Travelling from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS): what you need to know
The average duration of a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is 10 hours 25 minutes.
The timezone in Amsterdam is UTC+1, which is eight hours ahead of San Francisco.
You can choose from 18 weekly San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol flights. The 13:50 departure with KLM is the earliest flight available. KLM operates the last service of the day at 16:30.
Arriving two hours before an international flight and one hour ahead of a domestic departure are golden rules for hassle-free flying. Get to the airport on time to catch your SFO to AMS flight.
Be prepared for longer queues in popular months like August. Arriving up to four hours in advance for an international flight and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.
KLM has direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Book with this popular carrier, then get ready to tick off the sights in Amsterdam — and maybe even more of Netherlands if you have time.
Most travellers choose to fly with KLM on this route.
The carrier with the most consistent on-time arrivals for SFO to AMS flights is KLM.
Consider adding a stopover when booking your ticket from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Simply uncheck 'Direct flights only' to break up your trip, or visit a new city along the way. Here's where you can stop between SFO and AMS:
Los Angeles International Airport
Harry Reid Airport (formerly McCarran Airport)
Edmonton International Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
£290 is currently the best price for a one-way San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol flight. Return flights start from £498. These fares may change based on demand.
Book five months before you travel. After looking at the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to find cheap tickets from SFO to AMS.
Plan your trip for April. That's the cheapest month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. If you have flexibility with your dates, try out the 'Whole month' tool to find the cheapest price across each month.
You won't have to check every day to see if fares have gone down when you set up a Price Alert. We'll let you know the moment there's a better deal on cheap flights from SFO to AMS.
Tailor your flights using filters. Select your arrival and departure times, total journey duration and airlines. You can also sort results by 'Best,' 'Fastest' or 'Cheapest' flights from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Handy information about San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
When it comes to the on-time performance of San Francisco International Airport, 77.36% of flights arrive within the scheduled timeframe.
To get to San Francisco International Airport from central San Francisco, it'll take about 20 minutes by car. This depends on traffic though. It's approximately 13 miles from the airport to the city centre.
Expect a trip time of around 45 minutes on public transport.
Booked an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol? Avoid rushing to the terminal (and get some extra shut-eye) by picking one of these hotels near SFO:
Arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
The last thing you need is a lengthy trip to your hotel if you're arriving on a late San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol flight. Book one of these accommodation options near AMS instead:
Follow your own route with an Amsterdam Airport Schiphol rental car. Pick up your wheels from Green Motion, Keddy By Europcar or Alamo and discover more of Amsterdam and beyond.
To lock in the lowest price, book your ride from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol around four weeks before you set off.
Getting from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to central Amsterdam
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is approximately 14 miles from the centre of Amsterdam. The drive time takes around 25 minutes.
If you're travelling on public transport, expect a journey time of roughly 1 hour 5 minutes.
When to fly to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
June is the busiest month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. To avoid the crowds, go to Amsterdam in January.
Book your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for August if you want to visit Amsterdam during its warmest month. Expect temperatures of between 14ºC (57ºF) and 24ºC (75ºF).
If you want cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from SFO to AMS in February. Temperatures average between 0ºC (32ºF) and 9ºC (48ºF) then.
Explore more of Netherlands
Rotterdam is just one of the many places in Netherlands waiting to be explored once you've seen Amsterdam. Around 35 miles away to the south-west, its best attractions include Markthal, Erasmus Bridge and Euromast Tower.
The Hague is another sought-after destination in Netherlands and is around 35 miles south-west of Amsterdam. No journey is complete without seeing Galerie Pulchri, Faizul-Islam Mosque and The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.
