Time to transfer at AMS on 2 separate tickets with checked bags
I will be traveling from Leeds UK to Amsterdam via KLM. I will have one checked bag. I will then be traveling from AMS to the US on a different ticket on United Airlines, so I will have to clear immigration and retrieve the checked bag and then check in again for the second flight. There is a three-hour gap between landing and takeoff of the two flights. Is that enough time?
Best Answer
No one knows. There are no guarantees.
If all goes "normally" this will probably work. If there are any significant problems (delayed flight, baggage issues, long line at immigration, bad weather, etc.) then you won't make it.
By booking two tickets, you assume the full risk of missing the connection and it's up to you how much wait time you want to bake in as "insurance". That should be a function of the risk of delay and the consequences of the delay, i.e how much money is at stake and how do you value extra wait time vs. cash or schedule risk.
The beauty of a single ticket is that the airlines assume this risk. They can easily do this, since they have lots of statistical data to determine what "minimum connection times" make sense for them.
Personally, I would budget at least 4 hours for a connection like this.
Pictures about "Time to transfer at AMS on 2 separate tickets with checked bags"
Do checked bags automatically get transferred connecting flight?
Unless the connecting flight takes place in a country that requires all passengers to go through Immigration and Customs, checked baggage will automatically be transferred to the next flight.How much time do you need to transfer flights in Amsterdam?
The minimum required transfer time at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is 40 minutes for Schengen flights and 50 minutes for non-Schengen flights. Please note, though, that if you travel to a non-Schengen country, you'll need to go through additional security and passport checks.Do you have to go to baggage claim between connecting flights?
If you check a bag and you have a connecting flight in the U.S. but your destination is in the U.S or a foreign country, you do not have to go and get your checked bags until you arrive in your destination.Do you have to pay separate baggage fees for connecting flights?
If your flight has a connection, bags will generally transfer from flight to flight and no additional fees will apply.Schiphol Airport Amsterdam Terminal Tour, Entry and Exit, How to Transfer and Complete Transit Guide
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Gustavo Fring, Andrea Piacquadio, Liza Summer, Cup of Couple