PSKid

Can you please advise whether 2 hrs. is enough time to make a connection in Amsterdam in August? We are considering a Delta flight from Boston to Amsterdam, arriving at 5:50AM. The flight from Amsterdam to Prague at 7:55AM is operated by KLM Cityhopper.

Thank you for your help.

Leely2

I should think so,yes, unless your arriving flight is significantly delayed. I've made much shorter connections at Schiphol. It is a big airport, but a well-organized one.

Leely2

PS - Don't dawdle, even if you do arrive on time.

Andrew

Plenty of time if there are no delays - you'll probably be bored, trying to keep your eyes open, at the gate waiting for the flight to Prague to board. Amsterdam Schiphol is an extremely efficient airport. I think I'd prefer it to the other large European airports I've been through.

That said, it's always nice to have a backup plan. I'd be willing to guess that if you miss that 7:55AM flight there's another KLM flight a few hours later. Just double check that and figure out what happens, worst case, if your Delta flight is really late and you have to be put on the next flight to Prague. If you get into Prague a few hours later, is that the end of the world? I suppose if you are going on a very busy travel day on a Friday or something and many flights will be sold out that day, maybe I'd be a bit more worried.

Last fall I flew via Delta into Amsterdam and connected on my own to a self-booked Eurolot (Polish airline) to Gdansk. If I had missed this flight, I was completely on my own, plus there were no later Eurolot direct flights that day. I would have had to scramble for alternate connections and get in very late that night, probably at additional expense - but I knew what to expect and had the backup plan, so I took the risk. Of course, we were early and I got to the gate for the Eurolot flight and had to fight to keep my eyes open, waiting for it to board...

greg

To answer this type of question, you have not posted the crucial information: are you booking your Boston-Prague flight as one reservation?
"Assuming" you are dealing with just one reservation, 2 hrs is almost twice the time you need. AMS is an airport I am comfortable with one hour layover. Last two layovers here took only 30min and 35min from the plane door to the waiting lounge at the departure gate going through the passport control and carry-on luggage check. The longest transfer was from the middle of E to the tip of B http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/At...AndLounges.htm which took 35min. AMS is a very efficient airport.

Finecheapboxofwine

Schipol is a huge airport. When you get off the flight from Boston grab a free trolley to put your carry-on on. Be prepared for a long walk to the next gate which is also a benefit after a transatlantic flight. You will go through security again and that takes time. You probably will only have time to stop at the WC but not for a leisurely coffee unless you get to the next gate and see you have time over.

PSKid

Thank you all for your comments. Yes, this is one reservation on Delta. I am now leaning toward taking a Boston to NY flight, with a 4-hr layover, then NY to Prague, also on Delta. I always worry about thunderstorm delays in the summer.

Andrew

If it were me, I'd do the Amsterdam connection instead of New York in a heartbeat. I figure, once I get to Europe, early in the morning, I have all day to get to my destination if there's a problem, in the case of several flights on to Prague after my original should I miss the connection - but even if you leave Boston an hour late, chances are you would still make the Prague connection in Amsterdam. You're probably talking about JFK in New York, and JFK is not one of my favorite airports to connect through. But that's me.

Leely2

I'm with Andrew on this one. I'd rather be stick at Schiphol than at JFK.

bilboburgler

The landing part of the airfield is miles from the terminal so you often feel like you are taking a plane for a long drive. this can add up to 15 mins to the arrival times.

THe place gets a lot of fogin spring and autumn

hetismij2

It depends entirely on which runway you land on as to the length of time to the terminal. Not all flights land on the Polderbaan, which is the one which takes a while to taxi to the terminal. A lot depends on the weather of course.

If Delta allow you to book it it is a legal connection and I'd go for it. If your flight is late (which is highly unlikely, flights from the US are usually early) then you can let the FA Know and if it is really tight for you connection they will hold the plane and or organise for you to get to the gate fast.
You will go through Immigration at Schiphol, and through security again, but as you are transferring to a Schengen flight you do that in the terminal and enter the Schengen section, without going out of "airside". The queues probably won't be too bad, depending on how many connecting passengers there are on your flight.
It can be a long walk from one gate to another, but it doesn't take hours. Make use of the moving walkways and walk on them, don't stand on them. People standing on them should be to one side, if they aren't just ask them politely to stand aside.

Andrew

bilboburgler: The landing part of the airfield is miles from the terminal so you often feel like you are taking a plane for a long drive. this can add up to 15 mins to the arrival times.

This is true at many airports, but this taxi time is built into the scheduled arrival time, which is the time you are expected to arrive at the gate, not the time you are expected to land. If your flight has a scheduled arrival of 9:00 and the average taxi time is 15 minutes after landing, the airline will schedule the plane to land at 8:45.

Jeff801

I've changed flights at JFK and Schipohl more than a few times. IMO, Schipohl wins hands down. Any connection there seems to me to be easier, and there are relatively few flight delays.

JFK is always listed among the worst airport for delays,and I have often experienced them. In addition, construction at the Delta terminal at JFK makes for a less pleasant experience.

My last change at Schipohl was in December. It was scheduled for 2:10 and, even though our arrival was a few minutes late and we had to change terminals, we still were at the gate nearly 90 minutes before boarding.

kybourbon

>>>The landing part of the airfield is miles from the terminal so you often feel like you are taking a plane for a long drive. this can add up to 15 mins to the arrival times.

OldGuyTraveler

I did this exact flight last year. They allowed me 60 minutes to change planes, which I thought was cutting it very fine (as it turned out).

The international flights come in at one end of the airport and the commuter flight to Prague leaves at the other end. I was skipping through the airport, thinking I had plenty of time, when I ran into a very large crowd in the middle of the airport. This was Customs, and it took a LONG time to clear. Luckly, KLM Cityhopper held up the Prague flight for me (and a few others) so I made the connection.

PSKid

OldGuyTraveler,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Were your flights scheduled to be 60 minutes apart or was the first flight late?

Your post is somewhat reassuring, since the flights I am considering are 2 hrs. apart.

Thank you.

greg

OldGuyTraveler,
You have not read "The Tortoise and the Hare" when you were growing up? Never start killing time until you have completed critical steps. I have done non-Schengen to Schengen transfers at AMS several times last year. There is no Customs. There is a passport control immediately followed by a carry-on luggage security check. I always walk straight to the departure gate to make sure I know where it is, verify the flight info displayed at the gate, and ONLY THEN, I wonder through the airport to kill time until the boarding time.

tedgale

I change planes at Schiphol on almost every trip to Europe - that's twice a year, most years.

Two hours is plenty if your inbound flight is on time.

If by any chance you're delayed in your AMS arrival, KLM (code share partner with Delta) will just rebook you on a later flight.

I certainly would not want a 4 hour layover at JFK - or anywhere else, for that matter.

My advice to you, though, echoes what others have said: Head directly for your next flight at a measured pace, do not dawdle.

There will be shops and other diversions if you get to your gate way ahead of time.

En route, you will have to go through Immigration and then through Security, which early in the morning can be enormously crowded. The staff there are very decent and will put people who are short of time into a special line.

Distances, too, can be huge.

I wish I had a video of me running at top speed for my connecting flight to Rome last month. Fortunately, I am an ex-marathoner. I had fallen asleep when I sat down after going through Immigration - and had only 30 minutes to get through Security and to a distant gate. It was not pretty.

Andrew

greg: I have done non-Schengen to Schengen transfers at AMS several times last year. There is no Customs. There is a passport control immediately followed by a carry-on luggage security check.

Right - "immigration control." But OldGuyTraveler still makes an excellent point: don't be lulled by getting off your inbound flight and seeing smooth sailing as far as you can see, thinking you can take your time before you get to the immigration control. If you haven't connected very often you might not even realize you have to go through that long line or be re-screened through security.

I always walk straight to the departure gate to make sure I know where it is, verify the flight info displayed at the gate, and ONLY THEN, I wonder through the airport to kill time until the boarding time.

As do I - but not everyone is an experienced traveler.

PSKid

I just want to thank everyone again for their responses and confirm that our flight from Boston to Amsterdam arrived on time and we had plenty of time to make the flight from Amsterdam to Prague.