Changing planes in Amsterdam

It has been a few years since I have had a flight that included changing planes in Amsterdam. I clearly remember having to go through a passport control station between the gates that was very long and disorganized. Now that I have obtained a Global Entry #, so anyone tell me if there is a special line at passport control in Amsterdam that will make this process faster and easier for me.

Thank you.

Global entry only applies in the US. You'll still need to go through passport control in Amsterdam.

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There is a separate line for short connections but otherwise you join the queue.

I have changed through Amsterdam 4 times this year and only encountered a long queue once, I had a short connection so was able to avoid it.

Now that I have obtained a Global Entry #, so anyone tell me if there is a special line at passport control in Amsterdam that will make this process faster and easier for me.

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Only if you sign up (and pay for) for Privium. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/international-arrangements/flux-netherlands/us-citizens

Only if you sign up (and pay for) for Privium. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/international-arrangements/flux-netherlands/us-citizens

Thanks for everyone's answers. I've never heard of Pivium and of course won't be paying for it for 1 connection in Amsterdam. I think I will keep my current flights that connect in Atlanta and not worry about missing my connection to Barcelona.

We have made connections to European through Amsterdam twice this year from the US. We were connecting from Delta to KLM. Each time we had to clear immigration before proceeding on to our KLM flight. Connection time was about 2 hours. Our US flights were on time and we had no problems making the connection. In each case we had about a ten minute wait. Amsterdam remains my favorite airport in Europe if I have to make a connection.

We have made connections to European through Amsterdam twice this year from the US. We were connecting from Delta to KLM. Each time we had to clear immigration before proceeding on to our KLM flight. Connection time was about 2 hours. Our US flights were on time and we had no problems making the connection. In each case we had about a ten minute wait. Amsterdam remains my favorite airport in Europe if I have to make a connection.

I am looking to book a flight from LUX to Berlin on KLM which has a 55 minute connection in Amsterdam. Do I have to go through immigration and, if so, will I be cutting it too close. I would think because I am using the same airline they would time it so I could make the connection but am not sure. Any advice? Thanks!

There is a separate line for short connections but otherwise you join the queue.

I have changed through Amsterdam 4 times this year and only encountered a long queue once, I had a short connection so was able to avoid it.

We transferred at Amsterdam, flying in from Lisbon and out to Atlanta.

We had 2+ hours to make our connection and barely made it. I think there was some construction going on at the airport, but the "line" to go through immigration was ill defined. There was a massive crowd and it took us some time to find out that our line was to the right of the crowd. People were breaking in line, since there were no lines in the crowd until you got up close to the front. We spend an hour and twenty minutes to get through that line.

Then we checked in for our Delta flight at the indicated gate, which was not the gate the aircraft was stationed. We had another queue that was somewhat long and slow. We had to show our passports, show our boarding docs, etc. Then we were directed to the gate for our flight.

Much to our surprise, we had to check in once more with passports and boarding docs. Our flight was already boarding, and we made it, but we were not terribly happy with the process.

I am looking to book a flight from LUX to Berlin on KLM which has a 55 minute connection in Amsterdam. Do I have to go through immigration and, if so, will I be cutting it too close. I would think because I am using the same airline they would time it so I could make the connection but am not sure. Any advice? Thanks!

They are both Schengen area countries, so you shouldn't have to go through immigration. Many of the smaller planes land far from the airport and a bus comes to take the passengers into the airport. That wastes a lot of time. 55 minutes is short, but you'll probably be fine.

I am in transit at Schipol as I write (9-30 am on a weekday), from London to an African destination on KLM.

The cabin crew were very proactive on transfers - for those they knew were tight they announced the gates for the connecting flights and in the case of one passenger with a really short time to get to a Schengen flight they moved him up to the front of the plane just before landing, so he could get off quicker.

I am not entering the Schengen zone, of course, but I had a quick look and there did not seem to be long queues at immigration. As previously mentioned, there is a clearly marked lane for those with a short connection time.

I also noted that the extra screening for US flights on Delta is still happening at gate D1.

I'll be passing through again in 10 days time, so could try to address any specific questions :)

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They are both Schengen area countries, so you shouldn't have to go through immigration. Many of the smaller planes land far from the airport and a bus comes to take the passengers into the airport. That wastes a lot of time. 55 minutes is short, but you'll probably be fine.

I am in transit at Schipol as I write (9-30 am on a weekday), from London to an African destination on KLM.

 

The cabin crew were very proactive on transfers - for those they knew were tight they announced the gates for the connecting flights and in the case of one passenger with a really short time to get to a Schengen flight they moved him up to the front of the plane just before landing, so he could get off quicker.

 

I am not entering the Schengen zone, of course, but I had a quick look and there did not seem to be long queues at immigration. As previously mentioned, there is a clearly marked lane for those with a short connection time.

 

I also noted that the extra screening for US flights on Delta is still happening at gate D1.

 

I'll be passing through again in 10 days time, so could try to address any specific questions :)

 

 

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Thank you both so much for your replies. Still haven't made a decision yet. There is another flight with an hour, 20 minute change so I may do that one. If by chance I miss it, KLM has another flight that I may be able to get on 2 hours later. It will be a Wednesday in mid-May so hopefully not too many travelers at that time.

I had my return journey yesterday, with a tight connection at Schipol - a scheduled 0630 arrival from Nairobi and an 0720 to London, both on KLM. I was relaxed about this, because plenty of other flights to London should I have missed it.

We landed at 0613 and were on stand (F6 or thereabouts) by about 0625. I was down the back (row 58) of a pretty full 747, so took a while to get off. As a result, I had to walk pretty briskly, first to get to a security search zone to get from F terminal into the main central airside concourse and then to my gate. It is well signposted, with information boards to tell you what gate for your flight, and there was a priority lane open at the busy search area for those with short connections. I had a couple of minutes delay there as they needed to check a small umbrella I had in my carry-on.

My flight to London was at D5, which is very close to the central area (although by force of habit I started heading towards a BA flight, further out on D20!) I got to the gate just before 0700 - I was more or less the last one through, thanks to my slight detour up the pier and a comfort break to visit a washroom.

So, yes, a 50 minute connection for 'F' to 'D' is possible , but perhaps not desirable. Certainly if I had time critical arrangements at the far end or only one flight to get me there I would have been a lot less happy. Mobility problems would have made this change tricky and I accept that knowing Schipol well probably helped. Just my experience:)

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I had my return journey yesterday, with a tight connection at Schipol - a scheduled 0630 arrival from Nairobi and an 0720 to London, both on KLM. I was relaxed about this, because plenty of other flights to London should I have missed it.

 

We landed at 0613 and were on stand (F6 or thereabouts) by about 0625. I was down the back (row 58) of a pretty full 747, so took a while to get off. As a result, I had to walk pretty briskly, first to get to a security search zone to get from F terminal into the main central airside concourse and then to my gate. It is well signposted, with information boards to tell you what gate for your flight, and there was a priority lane open at the busy search area for those with short connections. I had a couple of minutes delay there as they needed to check a small umbrella I had in my carry-on.

 

My flight to London was at D5, which is very close to the central area (although by force of habit I started heading towards a BA flight, further out on D20!) I got to the gate just before 0700 - I was more or less the last one through, thanks to my slight detour up the pier and a comfort break to visit a washroom.

 

So, yes, a 50 minute connection for 'F' to 'D' is possible , but perhaps not desirable. Certainly if I had time critical arrangements at the far end or only one flight to get me there I would have been a lot less happy. Mobility problems would have made this change tricky and I accept that knowing Schipol well probably helped. Just my experience:)

 

 

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Thank you so much for sharing your experience (and I am glad you made your flight!). I finally decided to take the 3 hour layover and purchased my ticket last weekend (after the price dropped so that was a bonus). It looks like a nice airport so I can take my time, have a relaxing lunch, buy a small souvenir and still arrive in Berlin late afternoon. No need to stress myself out...I get enough of that at work! :) Thanks again