I arrive in Frankfurt from Canada at 8 am on Lufthansa. Therefore bags, customs and some sort of gate change at least...plus any flight delay?

Could I make a flight to Amsterdam 3 hours later at 11 am on a different airline KLM out of Frankfurt as well?

3 hours shouldn't be a problem - and you likely don't need to retrieve your bags. Most of the time (except for some budget airlines w/o interline agreements) you can check your bags through.

even if i need to switch airlines and is there any standard cut-off time for check-in? it's really 2 hours max given perhaps? tempted but don't want to waste money and a trip possibility...hmmm

The website for the Frankfurt airport is also very user friendly. I don't have the www but on google it was easy to find. From that I was able to tell that my arriving and departing flights on different airlines left from the same terminal 1C and even had ticket counters in the same numbered section.

Also call Lufthansa in advanceand ask if you will be able to check in in Canada with them for both flights. There is an 800 number on Lufthansa website. They were very helpful when I called about my dilemma. You should probably clarify with Lufthansa whether you will have to claim your bags at Frankfurt. Arriving back the the U.S. for example if you come from Europe to say Miami to Dallas, you have to claim your bags when you get to Miami as your first point of entry to the US and take them through customs and agriculture and then recheck them. Its not hard as you can usually get your bags tagged for the final destination and you just hand them off to a conveyor belt right there after customs check but it sometimes does take some extra time to wait for your bags to get to you on arrival at that first point of entry just like if it was your final destination. Another reason to pack light and take only carry on.

Let the LH agent in Canada knows you're connecting to a KLM flight. Give them your itinerary and make sure they check your bags to AMS. If they refuse initially, ask for a supervisor. Have them do it for you. You will not have to claim luggage at FRA.

I seriously doubt LH can issue you a KL boarding pass. So, you will need to go to the KL counter at FRA to get it.

3 hours is plenty.

Hi

Three hours is perfect. I like to work on a minimum of this margin for long haul flights. It will allow time for delays, check ins, freshening up etc. If I use the same airline for both "legs" I check in for both from my first departure point. Just a thought - can you check your Amsterdam leg for KLM at Canada. Doesn't seem feasible due to baggage collection but you never know...

Good luck

These are great recommendations, thx!
I'll be trying to have carry-on only, as well as definitely checking in on-line for the KLM flight before hand. this should all help me save baggage/checkin time, so the only risk is delayed flights, the rubber glove at customs & security

the airport seems to be built for connections, so i'm going for it!

LOL - yeah the rubber glove is the biggest risk!

Happy travels