KLM Bonaire: more premium seats this winter

From 25 October, the KLM Bonaire route gets larger aircraft. KLM will operate the Boeing 777 and the Boeing 787-10 on its service to Aruba and Bonaire, so there are noticeably more seats in World Business Class and Premium Comfort Class.

At Sunwise Bonaire, we welcome guests every week who have just landed with KLM at Flamingo Airport. We see how much the flight shapes their first day. Below we list what is changing, what it means for your trip and how to get your holiday started after landing.

What is changing on KLM Bonaire flights this winter?

Until now, KLM flew the Airbus A330 to Aruba and Bonaire, with roughly 30 seats in World Business Class. The Boeing 777 and 787-10 have about 35 World Business Class seats and around 24 seats in Premium Comfort Class. The number of economy seats stays comparable.

The new setup at a glance:

• More Business seats: from about 30 to about 35 places in World Business Class.
• A full Premium Comfort cabin: roughly 24 seats with extra legroom and added service.
• Newer aircraft: the 777 and 787-10 belong to the Boeing fleet KLM also flies on other long-haul routes.
• Start date: the change takes effect on 25 October, at the start of the winter season.

According to KLM, demand for premium travel to the Caribbean islands keeps rising. “We’re seeing that our passengers are increasingly opting for extra comfort and personalized service,” says Frédérique Pelger, Vice President of KLM Benelux, Dutch Caribbean & Suriname. The extra capacity is KLM’s answer to that.

Premium Comfort as the sweet spot

For many of our guests, Premium Comfort Class is the more interesting option. A return ticket in World Business Class is expensive. Still, the flight to Bonaire takes around ten hours, and extra legroom counts on a trip that long. Premium Comfort sits in between: a wider seat, more room to stretch out and more attention from the crew, without the Business price tag.

You also arrive less tired. On Bonaire that pays off right away, because most of our guests want to do their first shore snorkel the same afternoon.

Ninety years of KLM to Bonaire

The upgrade coincides with an anniversary. On 31 May 1936, KLM operated its first official passenger flight to Bonaire, which made it the first European airline with a scheduled service between Amsterdam and Bonaire. The airline has been flying to the region since 1934.

The connection matters a great deal here. Since 2010, the island has been a special municipality of the Netherlands, and many families have relatives on both sides of the ocean. Tourism is also a pillar of our economy. So the flights carry more than holidaymakers: students fly home, grandparents visit their grandchildren and local entrepreneurs travel for business.

KLM is adding flights beyond Bonaire too. This winter, the airline flies to Curaçao nine times a week. In January and February that rises to ten flights, during the Christmas holidays to twelve and around spring break to eleven. Useful if you are considering a trip across several ABC islands.

Practical tips for flying KLM to Bonaire

From years of welcoming guests, we have collected a few tips for the journey:

1. Book premium seats early. Despite the extra capacity, Business and Premium Comfort fill up fast around the Christmas and spring holidays.
2. Check your routing. The flight combines Aruba and Bonaire, so look closely at your ticket to see whether you land directly or stop first.
3. Know your baggage allowance. Bringing your own dive gear? Check in advance how many kilos your travel class allows.
4. Mind the time difference. During Dutch winter time, Bonaire is five hours behind. You usually land in the afternoon, so you still have the evening.
5. Sort out the nature fee beforehand. Anyone who dives or snorkels pays the Bonaire nature fee. Park management organisation STINAPA manages it, and you can arrange it online before departure.
6. Bring dollars or a credit card. Bonaire uses the US dollar, not the euro.

Check your travel documents well ahead of departure. Bonaire is part of the Netherlands, but the island lies outside the Schengen area, so KLM asks for a valid travel document at check-in.

After landing: how to start your holiday

Flamingo Airport is small and easy to navigate. Usually you are outside within half an hour of landing. From the airport, the drive to the centre of Kralendijk takes about five to ten minutes.

Our guests often ask how best to spend that first day. Our advice:

• Pick up your rental car right away. A pick-up truck is popular, because your dive tanks fit easily in the back.
• Do your groceries the same day. The larger supermarkets in Kralendijk stay open into the early evening, so there is no need to rush.
• Keep it easy. After a long flight, a swim in the pool and the sunset over Klein Bonaire are enough for day one.
• Save Washington Slagbaai for later. The national park in the north needs a full day and an early start.

If you want to rest straight after the flight, pick a place where you can do that on arrival. Our villa Casa Presioso with panoramic view and private pool works well for that: you put down your suitcase, get into the pool and look out across the island.

The Boeing 777 and 787-10 make the KLM Bonaire flight more comfortable, especially if you book Premium Comfort or Business. Add a quiet first evening and your holiday starts on day one. We look forward to seeing you on Bonaire this winter.