KLM Unveils New Delft House And Starlink Wi-Fi

The Netherlands-based KLM Royal Dutch Airlines celebrated its 107th anniversary with an old tradition and new upgrades: a new Delft miniature house and free Starlink Wi-Fi coming in 2027.

This year’s Oct. 7 anniversary kicked off with the unveiling a new Delft miniature house. KLM passengers have received these houses when they fly business class on long-haul flights since the 1950s, and it’s one of the most recognizable business class collectibles in aviation.

The airline also announced other upgrades for long-haul passengers, including free Starlink Wi-Fi and a redesigned business class meal service.

Here’s what I learned about the new additions from KLM’s Oct. 7 celebration in the Netherlands.

World Business Class passengers on KLM’s long-haul flights receive a collectible house, designed to look like iconic buildings around the Netherlands. The houses are passed around on a tray by the flight crew before landing.

Like many collectibles, each house is numbered on the back to help you identify it. This year’s is no. 107 (representing each year the airline has been in business) and the house itself is modeled after a winery in Dreischor, Zeeland. Wijnhoeve De Kleine Schorre produces a variety of white and rosé wines that are served onboard KLM flights in World Business Class seasonally.

Each Delft house is filled with alcohol, specifically Bols Genever, a malted, grain-based spirit produced in the Netherlands. For flights to “dry” destinations where alcohol is not allowed, the houses are hollow.

If business class airfare is out of reach, all hope is not lost. Flying Blue regularly puts World Business Class mileage redemptions on sale as part of its monthly Promo Rewards. If you don’t have Flying Blue miles, you can transfer them from several credit card programs.

You might not have to cough up thousands of dollars or miles for a business class flight to snag a collectible Delft house. You can find them in antique stores as well as online on sites like eBay. The prices will vary based on how rare the house is, and there are some really hard-to-find ones, as well as limited-edition specialty houses not available on any KLM flight. They include models of the Royal Palace or the New York Historical. These are typically reserved for VIPs or given as a special gift by company executives.

Many customers, including Flying Blue elite members, shared that they go out of their way to make sure their long-haul flights are on KLM aircraft so they can build their collection.

It’s an honor for a location to be selected as the model for one of the KLM Delft houses. These houses get displayed in hotels, restaurants, shops and of course, homes. Nearly a million houses a year get produced and given to passengers on board. In fact, there are reports that once a house becomes part of the collection, its real estate value jumps significantly.

The selection process involves winnowing down the nominations for houses or buildings, usually of some historic or noteworthy significance, around the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean. The decision for each year’s house is a closely guarded secret and based on a variety of internal criteria. The final decision comes down to just two people, including the airline’s CEO.

Then, on Oct. 7 each year, invited guests gather for speeches and a big party at the actual location of the house for the big reveal.

For this year’s Delft house, KLM President and CEO Marjan Rintel told NerdWallet the arrival approach by airplane to Amsterdam often passes over the province of Zeeland, where the winery is located. Wijnhoeve De Kleine Schorre is significant because its region may be the first glimpse of the Netherlands for some passengers.

“I think there is something wonderfully unexpected this year about choosing a Dutch wine estate for KLM House #107,” said Mark Zegeling, author of “Little Kingdom by the Sea,” a book that outlines the history and significance of each house in the collection.

“Who would expect to find a vineyard in a country better known for windmills, water and beer?” adds Zegeling. “Today, this corner of the province produces wine that travels the world, carrying a taste of its unique terroir with it.”

Another reason becoming a Delft house is so significant? It introduces travelers to new parts of the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean.

Zegeling’s book, “Little Kingdom by the Sea,” serves as a guide book around the Netherlands for travelers interested in visiting the houses themselves.

You can also download an app called “KLM Houses” that lists each of the houses, has information on their location and history, and even includes a notes section so you can record when or where you added it to your collection.

If you want to explore more of these houses, but don’t have time to travel to different parts of the Netherlands, you can visit Madurodam, a park in The Hague, to see several replicas of the most well-known houses in one afternoon. Models of the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and Station Valkenburg are all on display. The park is a walkable miniature city, complete with a mini Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

KLM is making significant changes to its onboard experience in the next few years. The biggest one is Starlink Wi-Fi. By the middle of 2027, the airline expects to roll out free Starlink Wi-Fi on intercontinental flights for all passengers. This is in addition to the free connectivity already available on many of its intra-European flights.

By mid-2028, it expects all long-haul flights to offer the free Wi-Fi option, joining a long list of other airlines adding Starlink to their aircraft. Currently, Flying Blue members can access free messaging on long-haul flights.

Earlier this month, the airline took delivery of its first Airbus A350 aircraft, a much more fuel-efficient aircraft that will help replace its older A330 planes. The airline will begin retiring the A330s in the coming years as more A350s come online. By next year, KLM expects to have six of the type within the next three years.

Starting in early 2027, KLM will offer a new business class amenity kit to passengers. They come in two colors (light and navy blue) and include products from Marie-Stella-Maris, a Dutch brand.

In World Business Class, KLM will roll out an entirely new meal service delivery concept. On long-haul flights, the airline will ditch the use of trays for the meal in favor of laying a table cloth in front of each passenger and serving each plate and glass individually, much like you might see in a restaurant. The second, pre-landing meal service on long flights will continue to use a tray. KLM confirmed to NerdWallet it will not offer dine-on-demand business class meal service any longer, in favor of this new service pattern.

There are also changes ahead for KLM passengers seated in economy on short-haul flights. After trialing buy-on-board menus on its short-haul flights within Europe, the airline has replaced its traditional complimentary beverages and snacks (often a Dutch sandwich as well as the offer for free beer and wine) for a selection of paid options from the “Grand Café.” Travelers can pre-order their preferred option or decide once on the plane. Passengers can now pre-purchase or choose on board from a variety of sandwiches, salads and other snacks.

What is still free on KLM? Water, tea, coffee and orange juice, as well as a Dutch stroopwafel snack on short-haul flights. And if you’re lucky enough to travel in World Business Class on long-haul flights, the fan-favorite collectible Delft miniature house.