KLM finishes premium economy installation on all Boeing 777s and 787s
Two and a half years after it first announced plans to add premium economy, KLM has finished installing the new cabins on a large portion of its long-haul fleet, the Dutch carrier said this week.
Specifically, KLM has completed retrofits on all of its Boeing 777s and 787 Dreamliners, the airline said Thursday. The milestone marks the end of what the airline has dubbed its biggest product change in years.
Already a popular option for travelers
If you’ve flown on one of KLM’s big blue wide-body planes in the last year or two, it’s quite possible you’ve already flown in the Premium Comfort cabin.
Read more: Is KLM premium economy worth it on the 787 Dreamliner?
It was back in May 2022 that the carrier first announced plans to add the intermediate offering between its economy- and World Business-class cabins, following the lead of many other major airlines around the globe.
KLM started its premium economy retrofits on its younger Dreamliner fleet, and had each of those aircraft fitted with the new cabin a year and a half ago.
Then the airline moved on to its Boeing 777 fleet, installing the Premium Comfort seats and upgrading its World Business pods with sliding privacy panels and universal direct aisle access — its own effort to bring its highest-end cabin more closely in line with other global competitors that have added “suite” concepts.
In all, KLM’s maintenance teams completed retrofits on 54 wide-body aircraft, ensuring passengers will have the new mid-tier cabin as an option on all long-haul 777 and 787 flights to and from its Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) home base.
"Over the past two years, colleagues have worked very hard to make the addition of this new class possible. Passengers now have an extra option when booking a ticket, in addition to World Business Class and Economy Class,” KLM chief experience officer Barry ter Voert said in a statement this week.
A330s still don't have premium economy
We should point out that KLM did not retrofit its entire long-haul fleet. The carrier's Airbus A330s still sport a two-cabin (business and economy) configuration, including an older 2x2x2 layout that does not include direct-aisle access for window seats. That elder wide-body aircraft still flies to a broad range of destinations all over the world, including several cities in North America.
Here's where the A330 is flying as of this month, as shown by the below map from Cirium:
Is premium economy worth it?
Generally speaking, major global carriers’ premium economy cabins tend to be a fairly similar experience to domestic first class, with spacious recliners that are far more comfortable than economy — and an improved “soft product” over coach, often with amenity kits and meals.
But the service and seats fall short of a full-scale international business-class experience, which typically includes a lie-flat bed.
As you might expect, the cash price and award pricing tends to fall somewhere in the middle, too — more than coach, but less than business class.
TPG’s Matt Moffitt recently flew KLM’s Premium Comfort cabin between Amsterdam and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in South Africa aboard the 777-300ER.
He reported the seats to be “very comfortable,” with 60% more recline than economy, comfortable seat cushions and larger seatback screens — not to mention an impressive salmon poke bowl for dinner.
A great redemption option
KLM is a key airline to keep in mind as you consider your next flight redemption. Its Flying Blue loyalty program — a joint program with KLM’s sister airline, Air France — is a popular option for redeeming points.
Most of the major credit card reward programs in the U.S. offer 1:1 transfers to Flying Blue, including:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Capital One miles
- Citi ThankYou Rewards
- Bilt Rewards
Plus, with some programs, you can occasionally score transfer bonuses to Flying Blue, allowing you to increase your total sum of miles.
Related reading:
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG’s monthly valuation
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.