10% more travellers at Schiphol in May holiday

In the 2024 May holiday, starting 26 April, an average of around 70,000 travellers per day will depart from Schiphol. That's almost 10% more than during last year's May holiday (64,500 on average). On peak days, the number of departing travellers is well above 80,000. These peak days are at the start of the May holiday. During this holiday period, the most popular destinations are Spain, Great Britain and Italy. Just like last year, Schiphol is running an information campaign to prepare travellers for their journey from the airport. Furthermore, departing travellers will go through new state-of-the-art security scanners during this holiday period. 

Travellers should keep in mind that the airport is busier during holiday periods, including the May holiday. On days when a lot of travellers depart for their trip at the same time, they may need to wait longer than usual at check-in, security and passport control. Also, if many travellers return from their trip at the same time, we expect that they may have to wait a little longer at passport control. With all staff at the airport, we make every effort to make the journey at Schiphol as smooth as possible. 

Tips for travellers 
Schiphol therefore advises travellers to prepare well for their journey. The airport is doing that by way of, among other things, an information campaign. In this campaign, the airport gives tips regarding what clothes to wear and how to pack hand baggage smartly. Furthermore, travellers can find information about their travel day on schiphol.nl and in the Schiphol app. This includes what time the check-in desk opens, where they should be in the departure hall and expected and actual waiting times at the security check. 

Other tips include: 

• Arrive at the airport on time. We advise that travellers keep to the time indicated by their airline. In general, that means 2 hours before departure for European flights and 3 hours before departure for intercontinental flights. 
• Book a time slot for the security check. This can be done as early as three days before departure. Reserving a time slot can also be done using the Schiphol app. 
• Check in for your flight at home. Most airlines allow you to check in online. Then you only have to hand in your baggage at Schiphol Airport. 
• Travellers flying with KLM, Transavia and TUI can drop off their bags and check in at P3. 
• Go through the security check faster. At Schiphol we use 3D CT scanners, which means travellers do not need to take electronics, like laptops and phones, out of their hand baggage. 
• Keep in mind that the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee has additional rules and checks when you are travelling with a minor. 
• Check the validity of your passport. Are you 14 years old or older? Then use the self-service passport control as much as possible. 

New security scanners 
Schiphol has replaced all 53 security scanners that check departing passengers with faster models. When purchasing the new scanners, safety and comfort for travellers and security employees were paramount. An advantage of these new scanners is that they are faster; in less than 3 seconds they analyse whether travellers are carrying prohibited items. Moreover, the new technology requires fewer searches, while still meeting the high security requirements that apply at Schiphol.