KLM backtracks, restores US routes due to easier entry rules
Thanks to a big policy change earlier this week, KLM is going to move forward with plans to grow its U.S. network after all.
On Friday, the Dutch flag carrier announced that it would indeed resume flying to Las Vegas (LAS) and Miami (MIA) beginning on Dec. 7, just three weeks after scrapping those plans due to tightened European entry and quarantine rules for travelers.
KLM cites the "recent easing of travel restrictions" as the reason for moving forward with its plans to serve Las Vegas and Miami once again.
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Just this week, the U.S. government announced that vaccinated travelers from the EU and U.K. would be welcome to the country beginning in November, following a nearly 20-month-long ban that first started at the outset of the pandemic.
Additionally, the Dutch government also decided to withdraw the previously announced quarantine requirement for vaccinated travelers from the U.S.
While KLM is moving forward with flights from Amsterdam (AMS) to LAS and MIA, it's postponing the start date. They were originally scheduled to commence on Oct. 31, but that's now been pushed to Dec. 7 — just in time for the peak winter holiday period. Additionally, the carrier was planning to add Orlando as a new route-map pin, served in a triangle route along with Miami.
KLM's latest press release doesn't mention Orlando, and the airline hasn't responded to our inquiry about whether those plans have been scrapped. We'll update this post when we hear back.
In the first week of September, KLM issued a strongly worded statement about its network pull-down, citing the Dutch government's strict entry policy as the reason for the move.
“The decision by the Dutch government is a big step backwards,” KLM’s press release read. "Health and fighting COVID-19 are paramount but the measures taken must be effective and proportionate. It looks like other EU member states, such as Italy, France and Belgium are not putting a triple lock on the door for travelers from the US,” the release said.
Now that both the U.S. and the Netherlands are easing entry restrictions, KLM predicts that there'll be enough demand to warrant resuming these flights. And experts agree.
According to data from the travel site Skyscanner, visitors to the site’s U.S. platforms were 20% higher the day the U.S. government announced the end to the European entry ban, compared to the previous week.
“With the option for transatlantic travel now open, we expect a large portion of these searches to convert to bookings very quickly, as friends and families make plans to be reunited and vacationers head to their favorite spots,” said Martin Nolan, traveler rights expert at Skyscanner, in a statement.
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Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees