Etihad Airways vs KLM Royal Dutch Airlines —…

Policy comparison

Structured operational tokens — verify current fare rules on each airline before booking.

Policy	Etihad Airways	KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Cabin baggage	Included	Included
Checked baggage	23–32 kg by cabin	1×23 kg long-haul; Light none short-haul
In-flight Wi-Fi	Partial (messaging/select routes)	Paid
Economy seat pitch	31–32"	31"
Loyalty programme	Etihad Guest	Flying Blue
Lounge access	Etihad lounges AUH and partners	KLM Crown lounges
Changes & refunds	Flex fares allow changes	Flex allows changes

Individual profiles

Editorial profiles

United Arab Emirates · EY/ETD · #1 in this comparison

Etihad Airways

Choose Well

#19 Global 5-Star

8.3 / 10

Quick Answer

Etihad Airways scores 8.3/10 on FlightLogic (safety 9.4/10), ranking #19 globally. in-flight Wi-Fi is paid or partial on most long-haul routes. Special meals require pre-order on long-haul.

Is Etihad Airways a good airline?

Etihad Airways scores 8.3/10 (Excellent) on FlightLogic, ranking #19 globally with a safety score of 9.4/10. Etihad Airways operates from Abu Dhabi's new Midfield Terminal with Business Studio, The Residence on A380, and lounges scoring 9.0/10 — a premium Gulf alternative to Emirates and Qatar. See full profile →

Overall 8.3 Excellent

Safety 9.4 Excellent Safety

Service 8.5 Cabin crew & ground

Value 8.2 Fare vs product

Star rating 5★ FlightLogic tier

Rating basis Editorial FlightLogic methodology

Score breakdown

Customer Service

8.5

Seat Comfort

8.4

Food & Beverage

8.3

In-Flight Entertainment

8.2

On-Time Performance

8.2

Value for Money

8.2

Key facts

Hub: Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Alliance: Independent
Founded: 2003
Fleet: 90 aircraft
Region: middle east
IATA / ICAO: EY / ETD

Passenger policies

Cabin baggage	Included — standard carry-on allowance applies
Checked baggage	23–32 kg by cabin
In-flight Wi-Fi	Partial — free messaging or select routes/cabins only
Economy seat pitch	31–32"
Lounge access	Etihad lounges AUH and partners
Changes & refunds	Flex fares allow changes
Loyalty programme	Etihad Guest

Strengths

New AUH Midfield Terminal lounges
Business Studio on 787 and A350
Competitive UK–Asia business fares

Weaknesses

Smaller network than Emirates or Qatar
Etihad Guest less Avios-integrated than QR

Awards & recognition

Best Gulf Carrier Lounge AUH
Business Studio innovation

Netherlands · KL/KLM · #2 in this comparison

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Journey of Inspiration

#14 Global 4-Star

8.0 / 10

Quick Answer

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines scores 8.0/10 on FlightLogic (safety 9.3/10), ranking #14 globally. in-flight Wi-Fi is paid or partial on most long-haul routes. Special meals require pre-order on long-haul.

Is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines a good airline?

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines scores 8.0/10 (Excellent) on FlightLogic, ranking #14 globally with a safety score of 9.3/10. KLM is the Netherlands' flag carrier operating from Amsterdam Schiphol with one of Europe's densest networks, World Business Class on long-haul, and Flying Blue shared with Air France. See full profile →

Overall 8.0 Excellent

Safety 9.3 Excellent Safety

Service 8.2 Cabin crew & ground

Value 7.8 Fare vs product

Star rating 4★ FlightLogic tier

Rating basis Editorial FlightLogic methodology

Score breakdown

Customer Service

8.2

Seat Comfort

8.0

Food & Beverage

8.0

In-Flight Entertainment

7.8

On-Time Performance

8.2

Value for Money

7.8

Key facts

Hub: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Alliance: skyteam
Founded: 1919
Fleet: 110 aircraft
Region: europe
IATA / ICAO: KL / KLM

Passenger policies

Cabin baggage	Included — standard carry-on allowance applies
Checked baggage	1×23 kg long-haul; Light none short-haul
In-flight Wi-Fi	Paid Wi-Fi or messaging packages
Economy seat pitch	31"
Lounge access	KLM Crown lounges
Changes & refunds	Flex allows changes
Loyalty programme	Flying Blue

Strengths

Efficient AMS single-terminal hub
Crown Lounge at Schiphol
Strong Africa and Asia connections

Weaknesses

Older short-haul cabins on some European routes
Flying Blue dynamic pricing on awards

Awards & recognition

Oldest operating airline
Best Schiphol hub carrier

FAQ

Which is better — Etihad Airways or KLM Royal Dutch Airlines?

Etihad Airways scores higher on FlightLogic at 8.3/10 vs 8.0/10 for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Policy comparison below covers cabin baggage, checked bags, Wi-Fi, and seat pitch.

Does Etihad Airways or KLM Royal Dutch Airlines include a carry-on bag?

Etihad Airways: Included. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Included.

Which has free Wi-Fi — Etihad Airways or KLM Royal Dutch Airlines?

Etihad Airways: Partial (messaging/select routes). KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Paid.

Does Etihad Airways include checked baggage?

Etihad Airways checked baggage: 23–32 kg by cabin.

Does KLM Royal Dutch Airlines include checked baggage?

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines checked baggage: 1×23 kg long-haul; Light none short-haul.