KLM has activated eight of its nine planned new routes for 2025 and, as of September 2, 2025, has launched the final addition to its summer network: a three-times-weekly service to Hyderabad. the airline’s expansion blends long-haul and European links, with Hyderabad now KLM’s fourth destination in India and a direct bridge between a fast-growing tech and pharma hub and Amsterdam’s global network.
The move matters for both travelers and employers. For Indian passport holders heading to the Netherlands and beyond, more nonstop capacity can mean smoother connections and better planning windows for visas. For companies with teams in the Pearl City and across Europe, a regular KLM link helps steady business travel after years of uneven schedules.
Network size, capacity and outlook
KLM’s summer program now spans 161 destinations—95 in Europe and 66 intercontinental—with seat capacity up 4% over summer 2024 and around 10% more flights to North America. The airline expects to carry 6.4 million passengers in July–August 2025, a sign of renewed confidence after a period marked by aircraft part shortages and pilot constraints that kept some intercontinental capacity near 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the airline’s 2025 network growth targets underserved and high-growth markets while balancing leisure and business demand.
Route launches and schedule details
KLM’s newest India service to Hyderabad began on September 2, 2025. Key facts:
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (three times weekly)
- Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER
- Configuration: 35 World Business Class, 24 Premium Comfort, 229 Economy
- Market focus: Supports Hyderabad’s large pharmaceutical and IT sectors, which include more than 800 pharma companies and numerous international tech firms
For families, students, and frequent flyers alike, the timing of three weekly departures gives more choice alongside KLM’s existing India services.
Other 2025 route highlights:
- San Diego (USA)
- Launch: May 8, 2025
- Frequency: Three times weekly (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays)
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
- Configuration: 30 World Business Class, 21 Premium Comfort, 224 Economy
- Note: San Diego officials report roughly 30% rise in European travel year-over-year; Amsterdam is now the airport’s 10th international destination.
- Georgetown (Guyana)
- Launch: June 4, 2025
- Frequency: Twice weekly (Wednesdays, Saturdays)
- Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
- Configuration: 18 World Business Class, 246 Economy
- Routing: Outbound includes a stop in Sint Maarten; return to Amsterdam is nonstop.
- Seasonal European routes (March 30 – October 25, 2025)
- Ljubljana (Slovenia)
- Exeter (United Kingdom)
- Biarritz (France)
- These strengthen leisure and regional business access into Amsterdam.
- Portland (USA)
- Previously winter-only in 2024, now operated year-round.
Frequency increases (where demand rose)
- Kilimanjaro/Dar es Salaam (Tanzania): Now daily (up from 5x weekly) — nearly 30% more capacity
- Osaka (Japan): Up to 5x weekly from April 2025
- Las Vegas (USA): Now daily (up from 5x weekly)
- Edmonton (Canada): 5x weekly, increasing to 6x during peak periods
- Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): Daily service maintained
Fleet and operational notes
- KLM is receiving three new Boeing 787-10s in 2025 to support long-haul growth, improve fuel efficiency, and lower emissions per seat.
- Past challenges—parts supply and crew availability—have pressured schedules. The airline’s measured increases suggest a strategy of adding capacity where it can be sustained rather than running a short-lived spike.
KLM frames the rollout as a commitment to expanding connectivity to emerging markets and business hubs. Amsterdam’s role as a transfer hub remains strong: long-haul segments feed short-haul networks, and secondary cities feed long-haul banks. For travelers from Hyderabad, a well-timed arrival into Amsterdam’s banks can reduce total trip time to Europe’s secondary cities and provide one-stop links to the Americas.
Important: Airlines often adjust timings or aircraft as booking patterns emerge. Early weeks of a new route are closely watched and may lead to schedule or equipment changes.
Travel and visa considerations for India–Netherlands trips
Airline schedules and immigration rules move together in practice. More seats and better timings can help families and workers align flight plans with visa appointments and document timelines.
For Indian citizens planning short stays in the Netherlands, Schengen rules apply. The Dutch government’s Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) provides guidance on the short-stay visa (Schengen, up to 90 days), including who needs a visa, supporting documents, processing times, and where to file. Travelers can review current requirements via the official IND page at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
How KLM’s Hyderabad service may shape travel plans:
- Business travelers (pharma and IT)
- Can plan regular site visits to Amsterdam, Leiden, Eindhoven, and beyond using a consistent three-times-weekly cadence.
- Simplifies internal approvals and reduces last-minute itinerary changes that strain visa timing.
- Students
- Additional nonstop option for short programs, conferences, or internships.
- Steady flight availability helps match ticketing with visa appointment slots.
- Families visiting relatives in the Netherlands or Schengen Area
- Added capacity often stabilizes prices and improves connection choices during peak holiday windows.
- Multinational employers
- Can route staff through Amsterdam’s hub for one-stop access to major European cities, North America, and Africa, reducing the risk of misconnected itineraries and complex immigration checks.
For the United States market, KLM’s San Diego and year-round Portland links enlarge the North American map at a moment when transatlantic demand remains resilient. With roughly 10% more North America flights this summer, the expansion supports transfer flows—examples include Hyderabad–Amsterdam–San Diego for biopharma or Exeter–Amsterdam–Edmonton for energy-sector trips to Canada.
On the Caribbean–South America arc, Georgetown opens a fresh path for migrant workers, students, and small business owners who previously faced patchy choices to Europe. The Sint Maarten stopover outbound with a nonstop return lets KLM cover two markets while maintaining a predictable schedule—fewer connections often mean fewer stress points for document checks and transit rules.
KLM’s European seasonal adds—Ljubljana, Exeter, Biarritz—feed direct access into Amsterdam from secondary cities, supporting weekend trips, family visits, and small-business itineraries. For Indian and North American travelers connecting onward, a one-stop trip from Hyderabad or San Diego to smaller European cities reduces both travel time and the chances of missed connections.
Practical traveler advice
- Book early on peak days to lock in fares and seat choices, especially on three-times-weekly services.
- Start visa processes well ahead of your travel date. Check airline schedules before booking visa appointments to avoid gaps between visa issuance and flight availability.
- Confirm aircraft type and seating maps—Premium Comfort and other product attributes vary by aircraft and can change the comfort equation on long flights.
- Double-check visa validity periods, passport expiration rules, and transit requirements, which may differ by nationality and route. This is especially true for itineraries involving a stop in a different country than your final destination.
KLM says all new routes are fully loaded in booking systems, with details on days of operation and aircraft type available on its website and through authorized agents. Schedules and tickets for the new routes can be found at KLM’s official website.
Bottom line
KLM’s 2025 network shows the carrier moving carefully but confidently: adding new routes like Hyderabad, San Diego, and Georgetown, while strengthening frequency where demand is stable. For the millions who will pass through Amsterdam this summer, that means more nonstop options, smoother connections, and greater planning certainty in a travel world that has needed it.
This Article in a Nutshell
KLM accelerated its 2025 growth by activating eight of nine planned routes and launching Hyderabad service on September 2, 2025. Hyderabad operates three times weekly with a Boeing 777-200ER and positions KLM in a fourth Indian market, linking Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical and IT clusters with Amsterdam’s transfer hub. The summer program covers 161 destinations (95 in Europe, 66 intercontinental), increased seat capacity by 4% year-over-year and expects about 6.4 million passengers in July–August 2025. Other key launches include San Diego, Georgetown and seasonal European routes; Portland became year-round. Frequency lifts targeted markets showing demand growth, while three new Boeing 787-10s support long-haul expansion. Travelers should book early, verify visa timing, confirm aircraft types, and expect possible early adjustments to schedules as booking patterns solidify.
