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Comparing KLM Travel Insurance: Which Plan is Right for You?

By knbbs-sharer.

klm travel insurance

Are you planning a trip with KLM Airlines and wondering which travel insurance plan to choose? In this article, we will compare the different KLM travel insurance plans to help you make the best decision based on your needs and preferences.

KLM offers three types of travel insurance plans: Essentials, Comfort, and Premium. The Essentials plan covers the basics, such as trip cancellation or interruption, loss or delayed baggage, emergency medical expenses, and emergency evacuation. The Comfort plan includes all of the Essentials benefits plus additional coverage, such as trip delay and missed connection, travel accident, and natural disaster. The Premium plan offers the most comprehensive coverage, including coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, personal liability, and golf equipment protection.

When comparing the different plans, it’s essential to consider factors such as the length of your trip, the number of people traveling with you, your destination, and your risk tolerance. For example, if you’re only traveling for a few days and don’t have any high-value items with you, the Essentials plan might be sufficient. However, if you’re going on a more extended trip and want additional peace of mind, the Premium plan might be a better fit.

It’s also essential to review each plan’s coverage limits and exclusions to ensure that they align with your needs. For example, the Comfort plan includes coverage for trip delay and missed connection, but the coverage is only applicable if the delay exceeds six hours. Additionally, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered under the Essentials or Comfort plans unless you pay an additional fee.

When selecting a travel insurance plan, it’s also crucial to consider the deductible and the policy’s terms and conditions. Some plans might have a higher deductible, but also offer a broader range of benefits, while others might have a lower deductible but more restrictions on coverage.

To sum up, the KLM travel insurance plans are well-designed and provide excellent coverage for most types of travelers. To determine which plan is right for you, consider your trip’s length, the number of people traveling with you, your destination, and your risk tolerance. Make sure to review each plan’s coverage limits and exclusions, deductible, and policy terms and conditions before making your final decision. And most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy your trip!

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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Travel insurance

Even if you’re well prepared, your trip may not always go as planned. Make sure that you’re insured! Our partner Allianz Travel will create an insurance quote that’s tailor-made to your travel plans.

Arrange your insurance

Whether you’re going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you’ve already completed your booking. Note, though: this is only possible for tickets booked directly via us.

Types of insurances

It’s up to you which type of insurance you prefer, so choose the one that fits your travel situation and your needs.

Frequently asked questions

Can i take out cancellation insurance after booking.

Yes of course! If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket. Check My Trip for the current offering and costs of a travel or cancellation insurance.

What is travel insurance?

If you take out travel insurance, it helps cover the costs of:

  • Medical issues you have when abroad, for instance if you’re ill or injured;
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage;
  • Liability and legal counsel.

If you would like more certainty around these unforeseen expenses, travel insurance can help with that.

What is cancellation insurance?

With a cancellation insurance, you will get a refund for your ticket fare, extra options and change fees if unforeseen circumstances arise. It will allow you, depending on your insurance conditions, to cancel or change your trip before it starts. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in July 2024

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Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected — from a pandemic to flight troubles to the crowded airport terminals so many of us have encountered.

If you don't have sufficient travel insurance coverage via your credit card , you can supplement your policies with third-party plans.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care or a policy that includes extreme sports, these are the best travel insurance providers to get you covered.

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

Read our full analysis about the average cost of travel insurance so you can budget better for your next trip.

However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize at an added cost.

As we continue to evaluate more travel insurance companies and receive fresh market data, this collection of best travel insurance companies is likely to change. See our full methodology for more details.

Best insurance companies

Types of travel insurance

What does travel insurance cover, what’s not covered, how much does it cost, do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers.

Top credit cards with travel insurance

Methodology

Best travel insurance overall: berkshire hathaway travel protection.

insurance-product-card-logo

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

  • ExactCare Value (basic) plan is among the least expensive we surveyed.
  • Speciality plans available for road trips, luxury travel, adventure activities, flights and cruises.
  • Company may reimburse claimants faster than average, including possible same-day compensation.
  • Multiple "Trip Delay" coverage types might make claims confusing.
  • Cheapest plan only includes fixed amounts for its coverage.

Under the direction of chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been around since 2014. Its plans provide numerous opportunities for travelers to customize coverage to their needs.

At $135 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers protection roughly $10 above the average price.

Want something cheaper? Air travelers looking for inexpensive, less comprehensive protections might opt for a basic AirCare plan that includes fixed amounts for its coverage .

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers available at nearly all plan levels. 

Plans available for travelers going on a cruise, participating in extreme sports or taking a luxury trip.

ExactCare Value (basic) plan was among the least expensive we surveyed.

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

insurance-product-card-logo

Annual or single-trip policies are available.

  • Multiple types of insurance available.
  • All plans include access to a 24/7 assistance hotline.
  • More expensive than average.
  • CFAR upgrades are not available.
  • Rental car protection is only available by adding the One Trip Rental Car protector to your plan or by purchasing a standalone rental car plan.

Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering plans for over 25 years. Customers can choose from a variety of single and annual policies to fit their needs. On top of comprehensive coverage, some travelers might opt for the more affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus, which is geared toward domestic travelers looking for trip protections but don’t need post-departure benefits like emergency medical or baggage lost.

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $149, about $22 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

Stand-alone and add-on rental car damage product available.

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG

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Travel Guard by AIG

  • Offers last-minute coverage.
  • Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver available at all plan levels.
  • Plan available for business travelers.
  • Cancel For Any reason coverage only available for higher-level plans, and only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost.
  • Trip interruption coverage doesn't apply to trips paid for with points and miles.

Travel Guard by AIG offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs. On top of more standard trip protections like trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and medical coverage, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available on certain Travel Guard plans, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get 50% of your nonrefundable deposit back as long as the trip is canceled at least two days before the scheduled departure date.

At $107 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was below average, saving roughly $20.

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

Three comprehensive plans and a Pack N' Go plan for last-minute travelers who don't need cancellation benefits.

Flight protection, car rental, and medical evacuation coverage, as well as annual plans available.

Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available on all plan levels, as long as it's purchased within 15 days.

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

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Travel Insured International

  • Higher-level plan include optional add-ons for event tickets and for electronic equipment
  • Rental car protection add-on for just $8 per day, even on lower-level plan.
  • Many of the customizations are only available on the higher-tier plan.
  • Coverage cost comes in above average in our latest analysis.

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

Be sure to check which policies are available in your state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see coverages.

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

Comprehensive plans include medical expense reimbursement accidents, sickness, evacuation and pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan.

Flight plans include coverage for missed and canceled flights and lost or stolen baggage.

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

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World Nomads

  • Travelers can extend coverage mid-trip.
  • The standard plan covers up to $300,000 in emergency evacuation costs.
  • Plans automatically cover 200+ adventurous activities.
  • No Cancel For Any Reason upgrades are available.
  • No pre-existing medical condition waivers are available.

Many travel insurance plans contain exclusions for adventure sports activities. If you plan to ski, bungee jump, windsurf or parasail, this might be a plan to consider.

Note that the Standard plan ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

Coverage available for adventure activities, such as trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

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Travelex Insurance Services

  • Top-tier plan doesn’t break the bank and provides more customization opportunities.
  • Offers a plan specifically for domestic travel.
  • Sells a post-departure medical coverage plan.
  • Fewer customization opportunities on the Basic plan.
  • Though perhaps a plus for domestic travelers, keep in mind the Travel America plan only covers domestic trips.

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $125, almost exactly average for our sample trip.

Travelex’s plans focus heavily on providing protections that are personalized to your travel style and trip type.

While the company does offer comprehensive plans that include medical benefits, you can also choose between cheaper plans that don’t provide cancellation coverage but do offer protections during your travels.

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

Three comprehensive plans available, two of which cover international trips.

Offers a post-departure plan geared exclusively toward disruptions after you leave home.

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

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Seven Corners

  • Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.
  • Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.
  • Cheapest plan also features a much less costly Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
  • Offers only one annual policy option.

Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is a Trip Interruption for Any Reason, which allows you to interrupt a trip 48 hours after the scheduled departure date (for any reason) and receive a refund of up to 75% of your unused nonrefundable deposits.

» Jump to the best cards with travel insurance

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

Comprehensive plans for U.S. residents and foreigners, including travelers visiting the U.S.

Cheap add-ons for rental car damage, sporting equipment rental or trip interruption for any reason.

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

insurance-product-card-logo

  • Coverage available for adventure travelers.
  • Offers direct billing.
  • Claim approval can be lengthy.

While some travel insurance companies offer just a handful of plans, with IMG, you’ll really have your pick. Though this requires a bit more research, it allows you to search for coverage that fits your travel needs.

However, travelers will want to be aware that IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel Lite is expensive. Coming in at $149.85, it’s the costliest plan on our list.

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

insurance-product-card-logo

  • In addition Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reason coverage.
  • Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
  • Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
  • Only one plan includes Rental Car Damage coverage available as an add-on.

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto the average basic policy cost. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad.

The multitude of plans can help you find coverage that fits your needs, but with so many to choose from, deciding can be daunting.

The only real way to figure out your ideal plan is to compare them all, look at the plan details and decide which features and coverage suit you and your travel style best.

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

insurance-product-card-logo

  • Covers up to $300 redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award flights.
  • Optional add-on protection for business equipment or sports rentals.
  • Multi-trip or year-long plans aren’t available.

Selecting your travel insurance plan with TravelSafe is a fairly straightforward process. The company’s website also makes it easy to visualize how optional add-on elements influence the total cost, displaying the final price as soon as you click the coverage.

However, at $136, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Mexico.

What else makes TravelSafe great:

Rental car damage coverage add-on is available on both plans.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage available on the TravelSafe Classic plan.

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

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HTH Travel Insurance

  • Covers travelers up to 95 years old.
  • Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay up front for services.
  • A 24-hour delay is required for baggage delay coverage on the TripProtector Economy plan.
  • No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.

HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans.

At around $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at the average mark for plans we reviewed.

You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers.

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll find many of the same coverage categories across numerous plans.

Trip cancellation

This covers the prepaid costs you make for your trip in cases when you need to cancel for a covered reason. This coverage helps you recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption benefits generally involve disruptions after you depart. It helps reimburse costs incurred for flight delays, cancellations and plenty of other covered disruptions you might encounter during your travels.

This coverage can cover the costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.

Trip delay coverage helps cover unexpected costs when your trip is delayed. This is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions.

Note that many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits, too.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip even if you’re canceling for a reason not otherwise covered by your standard travel insurance policy.

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

This coverage helps cover the costs of essential items you might need when your luggage is delayed. Think toiletries, clothing and other immediate items you might need if your luggage didn’t make it on your flight.

Many travel insurance plans with baggage delay protection will specify how long (six, 12, 24 hours, etc.) your luggage must be delayed before you can make a claim.

Lost baggage

Used for travelers whose luggage is lost or stolen, this helps recoup the lost value of the items in your bag.

You’ll want to make sure you closely follow the correct procedures for your plan. Many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.

Travel medical insurance

This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency.

Because many travelers’ health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas, travel medical insurance can help offset out-of-pocket health care costs.

In addition to emergency medical coverage, many plans have medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country because of a medical situation.

Most travel insurance plans cover many trip protections that can help you be prepared for unexpected travel disruptions and expenses.

These coverages are generally aimed at protecting the money you put into your trip, expenses you incur because of travel trouble and costs incurred if you have a medical emergency overseas.

On top of core coverages like trip cancellation and interruption and travel medical coverage, some plans offer add-on options like waivers for pre-existing conditions, rental car collision damage waivers or adventure sports riders. These usually cost extra or must be added within a specified timeframe.

Typical travel insurance policies offer coverage for many unforeseen events, but as you research to select a plan, consider your needs. Though every plan differs, there are some commonly excluded coverages.

For instance, you typically can’t get coverage for a named storm if you bought the coverage after the storm was named. In other words, if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked for Sept. 25 and on Sept. 20 a hurricane develops and is named, you generally won’t be able to buy a travel insurance plan Sept. 21 in hopes of getting your money back.

Many plans also don’t cover activities performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol or any extreme sports. If the latter applies to you, you might want to consider a plan with specific coverages for adventure-seekers.

For numerous plans, a few other situations don’t qualify as an acceptable reason to cancel and make a claim, such as fear of travel, medical tourism or pregnancies (unless you booked a trip and bought insurance before you became pregnant or there are complications with the pregnancy). This is where a Cancel For Any Reason add-on to your coverage can be helpful.

You can also run into trouble if you give up on a trip too soon: a minor (or even multihour) flight delay likely isn’t sufficient to cancel your entire trip and get reimbursed through your plan. Be sure to review what requirements your specific plan has when it comes to canceling a trip, claiming trip interruption, etc.

Travel insurance costs vary widely. The final price of your plan will fluctuate based on your age, length of trip and destination.

It will also depend on how much coverage you need, whether you add on specialized policies (like Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing conditions coverage), whether you plan to participate in extreme sports and other factors.

In our examples above, for instance, the 35-year-old traveler taking a $2,000 trip to Italy would have spent an average $76 for a basic plan to get coverage for things like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, etc. That’s a little less than 4% of the total trip cost — lower than average.

If there were multiple members in a traveling party or if they were going on, say, a rock-climbing or bungee-jumping excursion, the costs would go up.

On average, travel insurance comes to about 5% to 10% of the trip cost. However, considering many of the plans reimburse up to 100% of the trip cost (or more) for disruptions like trip cancellation or interruption, it can be a worthwhile expense if something goes wrong.

It depends. Consider the following factors that might affect your decision: You’re young and healthy, all your bookings are refundable or cancelable without a penalty, your flights are nonstop, you’re not checking bags and a credit card you carry offers some travel protections . In that case, travel insurance might not be necessary.

On the other hand, if you prepaid a large chunk of money for a nonrefundable African safari, you’re going on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of a hurricane season or you’re going somewhere where the cost of health care is high, it’s not a bad idea to buy a travel insurance plan. Here’s how to find the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re thinking of booking a trip and not planning to buy travel insurance, you may want to consider at least booking refundable airfare and not prepaying for hotel, rental car and activity reservations. That way, if something goes wrong, you can cancel without losing any money.

Selecting the best travel insurance policy comes down to your needs, concerns, preferences and budget.

As you book, take a few minutes to consider what most concerns you. Is it getting stranded because of flight trouble? Having the ability to cancel for any reason you see fit without losing money? Getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip? Injuring yourself or falling ill while overseas?

Ultimately, you want a plan that protects you, your money and the large investment in your trip — but doesn’t cost too much, either.

Medical coverage. If your priority is having adequate medical coverage abroad, you might want to look for plans with high limits for medical emergencies and medical evacuation.

Complex travel itinerary. If your itinerary has lots of flight connections, prepaid hotels and deposits for activities you can’t get back, prioritizing a plan with the best coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions may land at the top of your list.

Travel uncertainty. If you’re on the fence about a trip and have nonrefundable reservations, you may want to select a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason coverage option, which can help you recoup about 50% to 75% of the costs. This helps provide peace of mind, placing the decision on whether to travel entirely in your hands.

Car rentals. If you’re renting a car, a collision damage waiver is often worth looking into.

The following destinations are the top insured destinations in 2024, according to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

In 2022, travelers spent about 25.53% more on trips than they did before the pandemic.

As of December, NerdWallet analysis determined travel prices are 10% higher than pre-pandemic. Each statistic makes a strong case for protecting your travel investment as you plan your next trip.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

We used the following factors to choose insurance providers to highlight:

Breadth of coverage: We looked at how many plans each company offered plus the range of their standard plans. 

Depth of coverage: We considered two data points to get a sense of how much each company pays out for common travel issues — the maximum caps for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.

Cost: By looking at the costs for basic coverage across multiple companies, we determined an average cost for shoppers to benchmark plan prices against.

Customizability: While standard plans can cover a lot of ground, sometimes you need something a little more personal.

Customer satisfaction. Using data from Squaremouth when available, and Google Reviews as a backup, we can give kudos to companies with better track records from their clients.

No, it doesn’t necessarily get more expensive the longer you wait to purchase. However, as you put off buying insurance, you may lose access to potential plans and coverage options.

In general, buying travel insurance within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

But, generally, many plans do allow you to buy coverage quite close to your departure date.

To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, buy it soon after making your initial prepayment or deposit to ensure you have access to the biggest menu of plans possible.

Select a plan that’s comprehensive enough to cover the travel scenarios you’re most concerned about or likely to encounter but not too expensive or laden with protections you’d never likely need.

Whatever your coverage, thoroughly review the plan so you understand what’s covered and what’s not, plus how to adhere to the plan’s rules for making a claim.

Travelers frequently use phrases like “trip insurance” and “travel insurance,” as well as “trip protection,” interchangeably, but they do mean different things, according to Stan Sandberg, founder of insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.

Trip insurance, or trip protection, generally refers to predeparture (or preevent) coverage if you need to cancel. You may see these plans sold by airlines, online travel agencies or even ticketed event sellers.

“You could refer to it as the portion that protects the investment in the trip,” Sandberg says.

A travel insurance plan typically includes that — plus more comprehensive benefits to protect you during your trip, from medical coverage to trip delay and lost baggage protections, and many more elements, depending on the plan.

Though travel insurance is typically not required for international trips, your personal circumstances will play a key role in whether it’s a good investment.

For instance, young, healthy travelers with few prepaid trip expenses embarking on a relatively risk-free trip may not see a need to buy a plan.

Older travelers with complicated itineraries who are visiting destinations where they could potentially fall ill or get injured — or who could encounter bad weather or some other disrupting factor along the way — may want to buy coverage.

Consider a few key questions:

How well would your health insurance plan cover you if you needed to visit a hospital overseas?

How much did you prepay for a hotel or rental car?

How much money would you be out if weather or some other flight issue derailed your itinerary?

Could you afford an unexpected night in a city where you have a connecting flight?

Do you already have a credit card that provides some travel protections?

Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether you need travel insurance for your international trip.

In general, buying travel insurance

within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit

for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

IHG® One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Earn 5 free nights at an IHG property after $4k in spend (each night valued at up to 60k points).

klm travel insurance

Extra options for your trip

Interested in adding some more comfort to your trip? Or curious to see all our add-on options, to make your next flight with us just a little extra special? You’ll find them here.

  • Go to My Trip

Sit back and relax

klm travel insurance

Seats in Economy Class

Choose your favourite type of Economy Class seat. Are you going for more space or a spot at the front of the aircraft?

The girl sitting in business class in the plane

Upgrade options

Treat yourself to an upgrade to Premium Comfort Class or Business Class for extra privacy and comfort.

Bring all you want

klm travel insurance

Extra baggage

Want to bring more checked baggage than initially planned? Find out what your options are to still take it with you.

klm travel insurance

Special baggage

Options for bringing sports equipment, musical instruments, extra items for kids, a wedding dress, or an urn.

klm travel insurance

Travelling with pets

Make a reservation for your dog or cat and prepare them for their journey in the cabin or hold.

Onboard services

klm travel insurance

A la carte meals

Prefer to have a little more choice? Order an à la carte menu for your intercontinental flight departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

klm travel insurance

Inflight WiFi

Stay connected with your friends and family, even when you’re thousands of feet up in the sky. Check how to arrange and use inflight WiFi.

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Do I need travel insurance for my summer vacation? It's complicated.

  • Travel insurance can be complicated, but it's worth it if you have travel expenses that insurance would cover.
  • You might not need travel insurance if you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free.
  • If you're leaving the country, you'll likely need travel insurance.

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If you're planning to travel somewhere this summer, you're probably thinking of buying travel insurance.

Kingsley Hopkins is. He's headed to Portugal and Iceland with his girlfriend, and he wants to make sure he's covered for things like medical emergencies or trip disruptions, "or if a volcano erupts," he said.

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But getting the right travel insurance can be complicated. There's no one-size-fits-all policy, and Hopkins, an assistant editor at a book publishing company in New York, has been spending a lot of time thinking about how to protect his summer vacation.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Chances are, so have you.

Why finding the right travel insurance is so hard

Most surveys suggest this will be a record summer for travel. How much of a record? Demand is so high that some airlines are afraid they will run out of planes. Now that's busy.

At the same time, danger and uncertainty are lurking everywhere – wars in Europe and the Middle East, the usual slate of natural disasters like hurricanes and maybe a volcano or two. It's no wonder people are giving some serious thought to insurance. 

Older travelers are particularly worried. And they should be, said PK Rao, CEO of INF Visitor Care . Claims by travelers over age 50 spike during the summer months.

Warning: American tourists are being profiled. Don't be one of them.

Try this pro trick for an affordable and stress-free summer vacation

"According to our claim data, medical emergencies tend to uptick during the summer, especially for those going on trips that involve outdoor activities," he said.

But there are so many choices out there, including credit card coverage, medical evacuation membership programs and stand-alone travel insurance. What should you get?

You need peace of mind 

But don't just reflexively start shopping for a travel insurance policy this summer. Instead, look for peace of mind – knowing that if something goes wrong, you'll be taken care of.

"Knowing you're protected from unforeseen travel mishaps – like delays, lost baggage and even medical emergencies – can make the trip that much more enjoyable,” said Daniel Durazo, a spokesman for Allianz Partners USA .

As it turns out, there are several ways to get the peace of mind you need. And there are times when you can safely skip travel insurance.

This is when you don't need insurance

Here's when you can skip travel insurance, according to experts:

◾ If you already have coverage. "You may already have travel coverage through your benefits at work, your credit card, or through group benefits with an organization," said Jiten Puri, CEO of PolicyAdvisor.com. If you do, there's no need to buy more coverage. You're all set.

◾ If you're not traveling far. If you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free, like a relative's sofa, then there's not much to insure. "If you already have health insurance, it may cover you for a domestic trip, so you don't need to think about health insurance coverage," said Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance .

◾ If your trip isn't insurable. Traditional travel insurance covers conventional trips with prepaid, nonrefundable components like airline tickets and hotel stays. You might find that you either already have coverage through your medical insurance, or the trip is essentially uninsurable.

So think twice before saying "yes" to optional travel insurance that your online travel agency may offer you when you're booking a trip. You might not need it.

Here's when you need travel insurance

But most travelers should consider some kind of travel insurance coverage this summer. Here's when you need the extra coverage:

◾ If you have travel expenses that insurance would cover. "If you have many prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, it's best to take out travel insurance," said Lauren Gumport, a spokeswoman for Faye Travel Insurance ."This includes things like flights, hotel rooms, tickets and activities." The more conventional your vacation, the likelier travel insurance is to cover almost every aspect of your summer vacation.

◾ If you're leaving the country. "Your regular medical insurance might not extend coverage beyond your home borders," said John Rose, chief risk and security officer at ALTOUR . Also, many countries require travel insurance for entrance. They include Bermuda, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and some European countries.

◾ If you can't afford to lose your trip. "When considering travel insurance for your summer trip, evaluate whether you can afford to lose your vacation investment due to unforeseen circumstances like illness, weather disruptions, or emergencies," explained Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA). "Can you afford the financial risk if you miss your cruise departure because of covered flight delays? What if you have to cut your trip short because of illness?"  

One of the most common mistakes travelers make is assuming their credit card will cover them. For example, I found that my credit card only covered my rental car as secondary insurance, which made it completely useless when I rented a car in Tampa recently. I had to buy a standalone policy from Allianz to cover the vehicle.

Should you repeat your vacation? Let's settle this once and for all.

Junk fees: Travelers are drowning in junk fees during the summer of surcharges

How one traveler insured his summer vacation

So, how did Hopkins handle his travel insurance needs? Well, as I mentioned – it's complicated.

Hopkins said he always buys some travel insurance before he takes a trip, "but how much, and what I cover, varies," he explained.

He decided that his path to peace of mind in this case was to spend a few extra dollars: He made fully refundable flight and hotel reservations, just in case something went wrong. That would eliminate a lengthy claim with his travel insurance company or credit card.

But he still needed at least $50,000 in medical coverage with emergency evacuation because of his active schedule.

"We’re going to be doing a lot of hiking in Iceland," he said. "And you just never know." 

At the beginning of the year, he decided to buy an annual Medjet Horizon plan, a membership that would get him from a hospital in Portugal or Iceland to a hospital at home, in case something happened. 

For insurance, Hopkins checked TravelInsurance.com to find an affordable travel insurance policy. He found coverage through Trawick International that pays up to $50,000 in medical expenses and up to $200,000 for an evacuation.

"I’ve heard good things about them," he said. "Hopefully, we won’t need any of it."

How do I insure my trips?

I'm on the road about 360 days a year, so I'm always thinking about peace of mind. I currently use a Wells Fargo credit card with lots of travel benefits, and I have long-term policies through Faye and Cigna, which have worked fairly well. I also am a long-time Medjet Horizon member. If I rent a car, I turn to Allianz for my primary coverage.

I know – that's a lot of peace of mind. 

But I've also run into trouble and had to use many of those benefits. Medjet got me back home during the pandemic. Cigna covered me after a serious ski accident in Switzerland. My old Allianz policy took care of my medical expenses when I had to see a doctor in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a few years ago.

Like I always say, when it comes to having enough insurance, better safe than sorry.

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

Reisverzekering

Ook als u goed bent voorbereid, verloopt uw reis niet altijd zoals gepland. Zorg ervoor dat u verzekerd bent! Onze partner Allianz Travel maakt voor u een op maat gemaakte reisverzekering, passend bij uw trip.

Regel uw verzekering

Of u nu op zakenreis of op vakantie gaat, met een reisverzekering van onze partner Allianz Travel kunt u met een gerust hart op reis. U kunt de verzekering afsluiten tijdens het boeken van uw ticket, of op een later moment via Mijn Reis. Let op: dit is alleen mogelijk als u uw ticket direct bij ons heeft geboekt.

Soorten verzekeringen

U kunt zelf bepalen welke soort verzekering uw voorkeur heeft, dus kies de verzekering die past bij uw reissituatie en behoeften.

Reis- en annuleringsverzekering

Kies de meest complete verzekering, zodat u gedekt bent voor:

  • Annulering of wijziging van uw vlucht bij onvoorziene gebeurtenissen
  • Medische kosten die u in het buitenland maakt in geval van ziekte of een ongeval
  • Verloren, gestolen of beschadigde bagage
  • Aansprakelijkheid en rechtsbijstand

U kunt de reis- en annuleringsverzekering afsluiten tijdens het boeken, of via Mijn Reis tot 48 uur na het boeken van uw ticket. Lees voor het afsluiten van uw reis- en annuleringsverzekering de exacte dekking en voorwaarden die Allianz Travel heeft opgesteld.

Lees de volledige voorwaarden

Lees het ‘insurance product information document’

De reisverzekering dekt u in het geval van:

U kunt de reisverzekering afsluiten tijdens het boeken, of via Mijn Reis tot vertrek van uw vlucht. Lees voor het afsluiten van uw reisverzekering de exacte dekking en voorwaarden die Allianz Travel heeft opgesteld.

Annuleringsverzekering

Wilt u uw reis annuleren of wijzigen voordat deze begint, vanwege onvoorziene gebeurtenissen? Met de annuleringsverzekering krijgt u een vergoeding van uw ticketprijs, extra opties en de wijzigingskosten.

U kunt de annuleringsverzekering afsluiten tijdens het boeken, of via Mijn Reis tot 48 uur na het boeken van uw ticket. Lees voor het afsluiten van uw annuleringsverzekering de exacte dekking en voorwaarden die Allianz Travel heeft opgesteld.

Veelgestelde vragen

Kan ik een annuleringsverzekering afsluiten na boeking.

Jazeker! Als u uw ticket rechtstreeks bij KLM geboekt heeft, kunt u in Mijn Reis een passende verzekering afsluiten bij onze partner Allianz Travel. Zij bieden reisverzekeringen, annuleringsverzekeringen en een combinatie van beide. Pas op: de annuleringsverzekering kunt u afsluiten tot 48 uur na het boeken van uw ticket. Kijk op Mijn Reis voor het actuele aanbod en de kosten van een reisverzekering of annuleringsverzekering.

Wat is een reisverzekering?

Een reisverzekering houdt in dat de kosten gedekt zijn van:

  • Medische kosten die u maakt in het buitenland, als u ziek bent of een ongeval krijgt;
  • Verloren, gestolen of beschadigde bagage;
  • Aansprakelijkheid en rechtsbijstand.

Kies voor een reisverzekering als u meer zekerheid wil hebben over deze onvoorziene kosten.

Wat is een annuleringsverzekering?

Met een annuleringsverzekering krijgt u een vergoeding van uw ticketprijs, extra opties en wijzigingskosten als u met onvoorziene gebeurtenissen te maken krijgt. Hiermee kunt u, afhankelijk van de verzekeringsvoorwaarden, uw reis annuleren of wijzigen voordat deze begint. Let op, sluit uw annuleringsverzekering af binnen 48 uur na het boeken van uw ticket!

Travel insurance

Even if you’re well prepared, your trip may not always go as planned. Make sure that you’re insured! Our partner Allianz Travel will create an insurance quote that’s tailor-made to your travel plans.

Arrange your insurance

Whether you’re going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you’ve already completed your booking. Note, though: this is only possible for tickets booked directly via us.

Types of insurances

It’s up to you which type of insurance you prefer, so choose the one that fits your travel situation and your needs.

Get the most complete insurance that covers:

  • Cancellation or change of your flight in case of unforeseen events
  • Medical costs you make abroad in case of illness or an accident
  • Lost, stolen, or damaged baggage
  • Public liability and legal assistance

You can purchase the travel insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel insurance.

Read the full conditions

Assistance insurance

The assistance insurance covers:

You can purchase the assistance insurance when booking, or via My Trip up until your flight’s departure. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your assistance insurance.

Cancellation insurance

Need to cancel or change your trip before it even begins due to unforeseen events? With the cancellation insurance, you’ll get a compensation of your ticket price, extra options, and the change fee.

You can purchase the cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your cancellation insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can i take out cancellation insurance after booking.

Yes of course! If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket. Check My Trip for the current offering and costs of a travel or cancellation insurance.

What is travel insurance?

If you take out travel insurance, it helps cover the costs of:

  • Medical issues you have when abroad, for instance if you’re ill or injured;
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage;
  • Liability and legal counsel.

If you would like more certainty around these unforeseen expenses, travel insurance can help with that.

What is cancellation insurance?

With a cancellation insurance, you will get a refund for your ticket fare, extra options and change fees if unforeseen circumstances arise. It will allow you, depending on your insurance conditions, to cancel or change your trip before it starts. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

Travel insurance

Even if you’re well prepared, your trip may not always go as planned. Make sure that you’re insured! Our partner Allianz Travel will create an insurance quote that’s tailor-made to your travel plans.

Arrange your insurance

Whether you’re going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you’ve already completed your booking. Note, though: this is only possible for tickets booked directly via us.

Types of insurances

It’s up to you which type of insurance you prefer, so choose the one that fits your travel situation and your needs.

Travel protection comprehensive insurance

Get the most complete insurance that covers:

  • Cancellation or change of your flight in case of unforeseen events
  • Medical costs you make abroad in case of illness or an accident
  • Lost, stolen, or damaged baggage
  • Public liability and legal assistance

You can purchase the travel protection comprehensive insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel protection comprehensive insurance.

Read the full conditions

Read the insurance product information document

Assistance plus insurance

The assistance plus insurance covers:

You can purchase the assistance plus insurance when booking, or via My Trip up until your flight’s departure. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your assistance plus insurance.

Cancellation insurance

Need to cancel or change your trip before it even begins due to unforeseen events? With the cancellation insurance, you’ll get a compensation of your ticket price, extra options, and the change fee.

You can purchase the cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your cancellation insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can i take out cancellation insurance after booking.

Yes of course! If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket. Check My Trip for the current offering and costs of a travel or cancellation insurance.

What is travel insurance?

If you take out travel insurance, it helps cover the costs of:

  • Medical issues you have when abroad, for instance if you’re ill or injured;
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage;
  • Liability and legal counsel.

If you would like more certainty around these unforeseen expenses, travel insurance can help with that.

What is cancellation insurance?

With a cancellation insurance, you will get a refund for your ticket fare, extra options and change fees if unforeseen circumstances arise. It will allow you, depending on your insurance conditions, to cancel or change your trip before it starts. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

Wells Fargo Transfer Partners

How to earn wells fargo rewards.

  • Airline Partners
  • Hotel Partner

Wells Fargo Autograph Card Transfer Partners: Maximizing Travel Rewards Value in 2024

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  • Wells Fargo launched new airline and hotel partners this year under the Autograph Rewards program.
  • Partners include Choice Privileges®, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, and Iberia Plus.
  • Cardholders of the best Wells Fargo credit cards have new options for redeeming Autograph Rewards.

Introduction to the Wells Fargo Autograph Rewards program

Wells Fargo recently announced a brand-new Autograph Rewards Points Transfer program, introducing five airlines and one hotel chain as its inaugural transfer partners. 

As of April 2024, cardholders with Wells Fargo-branded credit cards that earn cash or points can share, pool, and transfer their rewards across multiple card accounts to redeem with these new airline and hotel partners. 

Here's what we know so far about the Autograph Rewards program. 

Wells Fargo has six transfer partners: Five airline frequent flyer programs and one hotel program.

Wells Fargo Rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio to all of the airline loyalty programs: 1,000 Wells Fargo points will be 1,000 airline miles.

Rewards transfer at a 1:2 ratio to the Choice Privileges hotel program: 1,000 Wells Fargo points will become 2,000 Choice Privileges points. 

Rewards earned on the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card and the legacy Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card are eligible for the Points Transfer program. Cardholders of the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can also convert cash rewards by transferring them to travel partners. 

Wells Fargo Points Transfer Airline Partners

Aer lingus aerclub.

Aer Lingus is Ireland's flagship airline and offers generous rates for economy and premium-class travel to Europe. The airline's award chart includes one-way economy flights for as few as 16,250 Avios. 

Air France-KLM Flying Blue 

The Flying Blue loyalty program is jointly shared by Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and allows award travelers to find some great sweet spots for travel around the world. Flying Blue fans can often find transatlantic sale fares that require as little as 15,000 points one way in economy.  

avianca lifemiles

Avianca is a Colombian airline, and lifemiles are extremely valuable for booking reasonably priced award flights to and from Latin America. Avianca is part of the Star Alliance airline network, which includes United Airlines. This means you can also use lifemiles to book very low-rate domestic flights within the U.S. 

British Airways Executive Club

British Airways is part of the Oneworld alliance, which includes American Airlines. Transferring Wells Fargo points to British Airways allows cardholders to access to this giant network of airlines, which includes 14 carriers serving dozens of countries and territories. British Airways charges pricey fuel surcharges and fees, so this loyalty program isn't your best bet for long-haul travel. But you can find some good deals if you convert points to British Airways Avios, then redeem them on partner award flights for low-cost travel to Hawaii and Europe.

Iberia Plus

Iberia is Spain's flagship airline, and the Iberia Plus program frequently offers great deals to and from Europe during low-peak travel times, such as the winter months before and after December. 

Wells Fargo Points Transfer Hotel Partners

Choice privileges .

The Choice Hotels brand encompasses more than 7,500 properties worldwide. Wells Fargo points transfer at a 1:2 ratio to Choice Privileges, so remember to double the number of points you can transfer to your hotel account when tallying up your credit card rewards.  

Wells Fargo Transfer Partner Frequently Asked Questions

The Wells Fargo Autograph Rewards transfer program has six airline and hotel partners that allow cardholders to transfer points for flights and hotel stays.

Log into your Wells Fargo account online, navigate to the Rewards and Benefits section, select your chosen partner and transfer rewards. 

Familiarize yourself with the airlines and hotels in Wells Fargo's Autograph Rewards programs. Wells Fargo also allows cardholders to pool rewards between different accounts, even with friends or family members, for additional value. 

You can transfer Wells Fargo Autograph Rewards or cash rewards to five airlines and one hotel chain: Choice Privileges, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Iberia Plus. 

You'll typically get better value when redeeming points for travel through a transfer partner, because you can book first- or business-class flights worth thousands of dollars for far less cash using travel rewards. 

Wells Fargo has six travel partners that accept Wells Fargo rewards as airline miles or hotel points: Choice Privileges, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Iberia Plus.

Wells Fargo Rewards can be redeemed as cash back, issued as a statement credit to offset your credit card balance, or transferred to six airline and hotel travel partners including Choice Privileges, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Iberia Plus.

Business Insider values Wells Fargo Rewards points at 1.3 cents apiece on average, with a low threshold of 1 cent apiece and a high threshold of 1.6 cents apiece. Thus, 20,000 Wells Fargo Rewards points would be worth $260 on average.

klm travel insurance

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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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Traveling Today? What You Need to Know About the Global Tech Outage.

While service is slowly recovering, flights are still being canceled and delays can stretch for hours. Here’s the latest on airlines, airports and cruises, as well as your rights and how to reach customer service.

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A man in a white T-shirt standing on a balcony looks down watching hundreds of airline passengers waiting in line

By Derek M. Norman ,  Christine Chung and Ceylan Yeğinsu

  • July 19, 2024

While commercial air service was slowly recovering on Friday after a technology outage caused thousands of flights worldwide to be canceled or delayed, the ripple effect from the disruption left airports crowded with passengers and airlines working to get planes and crews back in position.

“These flights, they run so tightly, so back to back, that even after a root cause is addressed, you can still be feeling those impacts throughout the day,” said Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, in an appearance on CNBC.

The outage was caused by a flawed update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, whose software is widely used around the world. At United Airlines, for example, the outage affected technology used to calculate aircraft weight, check in customers and operate call-center phone systems.

Throughout Friday, messages that travelers posted on social media showed flights grounded worldwide, some terminal monitors down and crowds of stranded passengers waiting at airport gates and customer service desks. At airports in India and South Korea, some passengers stood in long lines to obtain handwritten boarding passes .

Are flights still grounded?

Since the initial outage, service is slowly resuming, but the number of global delays and cancellations has continued to increase throughout the day.

Worldwide, around 110,000 commercial flights were scheduled on Friday, and around 5,117 of those flights, or 4.6 percent, have been canceled, according to Cirium, an aviation data company. In the United States, the number of cancellations stood at more than 2,300 — or about 9 percent of daily flights — as of Friday afternoon.

Fewer than half of the flights today in the United States left on time, the others departing with delays of a half-hour or longer, according to Cirium.

Delays at some airports in the United States were well beyond an hour, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration. The average delays at Kennedy International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the world’s busiest airport, were nearly three hours.

Which airlines are most affected?

In the United States, at least five carriers — Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and United — temporarily grounded flights, according to the F.A.A .

As of about 4 p.m. Eastern, more than 830 Delta flights had been canceled, and more than 1,220 had been delayed. American was reporting more than 360 flights canceled and more than 1,040 delayed. More than 380 United flights had been canceled and more than 1,260 were delayed, according to FlightAware.

The Dutch airline KLM canceled around 41 percent of flights on Friday, according to FlightAware. It has begun to recover, but advises passengers to check their flight status online before traveling. “We urge passengers not to come to the airport if their flight is not departing or is severely delayed,” the airline said in a statement.

Why weren’t some airlines, like Southwest, affected?

Southwest, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways barely scrapped any flights on Friday. A spokesperson for Southwest said, “The outage did not directly affect our operations,” but did not elaborate on why.

Alaska does not use CrowdStrike, and its operations were “mostly unimpacted,” said Tricia Bruckbauer, a spokeswoman for the airline.

Which airports have been hit the worst?

In the United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta appeared to have the most flights affected by the outage, with a total of more than 590 incoming and outgoing flights canceled and more than 780 flights delayed as of midafternoon on Friday, according to FlightAware .

Many other airports, including hubs in New York, Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., also appeared to experience significant disruption. J.F.K. advised passengers not to show up to the airport without confirming flight status.

The outage also affected major airports in Europe. Several airlines at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam were unable to gain access to their check-in systems. The systems have since restarted, and the airport said it was working with airlines to “get all passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.”

London’s busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, said they were using contingency systems to get around the outage, but both were still reporting delays for almost half of their incoming and outgoing scheduled flights.

Hong Kong International Airport had to switch to manual check-in, but the airport reported that flight operations were not affected .

I’m flying today. What can I do?

Pack patience.

Delta , United , American , and Spirit have issued flight waivers allowing passengers to rebook without any additional fees. The terms and applicable airports vary. Generally, passengers are required to depart within a week.

Travelers can usually check itineraries through the airline’s website or app, but some travelers on Friday reported difficulties rebooking through the Delta and United apps.

You can also contact airline customer service by phone, though travelers posting on social media said that they had not been able to reach agents. But there are a few tricks you can try aside from the primary hotline: U.S. airlines have overseas customer service phone lines, easily found on the internet, and those agents can help too.

FlightAware can offer detailed data about delays and cancellations, and which airports are most affected, in real time.

What are my rights if my flight is delayed or canceled?

You may be entitled to certain compensation — such as airline-provided hotel or meal vouchers — detailed on the Transportation Department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard .

The Transportation Department said the software outage is considered within airlines’ control and that airlines must follow through on their commitments to travelers, which for most United States-based carriers include complimentary ground transportation and accommodation for those affected by overnight delays and cancellations, as well as meal vouchers for waits exceeding three hours. Travelers should not expect to have this compensation offered to them, but are within their rights to ask the airlines for it.

“We have reminded the airlines of their responsibilities to take care of passengers if they experience major delays,” Mr. Buttigieg said in his CNBC appearance on Friday.

Passengers’ rights can differ for international flights . For example, in the European Union, cancellations or long delays may give you the right to a refund, a replacement flight and financial compensation. Passengers on flights delayed overnight may receive reimbursement for food, accommodations and ground transportation. (Travelers should hold on to any receipts for costs incurred.)

I have a cruise to catch. Will I get a refund if I miss the ship?

Cruise lines typically do not provide refunds, rebooking or any other concessions if flight disruptions cause travelers to miss their cruise departure, and the large companies are not making exceptions now.

But things look brighter for Carnival and Royal Caribbean passengers who booked their airfare through the cruise lines. Should they miss their departure, those travelers can expect benefits including coverage for flights, hotels and ground transportation to get them to the next port of call.

“Regrettably, air service disruptions — whether technological or weather — are beyond our company’s control,” said Chris Chiames, the chief communication officer for Carnival. “We always encourage our guests to purchase travel insurance, and today’s news is an important reminder of why.”

I have travel insurance. Am I covered?

Travel insurance companies are expecting an influx of claims, mostly for delays and missed connections, as a result of the outage.

One agency, InsureMyTrip , anticipated more than 1,600 of its customers could be affected by the outage, said Suzanne Morrow, the company’s chief executive. Policyholders may be entitled to coverage for their expenses related to delays, as well as coverage for any missed connecting flights, she said.

Any travelers hoping to file a travel insurance claim related to the outage should make sure to keep all their receipts or bills to show proof of purchase, as well as check their insurance plan or policy and file a claim right away.

Mark Walker contributed reporting from Washington.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Derek M. Norman is a senior news assistant for the International section of The Times. More about Derek M. Norman

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

  • Services & Software

Microsoft-CrowdStrike Outage Causes Chaos for Flights, Hospitals and Businesses Globally

A faulty cybersecurity update from CrowdStrike wreaked havoc across the medical and travel industries, with flights and medical procedures canceled and delayed.

klm travel insurance

Hospitals, banks,  airports, airlines  and broadcasters worldwide were impacted by a massive, ongoing IT outage Friday. Thousands of Windows PCs, which many companies and organizations rely on as part of their critical internet infrastructure, were hit by the  CrowdStrike outage . Perhaps most concerning, several US states reported that their emergency 911 call centers were also hit.

The outage was blamed on a faulty update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The company handles the security of many Windows PCs and services around the world. In a statement Friday morning, CrowdStrike said the issue had been "identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed."

A woman and man sit on the floor at the airport, next to a suitcase and beneath monitors displaying flight information. They're scrolling on their smartphones.

Passengers at Germany's Dusseldorf Airport during the global outage. 

Microsoft Regional Director Troy Hunt called it "the largest IT outage in history " in a post on X.

"Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally. We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Many services and businesses continue to be affected, including hospitals and flights, even though the initial cause of the outage has been fixed by CrowdStrike. Here's how to fix your Windows PC affected by the CrowdStrike blue screen of death . CrowdStrike also outlined all of the steps people could take to fix their PCs  in its statement . "This is not a security incident or cyberattack," the company added.

Read more:  Stuck During the Worldwide Outage? See If Your Credit Card Has These Travel Protections and Insurance

Microsoft first said on X that it was aware of an issue affecting people's ability to access 365 services late on Thursday. In an update issued around 1 a.m. PT (4 a.m. ET), the company said , "Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress." The company didn't immediately respond to request for further comment. In one update , it said some people had success overcoming the issue by rebooting their computers up to 15 times.

The outage also took down the London Stock Exchange. 

The last time there was an internet outage this widespread was when a service called Fastly went down in 2021 . It's a reminder of how much of the internet is underpinned by shared infrastructure, which leaves it vulnerable to widespread issues such as this. The share price of many companies took a nose dive following Friday's outage, but it also affected many people on an individual level, from disrupting vacation plans to preventing access to emergency services.

"All too often these days, a single glitch results in a system-wide outage, affecting industries from healthcare and airlines to banks and auto-dealers," Federal Trade Comission chair Lina Khan said in a thread on X . "Millions of people and businesses pay the price. These incidents reveal how concentration can create fragile systems."

Are hospitals affected by the outage?

Hospitals in the US reported problems on Friday morning with their IT systems, affecting many patients. "A major worldwide software outage has affected many of our systems at Mass General Brigham, as well as many major businesses across the country," a spokesperson for Massachusetts General Hospital told Newsweek . "Due to the severity of this issue, all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits are cancelled today."

In the UK, medical services have also been affected, including the National Health Service system for booking appointments and pharmacies, which were struggling to take payments. 

Is 911 working?

Across the US, state troopers were reporting that 911 lines were down, starting in Alaska . Unconfirmed reports suggest that some lines in Minnesota, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and New Hampshire had also been hit. 

Many people were reporting issues through the Down Detector website , with outages appearing to peak around midnight PT. If you live in one of the affected states, check with your local state troopers or police department for alternative emergency numbers. Alaska State Troopers issued an update later on Friday, saying their service had be reinstated as of 4:23 a.m. local time.

Alaska State Troopers Facebook page with alternative emergency numbers

Alaska State Troopers listed alternative emergency numbers on Facebook.

Television channels around the world have been hit by the outage, with Sky News in the UK broadcasting from a phone after its studio equipment failed. The Paris Olympics organizing committee also said it had been hit by the outage, but that it had contingency plans in place. 

Are flights still grounded?

Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled Monday -- and real-time data shows only  23% of flights departing on time as of 5 p.m. ET Friday afternoon. Here's  how to track the status of your flight directly from your iPhone's text messages , and  three steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed .

Airports from New Zealand to the UK reported issues in the early hours of Friday morning, particularly with their scanning technology, which couldn't register passengers' boarding passes. In India and Northern Ireland, departures boards and boarding passes were being written by hand. Airlines, including Europe-wide budget airline Ryanair, were reporting issues with online check-in. Ryanair advised all passengers to arrive at least three hours early for their flights. 

In the US, the Federal Aviation Authority has  grounded some flights  from American Airlines, United and Delta. Many US airlines haven't yet issued statements about how they expect the day to pan out, but it might be wise for passengers hoping to fly from US airports today to check with your airlines before setting off and also get there earlier than usual to allow extra time to check-in.

Passengers sit on the floor surrounded by luggage

Passengers at Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany were affected by the outage on Friday.

The biggest airlines operating in the US have been issuing regular updates, with Delta saying in a statement : "Delta has resumed some flight departures after a vendor technology issue impacted several airlines and businesses around the world. That issue necessitated a pause in Delta's global flight schedule this morning while it was addressed." The airline added that additional cancellations and delays would be expected on Friday, but that it had issued a travel waiver, which would allow passengers scheduled to travel today to rebook their flights for little or no cost, depending on date.

American Airlines

In a statement on X, American Airlines said: "We're aware of a technology issue with a vendor that is impacting multiple carriers. American is working with the vendor to resolve the issue as quickly as possible." In an updated statement to CNET it said that as of 5 a.m. ET it had managed to "safely reestablish our operation."

United Airlines

United Airlines issued a statement saying, "A third-party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United." Initially the airline said that it would be holding all flights at their departure points, but later on Friday morning managed to get its flights moving again. 

"We are resuming some flights but expect schedule disruptions to continue throughout Friday," said a company spokesperson. "We have issued a waiver to make it easier for customers to change their travel plans via United.com or the United app."

Dutch airline KLM said that the outage had made flight handling "impossible," and until the issue was resolved, it largely had to suspend operations. In an update on X, the airline added: "Customers should expect delays and cancellations. We urge passengers to stay away from airport if their flight is not departing or is seriously delayed. We realise this is very inconvenient for customers, particularly because the busy summer holiday season has just started."

It added that it's working hard to restore operations and that passengers should keep an eye on KLM.com or the airline's app for updates.

What is CrowdStrike?

The company at the root of the outages isn't actually Microsoft at all. The source of the issue has been identified as a faulty update issued by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

Founded 11 years ago out of Austin, Texas, CrowdStrike is often called in by organizations following major cybersecurity breaches to investigate what went wrong. These include the 2014 Sony Pictures hack and various events targeting the Democratic National Committee between 2015 and 2016.

Many companies around the world rely on CrowdStrike for critical cloud workload protections. In this case, CrowdStrike issued an update for Windows PCs (it confirmed Mac and Linux users hadn't been affected) that contained a single defect. PCs displayed the "blue screen of death," indicating a critical error, and were forced into a boot loop, which prevented them from turning on.

Exacerbating the problem further is the fact there doesn't seem to be a universal, easy fix for the issue. Most affected PCs will need to be manually reset to an earlier point in time one by one. Until they're able to turn on, they won't be able to receive the latest update from CloudStrike. "We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," said a spokesperson for CrowdStrike.

"We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels," they added. "Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."

In a letter posted online to customers and partners late Friday, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said he wanted to "sincerely apologize directly to all of you for today's outage."

"All of CrowdStrike understands the gravity and impact of the situation. We quickly identified the issue and deployed a fix, allowing us to focus diligently on restoring customer systems as our highest priority," Kurtz wrote. "The outage was caused by a defect found in a Falcon content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This was not a cyberattack."

Kurtz had confirmed  earlier Friday on X that the outage was caused by an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts. "We have mobilized all of CrowdStrike to help you and your teams," he added. "If you have questions or need additional support, please reach out to your CrowdStrike representative or Technical Support.

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Travel insurance

Even if you’re well prepared, your trip may not always go as planned. Make sure that you’re insured! Our partner Allianz Travel will create an insurance quote that’s tailor-made to your travel plans.

Arrange your insurance

Whether you’re going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you’ve already completed your booking. Note, though: this is only possible for tickets booked directly via us.

Types of insurances

It’s up to you which type of insurance you prefer, so choose the one that fits your travel situation and your needs.

Get the most complete insurance that covers:

  • Cancellation or change of your flight in case of unforeseen events
  • Medical costs you make abroad in case of illness or an accident
  • Lost, stolen, or damaged baggage
  • Public liability and legal assistance

You can purchase the travel insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel insurance.

Read the full conditions

Read the insurance product information document

Travel assistance insurance

The travel assistance insurance covers:

You can purchase the travel assistance insurance when booking, or via My Trip up until your flight’s departure. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel assistance insurance.

Airline ticket cancellation insurance

Need to cancel or change your trip before it even begins due to unforeseen events? With the airline ticket cancellation insurance, you’ll get a compensation of your ticket price, extra options, and the change fee.

You can purchase the airline ticket cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your airline ticket cancellation insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can i take out cancellation insurance after booking.

Yes of course! If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket. Check My Trip for the current offering and costs of a travel or cancellation insurance.

What is travel insurance?

If you take out travel insurance, it helps cover the costs of:

  • Medical issues you have when abroad, for instance if you’re ill or injured;
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage;
  • Liability and legal counsel.

If you would like more certainty around these unforeseen expenses, travel insurance can help with that.

What is cancellation insurance?

With a cancellation insurance, you will get a refund for your ticket fare, extra options and change fees if unforeseen circumstances arise. It will allow you, depending on your insurance conditions, to cancel or change your trip before it starts. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

Travel insurance

Even if you’re well prepared, your trip may not always go as planned. Make sure that you’re insured! Our partner Allianz Travel will create an insurance quote that’s tailor-made to your travel plans.

Arrange your insurance

Whether you’re going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you’ve already completed your booking. Note, though: this is only possible for tickets booked directly via us.

Types of insurances

It’s up to you which type of insurance you prefer, so choose the one that fits your travel situation and your needs.

Travel and cancellation insurance

Get the most complete insurance that covers:

  • Cancellation or change of your flight in case of unforeseen events
  • Medical costs you make abroad in case of illness or an accident
  • Lost, stolen, or damaged baggage
  • Public liability and legal assistance

You can purchase the travel and cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel and cancellation insurance.

Read the full conditions

Read the insurance product information document

The travel insurance covers:

You can purchase the travel insurance when booking, or via My Trip up until your flight’s departure. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel insurance.

Cancellation insurance

Need to cancel or change your trip before it even begins due to unforeseen events? With the cancellation insurance, you’ll get a compensation of your ticket price, extra options, and the change fee.

You can purchase the cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your cancellation insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can i take out cancellation insurance after booking.

Yes of course! If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket. Check My Trip for the current offering and costs of a travel or cancellation insurance.

What is travel insurance?

If you take out travel insurance, it helps cover the costs of:

  • Medical issues you have when abroad, for instance if you’re ill or injured;
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage;
  • Liability and legal counsel.

If you would like more certainty around these unforeseen expenses, travel insurance can help with that.

What is cancellation insurance?

With a cancellation insurance, you will get a refund for your ticket fare, extra options and change fees if unforeseen circumstances arise. It will allow you, depending on your insurance conditions, to cancel or change your trip before it starts. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

Summer Travel Boom Not Enough to Fire up Airline Earnings

Reuters

FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Embraer ERJ-175LR plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

By Rajesh Kumar Singh and Joanna Plucinska

CHICAGO/LONDON (Reuters) - Record summer travel demand was tipped to translate into bumper earnings for airlines - but quarterly reports are looking less than stellar.

While plenty of customers are flocking to travel destinations worldwide, airlines are finding an excess supply of seats in the price-sensitive end of the market has forced them to discount fares to fill their planes.

This week, earnings from American and Southwest Airlines are expected to deliver more bad news following downbeat outlooks for the quarter from United, Delta, Alaska Airlines, and Ryanair.

Airline executives attributed the overcapacity to an overoptimistic view of travel demand, which by most standards has been robust.

Passenger traffic in the U.S. is hitting records levels this year. In the first six months, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened an average of about 2.46 million airline passengers per day, up 6% from last year.

"It was just that airlines were hoping that it (demand) was going to be even stronger," Alaska's CFO Shane Tackett said in an interview.

In addition to the discounting pressure, new labor contracts and higher lease rates and maintenance costs have driven up the industry's operating expenses.

In May, American slashed its second-quarter profit forecast, citing weaker pricing power in the domestic market, and while the Texas-based carrier has vowed a reboot, analysts say reversing course will be time-consuming and costly.

"American's network leaves it more exposed to the markets currently most oversupplied and less able to offset the higher cost environment," said TD Cowen analyst Thomas Fitzgerald.

Southwest has been hit hard by Boeing's jet delivery delays, and it is under pressure from an activist investor to oust its CEO, overhaul the board, and shake up its business.

The low-cost carrier has cut its second-quarter revenue outlook. Fitzgerald said Southwest has few levers to materially boost its revenue performance, raising the risk to its balance sheet.

Both American and Southwest will report earnings on Thursday.

EUROPE'S POSSIBLE STRUGGLES

The first quarter for European airlines was tougher than anticipated, and Ryanair's second-quarter results offered little solace for investors on Monday.

Ryanair's profits slumped by almost half for the quarter after ticket prices plunged 15% as customers balked at higher prices.

Analysts warn these pricing worries could spread across the sector in Europe. "More aggressive pricing by the market leader is likely to result in adverse fallout for the other European airlines," Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo said in a note.

Deutsche Lufthansa slashed its 2024 earnings guidance for a second time and issued a profit warning for its second quarter last week due to weaker yields.

Earnings of British budget carrier easyJet on Wednesday and Air France-KLM on Thursday will add clarity to the cost and revenue pressures, with some fearing that Air France-KLM may not be able to bounce back from a weaker first quarter.

European airline shares fell across the board on Monday, with Ryanair the hardest hit, down 14%.

Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi said the budget carrier was still expecting yields to go up long-term, although it did face limitations tied to RTX engine checks, grounding a number of its fleet.

"I think we are doing better than this," Varadi told Reuters, referring to Ryanair's challenges over softer pricing.

U.S. airlines are now moderating capacity. Annual domestic seat growth is estimated to slow to 3% in the September quarter from 6% a quarter ago. Some carriers hope this will boost their pricing power, but that may not be enough to increase earnings.

United currently expects full-year earnings to fall to the low end of its $9-to-$11 per share forecast. The company is banking on rivals to further reduce unprofitable flying to help lift profits.

"While we see this incredible inflection upon us in the industry, the precise timing and magnitude is difficult to call," United's President Brett Hart told investors on Thursday.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago and Joanna Plucinska in London; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Tags: United States

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Building Competitive Advantage Through Optimized Airline Operations

Klm royal dutch airlines and bcg extend partnership for digital airline operations, july 23, 2024 | new at bcg.

BOSTON— In an increasingly complex and volatile environment, reliable operational performance is a differentiator for airlines. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines , a pioneer in the airline industry, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) , one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, today announced a further extension of their partnership aimed at improving airline operations worldwide. The partnership was first established in 2018 and was previously extended in 2021.

Over the past six years, KLM and BCG have developed a comprehensive suite of AI-based tools to digitize and optimize airline operations. These AI-powered tools are tailored to the evolving needs of airlines, particularly post-pandemic as airlines must be resilient in the face of unprecedented volatility in the market. Covering all planning horizons from day-of operations to long-term strategic planning, these products help airlines tackle complex decisions across all functional areas including ground, fleet and maintenance, crew, and network departments.

Airlines must continually make tradeoffs that affect flights, crew, ground staff, customer experience, and profitability. Unfortunately, these tradeoffs are often based on siloed information. KLM and BCG’s fully customized in-house solutions constantly measure real-time performance and offer decision support around a single source of truth in data. This approach enables front-line operations staff to see the full picture and make informed, consistent, and data-driven decisions with a clear sense of how they will play out across the network.

Some notable products include:

  • Pathfinder : A best-in-class schedule optimization tool which empowers airlines to optimize their fleet and tail-assignment processes for robustness and cost in the days leading up to operations
  • Sentry & Runway : Two disruption management tools for the day-of operations which resolve major and minor operational disruptions for flight and crew schedules and help minimize delay costs and disruption for passengers
  • CrewVision: A long-term cockpit and cabin crew resource management and planning tool, which calculates an optimal crew plan for the future including hiring, training, and attrition
  • Terra: A tool designed to improve the resource allocation process for ground resources on the day-of operations (DoO)—taking into account available resources, equal distribution of workload for employees (employee satisfaction), delay probability, delay costs, and enhanced task times based on a number of factors

Proven Results

The implementation of these solutions has led to improvements in KLM’s operations across functions, from boosting airline operational efficiency to enhancing airline disruption management, to data driven integral resources planning. KLM has reduced non-performance costs and increased value delivery within operations and delivered a strong return on investment. Staff at the Operations Control Center and other operational and network departments are performing with new levels of engagement, insights, confidence, and satisfaction.

Since the partnership’s last extension in 2021, KLM and BCG have expanded their tailored solutions to other airlines. Today, the KLM-BCG partnership serves a prominent network of carriers of all sizes across multiple geographies including both full-service and low-cost carriers, as well as various business models ranging from point-to-point, single- and multi-hub.

“Our Partnership with BCG continues to be one of the building blocks supporting KLM operations that bring value to our customers. Thanks to the continuous extension of our suite of tools and the KLM in-house capabilities that we have built up in recent years, and our world class people, KLM was able to derive a lot of value from its Operations Decision Support set of tools. KLM is excited to continue to innovate and improve through this unique cooperation with BCG,” said Maarten Stienen, chief operating officer at KLM.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with KLM. Together, we have cemented our position as a leading player in digital airline operations over the past six years,” said Dirk-Maarten Molenaar, a BCG managing director and senior partner. “As the needs of airlines evolve, we are excited to continue engaging and innovating with the world’s leading carriers and supporting the digital transformation and optimization of their operations.”

Media Contacts:

Eric Gregoire +1 617 850 3783 [email protected]

KLM, Media Relations +31 20 649 45 45 [email protected]

About Boston Consulting Group

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

About KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

For over a century, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry. KLM is the oldest airline still operating under its original name and aims to be the leading European network carrier in customer centricity, efficiency and sustainability. The KLM network connects the Netherlands with all of the world’s key economic regions and is a powerful engine driving the Dutch economy.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is part of the Air France–KLM Group. KLM is also a member of the global SkyTeam Alliance, which has 19 member airlines.

For more information about KLM, please visit KLM.com , KLM Newsroom , Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn or Twitter .

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COMMENTS

  1. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    KLM offers travel insurance and cancellation insurance for your flights booked directly with them. You can arrange your insurance online with Allianz Travel, the partner of KLM, and choose the coverage that suits your needs.

  2. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    KLM offers travel insurance and cancellation insurance for your flight booked directly with them. You can arrange your insurance online with Allianz Travel, who provides coverage for medical costs, baggage, liability and more.

  3. Comparing KLM Travel Insurance: Which Plan is Right for You?

    Compare the benefits and coverage of three KLM travel insurance plans for your trip. Learn how to choose the best plan based on your needs and preferences, such as trip length, destination, and risk tolerance.

  4. KLM Insurance

    ENTER YOUR DETAILS. Simply enter your details and book your insurance at Allianz Global Assistance. Important - COVID 19: If you are considering the purchase of a travel insurance policy, please make sure you carefully review the Terms and Conditions as well as any additional information provided, so that you will have a clear understanding ...

  5. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    Arrange your insurance. Whether you're going on a short business trip or a holiday, a travel insurance provided by our partner Allianz Travel lets you travel with peace of mind. You can purchase the insurance when booking your ticket, or via My Trip if you've already completed your booking.

  6. Refund for trip insurance from KLM

    1. Re: Refund for trip insurance from KLM. 4 years ago. The whole point of travel insurance is that you have cover from the moment you bought it (or from the agreed start day) - the one thing you never get back is the insurance premium itself. You were insured hence you were provided with the service you paid for.

  7. Compensation and reimbursement for delay of your KLM flight

    Compensation. You may be entitled to a fixed amount of compensation if you meet these 3 criteria: your flight was delayed or cancelled, and as a result, your arrival time was more than 3 hours later than initially scheduled; you are travelling on a flight departing from an airport in the EU, or on a flight operated by a Community air carrier ...

  8. PDF Insurance Product Information Document

    Product: KLM Travel Insurance Policy What is insured? What is not insured? Are there any restrictions on cover? 3Cancelling / cutting short your journey - Up to £3,000 for loss of pre-paid travel and accommodation expenses. 3Emergency medical expenses - Up to £10 million for hospital fees, repatriation, in-patient benefit,

  9. PDF Short-term Travel and Cancellation Insurance

    Insurance Product Information Document Company: Allianz Global Assistance, non-life insurance provider, licence no. 12000535 (NL) Product: KLM Travel and Cancellation Insurance Please note: this Insurance Card only provides a summary of the insurance product. The Policy Terms explain in more detail what is and is not covered under this insurance.

  10. Flight and booking information for your KLM trip

    Check which travel documents you need to bring for a smooth start of your trip. At the airport . When you can drop off your baggage, where the lounges are, and what travel documents to bring. ... Reach out to the KLM Customer Contact Centre. Flight status . Check out our flight tracker for live updates on all flights, up to 60 days in advance.

  11. Extra options for your upcoming trip with KLM

    Get a tailor-made quote for your travel insurance from our partner Allianz Travel. Help create a more sustainable future. Sustainable Aviation Fuel . SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 75% compared to kerosene. Today we use 1%. ... KLM Holidays; Europe citytrips; Flying Blue discounts; Free KLM Bus Service; KLM Real Deal Days; More KLM ...

  12. KLM Starts Offering Insurance For Travel And Cancellations

    KLM's travel insurance is a single-trip insurance offering worldwide coverage for accidents, assistance, legal aid, liability, loss and theft and medical aid.

  13. 11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in July 2024

    Best travel insurance category. Company winner. Best overall. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. Best for emergency medical coverage. Allianz Global Assistance. Best for travelers with pre ...

  14. Extra options for your upcoming trip with KLM

    Get a tailor-made quote for your travel insurance from our partner Allianz Travel. Help create a more sustainable future. Sustainable Aviation Fuel . SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 75% compared to kerosene. Today we use 1%. ... KLM Blog; Why choose KLM; KLM Delft Blue houses ; Download the app Download the app. Related websites ...

  15. Here's when you need travel insurance (and when you don't)

    For insurance, Hopkins checked TravelInsurance.com to find an affordable travel insurance policy. He found coverage through Trawick International that pays up to $50,000 in medical expenses and up ...

  16. KLM flight through Delta: Insurance : r/Flights

    KLM flight through Delta: Insurance. I'm looking at my flight I have booked KLM through Delta, paid through KLM and booked through KLM. I'm weighing out insurance but I'm confused- if I purchase insurance through KLM does that cover my flight out of the states as well? It's 100.00 cheaper to pay for comprehensive through KLM but I don ...

  17. Wees voorbereid met een reisverzekering voor uw KLM-vlucht

    U kunt een reisverzekering, annuleringsverzekering of een combinatie van beide afsluiten bij onze partner Allianz Travel. Deze verzekeringen dekken u voor onvoorziene kosten en situaties op uw reis.

  18. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

  19. Global tech outage: What to know if you're traveling this weekend

    Ryanair, Air France and Turkish Airlines also reported issues, while KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said the outages are ... And if you have travel insurance, look up your rights there too.

  20. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

  21. Wells Fargo Autograph Card Transfer Partners: Maximizing Travel Rewards

    The Flying Blue loyalty program is jointly shared by Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and allows award travelers to find some great sweet spots for travel around the world.

  22. Is Your Flight Delayed by the Tech Outage? Here's What You Need to Know

    The Dutch airline KLM canceled around 41 percent of flights on Friday, according to FlightAware. ... Any travelers hoping to file a travel insurance claim related to the outage should make sure to ...

  23. Microsoft-CrowdStrike Outage Causes Chaos for Flights, Hospitals and

    Dutch airline KLM said that the outage had made flight handling "impossible," and until the issue was resolved, it largely had to suspend operations. In an update on X, the airline added ...

  24. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    If you booked your ticket directly with KLM, you can go to My Trip to take out a matching insurance with our partner Allianz Travel. They offer travel insurance, cancellation insurance or a combination of both. Please note: you can take out the cancellation insurance within 48 hours after booking your ticket.

  25. Be well prepared with travel insurance for your KLM flight

    You can purchase the travel and cancellation insurance when booking, or via My Trip up to 48 hours after booking your ticket. Make sure to carefully read the exact coverage and conditions created by Allianz Travel before arranging your travel and cancellation insurance. Read the full conditions. Read the insurance product information document

  26. Summer Travel Boom Not Enough to Fire up Airline Earnings

    CHICAGO/LONDON (Reuters) - Record summer travel demand was tipped to translate into bumper earnings for airlines - but quarterly reports are looking less than stellar. While plenty of customers ...

  27. Building Competitive Advantage Through Optimized Airline Operations

    July 23, 2024 | New at BCG. BOSTON—In an increasingly complex and volatile environment, reliable operational performance is a differentiator for airlines.KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, a pioneer in the airline industry, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the world's leading management consulting firms, today announced a further extension of their partnership aimed at improving airline ...