Airport Connection Times

[mimilovescruising]

Good Morning! We are heading to Nuremburg in April 2018 for the start of our Viking Romantic Danube cruise. We are currently set to fly KLM through Amsterdam on the way to Nuremburg and have only an hour & 10 minutes between flights. Our return from Budapest is through Paris and we have about 90 minutes there. Are these cutting it too close? We are flying business class both ways.

 

Debbie

[philw1776]

Amsterdam is a huge airport. You don't retrieve your bags but you do have to wait in line to get your passport checked etc, a quick process but with sometimes a long line. I would always try to allow a minimum of 2 hours, preferably more. I am surprised Viking Travel gave you such a short window.

Paris may be even worse. Unlike in the US where they sometimes escort passengers to the head of the security, etc. line if flight departure is imminent, we were unable to secure this privilege there. Fortunately, our departing flight then encountered a delay.

 

Missing a connection at the start of your cruise can be disastrous. On the way home, it's an inconvenience.

Bring the Viking Travel and your ship's phone #s with you.

[AnhaltER1960]

Minimum connecting time in AMS for transfers from intercontinental flights to other EU destinations is 50 minutes. So, if your flight from the US is on time, you should be fine. Also read here https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g188590-c170368/Amsterdam:The-Netherlands:Transferring.At.Amsterdam.Schiphol.html

 

90 minutes in Paris CDG are ok, if youre flying with the same airline (-group) like KLM/Air France/Delta and you dont have to change terminals.

 

If the flights have been booked in one booking (not separately), it is the airline's responsibility to rebook you in case of delays.

[xmaser]

I've done Budapest to Paris to US. You must change terminals - no matter what airline.

[steverhodes]

Good Morning! We are heading to Nuremburg in April 2018 for the start of our Viking Romantic Danube cruise. We are currently set to fly KLM through Amsterdam on the way to Nuremburg and have only an hour & 10 minutes between flights. Our return from Budapest is through Paris and we have about 90 minutes there. Are these cutting it too close? We are flying business class both ways.

 

Debbie

 

Bad idea. I was on one trip where 30+ people lost their luggage for 3 days because of a delayed plane and a tight connection.

 

I would never do less than 2 hours and would always try for 3. Coming back, however, I really don't car.

[2theship]

Since you're flying business class, you'll be among the first off the plane which should help. Also, KLM has a service called SkyPriority that's supposed to help you make the transfer. Your only other option would be to change your flights to ones with longer layovers. Last week our travel agent was booking our flights based on very specific instructions regarding which flights we wanted. The Viking rep tried to argue with him that we were allowing too much time in Amsterdam. I guess the guy has never had a flight delayed and missed a connection. Fortunately, our TA has booked enough travel for us that he knew to be sure that we got what we wanted.

[beejay9503]

We just flew into Amsterdam in mid august and and had to circle for 45 minutes due to fog. After landing we sat on the tarmac for 30 minutes due to no gate. We had two hours between flights but made it with 20 minutes to spare. Then that flight was delayed. We were to have arrived Budapest at 1:45 pm to board our river cruise and have some time to visit the city. As it happened we did not arrived Budapest until around 6:00 pm. I would never book a flight into Paris without a minimum of 2 hours between flights. The international terminal is separate from the inter European terminal. It is a bus ride or a long walk and then you have to go through security again.

 

 

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[nancyevans]

Why don't you fly in the day before the cruise begins? Makes arriving less stressful.

 

 

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[dolllover]

I would never fly in the day of a cruise. Too many variables can happen. For connections I like 2 or 3 hours to be safe.

[I_r_a]

Hi Mimi,

 

Based on many connections through both airports over many years - your times are the absolute minima.

 

To improve your chances of making your flights request transportation assistance - wheelchair or golf cart - before your travel dates.

 

Enjoy your visit.

 

Ira