Flying Blue Glitch: 12,500 Miles to Kauai

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Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France and a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase, American Express, Citi, and SPG. Flying Blue has a number of well-documented sweet spots including 15,000 miles one way to Hawaii from the United States mainland.

Speaking of transferring Citi points, I have to take down the Citi Prestige 50k offer in five days. Last time I had to take down a Citi 50k offer, the sign up bonus went to zero. Don’t miss out.

At the moment, however, you can book awards between the mainland and Kauai for 12,500 miles each way or 25,000 miles roundtrip. I assume this is a glitch caused by Flying Blue mis-classifying Kauai as being in the continental United States. LifeMiles used to have similar glitches putting Guam, Istanbul, and a few others in the continental United States.

It took LifeMiles months and months to correct those mistakes, so it might take Flying Blue a similar amount of time, or they might correct this mistake tomorrow. You should book as soon as you can if you want the discount.

The Mistake

Honolulu, Kona, and Maui still show the 15,000 miles price each way. That’s not bad, since Delta wants 22,500 Delta miles for the same flights, but it isn’t a mistake.

The mistake is that Kauai is only 12,500 miles one way. The 12,500 mile price comes up on the direct Delta flight between Los Angeles and Kauai. The award has only $5.60 in taxes each way.

Unfortunately the mistake does not extend to First Class awards. In fact, Delta First Class (search Business Class on airfrance.us) prices at 31,250 miles each way…

…while awards to the other islands are only 30,000 miles each way.

The Award Space

For Flying Blue to have access to Delta award space at all, Delta needs to release Level 1 (Saver) award space to its members. This used to be laughably rare, especially to Hawaii, but Delta has quietly improved its award space, including to Hawaii.

For instance, here is economy award space from Atlanta to Kauai from August 1 to September 4, 2016. We see award space for 12,500 miles one way on 18/35 days.

This is 11 hours of flying to Hawaii for the normal price of a domestic economy award.

You can find similar award space from many cities in America to Kauai and back for 25,000 Flying Blue miles roundtrip.

Other Great Deals to Hawaii

Never use United, Delta, or American Airlines miles to Hawaii.

• United charges 45k/80k roundtrip in economy/First at the Saver level. That exact award space is available for 35k/60k Singapore miles.
• Delta charges 45k/80k roundtrip in economy/First at the Level 1 (Saver) level. That exact award space is available for 25k/45k Korean miles (SPG, Chase transfer partner) or 30k/60k Flying Blue miles. To Kauai only, you can fly for 25k Flying Blue miles roundtrip in economy for the moment.
• American charges 45k/80k roundtrip in economy/First at the Saver level. The west coast direct flights can be booked for 25k/75k roundtrip with Avios.

Searching and Booking the Mistake

You can search for Flying Blue award space at airfrance.us once you have started an account.

Sign in to your Flying Blue account and select “Use My Miles”.  Everything on the search form is pretty intuitive. Delta First Class is “Business” on the search screen.

All transferable points transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue miles. The most time-sensitive way to get Flying Blue miles is by opening the Citi Prestige by Tuesday since its sign up details may change then.

• Citi Prestige® Card: 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases made with your card in the first 3 months the account is open. The card also comes earns 3x points on airfare and hotels and has a host of benefits like lounge access and $250 in free airfare per year.

Bottom Line

Book awards to Kauai on Delta planes with surprisingly good award space for 12,500 Flying Blue miles each way right now before the price goes up to 15,000 miles each way. (Of course, when that happens, you can still book the space for 25,000 Korean miles roundtrip.)

MileValue reader Rich has already booked this deal for four people, using 100,000 Flying Blue miles instead of $2,856 for four roundtrips to Kauai! Thanks, Rich, for the heads up.