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What Promo Awards actually are
Flying Blue — the loyalty programme of Air France and KLM — releases a set of discounted award flights on the 1st of every month. These are called Promo Awards (or Promo Rewards). On selected routes, the miles required drop by 25-50% compared to the standard dynamic price.
The routes change every month. The discount applies to specific origin-destination pairs for specific travel windows. Some months you'll find discounted Business Class from Geneva or Zürich to North America. Other months it's Asia, or Caribbean, or nothing particularly useful from Switzerland. You check on the 1st, and either you act or you wait for next month.
This sounds like it might require a lot of luck. In practice, it requires a lot of miles sitting ready in your account — because when the right route appears, you have one month to book it.
Flying Blue Promo Awards are the most underused tool available to Swiss-based travellers who want Business Class for less. Most people don't know they exist. The ones who do book comfortably and book often.
- Released: 1st of every month
- Discount: 25-50% off standard dynamic award rates
- Applies to: Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class (varies by route)
- Booking window: You must book by the end of that month
- Travel window: Usually up to 6 months from the booking date
- Direction: Often available both ways (to and from Europe)
- Switzerland included: Switzerland is listed in "Europe 1" alongside Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, UK — meaning Swiss residents are eligible for European-origin discounts
How much cheaper —
a real example
Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing — the same flight can cost anywhere from 60,000 miles to 483,500 miles on a busy Friday in peak season (those are real numbers from the booking system). The floor price for transatlantic Business Class is 60,000 miles one-way.
Promo Awards apply their discount to the base rate. Here's what that looks like in practice:
Real example — Amsterdam to Toronto (November 2025, via Paris CDG)
Standard rate
75,000
miles per segment
Promo rate
45,000
miles per segment (40% off)
2 passengers return
180,000
total miles · cash equiv ~EUR 1,400
Source: real booking by skystatus.pro — 180,000 miles for 2 passengers return, Business Class, AMS-CDG-YYZ. Cash equivalent ~EUR 700-900 per person. The Promo discount made this possible at 90,000 miles per person return.
For Swiss residents flying from ZRH or GVA, the logic is identical. Connect via Paris CDG or Amsterdam AMS — both well-served from Switzerland — and you're on the same eligible routes.
How to find them each month
Flying Blue publishes the current month's Promo Awards on their website. Here's the exact process:
Set a reminder for the 1st
Promo Awards drop on the 1st of every month. Put a recurring calendar reminder. The best deals — particularly Business Class transatlantic — can go quickly.
Check the official Promo Awards page
Go to flyingblue.com → Spend miles → Promo Awards. The current month's discounted routes are listed there. Switzerland is in "Europe 1" — filter for European departures.
Search availability before transferring miles
Find the discounted route. Then search for actual award availability on the dates you want. Flying Blue is fully dynamic — confirm a seat exists at the Promo rate before moving any miles into your account.
Transfer miles and book immediately
Once you've confirmed availability, transfer the exact miles needed from Amex or Revolut. Book the award immediately — availability can disappear. Don't leave it overnight.
Official page — updated 1st of every month
Flying Blue Promo Awards — current month's deals
flyingblue.com → Promo Awards →Third-party tracker — useful for monitoring
AwardFares — Flying Blue award availability search
awardfares.com → Flying Blue search →Monthly summary — good for highlights
LoyaltyLobby — Flying Blue monthly promo coverage
loyaltylobby.com → Flying Blue promo →How Swiss residents earn
Flying Blue miles
Flying Blue has fewer direct earning options in Switzerland than Miles & More — but the most important routes are all available:
| Source | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards transfer | 2:1 | 2 MR points = 1 Flying Blue mile · Swiss ratio · instant credit |
| Revolut RevPoints transfer | 1:1 | Revolut Premium and above · 1 RevPoint = 1 FB mile · Metal/Ultra earn more points per CHF |
| Flying Blue Mastercard (Viseca CH) | 1.5 miles per CHF 2 | Direct earning · useful as a base card alongside Amex |
| Air France / KLM flights | Variable by fare class | Add your Flying Blue number to every booking — don't miss these |
| Oman Air flights (since Jun 2024) | Up to 275% of distance | Business Class on Oman Air earns ~14,000 FB miles per long-haul sector |
| Subscribe to Miles | From €0.011/mile | Monthly subscription top-up · cheapest way to buy Flying Blue miles |
Flying Blue credit card Switzerland
Flying Blue World Mastercard — Viseca CH
viseca.ch → Flying Blue Mastercard →Subscribe to miles — useful top-up tool
Flying Blue Subscribe to Miles — from €0.011/mile
flyingblue.com → Subscribe to Miles →Transferring Amex points —
only when it counts
Swiss Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Flying Blue at a standard 2:1 ratio. One thing worth being upfront about: unlike US or UK Amex cards, transfer bonuses to Flying Blue are rare on Swiss Amex — don't build a strategy around one appearing. If your card ever does show a bonus, treat it as a welcome extra, not the plan.
The real lever is simpler and doesn't require waiting for anything: combine the standard 2:1 transfer with a confirmed Promo Award. The maths work like this:
The saving — Flying Blue Promo Award, standard 2:1 transfer
Standard award cost
60,000
FB miles Business transatlantic
After 25% Promo Award
45,000
FB miles required
Amex MR needed (standard 2:1)
90,000
MR points → 45k FB miles at 2:1
The Promo Award alone cuts the requirement from 120,000 MR points (standard price) to 90,000 MR points — a 30,000-point saving, with no transfer bonus needed.
The key discipline: don't transfer your Amex points until you've confirmed Promo Award availability for your exact route and dates. Transfer only what you need, then book immediately.
Never transfer speculatively. Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing — award seats that are available today may not be available tomorrow. Check availability first. Then transfer. Then book immediately. In that exact order. Amex points transferred to Flying Blue cannot be returned.
How to book —
step by step
Open a Flying Blue account (free)
Register at flyingblue.com. Takes 3 minutes. You don't need to have flown with Air France or KLM — anyone can join.
Check current Promo Awards on the 1st
Visit flyingblue.com → Spend miles → Promo Awards. Look for routes ex-Europe (Switzerland is in Europe 1) in Business Class.
Search availability for specific dates
Use the Flying Blue award search. Use the calendar view to compare prices across the month — flexibility saves miles. The Promo rate only shows if seats are available at that price.
Confirm your Amex transfer ratio
Log into your Amex account → Rewards → Transfer points. The standard ratio to Flying Blue is 2:1 — that's what to plan around. Transfer bonuses show up occasionally but are uncommon on Swiss Amex, so don't wait for one; the Promo Award discount is worth it regardless.
Transfer exactly the miles you need
Calculate precisely: award cost ÷ your transfer ratio (including any bonus). Transfer that exact amount from Amex or Revolut. Allow up to 24-48 hours for miles to appear in Flying Blue.
Book the award the moment miles arrive
Don't wait. Search immediately, confirm the Promo rate is still showing, and book. Promo Award availability can disappear — especially on popular routes in the last week of the month.
Join Flying Blue — free
Flying Blue membership — open to all Swiss residents
flyingblue.com → Enroll →KLM Flying Blue Mastercard — Swiss
Flying Blue credit card via KLM Switzerland
klm.ch → Flying Blue credit card →The rules you need to know
- Miles expiry: Flying Blue miles expire after 24 months of account inactivity. Any eligible activity — card spend, flight, transfer into the account — resets the clock. Shorter window than Miles & More, so keep it active.
- Dynamic pricing: No fixed award chart. Prices change daily based on demand, time of year, and route popularity. The Promo floor price is the lowest you'll ever see on a given route.
- Transfer timing: Amex transfers to Flying Blue typically process within 24-48 hours. Revolut transfers are usually faster. Never leave a transfer to the last day of the month.
- Cancellation fees: Flying Blue awards can be cancelled or changed for a fee (currently €70 + any fare difference). Not free — but cheaper than losing the miles entirely.
- Swiss Amex transfer ratio: 2:1 (2 MR = 1 FB mile) — not the 1:1 available on US Amex cards. Factor this into your calculations. It's less efficient but the welcome bonus still makes it worthwhile.
- Stopovers: Flying Blue allows stopovers on some award tickets. Routing via Paris CDG or Amsterdam AMS on the way to your long-haul destination can be built in — useful for a night in Paris at no extra miles cost.
Frequently asked
questions
What are Flying Blue Promo Awards? +
Flying Blue Promo Awards are discounted award flights released on the 1st of every month, offering 25-50% off standard dynamic award prices on selected routes. Switzerland is in the Europe 1 zone (alongside France, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Belgium), so Swiss residents flying from ZRH or GVA are eligible for European-origin discounts.
How do I find Flying Blue Promo Awards for flights from Switzerland? +
Visit flyingblue.com on the 1st of each month, go to Spend miles, then Promo Awards. Filter for European departures - Switzerland is in Europe 1. Check availability immediately as Business Class Promo Awards sell out quickly, often within the first week of the month.
How do Flying Blue miles expire? +
Flying Blue miles expire after 24 months of account inactivity - shorter than Miles & More's 36 months. Any eligible activity (flight, card purchase, or transfer into the account) resets the clock. A small purchase on the Flying Blue Viseca card or a transfer from Amex will reset the expiry.
Can Swiss Amex points transfer to Flying Blue? +
Yes - Swiss Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Flying Blue at 2:1 (2 MR = 1 Flying Blue mile). Revolut (Premium and above) transfers at 1:1. Unlike US or UK Amex cards, transfer bonuses are rare in Switzerland - the highest-value move for Swiss residents is transferring the exact amount needed once a Promo Award is confirmed, not waiting for a bonus.
Let's find your route.
Promo Awards change monthly and availability moves fast. In a 30-minute session we can check current availability for your target destination, work out exactly how many miles you need, and time your Amex transfer so no points sit idle.
Book a session — CHF 79 →