Booking flights to Greece for this coming May. One option is through Amsterdam Schipol airport that has a 2 hour connection. The other option is through Paris Charles De Gaulle that has a 3 and a half hour connection. I'm leaning towards booking the one via Amsterdam but am concerned that the time may be tight or just barely enough. I don't know if there's any additional security screening i have to do upon arrival. I am traveling in from the US for reference. I have heard Paris is less ideal for a transfer since the airport terminals are more spread out.
Posted by
New England
805 posts
Two hours is generally fine for AMS. I connected through Schiphol recently and at passport control they have a designated (faster) lane for flights with a tight connection — those flights were listed on the display board for that shortcut queue. I forget what their cutoff is but two hours is not considered a tight connection there.
I prefer connecting through Schiphol because I find it efficient and well-signed. The cascading several-day chaos there in early January from a few inches of snow notwithstanding!
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thank you @Accidental Southerner! That's good that they have a shortcut lane for tighter connections. It makes me a little more confident in the case of our inbound flight becoming delayed. Was there any additional security screening you had to do upon arrival?
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
9161 posts
My pick would be Amsterdam, no question about it.
I fly Delta mostly, and Amsterdam is my gateway most trips. I usually land a little early it seems, head through immigration, and on to my gate. More than one trip I have had connection of an hour, always have made my flight.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
9161 posts
Was there any additional security screening you had to do upon arrival?
You will go through Immigration/Passport control as this is your first stop in the Schengen area. No other security.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
3698 posts
Schiphol has a planner to help you: https://www.schiphol.nl/en/transfers/
About two weeks ahead of your departure date you can put in your details for both flights and it will advise how busy the place is. Two hours would be my personal minimum for a transfer, but I have been there many times so I know the layout and drill. I would ask for boarding passes for both flights when you check in for your first flight, then re-confirm the details for your Greece flight on the monitors when you land. I would use bathroom on the plane before you land and proceed directly to passport control (which can be VERY slow on some days, thus the bathroom visit) and then on to your next gate.
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
11289 posts
Here’s another vote for Amsterdam. It’s such a breeze to go through there and they make it so easy. CDG can be and unusually is much more complicated.
As others have said, you just need to go through security to show your passport. If you’re running late, let them know and they will have you get in a separate line at the front.
Posted by
Michigan
560 posts
Another vote for Amsterdam. DeGaulle is a beast as a connector, IMO.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2905 posts
hey hey jason21
i would try the amsterdam airport. since traveling with your mom and some mobility issues, ask airlines for wheelchair help in amsterdam & athens, look at your booking ticket online to add. paris is a huge airport that can drive us crazy/nuts, not knowing how far to go from international terminal to greek/athens gate. don't want your mom walking walking walking!
your are traveling during high high season with many cruises going here there and everywhere. what ship are you on and ate of departure from athens, are you returning back to athens for flight back to USA?
greektravel.com with matt barrett, has lots of grrece travel there plus tours. not knowing what you want to do in athens.
guruwalks.com
search cities you are in
gpsmycity.com
put in city, download app, self guided walking tours
eatingeurope.com/ food tours in athens
greekality.com
check tours available if you want to do tasting of greek food
cruisemapper.com
click the ports, see how many ships are in port, scroll to capacity of ships and could end up being thousands. can't help with olympia,
santorini was a nightmare. had 5 ships in port, it is a tendered port, either take stairs up with donkeys and donkey poo, cable cars with lines. we did cable car took left to see some of white washed homes, churches, stopped at small family owned restaurant overlooking caldera, was nice. the alleys/street were packed and waiting in lines to get down to port with so many others hoping to get on tender boat. look for what cruise excursion they have for you and mom which they pick up at different area.
corfu
we hired corfutaxiprivatetours.com with dimitry (can't miss him, tall with shocking red hair). we registered free with cruisecritic.com. found roll call/forum, then ship. posted for couple to share cost for tour with 4 of us, no time had answer. did a 4-5 tour with dimitry different areas around corfu. met us at ship after disembarking, was very adament to get back to ship before sailing away. everything was perfect, great tour with photo stops and little towns along the way and back on time. paid at end of tour. don't know if things have changed, just email him for more info.
hope all works out and enjoy
aloha