KLM's UK operation is larger than any other foreign network carrier. While it has served 17 UK airports annually since 2017, it will rise to a record 18 for the first time on March 30, when KLM (and other northern carriers) switch to summer schedules. That is because it will begin flying to Exeter.

KLM to the UK: a summary

KLM and regional partner Cityhopper will serve 18 UK airports from Amsterdam this year, with the entire network shown below. On March 30, its daily Exeter service will take off, running daily year-round on Cityhopper equipment.

The 88-seat Embraer E175 will mainly be deployed, but the 100-seat E190 will sometimes be flown. KL1101 will leave the Netherlands at 16:15 and get to Devon at 16:50 local time (1h 35m block time). Returning, KL1102 will depart at 17:20 and return at 19:50 (1h 30m).

It will provide vital global connectivity from the Devon airport and facilitate quicker travel for Dutch people to visit the ever-popular Southwest of England. The following OAG image shows that flights will leave Amsterdam and arrive back amid KLM's largest banks of UK services, driving connectivity.

Exeter is the closest airport to where I lived growing up. It lost its Schiphol link in 2020 when the first iteration of Flybe cut it. It had operated since 2006, primarily aboard the Dash 8 Q400.

An average of 66 daily takeoffs, but…

In 2025, KLM plans a typical 66 daily takeoffs to the UK (double for both ways), with half of the days having fewer and half having more. Examining every flight using OAG data shows its highest frequency this year will be 71 daily departures.

While a substantial quantity, this is not its record. 77 is, which was last available in 2017. Indeed, there have been more than 71 in various years, most recently in 2024 (up to 73).

The year 2024 also had an average of 66 daily takeoffs. There are no more now because nine UK routes will have fewer KLM services year-on-year. This offsets the launch of Exeter and Belfast City being double daily year-round. This is balanced by the airline's average seats per flight rising to 127, its second-highest figure ever after 2022 (128).

Cityhopper equipment (the E175, E190, E195-E2), critical for network breadth and frequency, will operate 47 out of the 66 daily services (71%). It also uses E190s from German Airways and Eastern Airways, with the E170 from Eastern Airways flown from March 30.

A breakdown of KLM's network

If a route's frequency changes, the maximum 'up to' figure keeps the list as digestible as possible. All data is based on April to December 2025, when Exeter flights will be operational. Some flights use German Airways or Eastern Airways frames.

Equipment is stated in order of use, with multiple types and variants usually deployed. This helps to better balance capacity with demand at different times or days of the week. Notice the three routes that will see the new A321neo (KLM received its first example in August 2024) and the E170, operated by Eastern Airways.

• Aberdeen: up to five daily (E195-E2, E190, 737-800, 737-700, 737-900, E175)
• Belfast City: double daily (E175, E190)
• Birmingham: mainly five daily (737-800, E175, 737-700, E190, E195-E2, 737-900)
• Bristol: up to four daily (E190, E175)
• Cardiff: double daily (E175, E190, E170)
• Edinburgh: up to five daily (737-800, E195-E2, A321neo, E190, 737-700, 737-900, E175)
• Exeter: daily (E175, E190)
• Glasgow: up to four daily (737-800, 737-700, E190, E195-E2, E175, E170)
• Humberside: triple daily (E190, E170)
• Inverness: up to triple daily (E190, E175, E195-E2)
• Leeds/Bradford: up to triple daily (E190, E175)
• London City: up to eight daily (E190)
• London Heathrow: up to eight daily (E195-E2, A321neo, 737-800)
• Manchester: up to six daily (737-800, E175, E190, A321neo, E195-E2, 737-700, 737-900)
• Newcastle: up to five daily (E190, 737-800, 737-700, E195-E2, 737-900, E175, E170)
• Norwich: up to four daily (E175, E190, E195-E2, E170)
• Southampton: double daily (E175, E190, E195-E2)
• Teesside: up to triple daily (E190, E175, E170)