An incredible KLM business-class flight with a last-minute mileage deal

Flying KLM is all the time a deal with, and I get particularly excited on the prospect of choosing up one other KLM Delft home, which is a signature perk of flying long-haul enterprise class on the Dutch flag service.

I not too long ago had the chance to fly the airline’s Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner on a last-minute reserving utilizing miles. It turned out to be an important deal, particularly contemplating I acquired to take a brief KLM Cityhopper flight in European-style enterprise class, capped off with a go to to the KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).

This is how I booked the flight from Slovenia to Amsterdam after which on to New York Metropolis — and how one can e book it, too.

How I scored an important deal on a Flying Blue award

Over the summer time, a last-minute schedule change had me looking for a approach again residence to New York from Slovenia after I remembered the great thing about Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles.

Whereas I did not discover the bottom saver value of 60,000 Flying Blue miles one-way from Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) to New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) by way of Amsterdam, I did discover an award with a flight from Slovenia on KLM’s Cityhopper to Amsterdam after which on to New York aboard a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner for 84,000 Flying Blue miles plus $346.81 in taxes and costs (ouch).

I put the cost on the Air France-KLM World Elite Mastercard®, issued by Financial institution of America, which earns 3 Flying Blue miles per greenback spent on Air France-KLM purchases.

The data for the Air France-KLM World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

I most likely ought to have used The Platinum Card® from American Specific to earn 5 factors per greenback on purchases made straight with airways (on as much as $500,000 of those purchases per calendar 12 months).

Both approach, I might think about this an important redemption … particularly on the final minute, contemplating the money value was greater than $4,250.

Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day e-newsletter

Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants

By signing up, you’ll obtain newsletters and promotional content material and conform to our Phrases of Use and acknowledge the information practices in our Privateness Coverage. Chances are you’ll unsubscribe at any time.

Utilizing my Flying Blue card for the taxes and costs earned me 1,040 Flying Blue miles, value $13.52 in response to TPG’s September 2025 valuations.

One of many nice issues about utilizing Flying Blue miles is that even if you cannot discover the right deal from one of many two airways’ major hubs in Amsterdam or Paris, including a connecting metropolis can generally decrease the mileage value, as can being versatile in your dates. That may not be doable for everybody, however this is among the key methods I take advantage of.

Often, you will have higher luck with reducing the costs by including a second metropolis in Europe. This is a very good instance of that. I appeared for a last-minute flight from Paris to New York on Sept. 12. If I fly from Paris, the most affordable business-class redemption is round 92,000 miles, but when I begin in Bordeaux, I can discover the most affordable saver fare for simply 60,000 miles.

1 of 2

Mileage search on Air France. FLYING BLUE

In my case, I wanted to get from Slovenia, so I wasn’t in search of a direct flight from Amsterdam anyway, nevertheless it most likely helped decrease my mileage price, and I ended up with what I think about a very good deal.

Bear in mind that you would be able to switch factors from a number of financial institution companions to Flying Blue, together with:

So even for those who do not fly with Air France, KLM or their companions commonly, you may have loads of choices for topping up your account.

Associated: How one can discover the most affordable redemption charges utilizing Flying Blue miles

Flying European enterprise class on KLM Cityhopper

I flew from Ljubljana to Amsterdam on KLM Cityhopper, aboard an Embraer E195 with the ship quantity PH-NXG. I used to be in Seat 1C on the aisle. Enterprise class had simply two seats on either side of the aisle.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

For a fast flight of about an hour and 50 minutes, I used to be shocked to get a full meal, together with a predeparture bottle of contemporary juice, water and a boxed lunch. Drinks flowed all through the flight, too.

1 of 4

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

After a fast on-time flight, we arrived at a distant stand on the bustling Amsterdam airport from which we had been bused to the terminal.

One other enjoyable go to to the KLM Crown Lounge

I’m a giant fan of KLM’s flagship lounge, the Crown Lounge at Amsterdam. It is labeled as Airline Lounge 52, and you will find it within the non-Schengen space of the airport.

It is a large area with an higher and a decrease stage related to the terminal with an escalator and an elevator, nevertheless it’s usually crowded for a lot of the day. Nonetheless, there’s all the time a spot to plop down and loosen up.

The partitions on the entrance and on the higher ranges are lined with tons of of KLM’s well-known Delft homes, that are stuffed with Bols Dutch gin (genever) when given out in flight.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

This enjoyable multilevel playground gives a lot to do, see, eat and drink. There are even nap rooms and an outside terrace.

I additionally acquired to attempt to commerce one in every of my duplicate Delft homes on the trade bar (actually simply a few carts close to the customer support desks). As a result of mine was lacking its gin, they would not let me trade it. To commerce it in, you will want a sealed container that also has the gin.

1 of 3

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Regardless of getting rejected for a Delft home trade, I had an important go to and extremely advocate checking this lounge out subsequent time you might be passing by.

What it was like flying KLM enterprise class on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

I used to be on a 5-year-old 787-10 with the tail quantity PH-BKI.

Enterprise class on KLM’s 787-10s consists of 38 seats: 10 rows of single seats on the home windows and 9 rows of two seats every down the center in a reverse-herringbone 1-2-1 format. All seats have direct aisle entry.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

I selected Seat 3A alongside the left-side window.

Every seat is 21 inches huge and reclines to a 78-inch lie-flat mattress. Sadly, there aren’t any particular person air nozzles (that is additionally true of the airline’s 777-300ERs).

The 2 home windows at my seat had digital window shades that you might dim with the contact of a button.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

The 18-inch leisure display was stuffed with loads of content material, together with 28 new releases like “Mickey 17.” The Wi-Fi for the complete flight price about $26 and labored persistently, although not completely. There was additionally an interactive transferring map.

The tray desk was 18 by 14 inches, with loads of room for a laptop computer or a meal tray (however not each).

There have been simply two bathrooms for all of the business-class passengers, however they had been stored clear and there was by no means a lot of a wait. The synthetic tulips within the mounted vases had been a pleasant contact.

Facilities got here in reusable kits by the Dutch agency Envisions with skincare merchandise from Marie-Stella-Maris.

Passengers had been additionally supplied with a pillow and a light-weight quilt.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

The primary multicourse meal service kicked off with a scorching towel and a selection of drinks plus some nibbles like cheese and veggies, all served in bespoke tableware by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders.

The appetizer selections included scrumptious Thai pink curry soup and a beef tartlet topped by shrimp. For my major dish, I selected the oven-roasted hen fillet with Indian spices and Punjabi-style chickpeas in a masala sauce.

Dessert was a pear mousse in a candy caramel sauce. The meals was glorious and really filling.

Whereas the meal service was nice, it lasted till over two hours into the flight, which actually reduce brief the time you might relaxation or work on a transatlantic day flight.

About an hour earlier than descent, there was a prelanding meal served on one tray consisting of smoked salmon and trout roe pasta salad with a facet of cheese and roasted eggplant ravioli. Dessert was described as a forest fruit orange pastry. It was delicious.

Service was glorious all through the flight. My flight attendant, Howard, was persistently available to ask if I wanted something extra and to carry me a number of coffees within the airline’s fanciful Delftware mugs.

Previous to touchdown, flight attendants distributed darkish, milk and white goodies within the form of its darling Delft homes.

1 of 2

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

After which got here my favourite a part of the flight … I acquired to decide on my Delft home collectible from a tray introduced round by the flight attendant.

So far as I am involved, that is among the finest souvenirs in all of journey.

Backside line

I am unable to wait to fly KLM enterprise class once more. Not solely did I add a Delft home to my intensive assortment, however I additionally had nice service and a enjoyable and quick flight on the KLM Dreamliner.

A final-minute redemption that nabbed me two flights and a go to to the KLM Crown Lounge in Amsterdam for simply 84,000 Flying Blue miles made it even higher.

You probably have a stash of Flying Blue miles, I strongly encourage you to redeem them on KLM since I am unable to advocate the airline extremely sufficient.

Associated studying: