Amsterdam Airport Connection/Layover Time

Posted by Rusty (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 03/03/16 10:02 PM

We're trying to fly to Oslo this summer, but all of the flight options involve at least 1 connection in Europe. One that we're looking at would give us a 1:45 layover in Amsterdam (AMS). We'd be arriving from Detroit into Amsterdam on Friday 8/5 at 10:05 AM, with our connection to Oslo departing at 11:50 AM.

Does anyone know if we would have enough time to make our flight to Oslo with 1 hour, 45 minutes to clear customs, etc.? There is another flight to Oslo about 3 hours later, but we'd prefer to make this earlier one if it's feasible. We will be checking 1 bag each if that has any effect on your answer.

Thanks for your help!

Posted by Michael Schneider

New Paltz, NY

03/03/16 10:39 PM

9110 posts

Schipol is a very easy airport to make connections. So 1:45 is a reasonable layover time. All the gates are housed in one enormous terminal building with a single corridor which takes you to the various gate "piers".

Posted by Edgar

Medford, OR, USA

03/03/16 11:47 PM

5837 posts

Yes, 90 minutes is comfortable at AMS so 1:45 is certainly adequate. Be happy you are connection at AMS and not CDG. (I had a 90 minute connect from Prague to OSL via CDG and got to our connection only minutes to spare before the OSL flight closed its doors, and our flight from PRG was on-time.)

If for some reason you arrival is delayed and you are in the sub-60 minutes, my recollection is that AMS had an expedited passport control line. In either case, AMS immigration officers are efficient at moving people through the lines.

Take the 1:45 connect. A 90 minute connect at AMS is a sweet spot between not rushing and hanging around the airport waiting for the connection. The worst case is missing the flight and getting put on the later one. And if for some reason your checked bag is delayed at AMS, it would likely make the next flight and delivered to your hotel or OSL destination.

Posted by KC

San Leandro, CA, USA

03/04/16 12:43 AM

518 posts

Agreed, AMS is a good and efficient airport. Well equipped and easy to navigate. You should not have a problem finding your way.

Posted by Georgiatraveler

Atlanta, GA

03/04/16 02:54 AM

380 posts

We just made a connection at AMS from Atlanta with the same amount of time you are looking at. We landed on time but of course it was 20 minutes or so before we actually got off the plane. Once we made it to the passport control area there was a line. But within a minute or two a man was walking along the line asking for people with a connection time of 10:40. I told him we had one at 10:45 and he moved us to the quicker line. We made it to our gate with 20 minutes to spare.

AMS is very easy to get through, unlike CDG in my opinion so you should have no problem. They are doing some renovation work at passport control but it didn't seem to affect anything. The only difference I noticed is that we did not have to go through security right after passport control as we had to do when connecting at AMS 5 years prior.

Posted by Rusty OP

Düsseldorf, Germany

03/04/16 06:44 PM

13 posts

Thank you all so much for the feedback and information. I think we'll definitely try to make the 1:45 connection. Thanks for your help!