My On-Board Experiences after Becoming KLM Flying Blue Platinum For Life

This year I hit a milestone I’d been eyeing for a while: Flying Blue Platinum for Life. After eight years as regular Platinum, the stars (and some Flying Blue rule changes) finally aligned, and I crossed the line into the forever club.

It wasn’t dramatic at all. One day my app just quietly switched to “Platinum for Life.” A few days later a welcome box landed at my door with new luggage tags and a frequent flyer card that looked very similar to the ones I’d been replacing every year. On my very first flight after qualifying, the senior purser actually knew about it and congratulated me mid-air. Small touch, but it made the whole thing feel real.

So, what’s changed? Honestly, not that much on paper. But in practice, yes, I notice it. The cabin crew treat me a little differently now, no matter where I’m sitting. Economy, Premium Economy, or Business—it doesn’t matter. More often than not the senior purser stops by to ask if I need anything special. When meals are being served, I usually get asked for my choice before they even start the service round. And yes, sometimes they’ll sneak me a business class wine or champagne even if I’m back in Premium or even Economy. Once I even got handed a Delft Blue house in a discreet paper bag—while sitting in Premium Economy.

Another thing I’ve come to really appreciate are the handwritten cards. I got them before, but I feel like I am getting them more often now. Sometimes they’re waiting on my seat, sometimes handed over mid-flight, always thoughtful. They make those endless hours in the sky feel a bit more personal.

What hasn’t changed? Upgrades. I don’t think there’s much incentive for KLM or Air France to suddenly start giving me more of those. Fair enough.

I also haven’t tried out Delta yet since reaching this milestone, so who knows if things are slightly different across the pond. After this Flying Blue qualification for Life, I’ve started playing a parallel game with American Airlines to build lifetime status there too. One million miles for Gold, two million for Platinum—so that’s going to take some time.

One big perk you don’t get in the air: the annual Platinum for Life celebration. This year KLM hosted it at the Theaterhangaar in Katwijk. Because of a one-time rule change where excess XP was converted into qualifying years, a record crowd showed up—about 1,800 people reached the status this year (and yes, mostly men). All in all, it was a good night. Food was nice, the speeches were solid, Marjan Rintel talked openly about the company’s challenges and future, and there was even a keynote about the future of mobility. The show inspired by Soldaat van Oranje was genuinely great. But, if I’m honest, the event itself felt a notch below what you’d expect for a group of people used to the KLM/Air France business class treatment. The real highlight? Every guest walked out with a brand new KLM house: Paleis op de Dam.

In short: Platinum for Life hasn’t flipped my travel world upside down. But it has made the little moments sweeter—the personal greetings, the occasional sneaky champagne, the Delft house in a paper bag. It’s a nice reminder that all those hours in the sky have actually led somewhere.