We just got back from Greece. But we didn’t fly straight home.
On our way from Santorini to the United States, we spent a full day and night in Paris — with Maddox and my mother-in-law — before catching our connecting flight home. And it cost us exactly the same number of miles as flying directly back to the U.S. would have.
One phone call. No extra miles. A free night in Paris.
Here’s exactly how we did it.
What Flying Blue’s stopover rule actually is
Flying Blue is the loyalty program of Air France and KLM. When you book a regular award ticket that connects through Paris (CDG) or Amsterdam (AMS) — the two hub cities — you’re allowed to turn that connection into a full stopover: a planned stay of at least 24 hours, and up to 365 days, in the hub city.
The critical detail: Flying Blue prices award tickets per direction. When you book a one-way award, you may add a stop in a hub city without paying extra miles. The stopover must last at least 24 hours and at most one year.
In practice, this means that a routing like:
Greece → Paris → USA
costs the same miles as:
Greece → USA (direct)
You’re just spending time in Paris in between — without spending a single extra mile to do so.
How our specific booking worked
Finding the right award rates
The key to making the stopover work is finding saver-level award availability on every segment of the itinerary — not just one leg. We searched Flying Blue’s website for our final destination (the U.S.) with a Paris connection, and looked at award pricing for two days back to back on the Paris → USA segment.
Here’s the important thing we discovered: we found the same award rates available on consecutive days. That meant we could book:
- Segment 1: Greece → Paris (arriving Day 1)
- Stopover: Day 1 night + all of Day 2 in Paris
- Segment 2: Paris → USA (departing Day 2)
At exactly the same miles-per-segment as if we’d taken the connection in a couple of hours. The stopover cost us nothing in points because the award price on both days was identical.
The phone call
You cannot book a Flying Blue stopover online. You have to call Flying Blue customer service. Tell the agent you want to book a flight to your final destination with a stopover in Paris. Tell them your dates and flight numbers.
We did our homework online first — searched for award availability, noted our exact flights, dates, and the award price — and then called with everything ready. According to TPG’s senior credit cards editor, booking a free stopover in Paris with a Flying Blue agent only took 11 minutes and was described as “easy.” Our experience was similar.
The agent will usually wait for you to transfer your points while on the call. Most Flying Blue transfers are instant. If you want to wait, or need to check with your travel companion first, the agent will hold the award space for 72 hours from the time you call.
The taxes and fees
Taxes were slightly higher than a standard connection — about $50 extra per ticket. That’s the only additional cash cost for adding Paris to your itinerary. For a family, that’s a small price for a free day in one of the most visited cities in the world.
One thing to know about how it shows up in the booking system
The stopover shows up as an “admitting city” trip in Flying Blue’s system — which has a practical implication most blogs don’t mention:
You have to collect your luggage and check in separately for each flight. It’s not a through-check. When you land in Paris, you go through immigration, collect your bags, exit the airport, have your Paris day, and then return to the airport the next day and check in fresh for your onward flight.
This is worth knowing before you arrive — especially with kids, since it means an extra bag collection and check-in process. For us it was no problem, but it would catch someone off guard if they weren’t expecting it.
The hotel: Hyatt Place Paris CDG Airport
Since we needed to stay near the airport — we had an early departing flight the next morning — we booked the Hyatt Place Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on points.
Rate: 9,500 World of Hyatt points per night
We were a party of four (Tony, me, Maddox, and my mother-in-law), so we needed two rooms. At 9,500 points per room, we used 19,000 total Hyatt points for both rooms for one night.
For context, the cash rate for two rooms at a hotel near CDG airport in July runs well over $400. We paid 19,000 Hyatt points — transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards — and nothing else.
The Hyatt Place CDG is exactly what you want for an airport stopover with family: straightforward, comfortable, on-site restaurant, and a short shuttle ride to the terminal. Not a luxury property, but exactly right for this kind of layover-turned-stopover situation.
The full cost breakdown of our Paris stopover
| Item | Points used | Cash paid |
|---|---|---|
| Greece → Paris flights | Same miles as Greece → USA routing | ~$50 extra in taxes per ticket |
| Paris → USA flights | Included in same award booking | Included in taxes above |
| Hyatt Place CDG (2 rooms, 1 night) | 19,000 Hyatt points | $0 |
| Paris day and night, total | 19,000 Hyatt points | ~$50 extra in taxes/ticket |
We added a full Paris stopover — including hotel for 4 people in 2 rooms — for 19,000 Hyatt points and about $50 in extra taxes per ticket. That’s it.
How to book this yourself: step by step
Step 1: Search flyingblue.com for your final destination Look for flights that connect through Paris (CDG) or Amsterdam (AMS). You want saver award availability on all segments. If you’re hoping to add a stopover, check pricing on consecutive days for the connecting segment — if the same rate is available, your miles cost stays the same.
Step 2: Note everything before you call Write down your exact flight numbers, dates, and the award pricing you found. Don’t rely on the agent to search from scratch — come prepared. The call goes much faster with your itinerary ready.
Step 3: Call Flying Blue at 1-800-375-8723 Tell the agent you want to book a stopover — not just a connection — in Paris (or Amsterdam) on your way to your final destination. Give them your flights and dates.
Step 4: Confirm the miles cost The agent will price out the itinerary with your stopover. Verify that the miles cost matches what you found online for the standard award routing. It should — but always confirm.
Step 5: Transfer your points Most Flying Blue transfers (from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Bilt, or Citi) post instantly. The agent will wait while you transfer, or hold the space for 72 hours if you need time.
Step 6: Book your hotel near the hub If you’re stopping in Paris, search for Hyatt properties near CDG or in central Paris depending on how much time you have. The Hyatt Place CDG is ideal for shorter stopovers where you want to be close to the airport. If you have 2-3+ days, central Paris properties are worth considering.
Important things to know before you book
Regular awards only — not Promo Rewards Although Promo Rewards themselves do not allow stopovers, you can combine smartly: book the outbound as a Promo Reward and the return as a regular award ticket with a free stopover. This way you benefit from both advantages.
You must go through immigration and collect luggage The stopover shows up as an admitting city trip, meaning you exit the airport, clear customs, collect your bags, and check in fresh for your onward flight the next day. Plan accordingly — especially with young kids or elderly travelers.
Taxes and fees are slightly higher Expect roughly $50 extra per ticket compared to a straight connection. Still a small price for an extra city.
Phone call required — every time There is no online booking option for stopovers. <cite index=”8-1″>You need to call Flying Blue at 800-375-8723 to inform the agent that you’d like to book a stopover.</cite>
Award space must exist on all segments The stopover only works if saver award space is available on both your arrival flight into the hub and your departure flight out. This is why checking pricing on consecutive days matters — you want the same award rate available the day after you arrive.
Where to earn Flying Blue miles
Flying Blue transfers from every major flexible currency at 1:1:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Amex Membership Rewards
- Capital One Miles
- Bilt Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Points
No Air France or KLM co-branded card required. If you hold any of the cards on our Current Best Offers page →, you likely already have miles that can transfer to Flying Blue when you’re ready to book.
The bottom line
A free stopover in Paris is one of the most underrated benefits in the entire points game — and Flying Blue is the easiest program to use it with, since it transfers from virtually every major points currency.
We added a full day and night in Paris, in two Hyatt rooms for a family of four, on our way home from Greece. Maddox got to see the Eiffel Tower. My mother-in-law got a Paris night she wasn’t expecting. We paid 19,000 Hyatt points and $50 in extra taxes per ticket.
That’s what “more trips” actually looks like. Not a separate Paris vacation — just a phone call that turned a connection into a memory.
Ready to book? Start with our transfer guide → to see how to move your Chase, Amex, or Capital One points to Flying Blue, and check our Current Best Offers page → for the best cards to earn transferable points right now.
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