Immigration in Amsterdam

[JaneGapud]

Hello!

My husband and I will be traveling to Europe next month. As far as layover time, will an hour and 20 minutes be enough? We're US citizens. Taking a Delta flight from ATL to AMS, then Delta/KLM from AMS to EDI.

Going back to ATL, we are taking a nonstop Delta flight from CDG (Paris).

Please advise. Thank you very much!

 

[kathie859]

Hello!

My husband and I will be traveling to Europe next month. As far as layover time, will an hour and 20 minutes be enough? We're US citizens. Taking a Delta flight from ATL to AMS, then Delta/KLM from AMS to EDI.

Going back to ATL, we are taking a nonstop Delta flight from CDG (Paris).

Please advise. Thank you very much!

This will be a tight connection! We did CVG-AMS, AMS-EDI in August. The 2nd flight was in a different terminal and it took a little time to clear customs and go thru security again and get to the new gate. Be ready to sprint off the plane

 

[connie1042]

I will tell you it was a tight layover. I walked across the airport to my next plane, I had about 15 min before boarding. What got me was, we were put on a bus to get to the plane on the tarmac, and it was very close to where I got off my first plane. They could of saved me a few steps, by not having me walk all the way to the other side, just to be bused to where I started from. When you get off the plane in Amsterdam, get ready to sprint. It is a big airport. I had 1 hour 50 min. and I had little time to spare. You are cutting this short by 30 min. so be ready. On the way back I only had 50 min. I made it, but when I got off my first plane, I basically ran. The guy I sat next to came in after me and said he came from Paris, and that was the worst airport he had ever been in. Three of them just made the flight. But since you have a straight flight, there should be no problem. Have a great trip. Scotland was awesome.

 

[sayhello]

I will tell you it was a tight layover. I walked across the airport to my next plane, I had about 15 min before boarding. What got me was, we were put on a bus to get to the plane on the tarmac, and it was very close to where I got off my first plane. They could of saved me a few steps, by not having me walk all the way to the other side, just to be bused to where I started from. When you get off the plane in Amsterdam, get ready to sprint. It is a big airport. I had 1 hour 50 min. and I had little time to spare. You are cutting this short by 30 min. so be ready. On the way back I only had 50 min. I made it, but when I got off my first plane, I basically ran. The guy I sat next to came in after me and said he came from Paris, and that was the worst airport he had ever been in. Three of them just made the flight. But since you have a straight flight, there should be no problem. Have a great trip. Scotland was awesome.

I agree that CDG in Paris is one of the worst airports I have ever been in! We flew out of CDG and got there well over 2 hours early. After a solid 2 hours standing in sweltering lines (and it was not hot outside) I made it to my flight with 5 minutes to spare. Awful, awful, awful!

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

Hello!

My husband and I will be traveling to Europe next month. As far as layover time, will an hour and 20 minutes be enough? We're US citizens. Taking a Delta flight from ATL to AMS, then Delta/KLM from AMS to EDI.

Going back to ATL, we are taking a nonstop Delta flight from CDG (Paris).

Please advise. Thank you very much!

This past summer, we flew through Amsterdam with a 1 hour 45 minute layover. We changed terminals and it was a long walk and we had to go through security. I was concerned since I didn't know how far it would be to the second terminal, so we didn't dawdle, but it turned out that we had plenty of time. We were at the gate at lest 45 minutes before the plane started boarding (and it was on time). We were fortunate that there was only a short line at security.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

AMS is my home airport.

Loads depend on the gates assigned. AMS is HUGE, as are some of the concourses. For instance the B one (used for flights within Europe) is dreaded. If your flight is assigned a gate at the end of the concourse you can easily hike a mile or more, just from beginning to end of concourse, which has to be added up to your distance from your arrival gate (transatlantic flights do not arrive nor depart from B).

If having a tight connection; contact airline beforehand or discuss options with the flight attendant about an hour prior to arrival. Depending on availability, it might be an option to have an airline employee or airport employee waiting for you with a golf cart type of cart to quickly get you from arriving flight to departing flight. Would still require going through the checkpoint between international and european airside, but does make for a MUCH faster move. Politeness goes a long way when it comes to scoring such a lift -where available and not needed for for instance assistance requiring passengers- on the spot.

Flying KLM is a huge bonus in this (one of the few, have to say ), given how huge they are at AMS and thus more employees at hand to help out, more imput in getting things done etc.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

I agree that CDG in Paris is one of the worst airports I have ever been in! We flew out of CDG and got there well over 2 hours early. After a solid 2 hours standing in sweltering lines (and it was not hot outside) I made it to my flight with 5 minutes to spare. Awful, awful, awful!

Sayhello

CDG needs a minimum of 3 hours for the transatlantic flights now with all the extra screening the US does.

We are used to it as it's our "home" airport and just go with it now when flying towards the US/Mexico

But if you can avoid it I'd advise doing so everytime

 

[JaneGapud]

Thanks everybody!

We went ahead and purchased a flight with 4 hours of layover time, still doing ATL-AMS-EDI. Too much time but we don't want to start our vacation stressed. Figured we can always eat and shop at the airport.

Thanks for the feedback on CDG. Going to make sure that we're at the airport a minimum of 3 hours before our departure time.

Thanks again!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

In that case; definately check out the Rijksmuseum. They've got an area at Schiphol airport airside. Just like the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam itself, it is very much worth a visit eventhough it is a small exhibit. Amazing pieces of some of the biggest names in history can more recent to be seen. And; it's free.

For more info check out; http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/FoodRelax/AfterPassportControl/Relax/Rijksmuseum1.htm

For food both Bubbles and the sushibar are very good and not that general run of the mill.

Need some massage, pampering or recoup from the flight? Go to the spa for some treatments, ranging from relaxing to intensive massages.

Combined with the time needed to get off the arrival flight, get to the departure gate and boarding, your time will fly by.