I will be flying from NUE-Nuremburg to DTW- Detroit with a 1hr 30 min layover in AMS- Amsterdam, Then from Detroit to BTV Burlington Vt another 1hr 30 min layover. This is my first time and i know nothing about any of the airports except BTV Will I make my flight from AMS to Detroit and from Detroit to BTV? What should I know to make all connecting flights? I'm mostly concerned about AMS. All tips would be helpful. Thanks

You should be fine at Amsterdam. Security will be done at the gate so don't hang around in the shops for too long.

I would be more concerned about clearing immigration and customs at Detroit before your onward flight. You have to collect your bags and take them through customs on arrival in the US then recheck them for your onward flight. Depending on how many flights are arriving at the same time clearing immigration (especially if you are not a US citizen) can take a long time, and then collecting bags and clearing customs can also take a good while. You will then also have to go through security yet again.

Amsterdam is a very large airport but you should have plenty of time to get to the gate. Follow the prominent transfer signs.

The real issue with Customs/Immigration in Detroit is the NUMBER of agents on duty and as with any OTHER US airport that drives everything. It isn't quite as harrowing as it has been made out to be IMO.

Amsterdam is huge but it is well-organized and you already KNOW how to get through Security in the fastest possible manner: pack anything and everything in your carry-on which can cause a problem with the electronic screener and do it BEFORE you get into the line, NOT during the wait.

Once you've retrieved your luggage in Detroit the moment you clear Immigration/Customs the re-check for your bags will be right there. Again, get yourself ready for Security before you get to the screening area.

Laptop? Have it OUT. Cellphone, belt with buckle big enough to bomb Manhattan..packed. Wear shoes which go on and off FAST. Lots of jewelry..put that away for the Security process, too

If you buy any duty free booze at AMS put it in your checked luggage at DTW before rechecking your bags, or TSA will be having a party with it.

Your connection times are OK unless your flights are delayed. If it is a weather delay the airline owes you nothing.

I had the worst security agent ever in Amsterdam in August. Despite my having already taken out my phone, regulation=size clear bag of regulation-size liquids, etc., he insisted on taking everything out of my roll-aboard carry on, holding it up and inspecting it multiple times. He was seemingly suspicious of my underwear, keys (car and house), plug adapter, small bag of earrings (costume jewelry only) and generally everything else in my bag for no apparent reason. Additionally, he moved my bag and its contents (strewn in a bin) out of my sight for long enough that I was afraid he'd removed something and kept it. I'm a woman in my 30's and don't look in the slightest dubious or suspicious and have never had a search like this before. Even worse was his supercilious attitude which communicated delight at making it even harder to make our connection. Unless all the security agents are like that one (adjectives omitted), you should be fine.

Delaine, your experience was worse than any of mine. I hate the security at AMS. They confiscated my wine even though it was packaged in a duty free sealed container. If you buy a bottle of water before you get to your gate (even though you are in a secured area) they will take it away. Just do as they say, act like a mute and go through.

Both connection times are very ample. Just follow the signs.

Moonlily.....we flew out of Florence into Amsterdam with two hour transfer time. Our bags were checked through all the way to Memphis. When we got to our gate, there was already a line for security check. A security agent will get your passport and scan it on some kind of machine. Then the agent will ask you questions regarding your luggage, etc. Then you will be in the secure area.

However, we observed a young gentleman who was with the security agent for quite a while. He had a carry on luggage with him and he was asked to open the bag and it was thoroughly searched. He did make it to the secure area.

Our port of entry was Atlanta, we had to retrieve our bags, then through Customs and Immigrations, then rechecked our bags for Memphis. We did miss our connecting flight since we were thirty minutes late out of Amsterdam. Delta did book us for the next flight out to Memphis. An hour and a half transfer time is enough unless your flight from Amsterdam is late.

<i>
CYESQ on Oct 6, 11 at 11:34am
Delaine, your experience was worse than any of mine. I hate the security at AMS. They confiscated my wine even though it was packaged in a duty free sealed container. If you buy a bottle of water before you get to your gate (even though you are in a secured area) they will take it away. Just do as they say, act like a mute and go through.</i>

Where did you buy the duty free wine?

Goods bought inside the secure duty free area of all airports are allowed on the plane. When you make a connection the goods will be confiscated unless you are able to transfer them to your checked luggage. You have this opportunity at American entry airports because you must claim your bags and recheck them before making your connection. When making connections within the EU your bags are typically checked through to destination and you don't have the chance to slip the bottles in when making a connection. This information is paraphrased from the KLM site.

spaarne - I bought the wine in the secure duty free area at Portland and they assured me that it would be fine on my transfer at AMS. It obviously wasn't.

Portland duty free had it wrong and should have known better - you cannot buy duty free at airport A and take through security at airport B when transferring to Airport C.

Yes - you're right about that. To the company's defense, I did submit a dispute through my credit card company and the vendor credited me for the wine. But I won't make that mistake again! Thanks hetismij!

<i>Portland duty free had it wrong and should have known better - you cannot buy duty free at airport A and take through security at airport B when transferring to Airport C.</i>

It is the AMS security officials that have it wrong. There is an agreement between the TSA and EU security officials that sealed duty free items from the US are allowed through security in the EU.

Now, most EU security officials are ignorant of the actual rules and I advise against bothering with liquids as a result, but the blame lies with the AMS security, not the PDX duty-free employees.

Travelgourmet: thanks for clarifying this. It's what the sales person in PDX told me but then in AMS seemed to be a different story. I certainly won't bother trying to take anything out of the US and through AMS in the future. When you're standing in the security line and they tell you to hand over XYZ, there is no discussion - they win, you lose.