Belgrade to New York via Amsterdam
Recently I flew KLM Business Class from Belgrade to New York via Amsterdam, booking the ticket with miles. The redemption cost 60,000 miles plus about $330 in fees, which felt like a solid deal for a transatlantic business class flight.
The miles came from American Express Membership Rewards, which I transferred to Air France Flying Blue.
The transfer process was very quick and easy. My points transferred almost instantly, and I was able to confirm the booking right away. This is one of the reasons I really like using Membership Rewards points for international flights – the flexibility and fast transfers make booking award flights much easier.
For a long-haul business class flight from Europe to New York, I felt this redemption offered very good value.
Here’s my honest experience – from check-in and lounges to the seat, food, and service onboard.
Check-in in Belgrade
My journey started in Belgrade, where the check-in process was very smooth. With a business class ticket I had access to the Business Club Lounge at Belgrade Airport, which was a nice way to start the trip.
The flight from Belgrade to Amsterdam was slightly delayed but the boarding process began shortly after.
One thing I noticed right away was that there was no real priority boarding for business class passengers, which was a little surprising.
When I boarded the aircraft there also wasn’t an immediate separation between business and economy – the curtain dividing the cabins was only closed later.
First Flight: Belgrade to Amsterdam
As soon as I entered the plane, the crew welcomed passengers with a bottle of water, which was a nice touch.
The cabin crew looked very polished in their classic KLM blue uniforms, and the overall atmosphere felt pleasant.
Soon after takeoff we were served a full meal which was actually very good. It was couscous with tomato sauce, falafel, hummus, butter, some cashews and macarons.
The presentation was beautiful with KLM’s signature blue design, which I thought was adorable.
I also ordered coffee which was served in a small white and blue KLM mug, another charming detail.
One thing I appreciated was that Wi-Fi worked well on this flight, and I was able to log in on my MacBook and get some work done.
Transfer in Amsterdam
The transfer at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was very smooth with no additional security checkpoints, which made the connection easy.
I headed straight to the KLM Crown Lounge, which was honestly one of the highlights of the journey.
The lounge is very large and spacious with multiple food stations and bars.
There were plenty of options including:
- Fresh fruits
- Desserts
- Coffee bars
- Cocktails
- Fresh ginger tea
- A wide variety of hot and cold dishes
It felt like a proper international business class lounge.
Boarding the Amsterdam to New York Flight
Unfortunately the experience started to decline during boarding for the Amsterdam to New York flight.
The flight was delayed and then suddenly boarding began, which meant I had to rush to the gate.
At the gate I was told that the aircraft had been changed to a Boeing 777-300 and my seat assignment was changed from 1K to 1G.
Originally I had booked 1K, which is a window seat with excellent privacy.
The staff told me that my seat “did not exist anymore”, which I found strange.
When I asked about it, the staff response felt quite rude. They even suggested that if I wanted a different seat I should ask another passenger to switch with me.
This was honestly surprising and disappointing customer service for a business class experience.
What made the situation even more confusing was that when I boarded the aircraft I could clearly see seat 1K still existed, exactly as I had originally booked it.
KLM Business Class Seat (Boeing 777-300)
My new seat 1G was in the middle section of the cabin.
While this wasn’t my preferred seat, it still offered good privacy thanks to sliding doors, which gave the space a bit of a suite-like feel.
However, the cabin felt quite old and outdated.
Amenities were also minimal compared to other airlines.
There were no pajamas or slippers, which many airlines offer on long-haul business class flights.
There was a welcome drink served in KLM’s signature blue glass which was nice.
One funny detail: the seat had a “massage” button, but the crew said it was “for the future” and doesn’t work yet. That was definitely a strange moment.
Food & Service on the Transatlantic Flight
Dinner service started with:
- Salmon mousse
- Italian wine
I asked to switch wines because I didn’t enjoy the Italian red and the crew brought Spanish red wine instead.
For my meal I ordered:
Starter
- Tomato soup
- Side salad
Main Course
- Sea bass with spicy Mexican sauce
Unfortunately the main dish was disappointing. The fish tasted too fishy, and the sauce didn’t really resemble Mexican flavors.
Service throughout the flight felt slow and slightly disorganized.
For dessert I was served:
- Mango mousse
- House-shaped chocolate
- Tea
The mango mousse was easily the best dish of the entire flight.
Wi-Fi & Amenities
Another downside was that there was no Wi-Fi on the Amsterdam to New York flight, which is something many travelers expect today in long-haul business class.
The amenity kit was also fairly simple and limited.
Final Thoughts
Overall my KLM Business Class experience was mixed.
Things I liked:
✔ Smooth check-in in Belgrade
✔ Great KLM lounge in Amsterdam
✔ Good meal on the first flight
✔ Comfortable seat with sliding door
Things that could improve:
✖ Seat change issue at the gate
✖ Rude boarding experience
✖ Outdated cabin on the Boeing 777
✖ No Wi-Fi on the long-haul flight
✖ Food quality on the second flight
While the flight was still comfortable overall, the customer service and aircraft condition didn’t fully match what I expect from a premium business class experience.