San Diego Airport Welcomes KLM’s Amsterdam Flight As 10th International Destination

California’s San Diego International Airport (SAN) is set to begin with flights to its tenth international destination next summer. Starting in May, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ( KLM) will begin thrice-weekly flights from San Diego to Amsterdam in The Netherlands.

All aboard to Amsterdam

The Dutch flag carrier will be the seventh international airline to offer nonstop flights to San Diego. The new year-round route to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) will expand nonstop access from San Diego to three European cities, joining flights to London (LHR) with British Airways and Munich (MUC) on Lufthansa.

As California’s third-largest metropolitan area, San Diego represents a significant, unserved market for the joint venture of Air France, KLM, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic. According to KLM, demand has steadily increased over the past decade, leading to the airline launching the route with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The carrier will use a Boeing 787-9 on the routes, configured with 30 seats in World Business Class, 21 in Premium Comfort Class, and 224 in Economy Class. Beginning May 8th, 2025, KLM will operate three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at the following times:

This has been a busy year for the California airport, which also serves northern Mexico. The airport started the year with five new routes from Breeze Airways, and a Porter Airlines service to Toronto is set to begin in December. Kimberly Becker, CEO and President of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, expressed her excitement for the new flights to start and highlighted how exciting the announcement is for area residents:

“We are very pleased to have KLM join as the 19th carrier at SAN.

“This summer, European travel is up over 30 percent compared to last year. Amsterdam, with its iconic canals and world-class museums and corporate ties to the San Diego region, will be the 10th international destination offered from SAN and we look forward to a continued demand from both business and leisure international travelers.”

The new route will be KLM’s 22nd direct connection between Amsterdam and North America. The carrier most recently debuted in Portland (PDX), a route it took over from SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines.

A California connection

The new link in Amsterdam is expected to help travelers easily connect to multiple European cities thanks to KLM and its SkyTeam Alliance partners. Passengers flying on KLM from San Diego and surrounding areas will be able to access one-stop connections to over 160 destinations from KLM’s hub in Amsterdam (AMS).

Frequent flyers will also be able to use their Delta SkyMiles to book flights across coordinated schedules and enjoy shared benefits with 19 other international SkyTeam Alliance airline loyalty programs. Boaz Hulsman, Vice President of Commercial, North America at Air France-KLM, noted just how important this connection is for the company network:

“The launch of KLM’s direct service between Amsterdam and San Diego marks an exciting milestone in our North American expansion.

“This new route opens a gateway to Southern California’s dynamic economy while connecting the San Diego community to Amsterdam and beyond. We’re excited to offer seamless connectivity to over 160+ destinations, enhancing travel options for both business and leisure travelers. San Diego represents a key market with tremendous potential as we continue to strengthen our transatlantic network.”

The news comes as the airport is poised to open the next phase of its New T1 project, which will bring additional gates, amenities, and space for more airlines. Simple Flying readers recently cited Amsterdam as one of the top destinations that would benefit from direct flights as the airport completes its expansion project.

From Georgetown to Hyderabad

In addition to its San Diego service, KLM is launching two other long-haul routes next year. Next summer, KLM will begin an interesting triangle route to Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, which has been a fast-growing market over the past. Guyana is known for its scenery, coastline, rainforest, and savannahs and has a strong business traffic flow.

The inbound flight will operate via Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on Sint Marteen, home to the famous “Airplane Beach.” The return leg flies directly from Georgetown to Amsterdam.

KLM will operate two weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning June 4th, 2025. The flight will be operated with the Airbus 330-200, which seats 18 in World Business Class and 246 in economy class, at the following times:

• KL789 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 10:00 and arrives in Sint Maarten (SXM) at 13:00 local time.
• KL789 then departs from Sint Maarten at 14:20 and arrives at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) at 16:35.
• KL789 finally departs from Georgetown at 17:55 and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport the next day at 09:15.

The other destination will be launched next year in Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. Known as the ‘pharmaceutical capital of India,’ the city has over 800 pharmaceutical companies in and around it, and many American and European IT companies have offices there.

KLM will begin flights on September 2nd, 2025, with a Boeing 777-200ER featuring 35 seats in World Business Class, 24 in Premium Comfort Class, and 229 in Economy Class. The service operates three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at the following times:

• KL873 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 11:40 and arrives at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) at 00:30 local time.
• KL874 departs from Hyderabad at 2:20 local time and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport the same day at 08:40.