Flights within Europe: 2 hours before
For flights within Europe — such as to Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy and also Turkey — Schiphol and KLM advise:
- At Schiphol: 2 hours before departure
- Check-in and bag drop close: usually 40–60 minutes before departure (KLM within Europe: 40 minutes; check your ticket)
- Security: 10–25 minutes' wait (less at quiet times)
- From the departure hall to the gate: 10–20 minutes' walk
Practical example: flight at 10:00 → at Schiphol at 08:00. You have enough time to check in, go through security and find your gate.
We plan half an hour more. Our pick-up times are based on arriving at Schiphol two and a half hours before departure instead of two. That costs you half an hour of waiting in the departure hall; it saves you a missed flight on the morning the security queue works against you.
Good to know
Schiphol and KLM advise 2 hours for flights within Europe and 3 hours for intercontinental flights. Schiphol also recommends following your airline's advice and not arriving before check-in opens.
Intercontinental flights: 3 hours before
For intercontinental flights — the US, Asia, Africa, the Middle East — you need to be there earlier:
- At Schiphol: 3 hours before departure
- Check-in and bag drop close: usually 60 minutes before departure (KLM: 60 minutes; check your ticket)
- Passport control + security: 20–45 minutes
- To the gate: flights outside Schengen leave from part of pier D and from piers E, F, G and H; allow 15–20 minutes' walk from the departure hall
Practical example: flight to New York at 11:00 → at Schiphol at 08:00. For flights requiring a visa or extra document checks, allow another 15–30 minutes.
Flying to Turkey or another European destination outside Schengen? Then the advice for Europe applies: 2 hours.
Good to know
KLM advises being at the airport 3 hours before departure for intercontinental flights. Check-in and bag drop at KLM then close 60 minutes before departure; within Europe this is 40 minutes.
Busy periods: allow extra time
At the busiest times of the year, the wait at security rises to 45–60 minutes. We recommend an extra buffer during:
- Summer holidays (July–August): allow 30–45 minutes extra
- May holidays, Christmas holidays: allow 20–30 minutes extra
- Friday morning (07:00–10:00): the busiest morning of the week
- Sunday evening: return traffic, security is busy
The Schiphol app shows the expected waiting time at security. Check it before you leave.
Good to know
At Schiphol you can book a free security time slot from 3 days before departure. Handy on busy days, such as the first Friday of the summer holidays.
So what time should you leave home?
Now that you know how many hours before your flight you need to be at Schiphol, you can easily work out when to leave home:
Your formula:
departure time − time at Schiphol − travel time from home − 15 minutes for the luggage
Examples from the Haarlem area, using the upper limit of the driving time (40 minutes) and our own planning: two and a half hours for a European flight, three hours for an intercontinental flight:
- Flight at 08:00 (European): at Schiphol at 05:30 → leave home at 04:35
- Flight at 10:00 (European): at Schiphol at 07:30 → leave home at 06:35
- Flight at 12:00 (intercontinental): at Schiphol at 09:00 → leave home at 08:05
- Flight at 17:00 (intercontinental): at Schiphol at 14:00 → leave home at 13:05
Would you rather not work it out yourself? Enter your departure time and your town below.
Calculator
What time should you leave home?
Enter your departure time. We count back from the moment you need to be at Schiphol — half an hour more than Schiphol itself advises — with the driving time from your place and fifteen minutes to spare for the luggage.
A guide time, not a promise. If you give your flight number when you book, we check the pick-up time ourselves and track your flight live.
Online check-in saves time at Schiphol
If you check in online via your airline's app or website — usually possible from approx. 24 to 30 hours before departure — all you need at Schiphol is the bag drop. You skip the check-in queue.
With hand luggage only, you can go straight to security; you scan your boarding pass at the entrance. This saves 15–30 minutes, depending on how busy the check-in desks are.
Tip: print your boarding pass or download it to your phone before you leave. That way you do not depend on the wifi network at Schiphol.
Book your taxi to Schiphol in good time
Now that you know when to leave home, you can book your taxi for exactly the right time. Our driver is at your door at the agreed time — no waiting, no stress.
AMS Taxi Schiphol operates 24/7, including for flights that leave early in the morning. Book your taxi online or call +31 85 400 5400. You will immediately receive a confirmation with the exact pick-up time.
