Platinum vs. Platinum Ultimate - FlyerTalk Forums (2025)

Mike_Paris

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2008

Programs: Flying Blue Ultimate

Posts: 145

Based on my current travel plans I should end up at around 800 XP this year. I understand that at the end of the year 300 XP will be deducted to renew my Platinum membership and that I can carry over the remaining 500 XP into the next year.

Now I'm wondering whether it's worth the extra effort to pass 900 XP which I believe is the threshold for Platinum Ultimate. I think I could make this work but it would require some trips that are strictly speaking not necessary.

Do you think it's worth the pain? Are the benefits of Platinum Ultimate much better than of normal Platinum?

Thanks,

Michael

Goldorak

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: Paris, France

Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond

Posts: 23,329

The threshold for Ultimate is not 900, but 1800 over 2 years. I mean that nothing will happen when you reach 900 in one year. And do not forget that not all FB-eligiblle flights qualify for Ultimate : only the AF/KL/A5-coded flights. Amex XPs do not count.

Mike_Paris

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2008

Programs: Flying Blue Ultimate

Posts: 145

That's very helpful. Thank you!

The flights are not an issue I think but some of my XP come from the Amex Platinum (I think it's 60).

So I guess I let things just unfold as they go and see where it lands me next year.

Is there a thread here that summarizes the benefits of Platinum Ultimate vs. Platinum? It seems there is nothing on the FB Webpage on that. Just curious to see what the incremental benefits actually are.

Thanks again,

Michael

Zarmakuizz

Join Date: May 2017

Location: LYS

Programs: FB Plat

Posts: 440

There is a dedicated thread, where benefits are discovered by first-hand experience: Flying Blue Platinum Ultimate Status

TL;DR: The Ultimate Program is still in beta phase.
Some airports will let you skip all the lines
​​​​​​Now 2 free upgrade vouchers
Other inconsistent or minor perks
Nothing to expect from KL and the AMS hub.

MumbaiDan

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Up in the air

Programs: LH HON, BA LT Gold, AFKL ULTI, WOH Lifetime Globalist, Bonvoy Ambassador

Posts: 425

Goldorak

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: Paris, France

Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond

Posts: 23,329

napapiiri

Join Date: Feb 2017

Location: Stratosphere

Programs: AY Lumo, AF Platinum

Posts: 254

It would certainly get me to consider taking more AF flights if this were to be allowed.

caliform

Join Date: Sep 2016

Location: San Francisco, CA

Programs: Flying Blue Platinum Lifer, Delta Platinum Medallion, JetBlue Mosaic, Hyatt Globalist, Sixt Diamond

Posts: 2,298

Apart from all of Air France's management perhaps

johan rebel

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2000

Posts: 14,352

And what about all the non-revs, friends, family, relatives and neighbors of the crew, etc?

Johan

van Trooijen

Join Date: Dec 2022

Programs: Cathay, KLM, Copa Airlines

Posts: 1

I have been platinum at KLM (and Northwest when I lived in Asia) for about 20 years. I am also Diamond at Cathay Pacific so I have some top tier customer experience.

Being diamond at Cathay Pacific is a class apart, and the membership threshold is very high. Then again you get First class check in, a separate first class boarding queue (usually only 5-10 people qualify on a 777 or 787 flight), access to first class lounge, and personalised attention from
the purser/inflight manager. All of this is valid irrespective of which class you happen to trave on that flight. Even with a discount economy ticket you have this privilege.

that’s where the snag is. KLM’s frequent flyer membership thresholds are so low that half the plane has Sky priority 1, there is no first class boarding, no lounge, no 1st class queue, so the ability to differentiate is negligible. Only Air France first class could be the differentiator, but then KLM never sees the benefit.I struggle to see how this can take off.