KLM's Crew Won Me Over. Its Premium Economy Seat Didn't.

KLM calls its premium economy cabin Premium Comfort, and I flew it on KL 642 from New York's JFK to Amsterdam after upgrading from economy at the gate for $305. It's my first review of KLM's 787-10 premium economy, which sits between economy and business class on the longest version of Boeing's Dreamliner.

Check-In and Boarding

KLM's check-in at JFK's Terminal 4 is handled by Delta, its American partner, and both the economy line and the SkyPriority line were crowded. SkyPriority is meant to be the faster lane for premium passengers and elite members, though on this afternoon it didn't move much quicker. The hall also produced the most memorable moment of the day when a passenger's dog had an accident near the counters and its owner loudly asked it what it thought it was doing.

Premium economy boards early, and boarding started a few minutes ahead of schedule. KLM's jets are some of the best-looking in the sky, and this one's bright blue paint looked stunning up close.

The welcome at the door was just as bright. The flight attendants greeted everyone with real smiles and spent boarding helping people find their seats. They were also singing and joking with each other as the cabin filled, and I loved how they handled it. Crews sometimes entertain themselves while passengers fend for themselves, but this group never stopped helping anyone, so the singing only added to the upbeat mood KLM seems to cultivate.

Illustrated for Contrail

KLM Boeing 787-10 · PH-BKG

Drawn by Caleb St. John · Caleb's Aviation

Every Contrail review carries an original drawing of the aircraft flown, made for us by Caleb St. John, who draws aircraft to raise awareness for young people in aviation living with health conditions.

The Seat

Inside, the plane is less remarkable. Premium Comfort on this 787-10 has 28 seats across four rows, with two seats by each window and three in the middle. Upkeep was acceptable but not great, with a peeling cover on my armrest, scratches on the plastic around the seat and plenty of crumbs left behind.

The seat gives you the extra space you'd expect from premium economy, and I never felt cramped. Comfort is another matter, because this is the hardest premium economy seat I've sat in. The padding feels thin and worn through rather than simply firm, and within a few hours my back and lower half were feeling it. Of everything in this cabin, that matters most, because a better seat is the main thing people pay extra for on an overnight flight.

The storage is standard for this class. A small pocket under the armrest was dirty and hard to reach into, though almost every airline's premium economy seat has the same cramped pocket. The space under the seat in front was clear of any entertainment equipment, which is less common than it should be and meant my bag fit with room left for my feet.

Power was another letdown, since the USB-A and USB-C ports lit up as if they were working but neither charged my phone with either of the two cables I tried. Luckily, there were functional power outlets.

Amenities and Screens

Headphones and a blanket were waiting at the seat, which is about the minimum for premium economy. More arrived once boarding wrapped up, when the crew handed out menus and an amenity kit.

KLM calls the kit a laundry bag. It's a reusable mesh pouch holding the usual essentials, and I like the idea, since it's cheap to make but still useful long after the flight. The name is harder to explain. It's far too small for actual laundry unless you're packing a couple pairs of underwear, and even that depends heavily on your taste in underwear. It also came with a tiny pen, which I only discovered hours later sitting in my lap.

A cold towel and a bottle of water came after takeoff. There was no drink before departure, but otherwise the cabin covered the basics of a good premium economy, which is rarer than you'd think in a class that varies so much from one airline to the next.

The screens went dark during taxi and stuck on a "please wait" message, usually a bad sign before a long flight. They came back just before takeoff, and from then on the entertainment system was quick and easy to use, without the clutter some airlines pile on.

KLM had texted me that morning to say the flight wouldn't have Wi-Fi, and then it did. I appreciate an airline lowering expectations, but the same mix-up happened on my last two KLM flights, which suggests the system sending those messages needs a look. Wi-Fi costs 29 euros for the whole flight, which is steep. It worked well at first and then dropped in and out once the turbulence started.

The bathrooms were typical apart from some striking blue wallpaper, a small touch that made them feel more like KLM than a generic plane.

The cabin's mood lighting deserves its own mention, because it was absolutely stunning. It looked like a cross between a sunset and Miami Vice, and the crew kept it on for the final stretch of the flight. It's a small touch, but it made a 5 a.m. arrival in Amsterdam feel a lot gentler.

The Meal

Drinks and nuts came out soon after takeoff, and I tried KLM's signature blue drink (referred to as Royal Blue Legend). Even now I can't tell you whether it looks more like juice or cleaning fluid, and the taste didn't settle it. It's odd, but I'd rather an airline have one strange signature drink than nothing distinctive at all, and after hours of water it made a welcome change.

Not long after, real turbulence stopped service and the crew had to take their seats. Whenever the ride smoothed out they were back in the aisles moving quickly, and dinner reached me without much more delay.

Dinner was chicken with rice and peppers, served on a tray with real metal cutlery but disposable dishes. Some premium economy cabins use real dishware, so the cutlery felt like half an upgrade. The meal itself was good, mostly thanks to the peppers that gave the whole dish its flavor. A few pieces of chicken had an odd texture, but most of it was excellent and the rice was soft. Only the bread let it down, sticky with an almost rubbery chew. Vanilla ice cream also came around about 30 minutes after the trays were cleared.

Breakfast came out later in the flight, and it was better than I expected. When I've flown premium economy from New York to Paris on Air France, KLM's sister airline, breakfast has been little more than a small box of food. A full tray of solid food felt almost generous by comparison. The highlight was a piece of hot French toast, though it was tiny and served only as a side dish. The bread on this tray made up for dinner too, since this time it was a proper texture and actually tasted good.

The Service

The crew were the best part of this flight from the door to the landing. They kept their energy through a full cabin and a bumpy stretch, and they worked hard to get the meal out in the short windows the turbulence allowed.

They came through a couple of times afterward offering drinks and collecting trash. On an overnight flight I'd have liked one or two more passes during the middle of the trip, but that's a small gap in otherwise excellent service.

We landed in Amsterdam 31 minutes early, after a crossing of just under seven hours.

Should You Book It?

If you're flying KLM between New York and Amsterdam, the crew and the entertainment system make it a pleasant way to cross the Atlantic. Premium Comfort adds more room, a proper meal and a clever amenity kit. It doesn't add a comfortable seat, though, and on an overnight flight that's a real cost.

Whether it's worth the money depends on what you're quoted. My $305 bought more room, earlier boarding and an amenity kit, but not a good night's sleep. Next to the Delta Premium Select seat I flew to Taipei, KLM's felt far less comfortable, even though the people working this cabin were some of the warmest I've flown with. A seat refresh would go a long way here.

You can see how KLM compares with every other airline I've reviewed in the Contrail Index