Boarding times
Boarding
Boarding starts 60 to 25 minutes before departure. We advise you to check the screens at the airport or the KLM app regularly for the latest status. You can also find the scheduled boarding time on your boarding pass.
Pre-boarding
Before boarding officially starts, we first invite families with babies to 2 years old and passengers who need mobility assistance to proceed to the gate. After they are helped, the standard boarding procedure begins.
Zone boarding
On most flights, we work with zone boarding. Check your boarding pass to see which zone has been assigned to you. This depends on your travel class and frequent flyer status. We always start with Business Class passengers, followed by people that have SkyPriority.
Flights between Amsterdam and China
Are you travelling between Amsterdam and China? At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, our colleagues at the gate speak standard Chinese and are ready to translate announcements and assist you when needed.
Travelling from the US?
When you’re travelling from the United States, you may be able to board by facial recognition. This biometric check is offered at a selected number of airports. It is handled by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Biometric check
When boarding, you can use the so-called biometrics lane if you’re between 14 and 79 years old on the day of arrival. Your picture will be taken by the CBP and compared by the system to a picture from your passport, travel documents, or one taken upon arrival. This means you don’t need to scan any travel documents, although you’ll still need to bring them to be sure.
We do not have access to the biometric details used during boarding. We’ll only see whether you’re “OK to board”.
Frequently asked questions
Flights start boarding 60 to 25 minutes before departure. Please check the screens at the airport or the KLM app for the latest status about the time of boarding for your flight! You can find the scheduled boarding time and the closing time for baggage drop-off on your boarding pass.
Flights start boarding 60 to 25 minutes before departure.
Boarding is usually between 30 and 60 minutes, so you won’t be on the plane for very long before departing.
Boarding closes around 15 minutes before scheduled departure.
We advise you to be at Schiphol Airport 2 hours before departure if your first flight is within Europe and 3 hours before departure for intercontinental flights. For all airports: do keep an eye on the airport website, in case it’s extra busy.