Auf Deutsch lesen →
Programme 02 — SkyTeam
Monthly Promo Awards, Amex and Revolut transfers, and why Flying Blue is the most underused tool for Swiss residents.
Programme 02
Criminally overlooked. Flying Blue has fewer earning options in Switzerland than Miles & More — but the monthly Promo Awards change everything. Discounts of 25-50% on award rates, every month, on a rotating set of routes. Most people don't know they exist. The ones who do book Business Class to New York for less than most people pay for Economy. It's also, in our own experience, simply the easier programme to actually book a seat with — more on that below.
Earning Flying Blue miles from Switzerland
The only Swiss-issued card that credits Flying Blue miles directly — no transfer ratio, no dilution. 5,000 Flying Blue miles on approval, 1 mile per CHF 2 spent (1.5 miles per CHF 2 on Air France/KLM), plus turnover bonuses up to 9,000 miles at CHF 90,000 annual spend and a 2,000-mile loyalty bonus at renewal. Annual fee CHF 230. Requires an active Flying Blue membership. Solid insurance bundle included — CHF 20,000 trip cancellation, CHF 250,000 medical/repatriation, CHF 300,000 travel-accident, CHF 10,000 hire-car excess waiver, plus 2-year extended warranty on card purchases. Worth noting: card spend earns miles only, not Flying Blue XP (elite-qualifying points) — status still has to come from flying or a separate route.
Swiss Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to Flying Blue at a 2:1 ratio (2 MR points = 1 Flying Blue mile). The 45,000-point Amex Platinum welcome bonus becomes 22,500 Flying Blue miles. While the ratio is less favourable than global Amex cards, the welcome bonus is still the fastest single source of Flying Blue miles available to Swiss residents.
Revolut RevPoints transfer to Flying Blue at 1:1. Available on Premium and above — Metal (CHF ~19/month) earns 1 RevPoint per CHF 2 spent, Ultra earns 1 per CHF 1. Accepted everywhere Mastercard is, filling the gaps where Amex isn't.
Purchase a set number of miles monthly at a fixed rate from €0.011/mile — the cheapest way to buy Flying Blue miles. Minimum 3-month commitment. Useful for topping up ahead of a Promo Award booking.
The Flying Blue Promo Awards advantage
Flying Blue has no fixed award chart — pricing floats with demand. Business Class Europe-North America typically runs from around 30,000-45,000 miles one-way during a Promo Reward, a 60,000-mile-plus standard rate most of the time, and well past 100,000 on peak dates. The number depends on the exact route, date, and demand — which is exactly why confirming live pricing on flyingblue.com before transferring or applying matters more here than with a fixed chart.
Flying Blue releases discounted award rates on a rotating set of routes every month — typically 25-50% below standard dynamic pricing. Published on the first of each month. Routes change — consistency and watchfulness is rewarded.
Swiss Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Flying Blue at a standard 2:1 ratio. Unlike US or UK Amex cards, transfer bonuses are rare here — don't wait for one. Pairing the standard transfer with a confirmed Promo Award is the move that actually moves the needle.
Want a personalised version of this?
The strategies above are general. Your situation is specific. In 30 minutes we go through your actual cards, your actual spending, and work out the fastest path to your first Business Class redemption.