AMS Airport transfers

[Mysticks1]

In order to use Skymiles to pay with Delta I will have to book our flights from the US to Amsterdam and then book a separate flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen. We are concerned about having to pick up luggage in Amsterdam with Delta in their International terminal and re-checking it for the flight to Copenhagen and vice versa on the return trip. We want to weigh the cost savings of the skymiles versus the potential problems in the airport.

Can anyone with experience with the Amsterdam airport tell me how much trouble this will be, how far apart the terminals are and if we should allow more than 2 hours between these flights to get the luggage and get checked back in for the next flight?

[dogs4fun]

In order to use Skymiles to pay with Delta I will have to book our flights from the US to Amsterdam and then book a separate flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen. We are concerned about having to pick up luggage in Amsterdam with Delta in their International terminal and re-checking it for the flight to Copenhagen and vice versa on the return trip. We want to weigh the cost savings of the skymiles versus the potential problems in the airport.

 

Can anyone with experience with the Amsterdam airport tell me how much trouble this will be, how far apart the terminals are and if we should allow more than 2 hours between these flights to get the luggage and get checked back in for the next flight?

There is only one terminal. 2 hours should be ample time.

Link to Schipol terminal map:

http://www.ifly.com/amsterdam-schiphol/terminal-map

 

jill

[Mysticks1]

There is only one terminal. 2 hours should be ample time.

Link to Schipol terminal map:

http://www.ifly.com/amsterdam-schiphol/terminal-map

 

jill

 

Thanks for the information.

[Globaliser]

... and if we should allow more than 2 hours between these flights to get the luggage and get checked back in for the next flight?

If you're unlucky, two hours could become tight. Minimum check-in time for your onward flight (which I presume is on KL) is probably 30 minutes (that's the hard cut-off time), so if it were to take you an hour to get off the first flight, through immigration, wait for your bags, and clear customs, you'd have 30 minutes to get up to the correct check-in area and get to the front of the check-in queue. If your inbound flight is 45 minutes late (which is only a small delay), you'd be toast.

 

Have you asked DL whether they would through-check your bags to Copenhagen even though you're travelling on two separate tickets? I know that the US airlines are starting to follow the lead of other major airlines in being less keen to do this, but DL and KL are in the same alliance so DL might well still be prepared to do it. You need to find out.

[SoBaycruiser]

In order to use Skymiles to pay with Delta I will have to book our flights from the US to Amsterdam and then book a separate flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen. We are concerned about having to pick up luggage in Amsterdam with Delta in their International terminal and re-checking it for the flight to Copenhagen and vice versa on the return trip. We want to weigh the cost savings of the skymiles versus the potential problems in the airport.

Can anyone with experience with the Amsterdam airport tell me how much trouble this will be, how far apart the terminals are and if we should allow more than 2 hours between these flights to get the luggage and get checked back in for the next flight?

 

If you can afford the time, stay a couple days in Amsterdam. We had a similar situation as you. We were taking a river cruise out of Bucharest and only had enough miles on DL to fly round trip to AMS. It was super easy. After Arriving and passing through customs, we went to the tourist info office in the terminal and bought a round trip train ticket into the city and an all day transit pass for getting around there. We then had a hotel near central station that we could walk to with our bags. We spent a wonderful couple days recuperating from jet lag and seeing the city. The day of our flight we took the train (with our round trip ticket) back to airport and flew on to our next destination.

[Mysticks1]

If you're unlucky, two hours could become tight. Minimum check-in time for your onward flight (which I presume is on KL) is probably 30 minutes (that's the hard cut-off time), so if it were to take you an hour to get off the first flight, through immigration, wait for your bags, and clear customs, you'd have 30 minutes to get up to the correct check-in area and get to the front of the check-in queue. If your inbound flight is 45 minutes late (which is only a small delay), you'd be toast.

 

Have you asked DL whether they would through-check your bags to Copenhagen even though you're travelling on two separate tickets? I know that the US airlines are starting to follow the lead of other major airlines in being less keen to do this, but DL and KL are in the same alliance so DL might well still be prepared to do it. You need to find out.

 

Thanks for the info:), we are looking at some other options right now as well, including not using miles this trip. I don't like to take chances on missing flights.

[Mysticks1]

If you can afford the time, stay a couple days in Amsterdam. We had a similar situation as you. We were taking a river cruise out of Bucharest and only had enough miles on DL to fly round trip to AMS. It was super easy. After Arriving and passing through customs, we went to the tourist info office in the terminal and bought a round trip train ticket into the city and an all day transit pass for getting around there. We then had a hotel near central station that we could walk to with our bags. We spent a wonderful couple days recuperating from jet lag and seeing the city. The day of our flight we took the train (with our round trip ticket) back to airport and flew on to our next destination.

 

I wish we had time to stay there but we are staying a night before and after the cruise in Copenhagen which is pushing the limit for our vacation time.

[Ine]

Going to Copenhagen and transfering in Amsterdam, 2 hours should do if all flights are on time.

But going back it is different as due to high security for flights to the US, KLM ask to checkin about 2-3 hours prior departure.

Unfortunately luggage handling in Amsterdam upon arrival sometimes takes time.

At least do online checkin in Copenhagen also for the flight leaving Amsterdam, so you can skip the checkin line and only need to arrange the luggage.

Also be aware security takes place at the gate, so be there also in time. As there are lots of taxfree shops people often come late for their flights.

But try to convince the airline employee at checkin to give you boardingspasses for both flights, since Delta and KLM are both in Skyteam.

Amsterdam has only 1 terminal, but gates can be far away.

[Mysticks1]

Going to Copenhagen and transfering in Amsterdam, 2 hours should do if all flights are on time.

But going back it is different as due to high security for flights to the US, KLM ask to checkin about 2-3 hours prior departure.

Unfortunately luggage handling in Amsterdam upon arrival sometimes takes time.

At least do online checkin in Copenhagen also for the flight leaving Amsterdam, so you can skip the checkin line and only need to arrange the luggage.

Also be aware security takes place at the gate, so be there also in time. As there are lots of taxfree shops people often come late for their flights.

But try to convince the airline employee at checkin to give you boardingspasses for both flights, since Delta and KLM are both in Skyteam.

Amsterdam has only 1 terminal, but gates can be far away.

 

Thanks for the information. :)