Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
European card points programmes compared
European card points programmes are the reward currencies that credit cards issued in European markets pay into, of which airline currencies such as Flying Blue Miles and Miles & More Miles are among the best known. [5] [6] [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Flying Blue publishes earning as a ladder that rises with status: 4 Miles per euro spent at Explorer, 6 at Silver, 7 at Gold, 8 at Platinum and 9 at Ultimate on flights marketed by Air France. [5] [6]
- Flying Blue status is held or raised with XP inside a qualification period of up to 12 months, and the maintenance thresholds stated are 100 XP for Silver, 180 for Gold and 300 for Platinum. [6]
- Miles & More states that HON Circle members keep unlimited mileage validity for as long as they remain a status member, and that HON Circle is reached or renewed with 6,000 HON Circle Points in a calendar year. [4]
How each programme prices a euro
Flying Blue states that a member can obtain up to 9 Miles for each euro spent on flights marketed by Air France, and sets out the full ladder by level: Ultimate 9, Platinum 8, Gold 7, Silver 6 and Explorer 4 Miles per euro. [5] The Flying Blue status page checked repeats the same five-level ladder, showing 4 Miles per euro at Explorer and 9 at Ultimate. [6] The per-euro method applies to flights marketed by Air France whatever the operating carrier, including train, bus and limousine services that carry an AF flight number. [5]
A different method applies to flights marketed by Air France under tour-operator fares, and to flights operated by Air France but marketed by a Flying Blue partner airline: there, Miles are calculated from the distance flown, the percentage for the booking class in the published table, and any Elite bonus. [5] On the long-haul table the highest rate is 550% for booking class P in First and the lowest is 25% for booking classes Q, E, T, N, R, V, X and G in Economy. [5] Distance is measured between the origin and destination of the flight, with minimums of 500 miles on domestic flights and 750 miles on international flights; the programme's own example is a 274-mile domestic flight marketed by Air France that earns 500 Flying Blue Miles. [5]
The earning page checked was served in French for Belgium and the status page in English for North America, and the per-euro ladder matched across the two. [5] [6]
Status tiers and what they change
Flying Blue has five levels — Explorer, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Ultimate — and a member has up to 12 months to gain enough XP to hold or raise a level, the qualification period starting when the first Mile is earned or the first XP is gained. [6] A level is upgraded as soon as the threshold is met, and the XP that bought the level is then deducted from the counter. [6] Elite members, meaning Silver and above, keep any surplus XP above the threshold, up to a maximum of 300. [6]
To maintain a level a member needs the minimum XP for it — 100 for Silver, 180 for Gold and 300 for Platinum — and the membership period at that level is renewed for 12 months. [6] Falling short drops the member one level, an Explorer's counter resets to zero, and a Platinum member steps down through Gold and Silver before Explorer. [6] Platinum held for ten consecutive years becomes Platinum for life, with no further requalification. [6]
The tiers carry different airport and baggage rights: Silver adds priority check-in, baggage drop-off and boarding plus one free extra checked bag on SkyTeam flights, Gold adds SkyTeam lounge access with a guest and SkyPriority, and Ultimate adds a 24/7 assistant, Air France and KLM lounge access for the member and up to eight guests, four one-cabin upgrade vouchers per membership year and one partner Flying Blue Platinum card. [6]
Miles validity and elite treatment
Miles & More is more specific at its top tier: HON Circle members have unlimited mileage validity for as long as they remain status members, so Miles can be saved for a larger award. [4] HON Circle is achieved or renewed with at least 6,000 HON Circle Points in a calendar year, with progress visible in the member's account. [4]
Qualifying or renewing as HON Circle brings four eVouchers to fly one class higher, Star Alliance Gold status, and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite when the Miles & More and Marriott Bonvoy accounts are linked. [4] The tier also includes a 50% discount on an award flight for anyone added to the booking, a temporary overdraft of up to 100,000 miles, and a black status card valid for at least one year. [4] On request, a spouse or partner is given Senator status for as long as the HON Circle membership lasts. [4]
Exceptions and limits
- Award tickets do not earn. Flying Blue excludes tickets booked with Miles from Miles earning. [5]
- Rail segments. A member earns Flying Blue Miles for a train journey only when it is taken before or after an international flight departing from or arriving at Paris CDG or ORY. [5]
- Surplus XP. The 300-XP carry-over cap applies to Elite members, defined as Silver and above, and not to Explorer accounts. [6]
- Where HON Circle benefits apply. The benefits are listed for travel with Lufthansa Group airlines, co-issuing Miles & More airline partners and Star Alliance airlines, so they are not described as applying to every carrier. [4]
- Guaranteed award availability. The HON Circle version runs until 14 days before departure for the member and up to three companions travelling in the same class on Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, LOT, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City or SWISS, and it does not apply to Fly Smart Award Flights. [4]
- Status Events. Invitations require more than 10,000 Qualifying Points in a calendar year. [4]
- Card-level terms.
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026.
- Miles & More — HON Circle member benefits, checked 18 October 2026
- Flying Blue — Air France earning conditions (French, Belgium), checked 18 October 2026
- Flying Blue — Status & XP (English, North America), checked 18 October 2026