KLM’s Longest Flight: Amsterdam to Santiago in Business Class
KLM flight KL701 from Amsterdam to Santiago via Buenos Aires is one of the most unusual journeys in the airline’s network. Rather than flying nonstop to Chile, the Boeing 777 first crosses the Atlantic to Argentina before continuing across the Andes to Santiago – all under the same flight number.
I booked the entire journey in KLM World Business Class for just 85,000 Flying Blue Miles plus taxes and fees, which I considered an excellent deal considering just how much flying you get for those miles.
This would be a journey of almost 18 hours, combining an overnight transatlantic flight to Buenos Aires, a transit at Ezeiza Airport and a spectacular morning flight across the Andes into Chile.
So what is it actually like to fly KLM’s longest flight in Business Class? Let’s find out.
Flight Details
Airline: KLM
Flight: KL701
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER
Cabin: World Business Class
Seat: 5K
Date: 7 August 2026
Route: Amsterdam (AMS) – Buenos Aires (EZE) – Santiago (SCL)
Amsterdam departure: 21:10
Buenos Aires arrival: 05:50
Buenos Aires departure: 07:30
Santiago arrival: 08:45
Booking: 85,000 Flying Blue Miles + taxes and fees
KLM Business Class Ground Experience at Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) is one of Europe’s major connecting hubs, and KLM’s network is built around making connections through its Amsterdam home base. On this occasion, I arrived from Norway with KLM Cityhopper just 1 hour and 30 minutes before the departure of KL701 to Santiago, so there was not much time to spare.
My Cityhopper flight parked at a remote stand, and we were taken by bus to a central arrivals area at Schiphol. From there, passport control for the non-Schengen gates was just around the corner. Once through, it was only around a five-minute walk to the KLM Crown Lounge 52.
My KLM World Business Class ticket included access to the non-Schengen Crown Lounge, and although I had very little time before boarding, I still stopped by to take some photos for this review.
The first impression is unmistakably KLM. The entrance is decorated with the airline’s famous Delft Blue houses, the same iconic miniature houses given to passengers travelling in KLM Business Class. Inside, the lounge is huge, bright and modern, with plenty of natural light, good views across Schiphol and a large choice of seating.
Most of the seating and the main buffet are found on the lower level, with a good selection of food and drinks available. Upstairs, you will find the Blue restaurant and bar, while the lounge also offers facilities including showers, sleep cabins and dedicated relaxation areas. Overall, it is a very impressive flagship lounge and a comfortable place to spend a longer connection at Amsterdam Schiphol.
My visit, however, was a short one. After taking a few photos, I headed straight towards Gate E5, which was again only around five minutes away.
And this is one of the things I really like about connecting at Amsterdam Schiphol. Despite being a huge international hub, getting from my arriving KLM Cityhopper flight, through passport control, into the Crown Lounge and finally to the departure gate was surprisingly quick and straightforward. For connections between KLM flights, Amsterdam Schiphol remains one of the easiest major European hubs to navigate.
KLM Boeing 777-200ER Business Class Cabin & Seat
KLM has completely transformed its Boeing 777 Business Class in recent years. The older 2-2-2 configuration is now gone from the 777 fleet, with both the Boeing 777-200ER and 777-300ER featuring KLM’s latest World Business Class seat in a 1-2-1 layout. This means every passenger has direct aisle access, while each seat also comes with its own sliding privacy door.
For this flight, I was seated in 5K, a window seat on the right-hand side of the Boeing 777-200ER.
My first impression of the cabin was excellent. It feels bright, polished and distinctly KLM, with the airline’s blue colour palette creating a welcoming atmosphere. The reverse-herringbone layout also gives the cabin a much more spacious and modern appearance than KLM’s previous 777 Business Class.
The seat itself is wide and extremely comfortable in the upright position. Window seats are angled towards the windows, providing plenty of privacy even before closing the door, while the sliding door turns the seat into a very private personal space once in the air.
Storage is good rather than exceptional. There is a lockable compartment beside the seat for smaller belongings, complete with a built-in mirror, as well as additional space around the seat and a recessed holder for a bottle or drink.
The seat controls are easy to use and allow you to adjust the seat between upright, relaxing and fully flat positions. There is also adjustable lumbar support and even a subtle massage function.
Entertainment is provided through a large 18.5-inch HD touchscreen, accompanied by a separate controller. The screen is sharp, responsive and large enough to comfortably watch films from both the seated and fully reclined positions.
Charging options are particularly good. Alongside a regular power socket, the seat offers both USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as wireless charging for compatible devices – very useful on a journey as long as KL701.
When it is finally time to sleep, the seat converts into a completely flat 198 cm bed. At almost two metres long, I had plenty of room to stretch out, and the privacy door makes a noticeable difference when trying to sleep on an overnight flight.
If I could improve one thing, however, it would be the bedding. KLM provides a pillow and blanket, but I would love to see a mattress topper added to World Business Class. It would make the bed softer and more comfortable while also giving the entire sleep experience a more luxurious feel, particularly on ultra-long journeys like Amsterdam to Santiago.
That is a relatively small criticism, though. Overall, I think KLM’s latest Boeing 777 World Business Class seat is a top-notch product. Direct aisle access, a privacy door, a comfortable fully flat bed, modern charging options and a large entertainment screen make it a very competitive Business Class seat – and certainly a product I was happy to spend the next 17 hours travelling in.
Amsterdam to Buenos Aires in KLM 777 Business Class
Boarding & Departure from Amsterdam
Boarding for KLM flight KL701 to Buenos Aires and Santiago started on time at Gate E5. World Business Class passengers were invited to board first, and I received a warm welcome from the crew as I stepped onboard the Boeing 777-200ER.
Back at my seat, 5K, a bottle of water and an amenity kit were already waiting for me. The amenity kit contains the essentials you need during a long-haul flight and, while relatively simple, is certainly useful on a journey of this length.
Shortly after boarding, the crew offered a choice of welcome drinks, including Champagne, juice, KLM’s signature non-alcoholic cocktail and Heineken. I went for the latter.
The menus were also handed out before departure, and this is a small detail I particularly like about KLM. They look elegant, but they also feel surprisingly personal: the destination and date of the flight are printed on the back. It turns something as simple as an onboard menu into a nice souvenir to take home from the journey.
A few minutes after our scheduled departure time, we pushed back into beautiful golden-hour conditions at Amsterdam Schiphol and began the long taxi towards runway 36L – better known as the Polderbaan.
And then came one of my favourite parts of any Boeing 777 flight: takeoff.
There is something special about hearing the GE90 engines come alive as a fully loaded Triple Seven accelerates down the runway. We climbed away from Amsterdam into the evening sky before turning left towards the North Sea, with a beautiful sunset behind us.
From there, KL701 headed west across the United Kingdom, passing close to London before continuing towards southern Wales and out over the Atlantic.
KLM Business Class Dinner Service
As we approached the Atlantic, it was time for dinner.
The KLM World Business Class meal service began with a hot towel, followed by a very Dutch touch: Gouda cheese accompanied by my choice of red wine.
The crew then served a small salmon amuse-bouche. This extra course is a nice addition to KLM’s current Business Class service and immediately made the meal feel a little more refined.
Around 15 minutes later, the first course arrived. I chose the smoked tuna with orzo and sour red pepper, served alongside a salad, warm bread, Dutch butter and olive oil. It was a very good start to the meal.
For my main course, I went for the smoked salmon with fennel, which was genuinely delicious. Airline food can sometimes struggle when it comes to fish, but this was one of the stronger dishes I have had onboard KLM.
Dessert continued at the same level. I chose the vanilla mousse with cinnamon crémeux, apple and raisin compote and crumble – an excellent finish to what had been a really enjoyable dinner.
Overall, the first meal service was one of the highlights of the Amsterdam–Buenos Aires sector. The presentation was attractive, the courses were well paced and, most importantly, the food actually tasted good. It was an excellent way to start such a long overnight journey.
Entertainment & Sleeping on the KLM 777
After dinner, I spent some time exploring the KLM inflight entertainment system before preparing my seat for the long Atlantic crossing.
Eventually, I closed the privacy door, converted the seat into its fully flat position and went to sleep.
And I slept surprisingly well.
I managed around seven hours of sleep, which is about as much as I could realistically ask for on an overnight flight. The seat gives you plenty of space to stretch out, and having the privacy door closed creates a much calmer environment than you get in more open Business Class cabins.
My one criticism remains the bedding. The seat itself is comfortable, but I think KLM would benefit enormously from adding a mattress topper. It would soften the sleeping surface and give the bed a noticeably more luxurious feel.
That said, seven hours of uninterrupted sleep speaks for itself. I woke up with most of the Atlantic already behind us and almost perfect timing for breakfast.
Breakfast & Arrival in Buenos Aires
Breakfast was served as we continued towards Argentina.
I kept things relatively simple, choosing yogurt with granola, accompanied by a croissant, preserves and coffee. I particularly like KLM’s ceramic tableware, and even something as simple as morning coffee feels a little more special when served in their distinctive cups.
After breakfast, the cabin was prepared for landing.
Outside, the darkness gradually revealed the enormous expanse of Buenos Aires, with an almost endless sea of lights stretching beneath the aircraft as we descended towards Ezeiza International Airport.
Just before landing came one final KLM tradition: the crew distributed the famous Delft Blue houses to the World Business Class passengers.
These miniature houses have been part of the KLM experience since 1952. Each one represents a real historic building and is filled with Dutch gin. Since 1994, the number of houses in the collection has matched KLM’s age, with a new design unveiled every year on the airline’s birthday, 7 October. They have become genuine collectors’ items and are easily one of the most distinctive Business Class gifts offered by any airline.
With my Delft house safely packed away, we continued our descent over Buenos Aires before touching down smoothly at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport (EZE) – just one minute ahead of our scheduled arrival time.
After an overnight crossing of the Atlantic, the first and longest part of KL701 was complete. But unlike most passengers arriving in Buenos Aires, my journey wasn’t over yet. Next came the unusual transit procedure at Ezeiza – and then the final flight across the Andes to Santiago.
What Happens During the KLM KL701 Stop in Buenos Aires?
One of the most unusual aspects of KLM flight KL701 from Amsterdam to Santiago is the intermediate stop at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport. If you are continuing to Santiago, you do have to leave the aircraft – but the transit process is much easier than you might expect.
Before landing, the KLM crew informed passengers continuing to Santiago that we needed to be back at the gate around 40 minutes after disembarking.
Once off the aircraft, there is no need to head towards baggage reclaim or Argentine passport control. At the same set of stairs leading towards arrivals, signs point continuing passengers towards Transit, while airport staff were also actively calling out for KLM passengers travelling onwards to Santiago.
From there, you pass through a small transit security checkpoint before being returned directly to the international departures area of Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport (EZE).
The entire process was incredibly quick. From stepping off the Boeing 777 to being back inside the main departure concourse took me only around five minutes. There was no immigration process and no need to go landside, making the Buenos Aires stop much more straightforward than I had expected.
Aerolíneas Argentinas Lounge During the KLM Transit
With around 40 minutes available, I decided to make a very quick visit to the Aerolíneas Argentinas Salón Cóndor before continuing to Santiago.
Interestingly, lounge access was not particularly well advertised during the connection, but KLM Business Class passengers are eligible to use the lounge as part of SkyTeam’s lounge-access benefits.
The lounge itself is spacious but fairly basic compared with KLM’s flagship Crown Lounge in Amsterdam. During my early-morning visit there were almost no other passengers, so I virtually had the place to myself. The food selection was quite limited, but there were enough drinks and snacks for a short visit, along with plenty of comfortable seating.
Given how little time I actually had, my priorities were rather simple: take a few photos for this review and finally brush my teeth after the overnight flight from Amsterdam.
After a short stay, I left the lounge and headed towards Gate 9, ready to reboard the same KLM Boeing 777 for the final sector of KL701.
Overall, the KLM transit in Buenos Aires is surprisingly simple. You leave the aircraft, follow the transit signs, pass through a quick security check and return directly to the departures area. In my case, the entire process took only five minutes – leaving just enough time for a very quick lounge visit before the final flight across the Andes to Santiago.
Buenos Aires to Santiago in KLM Business Class
Boarding in Buenos Aires
Boarding for the final Buenos Aires to Santiago sector of KLM flight KL701 started slightly behind schedule at Gate 9 and was once again organised by boarding groups, with World Business Class passengers in Group 1.
The cabin was noticeably quieter this time. Most passengers had ended their journey in Buenos Aires, leaving plenty of empty seats for the relatively short flight across Argentina to Chile.
For this sector, there was no blanket waiting at the seat, although a pillow and bottle of water were provided. Shortly after boarding, the crew handed out the menu and offered a simple choice of water or orange juice as a welcome drink, fitting for an early-morning departure.
We soon pushed back into a beautiful Buenos Aires sunrise. The taxi from the terminal to runway 29 was very short, and takeoff provided some excellent views over Ezeiza Airport and the sprawling city of Buenos Aires before we climbed through the cloud layer and headed west across Argentina.
Brunch & Service
Once we were above the clouds, the crew began the meal service.
Although technically breakfast time, the meal felt much more like brunch. There was one hot option: a Spanish omelette served with mushroom ragout, creamy spinach and oven-roasted plum tomato.
It was accompanied by bread, apple cake for dessert and a selection of water, juice and coffee. Considering the relatively short flight between Buenos Aires and Santiago, it was a substantial meal and another good example of the level of service KLM provides in World Business Class.
Before reaching the Andes, the crew also came through the cabin with the Delft Blue houses, giving me a second miniature house from the same KL701 journey.
Flying Across Argentina
After the meal, the flight settled into a quiet cruise across Argentina.
Knowing that the highlight of this sector was still ahead, I decided to move from my original seat 5K to the opposite side of the aircraft, taking seat 6A to get the best possible views during the Andes crossing.
As we approached Mendoza, the captain announced that the cabin would be prepared for landing earlier than usual. Passengers were asked to remain seated with their seatbelts fastened because turbulence can occur unexpectedly while crossing the Andes.
And then the landscape below began to change dramatically.
Crossing the Andes
For me, this was easily one of the highlights of the entire journey.
The flat landscape of Argentina suddenly gave way to an enormous wall of mountains, with the Boeing 777 flying above a seemingly endless landscape of snow-covered peaks and deep valleys.
Some of the highest mountains in the Andes reach close to 7,000 metres, and seeing terrain of that scale directly beneath the aircraft is spectacular. From seat 6A, I was incredibly lucky with the conditions: clear skies provided unobstructed views across the mountain range and some of the best views I have ever experienced from an aircraft.
After spending an entire night crossing the Atlantic, flying over the Andes in the morning sunshine was a pretty unforgettable way to finish KLM’s longest flight from Amsterdam to Santiago.
The contrast on the Chilean side was immediate. After the clear skies over the mountains, we descended into a thick layer of cloud as we approached Santiago.
Arrival in Santiago
Our descent into Santiago de Chile (SCL) was smooth and uneventful, eventually bringing us onto final approach for runway 16L.
After landing, the taxi to Terminal 2 was slightly longer, but we still reached the gate ahead of our scheduled arrival time.
And with that, KL701 was complete: an overnight Boeing 777 flight from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires, a short transit in Argentina and finally a morning flight across the Andes into Santiago.
After almost 18 hours of travelling, I had reached Chile – and I couldn’t have asked for a more spectacular ending to the journey.
Final Verdict: Is KLM Business Class to Santiago Worth It?
So, after almost 18 hours travelling from Amsterdam to Santiago, would I fly KLM Business Class to South America again?
Absolutely.
KLM’s latest Boeing 777 Business Class seat is excellent, the food throughout the journey was very good, and the crew were exceptional. For me, this is where KLM really stands out. The service feels warm and personal without being overdone, and there is a noticeable attention to detail throughout the experience – from the tableware and meal presentation to the beautifully designed menus and, of course, the iconic Delft Blue houses.
It all comes together to make KLM World Business Class feel like a very complete and well thought-out product.
The more difficult question is whether I would specifically choose KLM from Europe to Santiago over an alternative such as Air France or Iberia.
That is less straightforward.
KL701’s stop in Buenos Aires adds extra time to an already very long journey, whereas other options can get you to Santiago more directly. The good news is that the transit at Ezeiza was far easier and quicker than I expected. In my case, I was back inside the departure area only around five minutes after leaving the aircraft, so the stop itself was certainly not a major inconvenience.
Ultimately, my choice would probably come down to price, schedule and availability. At the 85,000 Flying Blue Miles I paid for this journey, I would happily choose KLM again. At a similar price to a more direct option, however, the Buenos Aires stop would have to be taken into consideration.
Pros
- Excellent KLM crew and very personal service
- Modern 1-2-1 Business Class seat with privacy door and direct aisle access
- Very good food and attractive meal presentation
- Excellent attention to detail throughout the experience
- Good KLM Crown Lounge experience in Amsterdam
- Surprisingly quick and straightforward transit in Buenos Aires
- Spectacular final flight across the Andes
- Fantastic value at 85,000 Flying Blue Miles
Cons
- The Buenos Aires stop makes the journey longer than flying directly to Santiago
- No mattress topper for the fully flat Business Class bed
- The short transit leaves little time to properly enjoy the lounge in Buenos Aires
Overall, KLM’s longest flight is a unique and genuinely enjoyable way to travel from Europe to Chile. It may not be the fastest option, but with a comfortable seat, excellent service, very good food and one of the most spectacular final approaches to a long-haul journey, KL701 offers an experience that is difficult to forget.
Overall rating: 9/10
