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
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.