Air France KLM Flying Blue appears to have substantially increased taxes and fees on some award tickets, particularly when departing Europe in business class. Some of this can be attributed to a 2025 increase in taxes when departing France, though the Flying Blue increase in award taxes and fees appears to be significantly more than the increase in taxes that took effect in France earlier this year. Some of the perceived difference is also likely due to currency fluctuation, but that doesn’t explain the increase in cost on awards departing Paris and Amsterdam. I’m not sure when this changed, but I recently noticed it and thought it was worth reporting for readers who haven’t searched for an Air France award in a while.
In the past, I have expected taxes and fees of around $200 to $300 each way when booking awards through Air France / KLM Flying Blue, with a bit of variance due to the difference in departure taxes depending on which European country you depart.
When departing the US, I’m seeing only modest increases in taxes and fees. For instance, New York JFK to Paris CDG rings in at around $241 in taxes and fees on a business class award ticket, which is a bit more than the last time I booked an award through Flying Blue, but only a modest increase.
However, I had some sticker shock when I searched the opposite direction, as Paris CDG to New York JFK is ringing in at $489 in taxes and fees. Ouch!
While the price was highest when departing Paris, I found prices to still be substantially higher than I would have expected from Amsterdam for travel to New York.
Total taxes and fees were lower on some connecting itineraries, such as this itinerary from Prague to New York via Amsterdam, which carried $349.73 in taxes and fees.
But Frankfurt to New York is ringing in a hundred dollars more expensive at $452.63 in taxes and fees.
Part of the difference is likely due to currency fluctuation. For instance, from Athens to New York, I now see taxes and fees of $340 to $360. I flew from Athens to New York on Air France earlier this year. We paid $313 in taxes and fees, although we booked well over a year ago, and the currency conversion certainly makes up a chunk of the difference.
However, I don’t know when taxes and fees increased to nearly $500 when departing Paris and nearly $400 departing Amsterdam, nor to $450 when departing Germany. At $200 to $250 or maybe even $300 in taxes and fees, Flying Blue still seemed solidly competitive with a business class award starting at 60,000 miles each way. I would be far less excited about nearly $500 in taxes and fees plus 60,000 miles departing Paris. In fairness, that’s obviously still a good deal as compared to the cash rate, but it certainly dampens my enthusiasm for Flying Blue.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Booked CDG-PHX on August 15 and paid the higher taxes. Did not realize that was higher but it was still the only direct flight and a good deal compared to the cash rate at least
I recently had the same shock as you, Nick, while booking for a family member. As you said, still ok compared to the cash rate, though.
This is terrible news, and makes me even less likely to book Flying Blue from Europe. On daytime flights from Europe to the East Coast, it is hard to justify paying up for business sometimes. Now, it makes no sense when the taxes are equivalent to a one-half of a round trip economy ticket. Just fly premium economy if possible, or for those with elite status, pay for an economy ticket and get extra legroom on AA or UA.
This year I’ve switched to Iberia from Madrid at 40K + $100 each way in business. Wonderful new planes, 40% transfer bonuses and few people search IB. Even adding 5k Prague award flight it’s great
Data point. Sept 18 purchase for a June 2026 business class award flight on Air France purchased directly at Air France US website w/phone support due to some point transfer issues. CDG-SEA $523.31 cash cost along with the 60K miles. Receipt breakdown: $39.90 airport tax, $210.80 carrier surcharge, $35.10 sustainable fuel contribution, $30.00 booking fees, $207.41 Other taxes. I assume the “carrier surcharge” is just “Air France extra profit.”
This is my fault everyone – I just transferred 300k Amex to Flying Blue and that’s what made them do this. Grrrrrr at AF
American Airlines US to Paris. Taxes $5.60
Delta Air Lines Athens to US. Taxes about $50.
That is more like it.
Please also let us know which routes, what’s the availability on those routes, and how many miles you’ve paid …
So this is how all SkyTeam airlines have decided to devalue their programs – raise fuel surcharges instead of increasing points requirements… first VS, now FB.
smart move by them, bad outcome for us.
I recently booked a flight on Air France in business class from Paris to Houston next summer using 60,000 JAL miles and $281 during the capital one transfer bonus. The transfer bonus is over now, but it still offers a cheaper tax option if you got the JAL miles. You can also easily search for JAL availability on Air France metal on search tools by filtering to Etihad as they show the same dates that are available to JAL.
Is there a good workaround to ameliorate these taxes? When I look at flights returning from London (which has taxes double these ones), I see a huge variance in the taxes, but I haven’t quite figured out the pattern. Do other airlines (specifically American-based ones) impose smaller taxes when departing Europe in Business Class?
Smaller taxes, no. Less in fees, yes. Flying blue is a program that passes along carrier imposed surcharges, which are what’s making up the difference here. American Airlines, United, Air Canada, and Avianca LifeMiles are all examples of programs that do not pass along surcharges (so you just pay taxes, which is much less, though it’s still very significantly depending on the country you’re departing. Expect to pay around $200 in taxes, departing France, but $60 departing Finland for instance (those are ballpark figures, I don’t have the exact taxes memorized). Other programs, like Alaska, have some partners that don’t impose surcharges (for instance, Condor for Alaska). And still other programs pass along fewer in surcharges. For instance, Cathay Pacific Asia miles passes on far less in surcharges on British Airways flights. Then if you book the same flights through other programs. There’s some learning curve involved but an award search tool can help make that far easier to see.
london is notorious for their departure taxes in all cabins. but for biz class, its like $300 alone just for London departure plus YQ it ends up being like 6-700 for taxes when departing london in J.
The key is to open jaw and fly into London but out of anywhere else in Europe to avoid the London departure taxes and fees.
To get from London to “anywhere else” there’s the Eurostar or you can book an award ticket using BA Avios where the departure taxes are heavily subsidized by Avios, as in 9000-12500 miles plus $1 to southern Europe, or fly a LCC out of Luton or Stansted.
Agreed, that’s what I’m doing this spring. PHX-LHR via ORD. Flying the new AA 787P in business for 55k Alaska points and less than $100 cash. BA avios for a cheap flight LCY-AMS then Eurostar to Paris and a direct flight home on AF. Unfortunately I did pay the higher fees mentioned here for the CDG-PHX leg
Those Avios $1 are the worst £ per point use. It’s usually 3rd option down that works best. The £17.50 one.
Quelle Dommage!
Oui, complètement merde