KLM Royal Dutch Airlines logo

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

ICAO: KLM IATA: KL Active as of Feb 1, 2026

Airline Statistics

313

Active Routes

9297

Flight Observations

155

Unique Destinations

164

Origin Airports

2007

Avg Route Distance (mi)

7462

Longest Route (mi)

0

Domestic Routes

100

International Routes

About KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, often simply referred to as KLM, is the flag carrier of the Netherlands and holds the distinction of being the oldest operating airline still using its original name, founded on October 7, 1919, by Albert Plesman. Its inaugural flight took place on May 17, 1920, connecting London and Amsterdam. KLM's headquarters are located in Amstelveen, and its primary operational hub is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). The airline also leverages secondary hubs such as Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport through its partnerships.

The airline operates an extensive route network, offering scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 145 to 165 destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, Central and South America, and the Middle East. KLM's fleet, as of early 2025, comprises around 189 aircraft, including wide-body, narrow-body, and regional jets. The long-haul fleet primarily consists of Airbus A330, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, while the narrow-body fleet is transitioning from Boeing 737 Next Generation to Airbus A320neo family aircraft. Its regional flights are operated by the subsidiary KLM Cityhopper, utilizing Embraer E175, E190, and E195-E2 jets. In September 2023, the Air France-KLM group announced an order for 50 Airbus A350 aircraft to modernize its long-haul fleet.

KLM is a proud and founding member of the SkyTeam Alliance, which it joined on September 13, 2004. This alliance membership allows KLM to offer an expanded network and improved services through shared lounges and reward programs. For passengers, KLM offers distinct cabin classes: World Business Class features fully lie-flat seats for long-haul flights; Premium Comfort Class provides an enhanced experience with more spacious seating in a dedicated cabin; Economy Comfort offers extra legroom within the Economy cabin; and Economy Class provides standard seating. The airline also provides in-flight entertainment, a variety of meal options, and a frequent-flyer program known as Flying Blue.

Traveler Reviews

Recent traveler reviews for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines present a mixed picture, with strong praise for onboard experience often contrasted with significant frustrations regarding customer service during disruptions.

What Travelers Love:

  • Food Service: Many travelers frequently commend the quality of KLM's in-flight meals, particularly on long-haul flights, describing the food as hot, flavorful, and served with a good selection of beverages, including wine.
  • In-flight Service/Cabin Crew: The cabin crew often receives high marks for being professional, attentive, delightful, patient, and kind. Travelers appreciate their genuine willingness to assist passengers.
  • Punctuality (in individual experiences): While overall reliability can be inconsistent, several personal reviews highlight positive experiences with timely departures and arrivals.

Common Complaints:

  • Customer Service during Disruptions: A recurring and prominent complaint involves KLM's customer service, which many describe as unresponsive, unhelpful, and difficult to reach, particularly when dealing with flight cancellations or delays. Passengers often report difficulties in obtaining compensation.
  • Lost/Delayed Luggage: Numerous recent reviews indicate issues with lost or significantly delayed baggage, coupled with unsatisfactory resolution processes.
  • Seating Comfort/Dated Interiors: Some passengers have expressed dissatisfaction with economy seating, describing seats as "tiny" or uncomfortable, especially on older aircraft that may have dated interiors. Lack of sufficient air conditioning and infrequent bathroom servicing have also been mentioned.
  • Flight Delays/Cancellations: Travelers frequently report experiencing last-minute flight cancellations and significant delays, leading to missed connections and extended travel times.

Overall sentiment suggests that while KLM often delivers a pleasant experience once onboard, particularly concerning catering and cabin crew, the airline's ground services and customer support—especially during irregular operations—are a significant area of concern for many travelers.

Safety Information

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines maintains a robust safety record in modern aviation, particularly in recent decades. The airline has had no fatalities since the tragic Tenerife airport disaster in 1977, which, involving a collision between two Boeing 747s, remains the deadliest accident in aviation history. Aside from this historical event, KLM's safety profile in recent years is considered excellent. While minor operational incidents, such as a passenger's power bank overheating, an engine shut down in flight, a flat tire, or an electrical failure, have been reported in 2025, these were non-fatal.

As a major European flag carrier and part of the Air France-KLM group, KLM is expected to adhere to stringent international aviation safety standards and regulatory compliance, although specific mentions of IOSA or FAA compliance were not found in the search results. The airline's long-standing commitment to safety is underscored by its establishment of its own maintenance department in 1921, which grew into one of the world's largest companies for aircraft, engine, and component maintenance.

KLM operates a diverse fleet, incorporating modern aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with new Airbus A320neo family and A350 aircraft on order to replace older models. While some older Boeing 777-200s (dating back to 2003) and Boeing 737s (dating back to 2001) are still in service, the airline is actively engaged in fleet renewal. Based on available data, KLM is widely assessed as a very safe airline globally. This assessment is reinforced by recent industry recognitions, including being awarded the APEX World Class Award for safety and sustainability for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024). KLM also received the APEX Diamond Award for Health Safety in 2021, recognizing its efforts in upholding the highest health and safety standards.

Compiled by AirportRoutes.com • Updated 2 months ago

Route Network Map

Click on any airport to see its routes

Most Popular Routes

BLL → AMS
Billund Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
297 miles
303 flights
E295
MAN → AMS
Manchester Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
303 miles
202 flights
B738
BHX → AMS
Birmingham Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
275 miles
188 flights
B738
EDI → AMS
Edinburgh Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
415 miles
168 flights
A21N
166 flights
E190
FLR → AMS
Florence Airport, Peretola → Amsterdam Schiphol
658 miles
164 flights
E295
164 flights
E75L
GOA → AMS
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
577 miles
162 flights
E75L
SVG → AMS
Stavanger Airport, Sola → Amsterdam Schiphol
456 miles
151 flights
E295
HAM → AMS
Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
236 miles
151 flights
E295

Top Destinations

AMS (EHAM)
Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
7941 flights
148 routes
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Paris
61 flights
1 route
BRU (EBBR)
Brussels
Brussels
49 flights
1 route
DUS (EDDL)
Dusseldorf Int'l
Dusseldorf
49 flights
1 route
OSL (ENGM)
Oslo, Gardermoen
Oslo
47 flights
1 route
HKG (VHHH)
Hong Kong Int'l
Hong Kong
47 flights
2 routes
ARN (ESSA)
Stockholm-Arlanda
Stockholm
40 flights
1 route
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin Int'l
Geneva
39 flights
1 route
HAM (EDDH)
Hamburg
Hamburg
39 flights
1 route
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe Int'l
Entebbe (near Kampala)
38 flights
1 route

Top Origin Airports

AMS (EHAM)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Amsterdam
1097 flights
139 routes
BLL (EKBI)
Billund Airport
Billund
303 flights
1 route
MAN (EGCC)
Manchester Airport
Manchester, Greater Manchester
202 flights
1 route
BHX (EGBB)
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham, West Midlands
188 flights
1 route
EDI (EGPH)
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh
168 flights
1 route
KRK (EPKK)
Kraków John Paul II International Airport
Balice
166 flights
1 route
FLR (LIRQ)
Florence Airport, Peretola
Firenze (FI)
165 flights
2 routes
LUX (ELLX)
Luxembourg-Findel International Airport
Luxembourg
164 flights
1 route
GOA (LIMJ)
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
Genova (GE)
162 flights
1 route
HAM (EDDH)
Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport
Hamburg
151 flights
1 route

Top Border Crossing Flights

AMS (EHAM)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Amsterdam, NL
7941 flights
148 routes
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris, FR
61 flights
1 route
BRU (EBBR)
Brussels Airport
Brussels, BE
49 flights
1 route
DUS (EDDL)
Düsseldorf Airport
Dusseldorf, DE
49 flights
1 route
OSL (ENGM)
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo, NO
47 flights
1 route
HKG (VHHH)
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong, HK
47 flights
2 routes
ARN (ESSA)
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
Stockholm, SE
40 flights
1 route
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva, CH
39 flights
1 route

Longest Routes

NRT → AMS
Narita International Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
7462 mi
AMS → EZE
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol → Ministro Pistarini Int'l
7130 mi
LIM → AMS
Jorge Chávez International Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
6787 mi
AMS → NRT
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol → Narita Int'l
6750 mi
AMS → LIM
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol → Jorge Chávez Int'l
6544 mi

Shortest Routes

RTM → AMS
Rotterdam The Hague Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
28 mi
FLR → PSA
Florence Airport, Peretola → Galileo Galilei (Pisa Int'l)
42 mi
ZNZ → DAR
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport → Dar es Salaam
45 mi
BRU → AMS
Brussels Airport → Amsterdam Schiphol
98 mi
AMS → BRU
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol → Brussels
98 mi

All Routes

313 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
BLL → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
303 297 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
MAN → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
202 303 mi B738 Jan 31, 2026
BHX → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
188 275 mi B738 Jan 31, 2026
EDI → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
168 415 mi A21N Jan 31, 2026
KRK → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
166 668 mi E190 Jan 31, 2026
FLR → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
164 658 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
LUX → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
164 196 mi E75L Jan 31, 2026
GOA → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
162 577 mi E75L Feb 1, 2026
SVG → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
151 456 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
HAM → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
151 236 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
LCY → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
150 208 mi E190 Jan 30, 2026
NWI → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
150 149 mi E75L Jan 30, 2026
ORK → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
147 564 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
CWL → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
143 352 mi E75L Feb 1, 2026
LBA → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
137 288 mi E75L Jan 31, 2026
OPO → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
125 992 mi E295 Feb 1, 2026
NCE → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
123 609 mi E295 Jan 31, 2026
ABZ → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
121 437 mi B737 Feb 1, 2026
BRU → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
120 98 mi E190 Jan 31, 2026
DUB → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
119 467 mi B738 Jan 30, 2026
PRG → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
118 439 mi B738 Jan 31, 2026
POZ → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
114 509 mi E75L Jan 21, 2026
GVA → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
112 424 mi E295 Jan 29, 2026
VCE → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
111 583 mi B738 Jan 31, 2026
OSL → AMS Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam
110 597 mi A21N Jan 31, 2026
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Feb 1, 2026 04:01
Coverage: Observed routes only