(UTC+2)
Airport

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Security Wait Times Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Live Security Wait Times

( Terminal Departures 1A )
IATA Code:

AMS

Timezone:

UTC/GMT +2:00 hours

Airport local time:

Friday, 10:42am

EUROCONTROL Airspace Advisory
ATFM Airport Regulation — Aerodrome capacity
In effect: 4:39 AM–10:20 AM CEST
ATFM ATC Capacity Delay (FL255–355) — ATC capacity
Source: EUROCONTROL Network Manager (ATFM)
Current conditions

Live Airport Status

Current wait times, updates and terminal information for this airport.


Wait times are steady
Updated today, Friday 23 October 2026
10:24 AM (UTC/GMT +2:00 hours)
Add Your Time
  • Data

    Qsensor makes use of data from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

  • Disclaimer

    Waiting times may not accurately reflect your experience. It is advisable to arrive at the airport well in advance and follow the recommendations of the airlines and airports.

  • Airport Last Updated

    10:24 AM (UTC/GMT +2:00 hours)

Terminal level wait times

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      Terminal Departures 1A
      12 mins wait time
    Plan ahead

    Forecasts, historical patterns and guidance to help plan your airport arrival.

    What Will the Wait Time Be?

    Pick a day and time to see the typical wait, based on historical data.

    — min typical wait

    Wait Times by Day of Week

    Average wait times based on the last 3 weeks of data.

    9m
    Mon
    9m
    Tue
    9m
    Wed
    9m
    Thu
    9m
    Fri
    9m
    Sat
    9m
    Sun

    Wait times today, hour by hour

    Actual readings recorded so far today.
    Current: 12 min (Similar to usual: avg wait time is 12 min)
    Latest Airport Arrival Time
    Domestic 1h 25m before departure
    International 1h 51m before departure
    How we calculated this

    Bag drop closes 45-60 min before departure. With an estimated 25 min bag drop queue, you need to arrive at the desk 70-85 min early. After that, allow 9 min for security (avg on Fridays) and 12 min to walk to your gate, which closes 15-20 min before departure. Finally, add a 15 min buffer.

    Best & Worst Times to Fly

    Based on historical security wait times across all days of the week.

    Best Time
    Night
    9pm - 4am
    5 min avg wait
    Worst Time
    Morning
    8am - 12pm
    13 min avg wait
    Flying in the Night instead of Morning could save you up to 8 minutes in security lines.

    Other Wait Times at
    Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

    AMS
    Passport Control

    Amsterdam Schiphol Passport Control

    Your Guide to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

    Schiphol is the primary international gateway to the Netherlands and the home hub for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the SkyTeam alliance. Located approximately 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) southwest of Amsterdam in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, it is consistently ranked as one of the busiest airports in Europe. Schiphol is famous for its One Terminal concept. Unlike other major hubs with separate terminals requiring shuttle buses, Schiphol consists of a single, vast terminal building split into three departure halls (1, 2, and 3) that are all connected under one roof. While this design makes transfers smoother by eliminating the need to re-clear security for many connections, travellers should be aware that the airport is large, and walking distances between gates can be significant.

    The airport is tightly integrated into the Dutch public transport network, featuring a major railway station located directly underneath the main plaza, providing fast and frequent connections to Amsterdam Central Station and cities across the Netherlands.

    Amsterdam Schiphol Airport FAQ

    As of September 1, 2024, the 100ml limit has been reinstated. You may only carry liquids in containers of 100ml (3.4 oz) or less. While you are officially advised to place them in a 1-liter plastic bag, Schiphol’s advanced CT scanners mean you generally do not need to remove liquids or electronics (laptops/tablets) from your bag during screening.

    While 50 minutes is the official Minimum Connection Time for international flights, it is widely considered risky. Schiphol is a massive airport where walking from one end (Pier B) to the other (Pier G) can take over 20-25 minutes. If you have to clear passport control (Non-Schengen to Schengen transfer), a safer buffer is 75–90 minutes.

    If you have a very tight transfer, look for the yellow “Self Service Transfer” kiosks located in the arrival piers. Scan your boarding pass; if your connection is critically short, the machine will print a Short Connection Pass. This allows you to use a dedicated fast lane at passport control and security.

    Booking a timeslot at Schiphol ensures a fast and smooth security experience. You can book a convenient time slot that fits your schedule. The service is free and easy to use, allowing you to head straight to security at your designated time.

    For frequent travellers, Privium membership offers a range of benefits:

    • Access to a dedicated security lane.
    • Access to dedicated Privium gates at customs.
    • Exclusive Privium lounges
    • Dedicated parking spaces

    Cost: €185 (basic) – €20 (plus) a year, to enhance your travel experience at Schiphol.

    Tip: If you travel through Schiphol more than four times a year, Privium is a valuable investment.

    Uber drivers cannot pick you up at the main arrivals curb outside Schiphol Plaza. You must walk to the dedicated pickup zone at Koepelstraat. To get there, exit Schiphol Plaza, walk past the Sheraton Hotel, and follow signs for “Taxi Apps” or “Ride App Pickup.” The walk takes approximately 5–10 minutes.

    • Take the Train (NS) if you are going to Amsterdam Central Station (City Center) or Amsterdam Zuid (Business District). It is the fastest option (14–17 mins).
    • Take the Bus (397 Airport Express) if you are staying near Leidseplein, Museumplein, or the Rijksmuseum. It takes longer (30+ mins) but drops you directly at these hotel hubs, saving you a tram transfer from the train station.

    You can use the eGates if you are 14+ and hold a biometric passport from the EU/EEA, UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, or Singapore. Be aware that starting late 2026, non-EU travellers will need to register biometrics via the new Entry/Exit System (EES) kiosks.

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    Guides for this airport

    Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Security Wait Times Analysis

    How long were the Security queues at Amsterdam Schiphol in May 2026? The monthly average was 6 minutes.…

    Read more →

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    Live data: For the majority of the airports we track we use live data from the airport. For the remaining airports we provide a modelled projection, combined with crowdsourced data.

    Search: By airport name, IATA code, city, county, country or region. To save you time, we keep your last visited airports on the front page. If you can’t find an airport, contact us using the contact form and we will look to add it. 

    Current average wait time: The airport’s latest average security, passport control or customs queue wait time. If the airport has multiple queues, we display the average of them. If you want a more granular view that includes wait times for individual queues, take a look at the terminal level wait times. We regularly update each airport’s data,  but make sure you click the “i” icon to check when the last update was made.

    Terminal level wait times: The latest security or customs queue wait time for individual terminals. Click on the terminal to access more information at the terminal level. Please note that this data is not available for all airports. We are working to expand this functionality to as many airports as possible.

    Historical wait times: The typical wait time on different days and times over the past 2 weeks. Click the filter at the top right of the graph to cycle through the days of the week.

    Add a security or customs queue wait time: How was your airport security experience? Contribute to the community by inputting your wait time. This feature is only available for airports where Qsensor does not automatically track data. To add a wait time, simply click the “Add Your Time” button on the airports page and follow the instructions.

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    Please note that this data is monitored and may be modified or deleted if found to be invalid.

    Click the “i” icon to view and take note of more contextual information on each airport. “Airport Last Updated” denotes the last time the data was refreshed.

    Our sources for wait time data vary and may include air travel data aggregators, federal agencies such as the TSA, CATSA CBP, or information from the airport and its affiliated service providers. For some airports, Qsensor utilises its proprietary queue modelling technology to project wait times. Additionally, we crowdsource data from passengers who have input their wait time using the “Add Your Time” button.

    Qsensor is not affiliated with any airport, airline, or associated service provider.

    We regularly check queue times and flight delays for accuracy, however all times are estimates and waiting times and delays may not accurately reflect your experience. It is advisable to arrive at the airport well in advance and follow the recommendations of the airlines and airports.

    There are a wide array of ways that queue data is measured. Including but not limited to looking at how long a passenger takes to get from scanning their boarding pass to exiting the security or customs area. Auditing passengers on how long it took them to pass through security or customs as well as Qsensors’ proprietary system for user added wait times. 

    For airport wait times, we currently support over 140 airports worldwide. Whether it be London Heathrow, Istanbul, or Miami – we have got you covered. More are added all the time. Is Qsensor missing an airport that you want to be supported? We are more than happy to accommodate your request, get in touch via the contact form. 

    For flight delays and cancellations, we currently support 12 airports, with the goal of expanding coverage going forwards.

    Qsensor automatically tracks wait times for a variety of airports including London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Amsterdam Schiphol, Kempegowda Bangalore, Madrid Barajas, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and many more!

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    The flight delay tracker gives you a comprehensive view of flight status delays, both for the current day and historically on a per flight basis. Tap on a weekday to see all flights that have historically taken off on that day and their typical delay over the past two weeks. You can also search for your flight using your flight number and view the airport’s average delay.

    Get insights into flight on-time performance and make better travel decisions. Please note, this feature is not available for all airports, but we’re adding more all the time!

    To keep wait times relevant, the message “There is currently no data for this airport.” is shown when no traveller has recently inputted a wait time.

    add time button

    For airports Qsensor automatically tracks, this message may also be shown if we haven’t recently gotten data from the airport. This typically rectifies itself within 12 hours.

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