Ryanair vs KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Overview

Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, County Dublin. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1984 by Christopher Ryan and Tony Ryan, and began flying on 8 July 1985 between Waterford and London Gatwick. It is the largest airline in Europe by scheduled passengers carried, fleet size and number of flights. The parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, is listed on Euronext Dublin and Nasdaq. Its airline subsidiaries are Ryanair DAC, Buzz, Malta Air, Lauda Europe and Ryanair UK. Michael O'Leary is group chief executive. Ryanair does not belong to any airline alliance.

Network and hubs

The group serves around 230 airports in 36 countries and operates more than 3,500 short-haul flights a day. Its main bases are Dublin, London Stansted (the largest base) and Milan Bergamo. It also has bases across the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Morocco and many other countries. Wikipedia lists Berlin as ending on 24 October 2026 and Thessaloniki on 25 October 2026. The network is point-to-point and focuses on Europe, North Africa and nearby regions. There are no long-haul services.

Fleet

As of April 2026, Wikipedia lists a group fleet of 651 aircraft:

• 410 Boeing 737-800
• 210 Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 (197 seats)
• 26 Airbus A320-200, operated by Lauda Europe
• 1 Boeing 737-700, operated by Buzz
• 4 Bombardier Challenger 3500 business jets for engineering and crew transport

There are 150 Boeing 737 MAX 10 on order, with deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2033. An earlier snapshot from Flightradar24 counted 611 aircraft in February 2026, so totals vary by source and date.

On board

Ryanair operates a single economy cabin. Seat pitch, in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi and meal details were not confirmed in the sources reviewed. Food and drink are generally sold on board rather than included, but check the airline's website for current offerings.

Good to know

• Baggage: since August 2018, passengers must buy Priority Boarding to carry both a large and a small cabin bag, according to Wikipedia. Current bag sizes, weights and checked-bag fees should be checked on ryanair.com before travel.
• Punctuality: Ryanair lost landing slots at Eindhoven in November 2025 after repeated delays, according to Wikipedia. No on-time figure is quoted here because none was verified.
• Lounges and upgrades: none were identified in the sources reviewed.
• Group operators: some flights are operated by Buzz, Malta Air, Lauda Europe or Ryanair UK under the Ryanair brand.

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.