1 Hour Connection in AMS for flight to Atlanta

My husband and I are going to Prague for 5 days this month. The flight times changed a few times and KLM have us booked on our return flight from Prague to Amsterdam to Atlanta. We have a one hour layover in Amsterdam before the flight to ATL at 5:15pm (on a Tuesday). Is this feasible? I'm concerned about us losing contact because I'm British with an EU passport and US green card, and my husband is American. I'm not finding it easy to see if we go through separate lines etc and if the ATL flight will leave from the same terminal that we arrive in etc. Any advice? Apparently the earlier flight is full. This is a single ticket.

transit amsterdam

Best Answer

This is a pretty tight connection, but I have done them this way many times, and you should make it unless your Prague flight delays. The main time consumers would be:

Hurry up when arriving - walking from the arrival gate to passport control. If you're unlucky to land at the far end of B/C gates, it could easily be a 15 minute walk alone. Try to sit closer to the front of the plane if possible.
Use the short connection line when passport control. Passing the (exit) EU passport control. You will likely to be able to use a short connection line, but it is not always empty. In AMS the exit passport control is efficient, but still takes around a minute per passenger; ten people in line in front of you add up to 10 minutes.Be ready to show your boarding pass and note that you depart to USA
Go to the document check area, and use the short connection line there. This is relevant if you're flying on Delta, as even if you already checked in and have a boarding pass, at AMS you are supposed to go through a single "document check" area. There's a separate area in front of D or E gates (they keep moving it around) where you need to go to have your passport scanned, answer typical questions about who packed your baggage, have your visas/ESTA checked if you need ones, etc. Only then you'd know which gate your flight departs from.
Walk to the departure gate. It will be closer walk, but still can take up to 10 minutes. Don't stop by for restroom until you reach the gate and see whether it is still being boarding or is about to close.

The airline claims to close the gate 20 minutes before departure time. This is not always the case and depending on how many passengers are missing, they are often willing to wait considerable time. 30+ minute waits are not unheard of, but I wouldn't rely on them. Once the gate is closed, it will not reopen even if you arrive a minute later.

An additional note: you have a higher chance that the airline would wait for you in this scenario if you check in the luggage. The reason is that your luggage will make it to the plane faster than you - it doesn't have to pass the hurdles above. Once this happens, the airline cannot fly without you being on board - they'd have to offload your luggage. It will take them some time to locate your bags in the plane, and if you come in during that time, you are fine.