I probably care more about this than the average person, given that this is my home airport, but I still think this is an interesting topic to discuss…
In this post:
KLM’s Miami flight will operate year-round as of 2026
Historically, KLM has operated its route between Amsterdam (AMS) and Miami (MIA) as a winter seasonal service. Miami is one of those rare transatlantic markets where there’s more capacity from some airlines in winter than in summer. As you’d expect, in summer, demand is stronger ex-Miami, while in winter, demand is stronger ex-Europe, given Florida’s nice weather.
So there’s a positive update on that front. KLM has updated its schedule to reflect that the Miami service will be operating year-round going forward, so KLM will operate this route in the summer of 2026. Specifically, the flight will operate with the following schedule:
KL627 Amsterdam to Miami departing 11:15AM arriving 2:55PM
KL628 Miami to Amsterdam departing 4:55PM arriving 7:50AM (+1 day)
The 4,633-mile flight is blocked at 9hr40min westbound and 8hr55min eastbound. The route will operate 4x weekly, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. As before, KLM will continue to use an Airbus A330-300 for the route, featuring 292 seats, including 30 business class seats (in a 2-2-2 configuration) and 262 economy seats (in a 2-4-2 configuration).
I’ve always found this to be a funny route quirk
The people working in network planning at airlines are really smart. They go off data to decide which routes to operate. As someone living in Miami, I’ve always found it curious that KLM doesn’t fly to Miami year-round, and that even when it does fly to Miami, it uses its A330s. I’m sure there’s good reason for that, though on the surface, it’s a bit surprising.
Keep in mind that Air France and KLM are part of the same company, and Miami is a destination where Air France has up to two daily flights, and it’s also a destination to which Air France offers its La Premiere first class product. For Air France, Miami is obviously an important and lucrative destination.
What explains the disconnect in demand between Paris and Amsterdam? The way I view it:
- Admittedly Paris is a much bigger destination airport for US-originating travelers, especially those coming from Miami (people here like to go shopping in Paris!)
- Amsterdam is heavily slot constrained, and the government has been trying to reduce the number of flights there, as part of an overall push for environmentalism
I suppose the logic has been that if you take the origin and destination travelers between Miami and Amsterdam out of the equation, Air France can cover connecting traffic just as well (if not better) for virtually all other city pairs.
However, even when the service has been operated, it has been with the A330, which offers KLM’s least impressive long haul business class hard product, since there’s not direct aisle access from every seat. There aren’t many destinations in the US to which KLM flies its A330s, so I find that to be quite noteworthy.
So yeah, I’m sure there’s a great reason for it, but I just find it a bit surprising that Miami has been prioritized so low for KLM, while it has been prioritized so high for Air France. As an Air France-KLM Flying Blue Platinum member, I’m happy to see more flight options on the airline group out of Miami, since more options are always a good thing.
Bottom line
KLM’s flight between Amsterdam and Miami will be operating year-round, which I’m happy to see. This has historically been a winter seasonal service, so we’ll now we’ll get another option across the Atlantic in the summer season. Just keep in mind the route is operated by the A330s, which don’t have direct aisle access in business class, and also don’t have premium economy.
What do you make of KLM expanding Miami flights to year-round?
KLM flew 747-400s AMS-MCO in the late 1990s and changed to -400 Combi on early 2000s which continued to MEX. That was year round but not daily. Definitely a leisure market with warm wx year round.
And no premium economy!
Confused why you find the A330 usage surprising. MIA is not a conventionally high-yielding, premium market. Europeans going to Miami in the winter are going there, exactly for the reason you described, the good weather. Therefore, it's a much more leisure oriented market for KLM.
If anything, I would say it's actually the opposite case where I'm surprised that MIA even has AF LP on this route. For example, BOS doesn't even have it, and...
Confused why you find the A330 usage surprising. MIA is not a conventionally high-yielding, premium market. Europeans going to Miami in the winter are going there, exactly for the reason you described, the good weather. Therefore, it's a much more leisure oriented market for KLM.
If anything, I would say it's actually the opposite case where I'm surprised that MIA even has AF LP on this route. For example, BOS doesn't even have it, and is wealthier overall and per capita.
But I don't imagine there are many ultra rich Europeans going on a holiday to Boston, so that would make LP much more challenging to sell.
That is absolutely incorrect. Miami is conventially high yielding. It is expensive and it attracts very high income tourism from Europe. That's why most airlines use their heavy premium configuration planes to Miami, and all the European airlines that offer First Class service - Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss - offer it on all their Miami flights.
It is also why Miami has non-stops to so many European airports - people pay...
That is absolutely incorrect. Miami is conventially high yielding. It is expensive and it attracts very high income tourism from Europe. That's why most airlines use their heavy premium configuration planes to Miami, and all the European airlines that offer First Class service - Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss - offer it on all their Miami flights.
It is also why Miami has non-stops to so many European airports - people pay a premium to fly non-stop from Helsinki or Warsaw or Stockholm.
That may be true, Simon, but KLM seems to be putting their least competitive premium cabins on the MIA runs. A six abreast business config is what I'd expect on a leisure carrier like Discover.
Most passengers on that flight will be connecting via AMS, I don't think they're able to command huge yields to MIA, particularly given that the Dutch have a preference for S. Africa and AUA/CUR/SXM as winter sun destinations for obvious reasons that don't apply to those living in Sweden or Poland.
Almost as bad as Lufthansa!
crappy product to fly to Europe. Hard no
And I thought it was only Lufthansa flying around with yesteryear's business class in 2-2-2 seating.
The Dutch are much more pragmatic people than those from Miami. No one is going to fly to Amsterdam for shopping. I also imagine that Miami is too expensive for a lot Dutch who could, but wouldn't pay those Miami hotel prices. So I imagine the appeal is less on both sides.
No one will fly to Amsterdam for cuisine let alone shopping. Premium customers will travel on Air France which also offers La Premiere.
Dulles also gets A330s which I find odd
While I was forced to wait for my Paris to Berlin flight I was so happy to find out that I can get 600 euros for having a 6 hour delay with air France
that amount is only if youre connecting from a longer flight, not just for flying Paris-Berlin. In the past year I've gotten 600 euros twice from AF/KLM and agree it's a great perk for flying with them versus a US carrier.
@JJ if I'm not mistaken the EU261 rule applies EU carriers and also to any carrier (including US ones) that fly to or from an EU destination.
@Mike C - EU261 applies to all airlines based in the EU, along with all airlines flying from the EU (but not to the EU). So, an an American flight on CDG-MIA qualifies, while MIA-CDG does not, while flights in both directions qualify for Air France. Also, @JJ was referring to how the amount varies based on the length of the delay and the length of the flight. The 600 EUR compensation amount is for...
@Mike C - EU261 applies to all airlines based in the EU, along with all airlines flying from the EU (but not to the EU). So, an an American flight on CDG-MIA qualifies, while MIA-CDG does not, while flights in both directions qualify for Air France. Also, @JJ was referring to how the amount varies based on the length of the delay and the length of the flight. The 600 EUR compensation amount is for delays involving long-haul flights, not exclusively short-haul flights.
I know we research airlines and planes (inflight experience, direct aisle access etc.) before booking a flight, but how many people are doing this actually? I know my relatives just go to travel agencies and book whatever without any idea what to expect.
Well, as you said, AF and KL are one company. Network decisions are made with the entire network in mind. It's not a matter of AF prioritising one route, and KL not caring. It's a matter of AFKL deciding what is the best way to serve a particular destination.
Unless there's a strong demand to AMS specifically, both AF and KL can do the same job regarding other destinations. There aren't that many people who...
Well, as you said, AF and KL are one company. Network decisions are made with the entire network in mind. It's not a matter of AF prioritising one route, and KL not caring. It's a matter of AFKL deciding what is the best way to serve a particular destination.
Unless there's a strong demand to AMS specifically, both AF and KL can do the same job regarding other destinations. There aren't that many people who are keen to fly on KLM ;) Most people either don't care, or prefer AF.