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I am traveling from NYC to AMS on Delta. Flight is scheduled to arrive (if on time) at 5:55 AM. Is it feasible to catch an Easy Jet flight to Berlin at 9:10 AM? There's a KLM flight at 9:50 AM or 12:30 PM which would give more of a buffer but at a higher price. I've never been to Schiphol and was wondering what would work best.

Thanks in advance!

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  • It would be easier if you buy an additional flight from the same airline. In that case you will not need to exit and re-enter and missed connections are at airline costs. Besides the actual costs for cheap airlines come close to the main airlines.
    – Willeke ♦
    Feb 12, 2019 at 9:09
  • If I were you, I'd go with the early KLM flight (or an even earlier KLM flight, like one departing at 8:05AM). Delta/KLM are one alliance, so you can book the whole trip in one ticket. Pros: No rechecking of your bags, you head straight to the departure gate in Schiphol (customs are cleared at the final airport when travelling to the EU); if the incoming flight is really late and you miss your flight, you will be rebooked to the next possible flight without extra cost.
    – Sabine
    Feb 12, 2019 at 15:02
  • Thank you ! Not sure if we can add on the KLM flight since we already booked the Delta flight but I will check it out.
    – Briana
    Feb 12, 2019 at 20:15

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From my experience through Schiphol; it is too tight of a connection and I would not risk it, here's why:

  • There are frequent delays at Schiphol (due to weather).
  • The immigration queues for transit can get very, very long; as almost all external flights land in the same morning rush hour period. Even if you land at AMS (ie, go through immigration for arrivals) the queues there are also notorious.
  • Depending on where your plane is parked, it may take a while to get to immigration itself.
  • Next headache would be to exit, and then check-in again for the Berlin flight. Once you make it to the arrivals mall area, a brisk walk will take you to departures, but then you have to deal with the queues there again.
  • Did I mention the security queues? As you'll have to go through security screening again.
  • Once you get past all that and get a sip of water, you'll have to rush to your gate. Schiphol requires a lot of walking.

In short, if you wear your running shoes, have no luggage, and are very lucky you may be able to make the connection.

Personally, I would plan on the 12:30 flight as I would want to get something to eat and take some time to relax after the long flight in.

Schiphol is not a bad place to spend some time. The food establishments are great, and then there is the amazing clock.

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    I would second this advice - and EasyJet is very strict on its gate closure policy.
    – Traveller
    Feb 12, 2019 at 7:29
  • Thanks! That's very helpful. I will not book with Easy Jet.
    – Briana
    Feb 12, 2019 at 20:14
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I have done transatlantic flights continued within Europe with a low cost flight more times than I would want to count. My advice is, if you are doing such for the first time: plan on being on next plane. I can't tell when that is because currently Delta has flights arriving at 6:50am, 9:10am, 10:40am but I can't see any at 5:55AM. You should research the day when you are flying and plan accordingly. About 3-3.5 hours is safe at Amsterdam for such a connection: one hour to deplane and get through immigration, one hour to get through check in and security and one hour because it's Schiphol.

If you end up with a long layover, Schiphol has a Yotel airside so you can get a shower and a quick shut eye.

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I live in Amsterdam and use Schiphol as the main airport. In my opinion, Schiphol is one of the most organised and easy to follow signs airport. However, it is quite big.

I would say 3 hours is really enough for me, however, I know main passengers' paths and I'm a tall man to walk quickly.

So if you have a heavy bag, you sit at the end of the plain, you have children that slow you down, you have a nationality that might slow down you at the immigration, you plain is delayed then you might have small delays that in sum will make it hard to be on time.

So if I would you, I book this flight and I will study before the mapping of the Schiphol to mentally prepare yourself with the route. And when you're here, just try to keep in mind that you should be there and don't worry much that you will miss.

And you can always ask for help airport service for route confirmation or ask people in the security queue to pass you in front because of the shortened connection.

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    Also worth noting that if the OP does miss the connection through eg late inbound flight, they’d have to re-book at their own cost unless they had purchased a flexible ticket (the cost of which might make the earlier flight less attractive).
    – Traveller
    Feb 12, 2019 at 10:13
  • I completely agree and just wrote my experience. If OP would like to have 100% guarantee then I would go to the more late flight (I can not approximate time to guarantee percentage, unfortunately) or have a direct flight from NYC to Berlin.
    – Eugen Martynov
    Feb 12, 2019 at 11:59

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