KLM and Air France Offering Discounted Business-class Seats to Amsterdam

Air France's Affaires cabin on an Airbus A380
Photo: Air France

Airline alliance partners KLM and Air France have put their business-class seats on sale for travel through August 31, offering much more comfort for a suprisingly small price premium over economy. Flying KLM's World Business Class or Air France's Affaires cabin is a comfortable way to bookend your transatlantic trip—and it's trendy too: we've seen this sort of discount a few times already this summer, on OpenSkies and with Sceptre Tours. While this special only goes for flights into Amsterdam, Schiphol airport is a KLM hub with numerous onward connections.

Fares vary by departure city. New York starts at $2,158 per person round-trip; economy-class tickets for the same period are selling for more than $1,000. Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. start at $2,558. From Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, fares start at $3,158. You'll want to budget up to $150 extra for taxes and fees.

So why spring for business class? On Air France, Affaires seats have 61 inches of pitch and convert to beds just a shade shy of fully flat. Noise-cancelling headphones and personal 10-inch video screens provide the entertainment. KLM's World Business Class is similar, also offering spacious seats that convert to nearly flat beds and featuring personal video screens. Both business class cabins also offer priority check-in and security lanes, lounge access, and priority baggage delivery.

You have until July 29 to book, and you'll need to buy tickets at least 14 days in advance of travel. One final note: While KLM flies nonstop to Amsterdam, Air France flights stop in Paris-Charles de Gaulle en route.