Tips for managing a 1 hour 15 minute layover in Amsterdam

You may be lucky with your US flight and get in a little early. If you don't make the plane, there are at least 5 later flights to Paris so the folks at the KLM desk will rearrange things for you either on an AF flight or a KLM one. IF you have a big time change on your itinerary, it may give you the opportunity to go ahead and move this flight to a later one so you don't stress.

To make things faster, I'd sit as far forward as you can in the plane. Have everyone make a comfort break on the plane about 1h15 minutes out from landing so no one needs to stop on the concourse for a toilet. Have your pockets empty as I think you will have to go thru security again after you go thru passport control. There is usually an airport employee right before Immigration who will expedite things for you if you have a short connection.

(My last trip I didn't have to go thru Immigration as I was transiting to UK, the one before that I was staying in Amsterdam so I think I am remembering correctly about security.)

I have the same scenario coming up, except on to Lisbon.

I took the quick transfer because: In my experience, planes from North America tend to land a bit early, due to the effect of the jetstream, so I am anticipating a little pad there. Second, My other option was a flight a few hours later, so rather than lock into the later flight, I will risk it, knowing there is a possible back up the same day.

As for process...You will land and just take a jet bridge into the International (Non-Schengen) terminal, no lengthy maze of corridors. Start looking for "Connecting Flights" signage and follow, you will then get to a Passport control point exiting the international terminal into the domestic terminal. If there is a line attendant, flag them down and let them know you have a short connection, based on the line they may move you to the front. Then on to your gate.

As I tell my wife, skip the bathroom for now, wait until you get to the gate, or even until you board.

Whatever you do, do not follow the signs to pass[port control and baggage claim, that will take you out of the secure zone and all hope is then lost, look for connecting flights.

I don’t know if it’s still true but right before Covid they had both automated passport control in addition to the agents in Amsterdam. The line for the automated went quite a bit quicker.

Last time I connected thru Amsterdam, they had a separate line for those with short connections. The flights that qualified were listed over that particular line that was right next to the normal line. So, look up when you get to passport control. I found it to be an efficient and well marked airport. Travel date 2022.

You get off flight one and move briskly along following the signs and directions to flight two; maneuvering through passport control on the way. After passport control, you first find the next gate, then ditch the kids and get a stiff drink until 45 min prior to boarding time.

You will do fine. I was going through AMS 4 to 6 times a year and only saw 50 or 60 that missed a flight.

I'd change the flight to a nonstop Detroit to Paris. We've done that many times both Delta and Air France. It's much quicker with less time in airports.

Also…and this applies to every big airport worldwide…..be sure to keep checking the indicator boards as you move through the airport to your next gate.
You don’t want to miss a last minute change of gate, and it does happen.
I check each time I pass one, as once in Frankfurt we got all the way to what we had been told was our gate, only to have run back through the entire airport as they changed gates and we didn’t realize.

And download the AF app, it will let you know gate changes etc. Can pull up on your phone as you quickly walk. Helped us when transferring once at CDG (Paris).

We had a similar connection time in December. When we reached passport control there was a separate line for passengers with "short connections"; those flights were listed on a board at the beginning of the line. There was an airport staff member there making sure only those who needed to connect quickly (within about 30 minutes) used that line. We got in the longer line; it moved very quickly and we made it to our gate with time to spare.

If your carry-on bags are within size limits you are less likely to have to gate check them.

My experience of Amsterdam is that it is an efficient place for connections. I have done connections of this length, though my preferred connection time is more like 3 hours to give me more of a cushion. Delta tends to sell tight connections for a lower price, which may have influenced your decision.

I once had a connection cut from 1 hr 15 min to about 45 minutes due to a delayed incoming flight (going from Transavia [a KLM airline] to Delta on Delta-purchased tickets). I walked fast and easily made the connection. Keep in mind, though, there are always things that can hang you up. The good thing, as mentioned above, is that there are a lot of same-day connections between AMS and CDG.

"We plan to pack carry on only "

That actually does not make a difference. If you check a bag you won't see it till Paris, where you pick it up and walk it through the green channel at customs. It will not impact your transfer in Amsterdam.
The only thing you will have to do is pass through immigration, which is not going to take up 1h15.
Airlines like to keep you moving, so those short connections are offered all the time. They are normal, and you can expect them to work.

About two weeks before you can use https://www.schiphol.nl/en/my-travel-day/today to see how busy the airport is on your arrival day. They also have a transfer planner https://www.schiphol.nl/en/transfers/ There is an app for the airport, but I found my Delta app kept me just as informed.