Cheap Airline Tickets to Amsterdam

While the city of Amsterdam may be relatively small on the European capital front, the city's airport is one of the main international gateways in and out of the continent. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (airport code AMS) is the primary airport for The Netherlands, and it is routinely listed among the best airports in the world. Whether you agree with that or not, you cannot dispute the fact that the Amsterdam airport boasts the distinction of being the airport that sits at the lowest elevation worldwide - because much of the country itself sits below sea level, it only stands to reason that the airport would as well!

Schiphol Airport, which lies 15km from the city of Amsterdam, is the home airport for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as well as for Martinair and transavia.com. Northwest Airlines considers Amsterdam a major hub. Unfortunately for budget travelers, some of Europe's low-cost airlines have moved away from using Schiphol as much, choosing instead to fly to and from other smaller airports in The Netherlands. But you can still get flights on easyJet, bmibaby, and SkyEurope in and out of Amsterdam's main airport. To get a list of all the airlines which serve Amsterdam, you can visit this page on the Schiphol website.

Incidentally, because Schiphol Airport is a short 15km away from central Amsterdam, it actually makes it really easy to see the highlights of this beautiful city on what you might otherwise consider a short layover. Get some tips on what to do with your Amsterdam layover - and keep in mind that the airport has enough cool stuff to do that you may not feel the need to leave.

You can get up-to-date information on incoming and outgoing flights on the airport's online timetable here, and get a list of all the services offered at the airport here. One of the perks available to travelers who are hoping to take advantage of a quick layover trip into the city is the fact that Schiphol offers luggage lockers. You can leave bags there for up to a week, or if you are planning a longer layover you can leave bags at the left luggage office for up to a month.

Schiphol has lots of shopping opportunities, plenty of places to eat, and there is even a full-sized supermarket in the airport. Though travelers may not need to pick up any milk and bread, you may want to pop your nose into the mini-Rijksmuseum - especially if you do not have time to make a trip into the city itself. On a more practical level, you can rent a car from the companies listed here or use public transportation to get to and from the airport. You can search for the best airfare deals to Amsterdam and learn more about what to do in Amsterdam as well.