A Guide to Airports in the Netherlands

In addition to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the largest airport in the country, four other airports in the Netherlands serve commercial airlines. A number of them are also convenient to Amsterdam, given that the country is so small. You might find better deals to these smaller airports.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

• Location: Haarlemmermeer
• Pros: You can fly practically anywhere in the world, there's great public transportation, and the terminal is modern and easy to navigate.
• Cons: Substantial airport taxes and fees make Schiphol a less affordable choice for travelers. Some of the major low-cost carriers operate from the Netherlands' smaller airports instead.
• Distance to Amsterdam City Center: A 20-minute taxi ride to the center of Amsterdam will cost about $40. You're better off taking the very convenient train—it takes just 15 minutes and only costs about $5.

Schiphol is not just the Netherlands' principal airport, but also the third busiest airport in terms of passenger count in all of Europe and the 11th busiest in the entire world, with 71 million passengers flying through it in 2018. Located in Haarlemmermeer, a municipality that borders the city of Haarlem, travelers arriving at Schiphol can avail themselves of the convenient Dutch Railways (NS) service that connects the airport to Amsterdam Central Station in 15 minutes. Trains also depart from the airport to many other destinations in the Netherlands. There are also buses that connect the airport to points across Amsterdam, as well as points across the country.

Eindhoven Airport (EIN)

• Location: Northwest Eindhoven
• Pros: Cheap flights thanks to numerous budget airlines
• Cons: Far from Amsterdam, flights are often delayed
• Distance to Eindhoven City Center: A 12-minute taxi to the city center will cost about $30. There's also a bus that takes twice as long but costs only $3 each way.

Eindhoven Airport is the Dutch hub for about a dozen European low-cost airlines, meaning flights can be quite cheap. Flights serve more than 75 locations, primarily across Europe. Its location in North Brabant makes it relatively far from Amsterdam—by Dutch standards, at least. The drive is about an hour and a half to the capital city, and buses and trains can take up to three hours. Taxis will cost well over $150, while buses and trains range from $5 to $30. Of course, flying into Eindhoven is convenient if you're staying in town. Buses connect the airport to the main railway station and the city center; otherwise, you can take a taxi.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM)

• Location: North Rotterdam
• Pros: Rotterdam is the only airport other than Schiphol that's located in the Randstad, the urban heart of the Netherlands. It has cheap flights and is not as crowded as Schiphol.
• Cons: Only a limited number of airlines serve Rotterdam The Hague Airport
• Distance to Rotterdam City Center: A 15-minute taxi to the city center will cost about $25. There's also a public bus that costs about $5 and takes 25 minutes.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport serves about 1.7 million travelers per year. They're primarily customers of the seven low-cost airlines that operate via the airport, though there is a British Airways flight to London, too. The airport's location in the Randstad and its relative proximity to Amsterdam make it a convenient spot to land. Take Bus 33 to Rotterdam Central Station, then the NS train to Amsterdam. Each leg of the ride takes about 30 minutes.

Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST)

• Location: Beek
• Pros: Not crowded
• Cons: Limited flights
• Distance to Maastricht City Center: A 15-minute taxi ride to the city center will cost about $30. There's also a public bus.

Around half a million flyers use Maastricht Aachen Airport annually to get to popular Dutch holiday destinations as well as London, Berlin, Munich, and Amsterdam—routes change seasonally. The folks at Maastricht Aachen Airport are always working to expand services through partnerships with airlines and tour operators, so check in before your trip to find out what's new if you're thinking about flying into or out of this airport. The airport is primarily used for cargo. Maastricht is about a two-hour drive from Amsterdam.

Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ)

• Location: Eelde
• Pros: Not crowded
• Cons: Limited service
• Distance to Groningen City Center: A 15-minute taxi to the city center—which you have to call to order—will cost about $33. You can also take a $5, 30-minute public bus ride.

Only a few budget airlines land on the two runways of this miniature airport in Eelde—they service nine destinations, primarily ones that are popular holiday spots for the Dutch. Groningen is about two hours from Amsterdam though it takes longer via public transportation: Take Qbuzz Bus 51 to Groningen Central Station (about a 25-minute ride), then take the NS train to Amsterdam via Amersfoort (about a 2.5-hour ride).