Flying Blue vs Skywards: which loyalty program wins?

We score Flying Blue and Skywards on the same five factors — earning rate, redemption value, partner network, ease of use, and point expiry — to help you choose the right program for how you actually spend.

Verdict

Flying Blue is best for Frequent flyers, while Skywards is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Flying Blue if Anyone seeking elite status without flying, and skip Skywards if Domestic flyers.

Overall rating

	Flying Blue	Skywards
Overall rating	3.8 / 5	3.9 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	5.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Expiry	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

Flying Blue	Members earn Flying Blue Miles on flights with Air France, KLM, Transavia, Aircalin, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, TAROM, and the 19+ SkyTeam alliance partners including Saudia, Delta, Korean Air, China Eastern, Garuda, ITA Airways, China Southern, and Aeromexico. Earn rate by status: Explorer 4 Miles/Euro, Silver 6/Euro, Gold 7/Euro, Platinum 8/Euro, Ultimate 9/Euro. XP (Experience Points) for tier qualification are earned only on flights — Silver requires 100 XP, Gold +180 XP, Platinum +300 XP. XP earnings depend on distance and cabin class. Non-alliance partners include Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, and Etihad. Hotel partner ALL Accor allows seamless earning across both programs. No Saudi bank issues a Flying Blue co-branded credit card.
Skywards	Members earn Skywards Miles by flying with Emirates and flydubai (with Tier Miles for status qualification) and through 30+ partner airlines including Air Canada (full partnership December 2025), JetBlue, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, S7, and others (Skywards Miles only - no Tier Miles from partners). Earning also extends to hotel stays with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and ALL Accor; car rentals; dining partners; and retail. Saudi residents can transfer points from BSF Jana (500-point minimum, up to 200,000 per conversion) and anb rewards via published conversion rates. Tier bonuses: Silver +30%, Gold +75%, Platinum +100%. Members can also purchase miles. The Emirates Skywards Mastercard from Citi is US/Europe market only.

Redemption structure

Flying Blue	Miles redeem for award flights on Air France, KLM, all SkyTeam partners, and non-alliance partners (Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, Etihad). Award pricing is moderately dynamic - less than US programs but more than Avios. Monthly Promo Rewards offer 25-50% discounts on selected award routes - a uniquely member-friendly feature. Members can also redeem for cabin upgrades (including World Business Class on long-haul KLM/Air France), seat upgrades, hotel stays (ALL Accor primarily), car rentals, and experiences. La Première (Air France First Class) redemptions are restricted to Platinum and Ultimate members. A 70 Euro change/cancellation fee applies to most awards; waived for Platinum and Ultimate.
Skywards	Miles redeem for award flights and upgrades on Emirates and flydubai, plus partner airlines (Air Canada, JetBlue, Korean, Cathay, Qantas, and 25+ more). Classic Rewards have fixed pricing; Flex Rewards have dynamic pricing with broader availability. Cash + Miles option allows partial payment for flights. Upgrade Rewards available on Emirates flights - particularly valuable on premium-cabin redemptions. First Class redemptions are restricted to Silver, Gold, and Platinum members (Blue members cannot book First). Members can also redeem for hotel stays via partners, car rentals, retail, sporting events, and cultural experiences. Fuel surcharges apply on most premium-cabin partner redemptions. Mile purchases available to supplement award costs.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Flying Blue	Skywards
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	5	4
Top tier	Ultimate	Platinum
First-tier qualification	100 points	25,000 points
Point expiry	24 months inactivity (reset on earn)	36 months inactivity (reset on earn)

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