If you are flying Chicago to Amsterdam, without any stops in between, then you are flying on KLM, even though the ticket says Northwest. The flight from Rome should be KLM, as well.

Since you will be on a KLM plane, then you need to check in with them.

If you post the flight numbers from your itinerary, one of us can confirm definitively which carrier operates your flight.

Gosh, you guys must be really experienced international travelers. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise with others.

My flight from O'Hare is Northwest Airlines, flight #NW8612 (Operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines)

Duh, I actually just noticed that it says O'Hare terminal 5 on the ininerary.

Amsterdam to Rome:
Northwest NW8389 (Operated by KLM Royal Dutch) So for this one I also check in with KLM, right?

The two planes are a Boeing 747-200/300/400, Mixed configuration
and Boeing 737 All Series Passenger

For return from Rome, the Airline is given as KLM, so no problem there, right? The craft is a Boeing 737-800, and from Amsterdam to Chicago (also says KLM) and the craft is a Boeing 747-400. So I guess I can expect the plane rides to not be the greatest. Oh, well!!

No reason to complain when I am going to be in Rome and spending time with my DD, right?

Correct. All 4 of your flights are operated by KLM.

While the information boards will also display the NW flight numbers, you should also jot down the KL flight numbers, as those are the primary ones displayed.

ORD-AMS is KL612
AMS-FCO is KL1597

You don't need to check in at AMS.

KLM will check you in all the way through. Your luggage will be checked in all the way through. You should have boarding passes for both flights issued in Chicago.

When you arrive in AMS from Chicago, just follow the signs to "Flight Connections". DO NOT go to "Immigration/luggage pick up/customs".

You will go through "Passport Control" and security check. You will not see your checked in luggage in AMS. You will not go through Customs in AMS.

After immigration and security you will be airside. At that point you can dine, shop, or whatever and just keep your eye on the "departure" board. The departure gate will be assigned about an hour before scheduled departure.

Proceed to the gate. You will pick up your checked in luggage in Rome, go through Customs, and unless you have something to declare, just walk through the "Green door".

Enjoy Italy and have a wonderful trip!

I am so grateful!! Thanks for all of the details and exact info, as I am a very nervous traveler when alone. This exact and precise information will be of invaluable help to me. I have about 2-3 hours in Amsterdam each way, so I hope that is enough "wiggle room" and time for me to work through the challenges without feeling rushed and get a bite to eat. It says nothing about food on my itinerary, but I'm thinking that there has to be some.

I will be repaying all of your many kindnesses by taking good notes and writing a trip report when I return. I will be spending 8 days in apt in Trastevere (love it!), then DD and I plan a brief jaunt to Spain (Madrid, Seville?), but I'm turning all of the management for that leg of the trip over to her. My contribution is the credit card! "Quality time for mother and daughter--Priceless!"

Mille grazie for all the good survival tips. MissJane I will have a glass of Limoncello for you!

Hello missjane, the Amsterdam airport is very user friendly. And you have been given all the information that you will need. Personally I have always like the employees of KLM along with the employees at the Amsterdam airport. I have always found their restrooms at the airport very clean also. I don't know if you can get a Bloody Mary or not but do have a glass of wine while waiting for your flight to Rome..I always do.

Your time with your daughter sounds wonderful dear one. BTW, my daughter always cries when she has to leave Italy also, lol. I am happy for you.

<i>I have about 2-3 hours in Amsterdam each way, so I hope that is enough &quot;wiggle room&quot; and time for me to work through the challenges without feeling rushed and get a bite to eat.</i>

You have plenty of time. I've made connections in well under an hour at AMS before. I think it is the best major airport in Europe, and I think it is better than any major airport in the US.

- Your intra-EU flight will be leaving from either the B or C gates. When you get off of your flight from the US, just follow the signs to these gates.

- You will have to go through passport control and security before getting to the B or C gates, this is quick and painless, and has never taken me more than 10 minutes or so.

- Once through passport control and security, you will enter a hallway. There will also be small carts to put your carry-ons on. You will see some shops on the right and left - the cosmetics shop on your right has a really nice range of stuff if you forgot shampoo or other toiletries.

- Once you pass the big cosmetics shop, the hallway will open up into an atrium. There is a Starbucks on your left, if you need your coffee. Behind the Starbucks, just to your left is a cafeteria and a cafe. Ahead, just to the left, and upstairs is a food court. None of the food options are anything special, but there will be something to fill your stomach. There are plenty of other shops in this area, as well.

- Past this atrium, you start getting to the gate areas. There isn't a great deal of stuff past here, but there is the occassional newstand or kiosk. There will be plenty of monitors telling you which gate your flight will leave from, and telling you when you should go to the gate.

- On the return, you basically reverse yourself, but you walk on the other side of Starbucks this time, where you will pass through passport control.

- Past passport control, there are some restaurants (usually on the second floor, so look for signs). There is also plenty of duty-free shopping and a casino on the first floor. Also on the second floor are some quiet areas with comfortable chairs, as well as a spa, with massages, manicures, and the like.

- For your return flight, they will conduct security at the gate. You will be interviewed by a security agent, and they will ask the usual questions about the purpose of your trip, whether you packed your own bags, etc. It can be stressful, so just try to relax. After the interview, you will have your bags x-rayed and you will then be in the lounge area. There are bathrooms in these lounge areas, but no food or anything, so you should get something to eat before going to the gate, if you are hungry.

Just relax and take it easy, and I think you will find it much better than you fear.

Here is the website for Amsterdam airport, which has a lot of information.

http://www.schiphol.nl/Homepage/Homepage.htm

Thank you, travelgourmet, for this information on Schiphol Airport. (How do you pronounce that, anyway?) I have a layover there en route to Manchester when I travel to the U.K. in late May. I've been to Amsterdam before, and I recall liking their airport quite well. I feel reassured.

I always here it pronounced sort of like Skip-ul.

But note that the directions above don't apply for flights to the UK. As the UK is not a Schengen country, I don't believe you will pass through passport control in Amsterdam.

I think most of the UK flights are out of pier D. As for the return flight back to the US, you will go through security at the gate. I don't think you have the same interview process, though, just x-raying of the bags.

Speaking of pier D, I should clarify my instructions above. If I recall correctly, there is a chance the flight to Rome could leave from a gate in pier D. This pier has a 2-level structure:

- For Schengen area flights (like Italy or France), you still follow the signs to the B and C gates. You then turn left at the Starbucks and then take the next left. You then head up the stairs to reach the Schengen level (the KLM lounge is here, and there is also a nice seating area), and access the D-gates down the hall from here.

- For non-Schengen flights (outside of the EU, as well as flights to the UK, Ireland, etc.), you stay on the international side of the terminal (where a flight from the US will land) and will access the D gates from the ground level.

travelgourmet,
Do KL operated US bound flights also get the interview? I thought it was only for US flag carriers (but I could be mistaken as I've only ever flown DL back to the US from AMS).

Patty: I don't know for certain.

I usually fly on a Northwest-operated flight to the US, where I have always been interviewed. I know I was also interviewed on a Continental-operated flight a few months ago. I am pretty sure (but less than 100%) that I received the same interview when I flew KLM to Hong Kong in December.

I've always been interviewed when flying DL back to the US too, but I've not been interviewed when flying KL to non-US destinations.

Thanks again for such great details!! They will certainly help a nervous senior find her way with ease through an international airport.

One of the best things about this forum is that it not only helps the OP, but also so many other travelers around the world as well.

You guys (y'all) are the best!!