Schiphol expecting busier summer holidays than last year

Schiphol expects it to be busier during the summer holidays at the airport than the previous year but still does not think it will reach the level of before the coronavirus pandemic. Travelers should expect longer waiting times at check-in, security, and passport control.

A spokesperson said there is enough capacity for Schiphol to remain in control over the hecticness at the airport in the summer holidays. “But it is still the summer holiday period, so it is more busy at Schiphol.”

The airport is expecting an average of 69,000 departing travelers a day during the summer holiday period, which starts in the first region next Friday and ends on September 1. This would be around 1,000 more daily than last year. In 2019, the last year before the coronavirus pandemic, there were an average of 73,000 passengers a day.

On peak days, Schiphol expects around 81,500 departing passengers. In 2023, around 77,000 passengers departed the airport on the busiest days.

Passengers are advised to arrive on time and check-in for their flight from home. Schiphol generally advises travelers on flights within Europe to arrive two hours before their flight, and passengers traveling outside of Europe are recommended to arrive three hours before their flight.

Travelers can also book a time slot for the security control for free.

In the Netherlands, the summer holidays start at a different time per region. This year, the South region kicks off on July 6. The other regions will follow on July 13 and July 20. Extra crowds are expected during those weekends. The airport also expects to be busier when travelers return home from August 19.