Customs and making plane connections inAmsterdam
 

I am a US citizen who will be traveling from the US (Boston) to Billund, DK, via Amsterdam, leaving on Wednesday, 9/8/2010. I will arrive in Amsterdam at 8:00 am on 9/9. In Amsterdsam, I am supposed to connect with a KLM flight that departs for Billund at 9:30 a.m. on 9/9. I have no plans to leave the airport at Amsterdam, and thus should just be going from one terminal to another. At what points in this journey will I have to go through customs? If I must go through customs in Amsterdam, does my current itinerary allow enough time for that?

I would expect you to clear customs at Schipol, your first point of entry. I'm big on flying direct (no connections) and carrying on only but I think the drill for you is, collect your bags, clear customs, recheck your bags and head to your connecting gate.

It's a little tight but you should be able to do it. If for some reason you find yourself with extra time at Schipol, the Rijksmuseum always keeps a free display at the airport that is worth seeing.

Have a nice trip.

Technically you won't need to clear customs until you get to your destination, Billund. If your bags are checked through you won't retrieve them in Amsterdam at all. The drill that bdjt reports is what you do upon return to the US, but it's different when you fly to Europe, or specifically in this case the Schengen zone.

Upon arrival in Billund you will retrieve your bags and pass through customs, which will be nothing more than an unmanned exit door with 2 lanes. Red if you have something to declare, green if not.

You will pass through immigration/passport control at Amsterdam.

I would have no concern with 90min layover at Amsterdam.

In addition passport control, you'll also go through a security check (immediately after passport control) at Amsterdam. 90 min should be fine.

You go through IMMIGRATION checks at Amsterdam as both the Netherlands & Denmark are in Schengen. Your luggage goes through Customs at Billund

I have always had my check in luggage go straight to Italy when changing planes at Schipol so I have never seen it. Immigration and Security at Schipol. Schipol, in all of my experiences is a pretty use friendly airport Dianne. Having said that, one question, do you hold a ticket (well eticket) that is good for your flight from Boston to Billand or do you have two different tickets, one for the flight from Boston and one for the flight from Schipol?

Thank you to all who replied. I am not planning to check any baggage, but to travel light with only a carry on. I will be staying with distant relatives, so will not need too many things. To LoveItaly: In answer to your question, my entire itinerary for the round trip with seats, reservation code, and air confirmation # is on one e-ticket.
I just noticed that on my return trip, I have only an hour and 15 minutes to make my flight connection from KLM to Delta. Hope that suffices.

The return is similar. You'll go through passport control, but instead of security immediately after, you'll go through security at your boarding gate. And since you're returning on a US carrier, there will also be a security "interview" at the gate.

You should be okay both ways. As noted, you will clear passport control and have a security check in Amsterdam, but will clear customs in Denmark. If you have nothing to declare to customs, then you can just walk out the green exit. If Billund is anything like Copenhagen, then there probably won't even be anyone at the customs desk.

Regarding the connection, a couple of other items:

1) There are short connection lanes at passport control upon arrival. If your flight is delayed, then you should keep an eye out for this lane. If your flight is on-time or early, then you will just use the regular line. Not sure if there is a similar lane at exit control.

2) As noted, for the return, you will clear security at the gate. Note that there is nothing beyond security, just a holding pen, and that normal liquid restrictions apply - you can't, for example, bring a bottle of water through the security checkpoint. I usually just hang back and wait until the line is down to the last couple of people and go through at that point.

Have a good trip. These connections should be fine, barring significant delays.