A 5:30 a.m. alarm, a coffee in one hand and a camera in the other, and a gate at Amsterdam Schiphol that looked more like a Pride party than a 7 a.m. departure lounge: that is how our KLM Pride Flight to Berlin started, and it only got better from there. Join us on our proud trip from Amsterdam to Berlin for CSD 2026 and see how KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is supporting its own internal LGBTIQ+ employee network “Over the Rainbow”. Happy Pride Flight with KLM and our gay travel blog, Couple of Men!
– in collaboration with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines & TUI Cruises –
We get excited before every trip we take, but this time the flight itself was the whole point, the reason for the trip rather than a step on the way to it. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has been our partner airline since 2019, so when we heard they were flying a dedicated Pride Flight from Amsterdam to Berlin on July 24, 2026, the day before CSD Berlin, we knew we had to be on it. We came as passengers, and as content creators documenting one of the most personal, joyful mornings we have had in the air.
Here is what a KLM Pride Flight actually looks and feels like from the inside, plus a look back at how KLM Royal Dutch Airlines got here: a short history of the airline’s Pride flights that goes further back than most people realize.
Quick facts: KLM Pride Flight Amsterdam to Berlin
- Route: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Berlin Brandenburg (BER)
- Date: July 24, 2026, one day before CSD Berlin
- Operator: KLM Cityhopper
- Flight time: just under an hour
- Crew: entirely LGBTIQ+ staff and allies
- Occasion: lead-in to Berlin Pride, part of KLM’s year as official airline partner of WorldPride Amsterdam 2026
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Our KLM Pride Flight from Amsterdam to Berlin
Flying KLM’s dedicated Pride Flight means an all-LGBTIQ+ crew, a plane full of rainbow energy before boarding even starts. In our case, a surprise we did not see coming until the captain walked down the aisle personally to deliver it.
At the Gate: Meeting the Pride Crew
We were done and seated at the gate well before boarding, watching the terminal slowly wake up around us. Then we saw them: a group of proud, cheerful KLM employees walking toward the gate, carrying a rainbow progress flag and a Rainbow Pride Flight banner between them, with a photographer trailing alongside to capture it all.
At first we stayed in the background and let the queer crew have their moment in the spotlight. Group photos went up, laughter carried across the gate area, and the kind of joyful, slightly giddy energy you only get before something everyone involved genuinely cares about. We had our own small rainbow flag with us, and as we stepped forward with it, a few crew members spotted us, recognized us, and pulled us straight into the conversation.
A group photo together followed, and then something we did not expect this early: we were invited to walk to the aircraft first, ahead of the rest of the queue, so we could get a few shots in front of the plane before general boarding even began.
The Surprise: A Business-Class Upgrade for Over the Rainbow’s 15th Birthday
We settled into our economy seats first, cameras away, ready for a short and cheerful hop to Berlin. The crew was visibly nervous in the sweetest way, the kind of nervous energy that comes from pure excitement rather than nerves about the job. Announcements kept reminding the cabin that this flight was anything but ordinary.
Once the aircraft was fully boarded, Captain Joris walked back through the cabin and stopped at our row. “We have a surprise for you,” he said. “Would you follow me to business class, please?”
We had been upgraded, and the seat itself was only the start. Waiting for us was a welcome gift marking the 15th anniversary of Over the Rainbow, KLM’s internal LGBTIQ+ employee network: branded coffee mugs, stickers, lanyards, and a few KLM cookies tucked into the bags on our seats. We were, in every sense, in love that morning: with each other, with the crew’s energy, and with the fact that our Berlin Pride adventure had barely started and already felt this special.
In the Air: A Flight Like No Other
Shortly after takeoff, the cabin crew read out a welcome message that set the tone for the rest of the flight:
“A heartfelt welcome to each and every one of you on board this special KLM Cityhopper Pride flight to Berlin. Today’s flight is a little bit different from the usual. We are proud to be part of a celebration surrounding the WorldPride in Amsterdam, a global moment to celebrate diversity, inclusion, and the freedom to be exactly who we are. At KLM, we believe that everyone belongs, no matter who you are, who you love, or who you identify with. You are welcome here. Today, we are proud to celebrate that together with you. Whether you are traveling to celebrate, to support, to connect, or simply to enjoy the journey, we are delighted to have you with us on board today. […] From all of us on the flight deck and also the captain: thank you for being part of this special Pride Flight! We hope this journey is filled with warmth, kindness, and the spirit of togetherness. Please sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. We wish you a comfortable and memorable journey to Berlin. Happy Pride and thank you for flying with us!”
The in-flight welcome announcement, KLM Cityhopper Pride Flight, July 24, 2026
Rainbow flags hung at the front of the cabin for the entire flight, and the atmosphere stayed light and celebratory the whole way. We even found a few minutes to talk to some queer crew members directly, swapping notes on Pride season and comparing which city’s parade they were most looking forward to. Business class breakfast came out not long after, and before we had fully settled into it, the plane was already lining up to land. Just under an hour after leaving Amsterdam, we touched down in Berlin.
Landing in Berlin: The Cockpit, the Flag, and the Airport Grounds
Cameras ready, we headed for the exit, where a PR representative from BER Airport was waiting to meet us. First, though, the aircraft had to be empty, with the Berlin-bound passengers making their way off ahead of us.
That gap turned into one of the highlights of the full trip: we were invited into the cockpit, offered the pilot seats, and asked to wave the large Progress Pride flag out of the cockpit window. It is challenging to describe the mix of excitement and pure honor that comes with sitting where the captain sits and holding a Pride flag up to the tarmac below.
From there, everything moved fast. A red safety vest went on, a lanyard went around our necks, and cameras in hand, we followed the crew out onto the airport grounds behind the aircraft. What followed was a stretch of group photos, short video clips, and a long string of proud, happy conversations, first with the flight crew, then with BER Airport staff who had come out to join in.
Back inside the terminal, we watched the ground crew hand out small BER waist bags to travelers heading onward to Amsterdam, each one filled with Pride Flight information, gummy bears, and a few small extras. Everyone around us seemed just as delighted as we were at how smoothly the whole morning had come together.
On our way to the exit, we passed a row of large advertising screens with a rainbow flag waving above the words “BER is proud to welcome you.” We had officially landed in Berlin for CSD 2026.
The History of KLM Pride Flights
KLM’s Berlin Pride Flight was not a one-off marketing stunt. It is the latest entry in a Pride-flight tradition the airline has been building for years.
The tradition traces back to June 28, 2019, when KLM Royal Dutch Airlines purser Tasos Papaioannou suggested sending an all-gay crew to New York to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, timed to WorldPride NYC 2019. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said yes, and that flight became the first of what has grown into a recurring practice: crewing a flight entirely with LGBTIQ+ staff and allies for a Pride occasion, as documented in a case study on KLM’s LGBTQ+ marketing.
One clarification worth making here, since the name causes real confusion: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also flies a striking orange-liveried Boeing 777 nicknamed Orange Pride, but that aircraft has nothing to do with LGBTQ Pride. It celebrates Dutch national pride, the House of Orange, and King’s Day, in KLM’s words, a nod to “the national color of the Netherlands.” Two very different kinds of pride, flown by two very different planes.
Behind the actual LGBTQ+ Pride flights sits Over the Rainbow, KLM’s internal LGBTIQ+ employee network, which KLM itself marked as turning 15 in 2026, the same year that gave us our own upgrade and welcome gift on board.
2026 turned out to be a particularly big year for KLM’s Pride flights, with two dedicated flights on the calendar rather than the usual one. On June 28, 2026, exactly seven years to the day after that first New York flight, KLM flew a Pride flight from Amsterdam to Toronto, also crewed by LGBTIQ+ staff and allies. The flight was timed to Toronto Pride and welcomed on arrival by Canadian choreographer and dancer Blake McGrath.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: official airline partner of WorldPride 2026
Our flight to Berlin on July 24 was the second, and both sat inside a bigger story: KLM’s role as an official airline partner, alongside Delta Air Lines, of WorldPride Amsterdam 2026, running from July 25 to August 8. As part of that partnership, KLM and Delta shared a boat in the WorldPride Canal Parade.
They ran a joint stand at the WorldPride Village on Museumplein, and hosted a Pride House at Hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand for six international LGBTIQ+ representatives. Several of them are from countries where being openly out is far from a given.
KLM, our long-time partner airline
We have worked with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines every year since 2019. In practice, that means KLM Royal Dutch Airlines provides flights for our press trips and blog campaigns. In return, we show our readers how queer-friendly and welcoming the airline really is, on the ground and in the air, the way we actually experienced it.
What keeps this partnership worth renewing year after year is that KLM’s conditions for queer employees continue to improve. Each year brings changes for the better: policies, visibility, and the kind of small onboard details we experienced firsthand on this flight. Those changes reach travelers too, not only staff. A crew that feels safe and supported in being themselves at work tends to make their passengers feel the same way. That is exactly what we felt from the gate to the cockpit on this trip.
We have already covered KLM’s broader commitment to LGBTQ+ travelers, from its inclusive uniform policy to its role as WorldPride Amsterdam’s airline partner, in our articles on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a gay-friendly airline and KLM’s WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 partnership. This flight is the direct, on-the-ground follow-up to both.
Good to Know: KLM Pride Flight FAQ
Can you book a seat on KLM’s Pride flight specifically? KLM’s Pride flights run on regular commercial routes with a dedicated LGBTIQ+ crew and a few added touches on board, rather than as a separate ticketed event. You book the flight like any other flight with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on that route and date. You simply happen to fly it on the day KLM has scheduled it as a Pride flight.
Is the KLM Pride Flight the same plane as the Orange Pride livery? No, and this trips a lot of people up because of the name. Orange Pride is a specific orange-liveried Boeing 777 used on select long-haul routes, and it celebrates Dutch national pride, not LGBTQ Pride. Our Amsterdam-to-Berlin Pride flight was operated by KLM Cityhopper’s regional fleet, a standard aircraft with an entirely LGBTIQ+ crew and Pride-themed touches on board rather than a special paint job.
How do you get from Berlin back to Amsterdam for WorldPride? Berlin sits under an hour from Amsterdam by air on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which is exactly why so many Dutch and German travelers treat CSD Berlin and WorldPride Amsterdam as one connected Pride summer rather than two separate trips.
When is the next KLM Pride flight? KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has not announced a fixed annual date, but 2026 alone saw two dedicated Pride flights (Toronto in June, Berlin in July), both tied to WorldPride Amsterdam’s partner year. Keep an eye on KLM’s newsroom and social channels around Pride season for the next one.
What stays with us from the KLM Pride Flight Amsterdam to Berlin 2026?
We have flown with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines many times over the past 13 years (7 of them as airline partners), but this was the first time a flight itself became the Pride story we wanted to tell.
A gate full of rainbow flags before 7 a.m., a captain who walked back to deliver his own surprise, and a cockpit window we got to wave a Pride flag out of: none of that happens on an ordinary Friday morning flight, and all of it happened before we had even properly woken up.
Did you like this article? We would love it if you shared it.
We will keep showcasing KLM’s support for their queer staff, so you can see for yourself how queer-welcoming flights with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are. The support goes beyond a rainbow flag. The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines group Over the Rainbow is the thriving community behind it all. And it all pays off. Enjoy your next journey with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and who knows, maybe we will sit right next to you!
Feel like more of our LGBTQ+ travels, queer flights, or Pride trips? Then browse our travel guides or write to us if you’re looking for personal tips. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. We look forward to connecting with you! Karl & Daan.
Important note: This article was made possible thanks to TUI Cruises, which invited us to Berlin, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which made it possible for us to fly this Pride flight as part of that trip. Even so, our opinions and texts are, as always, based on our very own personal experiences. We took all photos and videos in this article ourselves.
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## Review notes (not part of the article body)
### Heads-up: two fixes reverted a second time
Two things I fixed in the previous round came back in this paste:
1. **Orange Pride FAQ answer** — was back to “a specific rainbow-liveried Boeing 777,” contradicting the correct History section again. Fixed again, same wording as before (orange-liveried, Dutch national pride, not LGBTQ Pride).
2. **Closing “Important note”** — was back to the generic “made possible in close collaboration with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and TUI Cruises,” without the role split you asked for last message. Fixed again: TUI Cruises invited you to Berlin, KLM made the Pride flight itself possible.
This is the second time both of these specific corrections have reappeared reverted. If you’re pasting from a saved copy in WordPress or a notes app that predates my last fix, that would explain it, worth checking which version is your working copy before the next round so we’re not fixing the same two things a third time.
### What’s new and good in this version
– The diversity/inclusion link is now placed correctly in “KLM, our long-time partner airline,” in your own voice, exactly where I suggested moving it after pulling it out of the in-flight quote. Confirmed working.
– The “13 years” line now reads “many times over the past 13 years (7 of them as airline partners),” which resolves the inconsistency I flagged: 13 years of flying KLM overall, 7 of those as an official partnership since 2019. That checks out.
– A new link on “Pride House” points to the same KLM newsroom article already linked one sentence earlier in that section. Not wrong, just close together, up to you whether to vary it or leave it.
– One cosmetic-only note: the History section’s column block carries two uniqueIDs merged onto one div (`kadence-column59422_dbaf80-1a` from a duplicated block plus a leftover `kadence-column59422_7a7afd-f7` class in your paste). Harmless for rendering, just means the div has an extra unused CSS class. Not touching it, flagging only in case your theme’s custom CSS targets that old ID anywhere.
Everything else from the last round (spacing, typo, TOC anchor, quote-integrity, “main sponsor” wording, cookies phrasing) is intact and unchanged.