Business Class tickets from Toronto or Montreal to Amsterdam or Paris are now available for just 33,000 Citi ThankYou Points by capitalizing on the current 25% transfer bonus between Citi and Flying Blue alongside a sale on flights from Canada to Europe. Conveniently, with some smart positioning and a free stopover, you can turn this deal into an inexpensive way to travel from the US to a large number of European cities.
If you’re someone who enjoys the luxury of business class (who isn’t?) and dreams of traversing the canal-lined streets of Amsterdam or the broad boulevards of Paris (who doesn’t), then this is the deal for you.
Flying Blue Promo Rewards
Flying Blue, the frequent flyer program of Air France-KLM, is a favorite of mine thanks to its reasonably priced business class travel awards, unique access to a large number of award seats, and, most importantly, its frequent award sales. It calls these sales “Promo Rewards” announcing new ones each and every month, providing a discount range of 20-50% on certain Air France and KLM routes. The award pricing within the Flying Blue program operates dynamically, typically applying the discount to the least expensive award fares, although these can fluctuate.
Flying Blue announced that from today (June 1) until June 30, members can book a one-way business class ticket on KLM or Air France from Montreal or Toronto to Amsterdam for just 42,000 miles or to Paris for just 53,000 miles. That’s a roughly 25% discount on normal redemption rates.
25% Citi Transfer Bonus to Flying Blue
Right now until June 17, 2023, Citi is offering a 25% bonus on points transferred to Flying Blue. If you have a stash of Citi ThankYou Points, this is an opportune time to put them to use.
In practical terms, that means that for every 1,000 ThankYou Points you transfer, you’ll receive 1,250 Flying Blue Miles, instead of the usual 1,000. By leveraging this bonus, you can pay the 42,000-mile sale price for a flight from Montreal or Toronto to Amsterdam using just 33,000 Citi ThankYou Points.
How to Score this Deal
The steps to take advantage of this deal are pretty straightforward. First and most obviously, you’ll need to be a member of the Flying Blue program, so if you’re not a member sign up. It’s super quick and easy.
Next, go to www.thankyou.com/partnerProgramsListing, sign in, and transfer 33,000 Citi ThankYou Points to your Flying Blue account. 42,000 miles should appear in your FlyingBlue account almost immediately. If you’re not ready to commit to the flight but think you might be interested, you can hold a flight for up to 72 hours for $15 per passenger.
Go to either the Air France or KLM website or app to confirm the transfer’s success. Once you’ve done so, choose either Montreal or Toronto as your departure city and either Amsterdam or Paris as your destination. Be sure to select “Use your miles” when searching for flights. Look for business class options and book your ticket.
Though you won’t get Air France’s new 777-300ER business class, any seat you choose between Montreal or Toronto to Paris on Air France will feature direct aisle access. If you want direct aisle access on KLM flights, you’ll need to be a bit more careful: the airline only flies its 787 and thus its most up-to-date 1-2-1 business class cabin between Toronto and Amsterdam and flies its outdated 2-2-2 business class cabins on its A330s between Montreal and Amsterdam. The A330 seats are substantially less comfortable, so I’d recommend trying to book Toronto to Amsterdam if you have the flexibility.
Excellent availability throughout the summer and fall
I’m seeing two or more seats available on lots of flights to both Amsterdam and Paris throughout July and August. The best availability appears in the fall, with six or more award seats available on several dates in October and November.
Flying from the US beyond Amsterdam or Paris
I’m aware most of my readers are in the US and that this deal is only valid from two Canadian cities. Given how great a price it is and the relative proximity of the East Coast and Midwest to Toronto and Montreal, it’s well worth taking a positioning flight to capitalize on this deal. For example, direct flights from Chicago or Detroit to Toronto are quick and cheap, typically costing less than $200. The same goes for New York or Boston to Montreal.
Another great aspect of this deal is the ability to book free stopovers if you book your ticket over the phone. This essentially allows you to go somewhere in Europe other than Paris or Amsterdam for the same price.
Conclusion
This awesome deal to fly business class from North America to Amsterdam for just 33,000 Citi ThankYou points is a rare opportunity and a great way to unlock luxury travel experiences without breaking the bank. I’d recommend jumping on it quickly before availability dries up and the transfer bonus or Flying Blue Promo Rewards ends.
