meeting a small spending requirement</li> <li>Lower annual fee than most mid-tier cards</li> <li>No foreign transaction fees</li> </ul>	<ul> <li>No priority boarding or free checked bag</li> <li>Not suitable for infrequent Air France-KLM flyers</li> </ul>

Air France-KLM Mastercard welcome offer

New cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.

According to TPG’s January 2026 valuations, Flying Blue miles are worth 1.3 cents per mile. That means this welcome offer is worth $650.

Air France-KLM Mastercard benefits

The Air France-KLM Mastercard has limited benefits for a mid-tier airline card, but there are still a few noteworthy perks.

This card’s most notable feature is a 5,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary. However, the anniversary bonus has a spending requirement, which is unusual. Fortunately, the spending requirement is exceptionally low: $50 in the previous cardholder year. Even if you rarely use this card, that’s not a hard threshold to meet.

According to TPG’s valuations, these 5,000 miles are worth $65; that covers more than 70% of the card’s annual fee.

Joyful young Asian mother and little daughter travelling together, they are pushing a luggage trolley with suitcases at airport terminal. Ready for a trip. Travel and vacation concept — D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES

You’ll also earn 20 XP each account anniversary.

You can also earn more XP by spending on the card. You’ll earn 80 XP after spending at least $15,000 on the card in a calendar year (for a total of 100 XP, including the 20 XP you receive upon card anniversary). If you spend at least $25,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll earn an additional 60 XP, bringing your potential annual total to 160 XP through annual spending on the card.

These annual XP bonuses can help you reach the 100 XP needed to earn Flying Blue Silver status. Silver status benefits include priority check-in and boarding, free selection of standard seats and one extra free checked bag on SkyTeam-operated flights.

Additionally, you’ll enjoy perks that are fairly standard for a mid-tier travel card, such as no foreign transaction fees and a contactless payment option.

If you plan on spending a lot on this card each year, it’s likely worth it for you. Otherwise, consider how much you value the base XP and 5,000-mile bonus against the card’s $89 annual fee.

Earning miles on the Air France-KLM Mastercard

The Air France-KLM Mastercard earns miles in two useful bonus categories.

With this card, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent on Air France, KLM and SkyTeam member airline purchases and eligible dining purchases. You’ll receive 1.5 miles on everything else.

Young man shopping online — IZUSEK/GETTY IMAGES

While those rates are nothing stunning, they certainly aren’t bad, either — especially since dining was recently added as a bonus category.

According to our valuation of Flying Blue miles at 1.3 cents per mile, this yields a 3.9% return on Air France, KLM and SkyTeam member airlines purchases as well as dining and almost a 2% return on all other purchases.

In fact, the Air France-KLM Mastercard could work as a nonbonus spending card if you need one and you frequently fly with the airline to use these miles.

Redeeming miles on the Air France-KLM Mastercard

The optimal way to redeem Flying Blue miles is for flight redemptions. Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing, so there’s no award chart to reference. That means prices can change at any time, making it difficult to find sweet spots.

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 an award ticket for a better price than if you used a given airline’s own rewards program.

Woman using a laptop — MINISERIES/GETTY IMAGES

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 make sure to read any relevant terms and conditions.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt recently redeemed 60,000 Flying Blue miles plus $330 in taxes and fees for a one-way business-class flight from Spain’s Valencia Airport (VLC) to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).

And, thanks to Flying Blue’s stopover program, he could have extended his trip with a free stopover in Amsterdam if he wanted to.

What cards compete with the Air France-KLM Mastercard?

When thinking about other cards that compete with the Air France-KLM Mastercard, cards that earn rewards that can be transferred to Flying Blue likely come to mind. Here are a few options:

If you like American Express: American Express Platinum Card® has a high annual fee of $895 (see rates and fees) but comes with a wide range of perks to help justify that cost. It earns Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to Flying Blue. To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum.
If you like Chase: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) has a similar annual fee to the Air France-KLM Mastercard. It comes with some benefits to help offset its $95 annual fee, including an annual $50 hotel credit. It earns Ultimate Rewards points, which are transferable to Flying Blue. To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you like Capital One: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also has a $95 annual fee, placing it in the same tier as the Air France-KLM Mastercard. Much like the Amex Platinum and the Sapphire Preferred, it offers Flying Blue as a transfer partner. To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards.

For additional options, check out our picks for the best airline cards and the best travel cards.

Is the Air France-KLM Mastercard worth it?

For Air France and KLM loyalists, the Air France-KLM Mastercard is definitely worth considering, with a reasonable annual fee and an elite-status boost. However, if you don’t fly with Air France and KLM at least twice each year, I recommend considering another airline card or a general travel card that earns transferable rewards.

Bottom line

If you’re serious about points and miles, opening an airline cobranded card is the right choice.

The Air France-KLM Mastercard is only one of many options, but it’s a solid choice for fans of the two airlines. The card can go even further if you’re able to maintain Flying Blue elite status over the long term.

If you aren’t a frequent Air France and KLM flyer, another airline card will be a better fit for you.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.