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Whether you plan on vacationing in Barcelona or dream of walking the streets of Rome, Air France can help you reach your destination. Based on revenue, Air France-KLM Group is one of the largest airlines in the world, so it's a popular choice among travelers.
If you frequently fly to Europe, signing up for the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® could make sense. You can earn valuable airline miles on your purchases, and this travel credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
Learn about this card's rates, fees, and perks to decide whether it's right for you.
Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard at a glance
- Annual fee$89
- Welcome offerEarn 50,000 bonus miles after making $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days, plus 60 XP (Experience Points) on approval
- Purchase APR20.24% - 28.24% variable
- Rewards rate
- 3x miles per $1 spent directly on Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and SkyTeam member airlines purchases
- 1.5x miles per $1 on all other purchases
- 5,000 miles every year on your account anniversary (after spending $50 or more on purchases within the anniversary year)
- 20 XP every year on your account anniversary
- Benefits
- Redeem miles toward flights with any SkyTeam member airline to over 1,000 destinations worldwide
- No foreign transaction fees
- Contactless card
How to earn rewards
With a simple rewards structure, you can maximize the card's usefulness by using it to book any international travel on Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or SkyTeam member airline flights. By booking your fare and paying for other airline purchases with your card, you'll earn three miles for every dollar you spend.
You'll earn a flat 1.5 miles for every dollar you spend on all other eligible purchases. To show you how rewards can grow over time, here is an example of how much you could earn in one year if you spent $5,000 with your card:
| Spending | Rewards Rate | Miles Earned |
| $2,000 on Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or SkyTeam member airlines flights and purchases | 3 miles per $1 spent | 6,000 miles |
| $3,000 on gas, groceries, restaurants, clothing and entertainment | 1.5 miles per $1 spent | 4,500 miles |
| TOTAL | 10,500 miles |
The 10,500 rewards miles could be worth around $136 when redeemed for future travel.
How to redeem rewards
With the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard, you can redeem your miles for flights with Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or any SkyTeam member airline. When you redeem your miles, they're typically worth about 1.3 cents each.
Other redemption options include:
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Seat upgrades
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Extra baggage allowance
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Lounge access
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Wi-Fi
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Online shopping
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Transfer miles
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Charitable donations
Who is the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard best for?
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard is best for those who frequently travel to Europe and who prefer to fly on Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or a SkyTeam member airline.
Flying on these airlines and using your card to book your fares will allow you to earn the highest rewards rate, and you don't have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees when traveling internationally.
Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard benefits
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Anniversary miles: Every year on your cardmember anniversary, you'll earn 5,000 miles if you spent $50 or more during the anniversary year.
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Experience Points: AirFrance or KLM XP (Experience Points) impact your flying status level. You can earn 60 XP upon approval for the card, and you can earn an additional 20 XP every year on your cardmember anniversary. If you spend $15,000 or more during the year, you can earn an additional 40 XP (for a total of 60 XP). Silver is the lowest level of Flying Blue elite status, starting at 100 XP.
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No foreign transaction fees: The card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, so you can use your card for purchases outside of the U.S. without incurring added fees.
Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard potential drawbacks
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Sparse benefits: The Air France KLM World Elite Master's benefits are sparse. Many airline cards provide a free checked bag benefit, but not this one.
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Annual fee: You have to pay an $89 annual fee as a cardmember.
How to make an Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard payment
The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard is a co-branded card issued by Bank of America. You can make a payment online, through the Bank of America mobile app, or by mailing a check:
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Phone: 800-732-9194
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Mail:
Credit card payments
Bank of America
PO Box 15019
Wilmington, DE 19886-5019
Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard card customer service info
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Customer service availability info:
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Customer support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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Phone number:
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Domestic: 800-732-9194
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International: 1-757-677-4701
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Alternative cards to consider
If you fly tend to fly within the U.S. or are looking for a card with more travel benefits, consider these alternatives:
- Annual fee$95
- Welcome offerEarn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months — that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Ongoing Purchases APR20.74% - 27.74% Variable
- Rewards rate
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Benefits
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
- Earn up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel
- On every account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year
Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has an annual fee similar to the Air France World Elite Mastercard, but it's better for travelers who aren't devoted to a single airline. You can earn flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to over 12 travel partners, including many popular airline and hotel loyalty programs. Your points are also worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Read our full Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review
- Annual fee$395
- Welcome offerEarn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Purchase APR19.99% - 29.24% variable
- Rewards rate
- 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on all other purchases
- Benefits
- $300 annual credit for travel bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 annual bonus miles (worth $100 in travel spending; starts on your first account anniversary)
- Unlimited access for you and two guests to Capital One Lounges and 1,300+ more lounges through partner networks
Why we like it: The Capital One Venture X is a premium travel credit card with a lot more benefits than the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard. These benefits include extensive airport lounge access, an annual $300 travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel, and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles (starting on your first anniversary). This card also earns flexible rewards you can transfer to over 15 travel partners, including Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
Read our full Capital One Venture X review
- Annual fee$0 Intro for First Year, then $95.
- Welcome offerEarn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- Ongoing Purchases APR21.24% - 28.24% Variable
- Rewards rate
- 2x miles on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
- 1x miles on all other purchases
- Benefits
- Free first checked bag
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
- 25% back as a statement credit on food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases on United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
Why we like it: The United Explorer Card has an annual fee similar to the Air France KLM card, but you get more robust benefits. With this card, you can qualify for up to a $120 fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years. In addition, you and a companion can receive your first checked bag for free on United flights.
Read our full United Explorer Card review
This article was edited by Ben Walker (CEPF, CFEI®)
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
