KLM Expands to 19th UK/European Airport with Exeter Service

(EXETER, UNITED KINGDOM) — KLM is coming to Exeter Airport (EXT) on April 4, 2025, and it’s a bigger deal than a single weekly flight sounds. For travelers in Devon and Cornwall, it can mean skipping the London trek and connecting to KLM’s Amsterdam hub in one hop.

My quick recommendation: choose the new KLM nonstop from Exeter when your trip needs an Amsterdam connection or you value convenience over frequency. If you need multiple daily departure options, you’ll still do better by starting from a larger airport like London Heathrow or Bristol.

KLM’s move also lands in a very specific UK aviation moment. UK domestic flying has shrunk hard over the last two decades, while several true regional operators have struggled or folded. Into that gap, KLM keeps adding spokes that feed Amsterdam.

KLM at Exeter: the basics

KLM’s Exeter service joins the airline’s summer 2025 schedule, running March 30 to October 25, 2025. Exeter is one of three new European routes in that period, alongside Ljubljana and Biarritz. KLM’s longer-haul growth remains the headline elsewhere, with launches planned to San Diego (May 8, 2025), Georgetown (June 4, 2025), and Hyderabad (September 2, 2025).

Exeter, though, is all about access. KLM is expected to use KLM Cityhopper regional jets, like the Embraer E175 or E190. That usually means a 2-2 layout in economy, no middle seats, and a short, commuter-style onboard service.

Side-by-side comparison: your three best ways to fly “Exeter to the world” in 2025

Option A: KLM nonstop from Exeter (EXT) to Amsterdam (AMS)

Why you’d pick it

This is the “easy button” for Devon. You start local, clear UK departure formalities at Exeter, and land at one of Europe’s best connection airports.

Amsterdam Schiphol is built for one-stop trips. If you’re heading to Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, or onward long haul, AMS often gives cleaner routings than backtracking through London.

KLM’s Exeter route is also part of a wider pattern. The airline has been adding or preserving UK regional links even as capacity limits at Amsterdam force hard choices. That matters, because it suggests KLM is protecting feeder routes that keep its long-haul flights full.

The catch: weekly service changes everything

A weekly flight can be perfect, or useless, depending on your schedule.

• If the flight day matches your trip, it’s a gift.
• If it doesn’t, you’re back to driving to a larger airport.

It also changes how you should think about disruptions. With daily routes, a cancellation can be fixed with a later departure. With weekly service, you may be looking at a long delay unless KLM reroutes you via another airport.

⚠️ Heads Up: With only one weekly departure, build a bigger buffer for cruises, weddings, and same-day connections. One cancellation can cost you days.

Comfort and onboard experience

On KLM Cityhopper, expect:

• 2-2 seating layout in economy on Embraer jets — no middle seats
• Overhead bin space that can feel tight on full flights
• A short service designed for regional hops

If you’re connecting onward in business class, remember this first leg may still be “Euro Business” style. That typically means similar seats with different service levels; on Embraers it’s usually the same seat and layout.

Miles and points: how KLM out of Exeter can work well

If you credit to Flying Blue, KLM’s program is revenue-based on most KLM-marketed tickets. That means miles earned depend heavily on ticket price and your elite status.

Flying Blue can be strong for:

• Last-minute Europe hops when cash prices spike
• Promo Rewards, when they appear for your city pair
• One-stop itineraries via AMS that avoid some UK airport surcharges

You can often book KLM flights with partner miles, depending on award space. A practical point: new routes sometimes bring better award availability early on, before loads settle.

Option B: Start in London (Heathrow, Gatwick, or City)

Why you’d pick it

London gives you frequency and fallbacks. That’s the whole case.

If you’re traveling for business, protecting a meeting matters more than a shorter drive. London also gives a broader menu of nonstop long-haul flights.

For Amsterdam specifically, London-area airports typically offer far more choices — useful if you need to:

• Fly out early in the morning
• Change plans last minute
• Recover quickly from delays

The real cost is time risk, not just money

Exeter-to-London ground transport is the hidden tax. A rail delay, motorway traffic, or a missed connection can break your trip before you even reach the airport.

If you do go via London, treat it like a separate leg. Build time the same way you would for a connecting flight.

Miles and points: London can be a points playground

London is where points strategies get more interesting.

• If you’re loyal to British Airways, Avios-earning itineraries are easier to piece together.
• If you’re chasing SkyTeam credit, KLM and partners may still work fine out of London.

One practical warning for points fans: some of the cheapest fares from London earn poorly, especially on ultra-discount buckets or low-cost carriers. Always check the earning chart before you book if status is your goal.

Option C: Start at a bigger regional airport (Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester)

Why you’d pick it

This is the compromise play.

For many Southwest England travelers, Bristol is the key alternative. It often has better frequency than Exeter while avoiding London’s scale and stress.

You may not get the exact hub you want, but you often get more flight days and better rebooking options than a once-weekly service can offer.

Comfort and reliability

These airports tend to offer:

• More daily departures overall
• More alternative routings during disruptions
• More airline competition on certain leisure routes

Trade-offs:

• You still need a ground transfer.
• Parking can be expensive at popular regional airports during school holidays.

Miles and points

This depends entirely on the airline.

• If you fly a low-cost carrier, you may get a lower headline fare but weaker disruption protection and little or no miles.
• If you fly a network carrier, you can still build status and earn miles normally, though your hub and partners may differ.

UK immigration and document checks: what changes with an AMS connection

For UK residents and visitors departing the UK, immigration usually happens at the destination or transit point, not at Exeter. On an Amsterdam connection, the key checkpoint is often Schengen entry at AMS, depending on where you connect.

Practical notes people often miss:

• If Amsterdam is your first Schengen stop, you’ll typically clear Schengen entry at AMS.
• Tight connections can be stressful when passport queues surge.
• If your passport is close to expiry, renew it before spring travel ramps up.

A weekly flight can magnify the consequences of a misconnection. If you miss your onward flight and the next Exeter service is days away, rerouting becomes essential.

Competitive context: why KLM is acting like a “regional airline” in the UK

The UK has seen a long slide in domestic flying, with scheduled flights falling to 213,025 in 2025, down from 454,375 in 2006. Seats are down 35% to 25.5 million.

At the same time, several smaller players have struggled. Eastern Airways entered administration on November 3, 2025, and Blue Islands suspended trading after funding issues.

Against that backdrop, KLM’s steady creep into smaller UK airports makes sense. It’s not a UK domestic carrier, but it can connect regional cities to Europe and beyond through one hub. KLM benefits because those passengers feed higher-margin long-haul routes.

Choose this if… (real-world scenarios)

Choose KLM from Exeter (Option A) if:

• Your trip is naturally routed via Amsterdam.
• You value a shorter drive and a smaller airport routine.
• You’re happy to plan around a weekly schedule.
• You want SkyTeam connectivity without starting in London.

Choose London (Option B) if:

• You need multiple flight options the same day.
• You can’t afford to be stranded by a cancellation.
• You’re connecting to a long-haul nonstop from London.
• You’re building status where London has the best airline choices.

Choose a larger regional airport (Option C) if:

• You want better frequency than Exeter offers.
• London feels like overkill for your trip.
• You want more disruption backup without the capital’s complexity.

The nuanced verdict for 2025 bookings

KLM’s Exeter Airport (EXT) launch is a clear win for convenience, and it’s a rare bit of good news for UK regional connectivity. The limitation is simple and serious: weekly service is great when it fits your calendar, and risky when it doesn’t.

If your summer 2025 plans line up with the flight day, the smart play is to try Exeter first. If your trip has fixed dates, or a must-make event, lean toward London or a bigger regional airport for backup options.

📅 Key Date: KLM’s Exeter service starts April 4, 2025, within the summer season running March 30 to October 25, 2025. Book early if you want the simplest one-stop trips via Amsterdam next spring.