KLM & AF connection, bags and transfer questions

1. Your luggage will be checked through to your final destination in both directions. 2. You'll go though secuirty in Paris prior to reboarding. I can't picture the security layout at Schiphol. 3. An hour and ten minutes is on the tight side at de Gaulle, but you'll make it if your plane's on time. You'll be okay on time at Amsterdam and the chances of the short flight being late are slim.

You'll have to go through a security screening at AMS. Keep in mind that you'll also have to go through immigration at both AMS and CDG, which will eat up some of your time, but you should still make your flights. There's no reason change your flights and pay that fee. Should you miss your connecting flight, the airline is responsible for putting you on another flight to your final destination. Though they may have to move you to a partner airline or connect you through an additional city.

1. See Ed's comment. 2. Passport Control upon arrival at AMS. Welcome to the European Union. You have to go through security check (metal detectors) before boarding to Rome. AMS is easy and you should be ok, unless there is a delay of your arrival flight. That's not a problem, since there are several flights from AMS to FCO and they'll rebook you on the next (go to the 'Transfer' desk if you need to do so). On the way out through CDG, the same. Upon arrival you must change terminals (from 2F to 2E) for your extra EU flight to the US. You will go through passport control and then security at term 2E. To transfer from 2F (where you arrive) to 2E there is a shuttle bus (N1) which loops around all terminals. However 2E and 2F are across from each other and you can actually walk from one to the other in 5 min. 3. 1h20m in CDG is tight, since that airport is a huge beast, but I've made the connection in less time in several occasions. Once my flight from Florence was so late I knew I was going to miss the connection to San Francisco. Fortunately there was a bomb alert (an unattended bag) which they had to detonate and explode before passengers could be let through in the term. where the US departing flights were. That saved me. If your flight from Rome is late and you miss the connection you'll be rebooked on your Delta flight the next day (your flight from CDG to SEA is operated by Delta). You'll have a free day in Paris at Air France's expense (it has happened to me once)

As Michael and Roberto said, Air France will deal with it if you miss the CDG connection. We've had missed connections there more than once and it was always handled well by A F.

Air France and KLM are two arms of the same company and so are very co-ordinated. Nevertheless, that CdG connection is very tight. Even if you make the second flight, your luggage may not. Sorry to add to your worries but the airlines have plenty of practice sorting out baggage problems too, so try to stay calm (I know; it's easier said than done.) It wouldn't hurt, by the way, to look up the home sites for the two airports and print out their terminal maps so you will have them at hand if you need to sprint. http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-gb/passagers/home/
http://www.schiphol.com/

Wow!!! What quick responses, and Thank you SO MUCH!!! I really appreciate all the advices you guys gave me. Yes, I worry the most at CDG because I hear it is a huge airport, and if I miss this one I may have to stay one day there. As suggested, I've already checked the terminals (Thanks, to Roberto telling me the arrival and departure terminals!!). I will print out the maps and take them with me. Ah...I wish I had just a bit of more time there, but we'll take a chance. Is the security line up long and painful both at AMS and CDG?
I'd try to get relax about this, and just go with the flow, I guess. Our trip is not until April. I shouldn't get too wound up about this... Thank you so much again!

Candy, One other thing. Be sure to periodically double check your reservation and pay close attention to any changes. The more in advance you booked your flight, the greater the chances are for schedule changes. If the connection time on one of your layovers becomes even shorter , contact the airline (if you booked directly from the airline) and explain your situation and ask if you still have enough time to make the connection, and if not, can they change your itinerary to allow you enough time to make the connection. Any changes due to flight times changing would not cost you any money.

Thanks, Karen! It's a good point. I will definitely keep checking the flight schedule. It'll be a lie if I say I no longer worry about our short layover time, but with all the advices I got here, I feel better. We can be better prepared for sure.
I just hope the security check will not take forever like in some big airport... I'll report how it goes after my trip! Candy

candy, Regarding your questions..... 1.) Based on your description, it appears your flights are all on a single ticket so your checked luggage will be sent to your final destination. You can verify that by having a look at the Bar Code label that's attached when you check the luggage. It should have the three airport codes listed. 2.) You WILL have to go through Immigration and have your Passport stamped at AMS, since that's your first point of entry to the E.U. Unfortunately, you WILL have to go through security again before boarding your flight to Rome. I've found that security at AMS is sometimes right at the Gate. Whether you have "serious lineups" will depend to some extent on how many flights are being processed at that time. 3.) 1H:10M is going to be a bit "tight" but should be possible. One issue with Schipol (AMS) is that it's a single terminal airport and LOTS of walking is sometimes required to get from the arrival gate to the departure gates (which takes time). I connected through there in the fall on a flight to Munich, and I had to rush a bit. It's been a few years since I've been through CDG, so my memory is a bit "foggy" on that. When you arrive at FCO, collecting your luggage could go smoothly, or it could be somewhat "chaotic" (it's Italy, so anything is possible). How are you planning to get from FCO into Rome? If you're planning to use the Leonardo Express, there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of. Buon Viaggio!

Thanks, Ken! Good to know that we have to go through the immigration and security at AMS. On the KLM website, I found a video clip of the transition at the Schiphol airport. It also mentioned that we all have to go through the "passport check" and then "security," and there is a express lane for those who do not have much time for transit. I'm not sure this "passport check" is the same thing for the immigration. Anyway, If I miss the flight to Rome and I can take the next one, I don't mind.
We worry more about on our way back: transition at CDG, 1 hour and 20 min. If we miss the flight from CDG to Seattle and have to stay one day in Paris, it'll be a pain (contacting at work, dog sitter, etc...). Hopefully... 1 hour and 20 min will do at CDG. I'll keep in mind about Leonardo Express! Thanks!!!

Passport check/immigration are the same thing. I'm not 100% certain, but I believe the express lane is only available traveling in the other direction: Schengen gates to non-Schengen gates (trans-Atlantic flights.) When changing planes in the direction you're going, I've never seen the express lane; only in the opposite direction.

CDG is horrible for changing planes and since you have to go through security between connections, it is even more difficult. When you get to the security lines at CDG, they usually will let passengers for flights that are getting ready to depart go into a quick line based on flight number: speak up and ask. On your flight into CDG, try and have them give you seats towards the front of the plane which can save you valuable time. I've missed flights and AF has been good at booking me on a later flight or trying to route me to my destination a different way. AMS and their security checks at the gate have been very quick for me.

Stephanie and T, Thanks for letting me know there is actually the fast lane, and we could ask for it. I'll try that! It seems, at CDG, we have to transfer from terminal 2F to 2E. It seems there are three gate areas (K, L, M) at 2E. I found this page:
http://www.easycdg.com/1/passenger-information/connecting-flight-connections-paris-cdg-airport/correspondance-terminal-2/connection-terminal-2e-2f-paris-cdg-charlesdegaulle-airport/ we have 1 hour and 20 min at CDG. We'll print out the map, remember about the fast lane, and cross fingers! Thanks bunch!

Stephanie is absolutely correct about the lines at CDG. If there is a long line to get through security or passport control, tell them you have a tight connection and ask to use the first class/business class line. It worked for me the last time I was in CDG.