SAS Awards Now Bookable Online Through Flying Blue — And At Incredible Rates

On September 1, 2024, SAS left Star Alliance for SkyTeam. Since then, SAS awards have been increasingly made available to book through SkyTeam partners. Yesterday, we covered how you can now book SAS awards with Delta SkyMiles. But there's an even more appealing option using one of the easiest-to-earn mileage currencies around.

Here's what you need to know about this new mileage redemption option.

Flying Blue SAS Award Booking Timeline

Almost immediately after SAS joined SkyTeam, Flying Blue (the joint loyalty program of Air France and KLM) started making SAS awards available to mileage collectors, but you had to book over the phone. Thankfully, that was quickly resolved. Now, most of SAS' network is available for booking online.

When you try booking with miles on Air France or KLM's website, you'll see SAS itineraries mixed in. If you see a SAS option that can get you where you need to go, it'll likely be available for great value. Sometimes, that value is even more pronounced than you'll get on Air France or KLM.

Great Value SAS Awards Using Flying Blue Miles

How does flying to 19,200 Flying Blue miles plus about $32 in taxes and fees sound for a one-way flight between New York (JFK) and Copenhagen? It sounds better than 20,000 Flying Blue miles plus over $100 in taxes and fees. The latter is the rate Air France or KLM regularly charges for awards on its own flights.

Credit: Flying Blue

After you get to Copenhagen, perhaps you want to head to London (LHR). SAS awards between CPH to LHR are available from 5,000 miles in economy or 12,100 miles in business class. At most, you'll pay around $60 in taxes and fees.

Credit: Flying Blue

Or, you could head from Copenhagen on to Tokyo (HND) for just 27,100 miles in economy in either direction.

Credit: Flying Blue

Alternatively, how about flying across the Atlantic Ocean in SAS business class for as few as 40,900 miles? We like the way those numbers look.

Credit: Flying Blue

Generally speaking, SAS awards command lower taxes and fees than awards on Air France or KLM. That's not always the case, but it's true most of the time. So, if you can book a Flying Blue award on SAS, you should be able to unlock fantastic value and save on the out-of-pocket costs.

Top Off Your Air France/KLM Flying Blue Account

Figuring these new sweet spots aren't relevant as you don't have Flying Blue miles? Well, Flying Blue miles are easier to collect than most mileage currencies — including Delta SkyMiles. That's mainly a function of several 1:1 transfer partners:

If you're eyeing an SAS award and are short the miles necessary, you can also buy Flying Blue miles outright — although we don't recommend it unless there's a substantial bonus or discount.

Or, you apply for the Air France KLM Visa Signature^® credit card and earn 70,000 bonus miles and 100 XP after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening. If you value Flying Blue miles, the Air France KLM Visa is an easy way to earn miles on your everyday spending with little effort.

Air France KLM Visa Signature^® credit card

How to Apply

Limited-time Offer Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 100 XP after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.

Air France KLM Visa Signature^® credit card

Limited-time Offer Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 100 XP after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.

Annual Fee:$89

Show moreWhy We Like ItHighlightsEarning Rates

The Air France KLM Visa Signature^® credit card is a low-cost way to earn both Flying Blue miles and elite status, which makes it a strong pick for anyone who flies Air France, KLM or their SkyTeam partners. Cardholders earn 3X miles per $1 on eligible Air France, KLM and SkyTeam purchases and on dining, and 1.5X miles on all other purchases. The card also adds 5,000 miles on each account anniversary (after $50 in purchases that year) and 20 XP toward elite status each year. That rises to 80 XP (100 total), enough for Flying Blue Silver, when you spend $15,000 in a card year, and an additional 60 XP (160 total) at $25,000. Other perks include no foreign transaction fees and miles you can redeem on any SkyTeam airline to more than 1,000 destinations, all for an $89 annual fee.

• Limited Time Online Offer! Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles + 100 Experience Points (XP) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.
• Low $89 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
• Earn 3 Miles for every $1 spent on eligible Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and SkyTeam member airline purchases. Earn 3 Miles for every $1 spent on eligible dining purchases. And, earn 1.5 Miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• 5,000 Miles every year on your account anniversary after you spend $50 or more on purchases within the anniversary year.
• Redeem Miles toward flights with any SkyTeam member airline to over 1,000 destinations worldwide.
• Receive 20 XP every year on your account anniversary. Earn an additional 80 XP (totaling 100 XP) on the account anniversary after you spend $15,000 or more on purchases within the anniversary year. Plus, earn an additional 60 XP (totaling 160 XP) on the account anniversary after you spend $25,000 or more on purchases within the anniversary year.
• This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

• Earn 3 Miles for every $1 spent on eligible Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and SkyTeam member airline purchases
• Earn 3 Miles for every $1 spent on eligible dining purchases
• Earn 1.5 Miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Related: Do Flying Blue Miles Expire?

Final Thoughts

There are so many ways to get to Europe using points and miles that it's hard to keep track of them all. But the newest way to get there using Flying Blue miles is one to keep in mind: You can fly between the U.S. and Europe for fewer miles and pay less out of pocket than if you booked similar awards on Air France or KLM. In other words, don't sleep on SAS; the value is excellent.