Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

History

Origins and early years

The name Schiphol predates the airport by several centuries. It is recorded as Sciphol in 1447, in a description of land in the jurisdiction of Aalsmeer. Its precise etymology is uncertain.

Dutch linguist and toponymist Moritz Schönfeld associated the name with the local Schipholsloot. He noted that Middle Dutch hol could denote the depth or bed of a ditch or watercourse, and that the adjective hol could also mean low-lying or marshy. Schönfeld described the name as passing from the local settlement to Fort Schiphol and subsequently to the airfield. Maas later considered two analyses of Schiphol possible: if divided into separate elements, hol may refer to low-lying, marshy terrain; alternatively, the name may have described a hollow parcel of land by comparison with a scheepshol, the interior or hull of a ship.

Several other explanations have circulated. B. J. Hekket proposed that schip in place-names could carry a meaning such as "branches" or "timber", an interpretation he also applied to Schiphol. Maas rejected this derivation, finding no evidence that schip had ever carried the proposed meaning and describing Hekket's interpretation of the Scandinavian linguistic evidence as incorrect. Popular accounts have also associated the name with ships supposedly lost in the former Haarlemmermeer and with scheepshaal, referring to the hauling of ships between bodies of water. These explanations are not established by the specialist etymological sources cited above.

Before the reclamation of the Haarlemmermeer, the site of the later airport lay beside the lake and partly within the area subsequently reclaimed from it.

After the lake was dredged in the mid-1800s, a fortification named Fort Schiphol was built in the area, which was part of the Stelling van Amsterdam defence works.

Schiphol was established in 1916 as a military airfield; the first military aircraft landed there on 19 September of that year. Scheduled civil aviation began on 17 May 1920, when KLM's inaugural service from London landed at Schiphol. In its early years the airfield was unpaved and frequently muddy. French pilots consequently nicknamed it Schiphol-les-Bains ("Schiphol bathing resort").

The Fokker aircraft manufacturer established its Dutch factory in Amsterdam-Noord in 1919, rather than at Schiphol. A Fokker hangar was built at Schiphol in 1924, where aircraft manufactured in Amsterdam could be assembled and operated. Military use of Schiphol continued alongside the developing civil airport until 1923, when the military left the airfield.

By 1940, Schiphol had four asphalt runways at 45-degree angles, all 1,020 m (3,350 ft) or less. One was extended to become today's runway 04/22; two others crossed that runway at 52°18′43″N 4°48′00″E / 52.312°N 4.800°E. The airport was captured by the German military that same year and renamed Fliegerhorst Schiphol. A large number of anti-aircraft defences were installed in the vicinity of the airport, and fake decoy airfields were constructed in the vicinity near Bennebroek, Vijfhuizen, and Vogelenzang to try to confuse Allied bombers. A railway connection was also built. Despite these defences, the airfield was still bombed intensively; an exceptionally heavy attack on 13 December 1943 caused so much damage that it rendered the airfield unusable as an active base. After that, it served only as an emergency landing field until the Germans themselves destroyed the remnants of the airfield at the start of Operation Market Garden. At the end of the war, the airfield was quickly restored: the first aircraft, a Douglas DC-3, landed on 8 July 1945.

A new terminal building was completed in 1949, and it was decided that Schiphol was to become the primary airport of the Netherlands. The expansion came at the cost of a small town called Rijk, which was demolished to make room for the growing airport. The name of this town is remembered in the name of the present Schiphol-Rijk industrial estate. In 1967, Schiphol expanded even further with a new terminal area at its current location. Most of the 1967 terminal is still in use today (Departure Halls 1 and 2), as are parts of the original piers (now called C, D, and E). Dutch designer Benno Wissing created signage for Schiphol Airport, well known for its clear writing and thorough colour-coding; to avoid confusion, he prohibited any other signage in the shades of yellow and green used. The new terminal building replaced the older facilities once located on what is now the east side of the airport. The A-pier (now C-pier) of the airport was modified in 1970 to allow Boeing 747 aircraft to use the boarding gates. A new pier (D, now called F) opened in 1977, dedicated to handling wide-body aircraft. The first railway station at the airport was opened in 1978.

Development since the 1990s

The construction of a new air traffic control tower was completed in 1991, as the existing tower could no longer oversee all of the airport, as it was further expanded. Departure Hall 3 was added to the terminal in 1993, as was another pier, G-pier. New wayfinding signage was designed that year as well by Paul Mijksenaar. A sixth runway was completed at quite some distance west of the rest of airport in 2003 and was nicknamed the Polderbaan, with the connecting taxiway bridge crossing the A5 motorway. The distance of this runway means that taxiing to and from this runway can take between 10 and 20 minutes. It also required the construction of an additional air traffic control tower, as the primary tower is too far away to oversee this part of the airfield.

On 25 February 2005, a diamond robbery occurred at Schiphol's cargo terminal. The thieves used a stolen KLM van to gain airside access. The estimated value of the stones was around 75 million euros, making it one of the largest diamond robberies ever.

Later in 2005, a fire broke out at the airport's detention centre, killing 11 people and injuring 15. The complex was holding 350 people at the time of the incident. Results from the investigation almost one year later showed that fire safety precautions were not in force. The investigation led to the resignation of Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner (CDA) and Haarlemmermeer mayor Fons Hertog. Spatial Planning Minister Sybilla Dekker (VVD) resigned as well because she bore responsibility for safety failings cited in the report.

As passenger traffic recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial air transport in 2022, Schiphol experienced severe operational disruption amid shortages of security and other airport staff. Long queues developed, flights were cancelled and the airport imposed limits on the number of departing passengers during the summer because of the shortage of security staff. Schiphol Group chief executive Dick Benschop resigned in September 2022 amid the disruption.

In 2024, Schiphol saw an 8% increase in passenger traffic and an 8.2% rise in cargo volume compared to 2023. Also in 2024, Royal Schiphol Group announced a €6 billion infrastructure investment plan, the largest in the airport's history. Planned improvements included the renovations of Pier C, Lounge 1, the baggage system, and passenger walkways, lifts, and bridges. The Lounge 1 expansion was completed by November 2024, with 5,000 square meters of additional passenger space and a new plaza.

Infrastructure

Terminal

Schiphol uses a one-terminal concept, where all facilities are located under a single roof, radiating from the central plaza, Schiphol Plaza. The terminal is divided into three sections or halls designated 1, 2, and 3. The piers and concourses of each hall are connected so that it is possible, on both sides of security or border inspection, to walk between piers and halls, although border control separates Schengen from non-Schengen areas. The exception to this is the low-cost pier M: once airside (past security), passengers cannot access any other areas.

In 2025, Schiphol had 227 aircraft stands, of which 91 were connected to the terminal and 136 were remote stands. The airport adopted a distinctive design, with the second jetway extending over the aircraft wing, hanging from a steel cantilever structure. Gradual refurbishments have seen these jetways replaced with a more conventional layout, with the last two taken out of use in November 2024. Three gates have been modified to accommodate the Airbus A380. Emirates was the first airline to operate scheduled Airbus A380 services to Schiphol, beginning in August 2012. China Southern Airlines also operated the type on its Beijing–Amsterdam route before retiring its A380 fleet at the end of 2022. Emirates currently operates the A380 at Schiphol twice daily.

Notable public artworks in the airport include the Schiphol clock by Maarten Baas, in which a man behind a translucent screen appears to paint the minutes of an analog clock by hand.

Departure halls and piers

The terminal has three main departure halls. Departure Hall 1 primarily serves Schengen flights and provides access to Piers B and C and gates D59–D87. Departure Halls 2 and 3 serve a mixture of other piers and gates, with passenger and check-in allocation varying according to factors including terminal capacity, baggage-handling capacity and ground handler.

Piers B, C and M are used for Schengen traffic, while E, F, G and H are primarily used for non-Schengen traffic; Pier D can handle both through separate passenger levels. Three gates, G9, E18 and E24, can accommodate the Airbus A380.

General aviation terminal

A new general aviation terminal was opened in 2011 on the east side of the airport, operated as the KLM Jet Center. The new terminal building has a floorspace of 6,000 m² (65,000 sq ft); 1,000 m² (11,000 sq ft) for the actual terminal and lounges, 4,000 m² (43,000 sq ft) for office space and 1,000 m² (11,000 sq ft) for parking.

The centre and its activities were sold to Swiss aviation services company Jet Aviation in October 2018 and now operate as Jet Aviation Amsterdam.

Other facilities

From 2002 to 2024, the Rijksmuseum operated an annex at Schiphol, making it the first airport in the world to house an art museum. The airside gallery presented rotating exhibitions of works from the Rijksmuseum collection.

In the summer of 2010, Schiphol Airport Library opened alongside the museum, providing passengers access to a collection of 1,200 books (translated into 29 languages) by Dutch authors on subjects relating to the country's history and culture. The 89.9 m² (968 sq ft) library offers e-books and music by Dutch artists and composers that can be downloaded free of charge to a laptop or mobile device.

For aviation enthusiasts, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a large rooftop viewing area, called the Panoramaterras. It is not accessible to connecting passengers unless they first exit the airport. Enthusiasts and the public can enter, free of charge, from the airport's landside. Since June 2011, it has been the location for a KLM Cityhopper Fokker 100, modified to be a viewing exhibit. Besides the Panoramaterras, Schiphol has other spotting sites, especially along the newest Polderbaan runway and at the McDonald's restaurant at the north side of the airport.

Schiphol has its own mortuary, where the dead can be handled and kept before departure or after arrival.

Between October 2006 and 2019, people could also hold a wedding ceremony at Schiphol.

Development projects

Royal Schiphol Group is carrying out a long-term programme to renew and expand the airport's infrastructure. In 2025, the group presented plans to invest around €10 billion through 2035, with most of the investment intended for Schiphol itself. The Schiphol Centre Master Plan includes a new Terminal South and the phased renewal of existing piers, while retaining the airport's single-terminal concept.

Pier A

A new Pier A is under construction south-west of the existing terminal complex. The project has been delayed repeatedly; the pier had originally been expected to open around 2019, but construction problems and a dispute with the previous contractors led to further delays and repair work. It is now expected to enter service in April 2027. The 55,000 m² (590,000 sq ft) pier will have eight gates, three of which can accommodate the largest aircraft types. Its estimated cost had risen to almost €1.4 billion by 2024.

Southern Development

The airport's longer-term plans include a new Terminal South. Preparatory work in the southern part of the terminal area includes construction of a new baggage basement and baggage-handling system, which will allow older baggage systems to be replaced while the airport remains in operation. The new baggage basement is being designed so that a terminal could be constructed above it in the future; the terminal itself remains a future development rather than a completed or operational project.

Public transport infrastructure

Schiphol Airport's train and bus interchange is being redeveloped as the Multimodal Hub Schiphol, a joint project involving the airport, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Haarlemmermeer municipality, the Amsterdam Transport Authority, NS and ProRail. The project includes additional access between the railway platforms and the bus station and a replacement bus station, which is expected to be completed in autumn 2027.

Tower

The Schiphol air traffic control tower, with a height of 101 m (331 ft), was the tallest in the world when constructed in 1991.

Schiphol lies approximately 4.5 metres (15 ft) below sea level.

Runways

Schiphol has six runways, one of which is used mainly by general aviation. The airport covers a total area of 2,787 hectares (6,887 acres) of land.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Amsterdam:

Operational peaks

Typical peak moments at Schiphol Airport are between 09:00 and 11:00, and between 13:00 and 15:00 for departures, with up to 58 departures between 14:00 and 15:00 on a typical weekday (a departure nearly every minute). The peak moment for arrivals is between 08:00 and 09:00 (with up to 52 arrivals on weekdays).

Statistics

Other facilities

The TransPort Building on the Schiphol Airport property houses the head offices of Martinair and transavia. Construction of the building, which has 10,800 m² (116,000 sq ft) of rentable space, began on 17 March 2009. Schiphol Group and the architect firm Paul de Ruiter designed the building, while construction firm De Vries & Verburg constructed the building.

The World Trade Center Schiphol Airport houses the head office of SkyTeam, local offices of China Southern Airlines and Iran Air.

The head office of Schiphol Group, the airport's operator, is located on the airport property.

The original control tower of Schiphol Airport, which the airport authorities had moved slightly from its original location, now houses a restaurant.

The area Schiphol-Rijk includes the head office of TUI fly Netherlands.

At one time, KLM had its head office briefly on the grounds of Schiphol Airport. Its current head office in nearby Amstelveen had a scheduled completion at the end of 1970. Previously, Martinair had its head office in the Schiphol Center (Dutch: Schiphol Centrum) at Schiphol Airport. Formerly, the head office of Transavia was in the Building Triport III at Schiphol Airport. NLM CityHopper and later KLM Cityhopper previously had their head offices in Schiphol Airport building 70.

The Convair Building, with its development beginning after a parcel was earmarked for its development in 1999, houses various KLM offices, including KLM Recruitment Services and the head office of KLM Cityhopper.

Nippon Cargo Airlines has its Europe regional headquarters at Schiphol. The National Aerospace Museum Aviodome–Schiphol was previously located at Schiphol.

There used to be an aviation museum, but in 2003, it moved to Lelystad Airport and was renamed the "Aviodrome."

Ground transport

Rail

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the national Dutch train operator, has a major passenger railway station directly underneath the passenger terminal complex that offers transportation 24 hours a day into the four major cities Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam. There are efficient and often direct services to many other cities in the country. There are intercity connections to Almere, Lelystad, Amsterdam Centraal, Utrecht Centraal, both The Hague Centraal and The Hague HS, Rotterdam Centraal, Eindhoven Centraal, 's-Hertogenbosch, Leeuwarden, Groningen, Amersfoort Centraal, Apeldoorn, Deventer, Enschede, Arnhem Centraal, Nijmegen and Venlo.

Schiphol is served by international trains to Belgium and France. Eurostar provides direct services from Schiphol to Antwerp, Brussels and Paris Gare du Nord. Eurocity Direct provides up to 16 daily services via Schiphol between the Netherlands, Antwerp and Brussels.

Bus

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is also easily accessible by bus, as many services call or terminate at the bus station located in front of the terminal building.

KLM also runs bus services from Schiphol to Maastricht railway station via Eindhoven Airport and Maastricht Airport

Road

Schiphol Airport can easily be reached by car via the A4 and A9 motorways.

While most roads leading to the airport are forbidden for bicycles, it is possible to reach the airport by bicycle via bicycle paths.

Accidents and incidents

• On 23 February 2017, a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 operated by Flybe suffered a collapse of its right landing gear after landing at the Oostbaan. The plane took off from Edinburgh after a 1.5-hour delay and had to battle storm Doris throughout the flight and during landing. None of the 59 passengers and four crew was injured in the incident, but the aircraft sustained significant damage.
• On 29 May 2024, an airport worker died after being ingested into the engine of an Embraer 190 operating as KLM Cityhopper Flight 1341. The incident occurred on the airport's apron during pushback as the aircraft was preparing to depart for Billund. Investigators from the Dutch Safety Board determined the worker had intentionally jumped into the running engine to commit suicide.