Flying to the Dutch Caribbean in business class this winter should get a little easier. KLM says that from October 25 it will fly Boeing 777 and Boeing 787-10 aircraft on its routes from Amsterdam to Aruba and Bonaire, in place of the Airbus A330 it used before.
The point of the swap is the front of the plane. In KLM's announcement on October 23, the airline says the A330 had about 30 seats in World Business Class. The 777 and 787-10 carry about 35, plus about 24 seats in Premium Comfort, KLM's premium economy cabin. KLM says the number of seats in the rest of the plane stays about the same.
What changes for travelers
For anyone trying to book a lie-flat seat to Aruba or Bonaire, roughly five more business seats per flight is a modest but welcome change. These are leisure routes where demand peaks at Christmas and spring break, so a few extra seats can make a real difference at those times.
KLM also says the bigger jets add Premium Comfort capacity. With about 24 premium economy seats per flight, travelers get a stronger middle option between economy and a full business fare. On a long daytime flight across the Atlantic, the wider seat and extra legroom can be worth paying for.
KLM did not say which flights will use the 777 and which will use the 787-10, and the two aircraft have different business class seats. If you care about the exact seat, check the aircraft type on your booking and look at the seat map before you choose.
Why KLM is doing it
KLM ties the move to demand. Frédérique Pelger, the airline's vice president for the Benelux, Dutch Caribbean and Suriname, says passengers are "increasingly opting for extra comfort and personalized service." Larger premium cabins on these routes are KLM's answer.
The timing also lines up with an anniversary. KLM says it has flown to Aruba and Bonaire since 1934, and that it ran its first official passenger flight to Bonaire on May 31, 1936.
More flights to Curaçao
KLM is also adding flights to Curaçao this winter. The airline says it will offer nine flights a week as a baseline. That rises to ten a week in January and February, eleven during spring break and twelve over the Christmas holidays.
KLM did not say whether the Curaçao flights will also switch to larger aircraft.
Lounges before you fly
Most travelers heading to the islands will start in Amsterdam. Flights to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao leave from Schiphol's non-Schengen area, where KLM's main long-haul lounge is the KLM Crown Lounge 52. It is one of the larger lounges in our directory, with a full bar and 20 showers. The KLM Crown Lounge 25 serves the Schengen side, which matters if you are connecting from a European city.
World Business Class tickets normally include lounge access, as does SkyTeam Elite Plus status. Premium Comfort fares generally do not, so plan to wait at the gate or use a paid option unless you have status. Some of KLM's lowest business fares and awards also limit lounge access, as we explained in our story on Flying Blue business light awards.
If you earn miles with KLM, you can see tier details on our Flying Blue page. For the airline's fleet and hubs, see our KLM page, and for the full list of lounges at its hub, see our Amsterdam Schiphol guide.
