KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, beginning a fleet transition that will gradually remove its Boeing 777-200ERs and remaining Airbus A330s from long-haul service.
The aircraft was handed over to the Dutch carrier in Toulouse on Friday, October 2, more than three years after parent company Air France-KLM selected the A350 for a major renewal of its long-haul fleet.
KLM's first A350, named De Nachtwacht (The Night Watch), accommodates 331 passengers in three classes. It has 34 Business Class suites with direct aisle access, 26 Premium Comfort seats and 271 Economy Class seats.
The aircraft will operate from KLM's Amsterdam Schiphol hub, with Toronto among its first long-haul destinations.
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Its arrival introduces another Airbus type into a long-haul fleet historically dominated by Boeing aircraft. KLM was a major Boeing 747 operator for decades and later built a large 777 fleet, supplemented more recently by the 787 Dreamliner.
777-200ERs and A330s to leave fleet
Air France-KLM announced an order for 50 A350-900s and A350-1000s in September 2023, with purchase rights for another 40 aircraft. The group retained flexibility to allocate the aircraft between Air France and KLM according to operational requirements.
For KLM, the A350 was selected to replace its Boeing 777-200ERs as well as its Airbus A330-200s and A330-300s. The larger 777-300ER was not included in the original replacement plan.
At the end of 2025, KLM operated 31 Boeing 777s, comprising 15 777-200ERs and 16 777-300ERs. Its long-haul fleet also included 27 Boeing 787s and 11 Airbus A330s.
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The arrival of the A350 therefore begins the gradual retirement of aircraft that have formed a significant part of KLM's intercontinental fleet for more than two decades.
The transition also extends beyond passenger operations. KLM's association with the Boeing 747 continues through Martinair-operated freighters used by KLM Cargo, but Air France-KLM has also selected the A350F to replace those aircraft. The group has four A350Fs on firm order.
First aircraft arrives later than initially expected
KLM's first A350 entered Airbus' final assembly line in Toulouse in April. At the time, the airline expected to receive the aircraft toward the end of the summer.
The jet subsequently emerged in KLM colors and received the name De Nachtwacht, but its delivery moved beyond the earlier timetable before finally taking place in early October.
The A350-900 is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and has a range of up to 9,700 nautical miles (18,000 km), allowing KLM to deploy it across its long-haul network.
Its introduction also increases the presence of newer-generation Airbus aircraft at KLM. The carrier is already receiving A321neos for its European network and currently operates 17 of the narrowbody jets.
Air France, meanwhile, has operated the A350 since 2019, giving the Air France-KLM Group several years of experience with the type before its introduction at the Dutch carrier.
