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KLM picks Austin for new Amsterdam route
Ben Mutzabaugh
Managing editor
Ben Mutzabaugh is one of the nation's longest-tenured journalists covering aviation, having started with USA Today's groundbreaking "Today in the Sky" blog in 2002. From the inaugural flight on Virgin America to the final flight on US Airways, Ben has been at the forefront of aviation news in the U.S. for two decades.
Sept. 24, 2019
•
3 min read
KLM picks Austin for new Amsterdam route
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Austin has landed another high-profile international route, this time to Amsterdam on Dutch carrier KLM.
The service will begin May 4, with KLM operating three flights a week on 292-seat Airbus A330-300 wide-body jets. The planes have 30 business-class seats arranged in a 2x2x2 configuration. The 262 seats in economy are in a 2x4x2 layout and include 40 extra-legroom "Economy Comfort" seats. Flights will operate Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
For KLM, Austin will become its 19th North Atlantic route and its 13th to the United States.
In announcing the new Texas route, KLM touted its expanding presence across the Atlantic that's happening in conjunction with its joint-business partners.
"We have built up a robust transatlantic network thanks to our joint ventures with Air France and Delta Air Lines. We will continue to optimize this network," KLM CEO Pieter Elbers said in a statement. "As part of this we launched services to Boston and Las Vegas in the summer and are now adding Austin to our North American destinations."
Related: KLM ditches one of its European flights in favor of trains
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KLM's other U.S. destinations are: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York JFK, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Washington Dulles.
To fit Austin into the lineup at its Amsterdam hub, however, the carrier said "changes will be made to the long-haul KLM network to free up slots at Schiphol." KLM did not specify what changes might be in store.
"KLM is faced with slot restrictions at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, so we continuously optimize our portfolio of destinations," the carrier added in a statement to TPG, though it did not offer further details.
For Austin, KLM becomes the newest addition to its own trans-Atlantic route map.
British Airways became the first carrier add regularly scheduled flights between Austin and Europe in 2014, when it launched service to London Heathrow. Now, the addition of Amsterdam gives Austin's fast-growing airport its fourth nonstop route to Europe. Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt while Norwegian Air offers seasonal service to London Gatwick.
Related: TPG Sneak Peek: Austin's New Delta Sky Club Lounge
In a statement, Austin–Bergstrom International Airport noted "KLM's announcement follows Delta's naming Austin a focus city and opening a SkyClub at AUS earlier this year. KLM and Delta are both members of the SkyTeam Alliance."
"KLM's flights contribute to Austin-Bergstrom's goal of connecting Austin to the world, and the world to Austin," Austin airport director Jacqueline Yaft added. "Our recent 9-gate expansion gives AUS six new international-capable gates, and we look forward to growing those capabilities even more in the future as the airport itself expands."
Related: Exciting New Airline Routes for August 2019 and Beyond
Featured image by LightRocket via Getty Images
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Rewards Rate
| 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. |
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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.Pros
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- 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.
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- $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.
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- $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.