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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines · KL · SkyTeam · Accra ⇄ Amsterdam

KLM from Accra: Amsterdam, and an old Dutch link to the Gold Coast

Every evening KLM's big blue Boeing 777 lands in Accra from Amsterdam, and every night it flies back. The oldest airline in the world still flying under its original name connects Ghana to the Netherlands, a country whose traders ran Elmina Castle for 235 years and which today is home to one of the largest Ghanaian communities in Europe. Here is what flies, when, and the transit rule that catches many Ghanaian travellers out.

KLM in brief

KLM was founded on 7 October 1919, which makes it the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. Since 2004 it has belonged to the Air France-KLM group, but it keeps its own identity, its own blue livery and its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol, one of Europe's great transfer airports. On the Accra route it works with Air France and Delta, which sell the same flights under their own numbers.

Key facts

  • Codes: IATA KL, ICAO KLM.
  • Founded: 7 October 1919, The Hague.
  • Hub: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
  • Alliance: SkyTeam, with Air France, Delta, Kenya Airways and Middle East Airlines.
  • Aircraft on the Accra route: Boeing 777-300ER, about 400 seats with World Business Class, Premium Comfort and Economy.
  • Codeshares: Air France (AF8249) and Delta (DL9372) sell the Amsterdam–Accra flight.
  • Frequent flyer programme: Flying Blue.
  • In Accra: Terminal 3, Accra International Airport.
  • Flight time Accra–Amsterdam: about 6 hours 45 minutes.
  • Website: klm.com

Flights from and to Accra: the real timetable

KLM flies Amsterdam–Accra once a day, every day. In winter Amsterdam is one hour ahead of Ghana; in European summer time it is two hours ahead.

FlightRouteTimes (local)Days
KL589Amsterdam → Accraabout 15:00 → 19:40Daily
KL590Accra → Amsterdam22:00 → about 06:45 next dayDaily

Read this before booking

These times come from summer 2026 flight logs. In the winter timetable, from 25 October 2026, the Amsterdam times shift by an hour because the Netherlands has moved its clocks back. The overnight flight is usually punctual and often lands early. Always confirm your date on klm.com.

Accra arrivals today Amsterdam flight page

Ghana and Amsterdam right now

Local time in both cities, the weather at this moment, and a converter between cedis, euros and the main currencies.

Say it in Dutch

Almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks excellent English, but a few words of Dutch are always welcome. And in Amsterdam Zuidoost you will hear Twi on the street too.

  • Hallo or Hoi: hello.
  • Goedemorgen: good morning.
  • Dank je wel: thank you. Dank u wel is the polite form.
  • Alsjeblieft: please, and also "here you are" when handing something over.
  • Proost: cheers.
  • Gezellig: cosy, sociable, a good atmosphere. The most Dutch word there is.
  • Doei: bye.

The Netherlands: what is waiting at the other end

The Netherlands and Ghana share a long and uncomfortable history. The Dutch took Elmina from the Portuguese in 1637 and stayed until 1872, trading gold and enslaved people, and running a string of forts along the coast. Between 1831 and 1872 they also recruited some 3,000 soldiers from the Gold Coast, many of them from Asante, for their colonial army in what is now Indonesia: the "Belanda Hitam", the Black Dutchmen. Today around 30,000 Ghanaians live in the Netherlands, most of them in Amsterdam Zuidoost, where Ghanaian churches, shops and festivals are part of city life.

The Netherlands in brief

  • Capital: Amsterdam, by the constitution. The government, parliament and the king's working palace are in The Hague.
  • Currency: euro (EUR). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and some places take no cash at all.
  • Language: Dutch; English is spoken almost universally.
  • Time: UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer.
  • Entry for Ghanaians: a Schengen visa is required, applied for through the Netherlands' visa partner in Accra. It is valid for the whole Schengen area.
  • Changing planes at Schiphol: Ghanaians also need an airport transit visa, even without leaving the airport, unless they hold a valid US, Canadian, UK or Schengen visa or residence permit.
  • Entry for UK and US passports: visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180 days. Your entry and exit are recorded digitally under the EU's Entry/Exit System.

The main attractions

Tours in Amsterdam: guided walks through the old centre and boat trips on the canals, the easiest way to see the city on a stopover. Entrance fees are included in the tour price; tips are not included but always welcome.

Amsterdam flight page The Dutch Gold Coast

Where KLM takes you next

The overnight flight from Accra lands in Amsterdam early in the morning, when KLM's morning wave leaves for all of Europe and North America. Remember the transit visa rule above. These are the countries it opens up, with their capitals.

Honest tips for this route

  • The airport transit visa catches people. Ghanaians booked Accra–Amsterdam–anywhere without the right documents are refused boarding in Accra. Check the rule above before you buy.
  • Apply for Schengen visas early. Appointments in Accra fill up weeks ahead, especially before Christmas and summer. Apply to the country where you will spend the most time.
  • Schiphol is efficient but large. Allow at least ninety minutes for a connection, and expect a passport check between non-Schengen and Schengen flights.
  • Getting into Amsterdam. The train station is right under the terminal: about 15 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal, and direct trains to Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA for Zuidoost.
  • Bring a jacket. Amsterdam is cool, windy and wet most of the year. Even in summer, evenings can be chilly.
  • Food parcels. The Netherlands, like the whole EU, bans meat, fish and dairy in passenger luggage from outside the EU. Dried fish and wele will be confiscated.

Coming the other way: arriving in Ghana

KLM lands in Accra at around 19:40 every evening. Dutch visitors need a visa for Ghana. For Dutch travellers, Ghana holds a part of their own history: Elmina Castle, Fort Coenraadsburg on the hill above it, and Fort Amsterdam at Abandze, all built or held by the Dutch.

ElminaCastle.info Accra International Airport

Airport pickup with free internet, ideal after an evening landing, private vehicle hire and a three-destination tour, booked before you land. Entrance fees are included in the tour price; tips are not included but always welcome.

Read and listen across Africa

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All airlines at Accra International Airport

Every airline flying from Accra, each with its own timetable, routes and destination guide.

Bridge cities across Africa

Flying on within Africa after you land in Accra? These city pages cover the airports and the routes that link them with Ghana.

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Part of the Ghana-Net network

GhanaFlights.info belongs to an independent network of more than 70 African travel, heritage and information websites, online since December 2000. No Google advertising, no sponsored praise: just the routes and the countries, as they are.

Ghana-Net.com · Ghana-Net.net (Deutsch) · Forts and Castles · ElminaCastle.info · Cape Coast Castle Museum · Fort Amsterdam · Osu Castle · Kakum National Park · GhanaTrails.com · BritainAdventures.com · AfricanIndependence.com

Updated and fact-checked: 29 October 2026. Timetables from flight logs for summer 2026; entry and transit rules checked in October 2026. Always confirm times with the airline and visa rules with the Dutch authorities before booking. Text and research by Remo Kurka for GhanaFlights.info. This website carries no Google advertising.