Going Dutch
Austin airport finally takes off with nonstop service to Amsterdam
In a busy week for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that has included several new flight announcements, another carrier is preparing — again — to launch its new service between Austin and the capital of the Netherlands.
Late Tuesday, February 1, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced it is indeed beginning its nonstop flight service between ABIA and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on March 28.
The initial launch of that service, which was scheduled for May 2020, was postponed in March 2020 because of the pandemic. A year after its planned launch, KLM announced in May 2021 that it would get the flight service between Austin and Amsterdam off the ground this year.
The new service will operate three times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Flights will depart Austin at 6 pm and arrive in Amsterdam at 10:25 am the following day. KLM flights departing Amsterdam will do so at 12:40 pm, arriving in Austin at 4:10 pm the same day.
Austin passengers will be able to connect to more than 60 destinations across Europe, Africa, and India via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which is among Europe’s most popular airports for transfers, thanks to its single terminal design and abundance of shops and services, the airline notes.
“We are excited to expand our service and inaugurate the first scheduled service between Austin and Amsterdam,” says Eric Caron, senior vice president and general manager of North America for Air France-KLM. “We look forward to connecting Austin to our global network via Schiphol and providing Europeans direct access to the dynamic city of Austin, with its vibrant culture and robust tech industry.”
This marks the 19th North American destination to be served by KLM and the second in Texas. KLM also offers flights through Houston.
KLM’s new nonstop flight service was originally planned using A330-300 jets. But per the company’s new announcement, KLM has upgraded to using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for the Austin-Amsterdam service.
The Dreamliner features World Business Class flat beds with direct aisle access, HD entertainment, and onboard Wi-Fi. According to KLM, the state-of-the-art aircraft incorporates a variety of innovations aimed at enhancing passenger well-being and sustainability. Features include:
- 30 percent larger windows
- Ambient LED mood lighting
- Higher cabin pressure
- Increased humidity
- Double air filtration
- 20 percent lower fuel consumption
- Less noise during takeoff and landing compared with similarly sized aircraft
- Less waste during manufacturing
- End-of-life recycling
“After originally welcoming KLM to Austin in 2019, AUS is excited to finally launch nonstop service to Amsterdam,” says Jaqueline Yaft, CEO of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. “Offering direct service to European cities is a huge priority for AUS, and this is a milestone we’ve been eager to meet since May of 2020.”
Austin travelers can book KLM flights at klm.us.
