Garuda Indonesia vs KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Overview

Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia. According to Wikipedia, it began operating in January 1949 and is headquartered at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport near Jakarta. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. The state investment body Danantara Asset Management holds 92.03% of the shares (2025), and the company is listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (GIAA). It also owns the low-cost subsidiary Citilink, which has its own air operator's certificate.

The airline reported a net loss of US$319.39 million on revenue of US$3.217 billion for 2025. In 2026 Skytrax lowered its rating from five stars to four, as reported by Seasia.

Network and hubs

• Main hub: Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta.
• Secondary hubs: Denpasar (Bali) and Makassar; Surabaya is a focus city.
• Wikipedia gives 53 destinations in 2025, across Indonesia, Asia, Europe and Australia, plus seasonal Hajj charters.

Fleet

The mainline fleet totalled 74 aircraft at 31 December 2025 (Wikipedia; the infobox gives a separate figure of 78, which may count other aircraft):

• Airbus A330: 17 (2 A330-200, 10 A330-300, 5 A330-900)
• Boeing 737-800: 48
• Boeing 737 MAX 8: 1
• Boeing 777-300ER: 8

Reporting in 2025 and 2026 indicates that a significant share of the fleet has been out of service for maintenance, funded partly by Danantara capital injections (Tempo).

On board

Garuda is a full-service airline with Economy and Business cabins. First class was introduced on the 777-300ER in 2013, and a Premium Economy product was introduced in 2019 on London–Denpasar; check current availability when booking. Refurbished cabins offer audio and video on demand. Seat pitch and meal details vary by aircraft and route and are not confirmed here.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: 7 kg in Economy, size 56 x 36 x 23 cm, plus a personal item (Cabin Zero).
• Checked baggage: 20 kg in Economy on domestic routes (Upgraded Points). International allowances are typically 30 kg, and US routes use two 23 kg pieces (FTN News). Confirm with the airline before travel.
• Lounges: The Garuda Business Lounge is open to Business Class passengers and Platinum GarudaMiles members, at Soekarno–Hatta and other Indonesian airports.
• Loyalty: GarudaMiles, and SkyTeam partner benefits.

Overview

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the flag carrier of the Netherlands. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 7 October 1919 and is often described as the world's oldest airline still operating under its original name. It is headquartered in Amstelveen and is part of the Air France–KLM group. KLM is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. Its subsidiaries include KLM Cityhopper, Martinair and Transavia.

Network and hubs

The hub is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Wikipedia lists scheduled passenger and cargo services to 171 destinations, covering Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Many passengers connect at Schiphol between European feeder routes and long-haul flights, and KLM codeshares with SkyTeam partners such as Delta.

Fleet

The KLM fleet page on Wikipedia gives a mainline fleet of about 125 aircraft (accessed September 2026); the figure excludes subsidiaries. Narrow-bodies are mostly Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, due to be replaced by the Airbus A320neo family. Wide-bodies used on medium and long-haul routes are the Airbus A330, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. Air France-KLM announced an order for 50 Airbus A350 aircraft in September 2023. Fleet numbers change often, so check the sources for the latest count.

On board

• Long-haul cabins are World Business Class, Premium Comfort, Economy Comfort and Economy.
• According to OneMileAtATime, Premium Comfort is on all 777s and 787s, with about 38 in of seat pitch against about 31 in in Economy.
• According to Simple Flying, the 787s have lie-flat Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout.
• Entertainment, Wi-Fi and meal details vary by route and fare, so check KLM before travelling.

Good to know

• Hand baggage depends on fare, according to KLM. Economy Basic fares include only a small bag (40 x 30 x 15 cm) under the seat. Light, Standard and Flex fares add a hand baggage piece (55 x 35 x 25 cm), with a combined limit of 12 kg. Business Class allows two pieces and up to 18 kg combined. Basic passengers can buy hand baggage via My Trip up to 4 hours before departure.
• The KLM Crown Lounges at Schiphol are open to Business Class passengers and to Flying Blue Gold and Platinum members, who may bring one guest. Other travellers can pay for access. KLM also has Crown Lounges in Toronto and Houston.
• The loyalty programme is Flying Blue, shared with Air France.