Travel agencies see tourists avoiding Schiphol; Cheaper tickets across the border

Dutch holidaymakers increasingly avoid Schiphol, opting to fly from airports across the border. The flight tax of almost 30 euros that applies throughout the Netherlands means that airline tickets are cheaper in Dusseldorf, Cologne, Weeze, and Brussels. Many Netherlands residents are taking advantage of that, especially in the May holidays, three large travel agencies told the Telegraaf.

People flying from the Netherlands quickly feel the flight tax in their wallets, especially if they’re traveling in a family or a group. Schiphol has also become more expensive for airlines. The airport increased its charges by over 40 percent, and airlines pass that on to customers. Holidaymakers are checking their expenses more than ever due to inflation and the higher cost of living, making flying from abroad an increasingly attractive option.

At VakantieDiscounter, more people are booking outside the Netherlands than within the country’s borders for the May holidays. Dusseldorf is getting even more bookings than Schiphol - 33 versus 30 percent of the bookings. “For each destination and departure date, it really pays to research which airport is the cheapest. For example, we see that it is best to fly to Turkey from Dusseldorf. You will spend an average of 25 percent less than if you fly from the Netherlands,” Laura Vlaanderen of Vakantiediscounter said to the newspaper.

Mathijs Bos of Prijsvrij Vakanties also sees enormous interest in flying across the border. The company has seen a significant rise in bookings, increasing its turnover by 60 percent. But while bookings at Schiphol and Eindhoven increased by 35 percent, bookings at airports like DUsseldorf, Cologne, Weeze, and Brussels more than doubled.

Booking and comparison platform Zoover also noticed the change, spokesperson Reinoud Koot said.

Sunweb customers also prefer to travel from across the border. “That started last year, partly thanks to the chaos at Schiphol in the summer of 2022, the increase in airport and flight taxes, and the average seat price,” a spokesperson told the Telegraaf. While only 7 percent of customers booked a departure across the border in 2022, that is now 21 percent. “We expect that the percentage will increase further to 25 percent in the coming months because prices rise faster closer to departure in the Netherlands than in Belgium and Germany.”