Connecting Flight in Amsterdam

Should be just enough time. Scipol is considered one of the most efficient airports to make connections. All the gates are in one enormous building with a single corridor connecting the various piers, with an immigration checkpoint in the middle; very easy to navigate. At immigration there is an express lane for flights that are closing very soon. There will be a monitor overhead showing which flights qualify.

For AMS, 50 minutes is adequate but the "legal" minimum. If you are on the same ticket the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination. AMS is pretty efficient. and airlines these days build in more time into their schedules to achieve on-time performances. That said, plan on moving quickly and don't stop to look at the tulip displays.

The stated takeoff time cannot be your gauge. Trans-Atlantic flights, especially if operated by a North American airline, want passengers in their seats well before takeoff. If you reach the departure lounge five minutes before the stated departure time you may find the plane door already closed. And there will probably be an extra security check operated by the airline.

We returned to the US via Amsterdam from Paris. We had a 1 hour layover which was very tight. The boarding pass is stamped with a "gate closes 20 minutes before departure" warning. We had to show our passports 5 times. We did manage a bathroom break after the final passport check. There is a huge passport control line to negotiate but keep an eye on the monitor board- they will add flights that are getting close to departure time and you can then switch to an "expedited" line. We made it fine but it was much tighter than I like. Jeff.