Transfers
Boarding pass
In most cases, you’ll receive your boarding pass for your connecting flight already when you check in for your first flight. This means you don’t have to check in again for your next flight. If you haven’t received it, you can go to the transfer desk or kiosk of the airline you’re flying with to collect it.
Baggage transfer
For most transfers, you don’t have to pick up your checked baggage. Airport staff will ensure it gets onto your next flight, so you only have to pick it up at your final destination.
If you’re having a transfer in the United States or China, you probably do have to collect your luggage to check it in again. This is because of local regulations. You’ll receive a warning about this when checking in your baggage. You also have to collect your luggage and check it in again if you booked a separate ticket with an airline that is not a SkyTeam Partner.
Transfer times
When you book your trip, transfer times are taken into account, so you should have enough time to get to your connecting flight. However, it might be good to consider the below advice.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
The minimum required transfer time at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is usually around 50 minutes. Please note, though, that if you travel to a non-Schengen country, you’ll need to go through additional security checks, which might require more time.
Flights from Japan
When you arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, our Japanese-speaking colleagues will welcome you and help you with any questions you may have about your transfer. You can also use the self-service kiosks, which are available in the Japanese language.
Airports outside of the Netherlands
Like to know more about a specific airport? We recommend checking the airport website. Information about your next flight will also be shown on the screens at the airport where you’re transferring, so keep an eye out for them.
If you’re transferring via Bogota to Cartagena, you’ll need to take all your belongings and go through security again. Please note that if you have purchased tax-free products, they must be sealed, otherwise, they will be confiscated during the security check.
Missed flight
Didn’t make it to your next flight because of a delay or other unforeseen circumstances? No worries, you’ll automatically be booked onto the next available flight. You’ll receive a notification about your new flight details. If your device isn’t connected to the internet, you can retrieve the flight details and print the boarding pass at a self-service kiosk or transfer desk. You don’t need to pick up your baggage; we will relabel and transfer it to your new flight.
Frequently asked questions
If you book your connecting flights with KLM or our partner airlines, your transfer is protected: if you miss your connecting flight, you will be rebooked at no cost. If your connecting flights are with different airlines, your transfer is not protected. If your first flight arrives later than expected, you will have to find an alternative flight yourself. To make sure you have some protection, you can book a self-transfer flight with a travel agent. With a self-transfer flight, a travel agent will support you with rebooking if any of your flights are delayed.
When you book your flights, we take your transfer times into account. You should have plenty of time to get to your connecting flight.
Minimum transfer times at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol are 40 minutes for Schengen flights and 50 minutes for non-Schengen flights. If you need information about other airports, please check the airport website.
That depends! If you travel to a non-Schengen country, you’ll need to go through additional security and passport checks. If you stay within the Schengen region, no additional checks are needed.
How exactly you transfer from a flight to a connecting flight depends on where you’re going. If both your connecting flights are SkyTeam flights, we’ll make sure that you have enough time for your transfer and make your transfer as easy as possible.
After you disembark from your first flight, you need to go to the gate assigned to your second flight. You may need to:
- collect the boarding pass for your second flight;
- collect your baggage and check it in with the other airline;
- or go through additional security and passport checks.
Usually, you don’t. However, if your connecting flight is not with a SkyTeam airline, you may need to check in separately to get your boarding pass. You can do that at the transfer desk or the kiosk of the airline you’re flying with.
Usually, you don’t. Airport staff will ensure that your baggage gets onto your next flight.
However, you do need to collect your luggage and check it back in if you:
- have a transfer in the United States or China;
- or if your connecting flight is with an airline that is not a SkyTeam Partner.