Flying to Amsterdam

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is by far the largest in the Netherlands. It ranks among Europe's—and the world's—busiest airports, with nearly 60 million passengers per year (58,285,000 in 2015). It offers a global network and serves as the main hub for, among others, the Dutch national airline KLM.

Airport details

Name: Amsterdam Schiphol

IATA code: AMS

Hub: KLM, as well as Corendon Dutch Airlines, Delta, Jet Airways, Transavia, and TUI Airlines Netherlands.

Number of terminals: One, divided into three zones.

Annual passenger capacity:

Passenger traffic: 58,285,000 (2015)

Distance from city centre: 10 km southwest of Amsterdam.

Website: http://www.schiphol.com

Services

Sleeping at the airport

Transport to the city centre

Public transport:

Taxis:

Other nearby airports

In addition to Schiphol, there are around twenty other airports in the country, including Eindhoven, Maastricht, Groningen, and Rotterdam, which also serve international flights. If needed, these (as well as several nearby Belgian or German airports) can be a good alternative to Amsterdam for those arriving by plane. That said, prices for Amsterdam are generally the best in the region, no matter where you're flying from.

From France

From Paris

Three airlines offer direct flights to the Dutch capital in 1h15/1h20. Prices: from 90 to 180 € round trip.

Amsterdam: Air France and KLM from Roissy; Transavia from Orly.

From the provinces

The Netherlands and its capital are well connected from regional airports, particularly through KLM’s pre-connections to Amsterdam. Prices: from 80 to 180 € round trip, with flight times ranging from one to two hours depending on the route.

Ajaccio: seasonal

Bordeaux: easyJet + KLM

Brive: seasonal

Clermont-Ferrand: Hop!

Lyon: easyJet + KLM

Marseille: Air France

Montpellier: KLM

Mulhouse/Basel: easyJet + KLM

Nantes: Hop!

Nice: easyJet + KLM

Strasbourg: Hop!

Toulouse: easyJet + KLM

Choosing the best option

Given the wide range of options and price points for this destination, it’s best to prioritise direct flights where they exist. These usually offer the best balance of quality, duration, and price, unlike connections, which can take nearly half a day to reach Amsterdam. After that, compare prices directly on the airlines’ websites, including low-cost carriers. Don’t forget that trains or even buses from Paris, among other cities, are also excellent ways to travel to the Netherlands.