One Hour Layover In Amsterdam - Can we make our flight?
 

We are going to Venice for Christmas. We leave Christmast Eve from Atlanta and arrive in Amsterdam at 9:05 Sunday morning. Our connecting flight is at 10:05 to Venice (on KL Cityhopper).

I had orginally booked a flight that would have put us in Amsterdam at 5:00 a.m. But Northwest rebooked us for this flight with just 1 hour.

Is it possible to make our flight? I've never been through Amsterdam so I'm not sure the size / configuration of the airport. Granted, our first flight would have to be ontime.

I called Northwest and asked if their booking was even feasible and they insisted it was.

Let me know what you think so I can decide if I need to get back on the phone with Northwest.

BTW, these flights were booked through NWA but we are actually flying KL.

Thanks,

jpm

We went to Bordeaux from SFO via Amsterdam this year on KLM. The airport there is one of the most efficient Europeans airports I've ever traveled through. I don't know if they have shuttles from one area to another, because everyone seemed to be walking to their connection. There was a very small line at passport control. Throughout the "walk" they have placards telling you how many minutes to the next terminal.

If you arrive on time, you should be able to make the connection.

However, I would never book a 1 hour connection if I go through passport control (which you will do). Find out the time of the next flight in case you miss your connection, and hope that the flight will have seats available. Personally, I would call NW back and insist on a better itinerary.

Stu Dudley

jpm:
The Amsterdam Airport is very large. If you need to go through a passport security check, you may not make your connection - that depends on how many other flights are there at the same time you are. Unfortunately, you will not know if you need to do this until you get there. In 2004 I flew KLM (NWA) via Amsterdam to Glosgow and it was a long hike to my connection, but I did not have to go through any passport check until Glosgow. But in 2005, I flew KLM (NWA) via Amsterdam to Paris (Air France) and did have to go through a passport security check in the Amsterdam Airport. I had more than an hour layover so I didn't have any time problems. On the way back though (via Amsterdam), it was tight because I needed to go through the passport security check. I had an hour and I did make it, but I felt extremely rushed. I made my flight OK, just missed the initial boarding rush. That can be a good thing. But no extra time to go to the ladies room between flights or do any additional shopping.

AMS is all under one roof, but a very big roof. If you look at the official transfer map in PDF format, you'll see that from one end to another, the approximate walk time is 31 minutes! And that's not including immigration.

Your gates may be closer together, but prepare to walk FAST!

my worry in tight connections (and why i won't do them myself) is that it is common enough for an arriving flight to be late... or if it lands technically "on time" by the time you wait on the tarmac, get to an available gate, deplane, etc. could take 1/2 hour off the 1 hour you hoped to have.

That is exactly my concern - the tight connection.

I'm not sure if there are any good answers. Originally we would have arrived in Amsterdam at 5 a.m. which gave us 5 hours to make our connection. Then NWA changed our flight.

Here are my options:
1. Take the current flight which leaves at 6:30 p.m arrives Amsterdam at 9:00 a.m. with my next flight at 10:05 a.m. Advantage: Direct flight, short trip time. Disadvantage: One Hour layover.

2. Take one of two other flights that leave Atlanta earlier in the day and arrive 3 to 5 hours earlier at Amsterdam. Advantage: Longer time to make connection. Disadvantage: 1) These flights go through Detroit or Minneappolis. Being Christmas Eve and having lived in both cities - extreme weather delays are possible at both. 2) Longer trip time.

Yarghhh! I think I'm going to just go with what I have but with the attitude that, "Hey, We may get to spend a day in Amsterdam!" If we make it we make it, if we don't we don't. I'm using MaiTaiTom's motto of "Attitude is Everything!"

I have looked at the Amsterdam Airport PDFs and tried to figure out distances based upon their estimated walking times - but I knew you folks who've been there could give me a better idea.

I've also been looking at what time this flight actually arrives in Amsterdam. The good news is that for the past week it has always arrived 30-40 minutes early (of course, "Past Performance is not a guarantee of Future Results")

If you miss it, KLM will put you on the 1:35pm flight.

I'd take a chance with the non-stop over a DTW connection.

count me in as one who would take the gamble to avoid an extra airport on the way to europe!

Hi jpm, I always fly SFO to Venice on KLM. I change planes in Amsterdam and take the KLM CityHopper to Venice. One hour is sure cutting it short but Amsterdam airport is a beautiful and a very efficient airport. I would stay with the flight that you have.

BTW, fog can be a problem..which could mean that your KLM CityHopper doesn't even leave Amsterdam for Venice on time. If I have to be "stuck" at an airport I would chose the airport in Amsterdam.

Do you have the website for the Amsterdam Airport? If not it is http://www.schiphol.com. It will give you a wealth of information

Have a wonderful holiday in Italy!!

Hi jp,

The next KLM flight out of AMS is at 13:35.

Have you asked NWA/KLM to put you on that flight?

The worst thing that could happen is that you would take a train into Amsterdam, have a broodjie and come back to the airport.

((I))

Some of the other posters said that it is a very efficient airport and they are right. Most likely you will get in early but you never kow. Here is the link for the airport so you can get familiar with it. Try to find out where your gate will be. If you miss your flight I would take Ira's advice and maybe go into Amsterdam for a bit. http://www.schiphol.nl/

Enjoy your trip, we leave for Italy on the 21st and will be in Nice for christmas and Parma for NYE.

One of the reasons I think Schiphol IS "efficient" is the fact that even though it is huge there are moving walkways to get you places faster.

I think you will easily make this connection since I assume your luggage is checked all the way through and you won't have to re-claim it. Actually be happy you only have to hang around for an hour.

They tend to do this! Amazingly it usually works. If it doesn't they put you on the next flight, usually 2 hrs later. If they, do, go into town and drink coffee, eat something (or possibly even smoke something, judging by the look of some of the places near the station). That's what I do, (not the smoking bit though; asthma!)