KLM Cityhopper is celebrating its 60th anniversary, having developed from a small domestic carrier into a central component of KLM’s European network and Amsterdam Schiphol’s hub operation.
The airline began in 1966 as Nederlandse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (NLM), operating two leased Fokker aircraft on domestic routes. The Cityhopper name appeared in 1976, before mergers with NetherLines in 1991 and the subsequent integration of KLM UK created the present-day KLM Cityhopper.
Today, the regional subsidiary operates 58 aircraft to more than 80 destinations, conducting over 350 daily flights and carrying approximately 11 million passengers annually. Its services bring European travellers to Schiphol for onward intercontinental connections while distributing passengers arriving from around the world across Europe. Recent additions include Biarritz, Exeter, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, Cork, Jersey, Santiago de Compostela and Oviedo.
KLM Cityhopper also serves as an innovation testbed for the wider KLM Group. Projects include virtual-reality pilot training, the OptiClimb fuel-saving application and trials involving artificial intelligence, sustainable aviation fuel, weight reduction, food-waste prevention and electrified ground operations.
After decades of flying Dutch-built Fokker aircraft, the airline began transitioning to Embraer in 2008. Embraer aircraft now form the backbone of its 58-strong fleet, including the quieter and more fuel-efficient E195-E2. KLM Cityhopper intends to continue modernising its fleet, optimising its network and adding European destinations.