Boarding times
Please note it takes longer to get to the gate, due to required COVID-19 checks.
Boarding
Boarding starts 60 to 25 minutes before departure. We advise you to check the screens at the airport or the KLM app regularly for the latest status. You can also find the scheduled boarding time on your boarding pass.
Pre-boarding
Before boarding officially starts, we first invite families with babies to 2 years old and passengers who need mobility assistance to proceed to the gate. After they are helped, the standard boarding procedure begins.
Zone boarding
On most flights, we work with zone boarding. Check your boarding pass to see which zone has been assigned to you. This depends on your travel class and frequent flyer status. We always start with Business Class passengers, followed by people that have SkyPriority.
Travelling from the US?
When you’re travelling from the United States, you may be able to board by facial recognition. This biometric check is offered at a selected number of airports. It is handled by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Biometric check
When boarding, you can use the so-called biometrics lane if you’re between 14 and 79 years old on the day of arrival. Your picture will be taken by the CBP and compared by the system to a picture from your passport, travel documents, or one taken upon arrival. This means you don’t need to scan any travel documents, although you’ll still need to bring them to be sure.
We do not have access to the biometric details used during boarding. We’ll only see whether you’re “OK to board”.