Christmas time at Schiphol: prepared for the holidays together

The Christmas peak at Schiphol is approaching. Over the coming two weeks, tens of thousands of holidaymakers will be departing from the airport every day, to visit friends and family or go on a well-deserved Christmas break. Friday 20 December promises to be a particularly lively day, with more than 71,000 travellers embarking on a journey. Throughout the entire holiday period, which runs until 5 January, Schiphol is expecting to welcome a daily average of 55,000 departing passengers. The airport is once again encouraging travellers to prepare well so as to ensure a smooth start to their trip.

The number of travellers at Schiphol this Christmas holiday is higher than last year. An average of 55,000 passengers (2,000 more than last year) will be departing each day. The number of arriving passengers is also slightly higher, at 53,000 per day (compared to 52,000 last year). There will be an average of 69,000 transfer passengers every day (last year there were 61,000).

The highest number of arriving passengers is expected on Sunday 5 January, with 66,000 travellers landing at the airport. In total, the airport expects around 3 million travellers this Christmas holiday. This is an increase of 6.7% compared to the same period last year, when 2.8 million passengers travelled via Schiphol.

Popular holiday destinations
Great Britain, Spain and Italy are popular among travellers this Christmas season. Other favoured destinations are the United States, Turkey and Germany. Rounding out the top 10 list are Switzerland, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates and France.

Tips for a smooth journey 
To make the journey as smooth as possible, Schiphol has the following tips for travellers:

1. Plan ahead. Check in online whenever possible and follow the airline's advice regarding when to arrive at the airport (usually 2 hours before departure for European flights and 3 hours for intercontinental flights).
    
2. Make use of the free security time slots. These can be booked in the Schiphol app or on Schiphol.nl up to three days before departure. 
    

3. Travel smart. Pack conveniently, wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and remove old baggage labels and stickers with barcodes from your check-in bags. Thanks to 3D CT scanners, electronics can stay in your hand baggage. Liquids, gels, creams and pastes can be taken in containers of no more than 100 ml.
    

4. Check your documents. Double check the validity of your passport and, whenever possible, make use of the self-service passport control. Take extra note of the rules that apply when travelling with minors.
    

5. Be aware of customs regulations. Find out what may and may not be imported when you return. This information can be found on the government travel application.