International Airports in the Netherlands: Passengers, Facilities, and How to Get to the City

Introduction

The international airports in the Netherlands move more air passengers than almost any other country of comparable size in the world. In 2023, 71.3 million passengers traveled through Dutch airports, a 16% jump on 2022, across just five civil airports handling scheduled international traffic. The country is smaller than West Virginia, yet its aviation network connects to nearly every corner of the globe. This guide profiles each of the five airports with the same four questions: how many passengers, how many destinations, what facilities, and how far from the city center.

• Amsterdam Schiphol is Europe’s third busiest airport by volume and the undisputed global hub.
• Eindhoven is the Netherlands’ main low-cost gateway, handling around 7 million passengers in 2023.
• Rotterdam The Hague serves the Randstad with holiday and European routes, now passing 2.4 million passengers annually.
• Maastricht Aachen is primarily a cargo airport with limited but useful passenger routes for the south of the country.
• Groningen Eelde is a small northeastern regional airport and home to the KLM Flight Academy.
• Choosing the right airport depends on your route, budget, and where in the Netherlands you are headed.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

• 62 million passengers in 2023
• #2 worldwide for global connectivity, behind Atlanta
• 333 direct destinations

Those numbers are not just marketing. Schiphol’s connectivity ranking means that if you are flying from almost anywhere and need to reach almost anywhere else, a one-stop via Amsterdam is genuinely competitive with routing through Frankfurt or Paris. The airport served around 62 million passengers in 2023, still below the 72 million it handled before the pandemic, but firmly back as Europe’s third busiest by volume.

Schiphol is unusual in that it operates as a single passenger terminal divided into three departure halls. There is no inter-terminal shuttle. You clear security once and walk. That design keeps connection times short, which matters when you are transiting between a long-haul KLM flight and a regional hop. KLM and the SkyTeam alliance use Schiphol as their primary European hub, which concentrates a large number of connecting passengers in one place.

Getting to Amsterdam City

The airport sits 9 km southwest of Amsterdam city center. An NS intercity train runs directly from the station beneath the terminal to Amsterdam Centraal in roughly 15 minutes. The same rail network connects Schiphol to Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven without changing trains. Eurostar and Thalys services also stop here, making the airport a genuine multimodal hub rather than just an air node.

Cargo throughput reached 1.74 million tonnes in 2023, placing Schiphol fourth in Europe for freight. That volume is why the airport matters not just to travelers but to Dutch exporters, a point covered in more depth in the blog’s look at which Dutch SME products are best suited to cross-border shipping.

Eindhoven Airport (EIN)

Eindhoven is the Netherlands’ second largest airport, and it operates on a completely different logic from Schiphol. Around 7 million passengers used it in 2023. The airport grew out of a military base and now functions as the country’s main low-cost hub, served by carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air across 82 destinations with 8 airlines.

The terminal is compact: ground level and one floor above, with car rental desks, a travel doctor, meditation areas, and a lounge. There is nothing overwhelming about it. For a traveler flying to Barcelona or Krakow on a budget, that simplicity is a feature. Eindhoven is about 130 km from Amsterdam, roughly a 90-minute drive, which makes it genuinely useful for passengers in the southern Netherlands but less practical as an Amsterdam alternative unless the fare gap is significant.

The city center is around 9 km from the terminal. Bus connections run regularly. Eindhoven also works well as an entry point for Den Bosch and Maastricht.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM)

Rotterdam The Hague sits between the two cities it serves, in South Holland. It handles over 2.4 million passengers annually as of 2025, with more than 52,000 take-offs and landings per year. The route map leans heavily toward holiday destinations: London City is the top destination, followed by Alicante, Malaga, and Faro. Airlines include British Airways, Transavia, TUI, Corendon, Pegasus, and SunExpress.

If you are connecting onward to London, the London Heathrow airport guide covers arrival logistics on the UK side. Rotterdam also sees Dutch government traffic given its proximity to The Hague, so the passenger mix is more varied than the holiday-heavy route list suggests.

Getting to the City

Bus 33 runs from the terminal to Rotterdam Centraal in about 30 minutes. From there, NS trains reach Amsterdam in another 30 minutes. The airport has one runway and one terminal, with parking within walking distance and extra assistance available through ground handler Aviapartner.

Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST)

Maastricht Aachen is the smallest of the five airports for passenger traffic, with roughly half a million passengers annually. Its real business is cargo: it ranks second in the Netherlands for cargo volume, behind Schiphol. Passenger routes are seasonal and change year to year, covering popular Dutch holiday destinations along with London, Berlin, and Munich.

The single terminal is uncrowded, which has its own appeal. A taxi to Maastricht city center takes about 15 minutes and costs around 30 euros. Public buses also run. From Amsterdam, the drive is roughly two hours. This airport makes most sense for travelers already in the south of Limburg province, or for cargo operators who need a less congested alternative to Schiphol.

Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ)

Groningen Eelde is the Netherlands’ northeastern gateway. It sits near the village of Eelde in Drenthe province, close to Groningen city. The airport serves a mix of holidaymakers and business travelers and is the home base of the KLM Flight Academy, which gives it an unusual dual identity: part regional airport, part professional pilot training ground.

Scheduled passenger routes are limited. The airport is listed among the five civil airports with scheduled international service, but specific passenger counts and detailed facility data are not consistently published. For travelers in the north of the Netherlands, it offers a local departure option that avoids the three-hour round trip to Schiphol.

Side-by-Side: All Five Dutch Airports

Airport	IATA	2023 Passengers	Destinations	Distance to City Center	Primary Character
Amsterdam Schiphol	AMS	~62 million	333	9 km (15 min by train)	Global hub
Eindhoven	EIN	~7 million	82	~9 km (bus)	Low-cost EU
Rotterdam The Hague	RTM	~2.4 million	50+	~30 min by bus to Rotterdam Centraal	Holiday / regional
Maastricht Aachen	MST	~500,000	Seasonal	~15 min by taxi	Cargo-first
Groningen Eelde	GRQ	Not published	Limited	Near Groningen city	Small regional / pilot training

Traveling Through These Airports as a Student? One Way to Offset the Cost

International students flying in and out of Schiphol or Eindhoven often carry spare luggage capacity on cross-border trips. Living costs in the Netherlands run high for non-EU students, and a single flight home can cost 600 to 1,200 euros when you factor in baggage fees and timing.

SendByPass is a peer-to-peer marketplace that connects verified student travelers carrying spare luggage with Dutch SMEs that need affordable cross-border delivery. A student on a typical trip can earn around 50 euros by carrying a package within their existing luggage allowance. The platform handles identity checks, escrow payments, and compliance guidance. It is one option among many for cross-border logistics, conventional carriers, postal services, and freight forwarders remain the standard choice for most businesses, but for students already making the trip, it is a way to offset travel costs without changing their plans.

Conclusion

No single airport is the right choice for every traveler or shipper. Schiphol is the clear option for long-haul and global connections. Eindhoven wins on price for EU routes, especially from the south. Rotterdam The Hague suits Randstad travelers on holiday routes. Maastricht Aachen is worth knowing if you are in Limburg or moving cargo. Groningen Eelde serves the northeast without the trek to Amsterdam. Match the airport to your actual journey, not to habit or assumption, and the Netherlands’ disproportionately well-connected aviation network works in your favor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the largest international airport in the Netherlands?

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is by far the largest, handling around 62 million passengers in 2023. It is Europe’s third busiest airport by volume and ranked second worldwide for global connectivity, behind Atlanta.

Is Eindhoven Airport a good alternative to Schiphol?

For low-cost EU routes, yes. Eindhoven handled around 7 million passengers in 2023 across 82 destinations. It works well for travelers in the southern Netherlands or those willing to travel 130 km from Amsterdam for a cheaper fare. It is not a practical Schiphol substitute for long-haul or intercontinental flights.

How far is Rotterdam The Hague Airport from the city center?

Bus 33 connects the terminal to Rotterdam Centraal station in about 30 minutes. From there, NS trains run to Amsterdam in a further 30 minutes. The airport sits between Rotterdam and The Hague in South Holland.

What is Maastricht Aachen Airport mainly used for?

Primarily cargo. It ranks second in the Netherlands for freight volume behind Schiphol. Passenger traffic is around half a million per year, with seasonal routes to holiday destinations and a few European cities. It is most useful for travelers already in the Limburg region.

What is special about Groningen Airport Eelde?

Beyond serving as a small regional airport for northeast Netherlands, Groningen Eelde is the home base of the KLM Flight Academy. Scheduled passenger routes are limited, but it offers a local departure option for travelers who would otherwise face a long journey to Schiphol.

Can I take a train directly from Schiphol Airport to other Dutch cities?

Yes. The NS railway station is directly beneath the terminal. Direct intercity trains run to Amsterdam Centraal (15 minutes), Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven, among others. Eurostar and Thalys international services also stop at Schiphol.

Sources

• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Wikipedia, passenger figures, terminal layout, rail connections, cargo tonnage, and SkyTeam hub status.
• Netherlands Aviation Industry, MFAT PDF, 2023 national passenger totals, per-airport breakdown, and connectivity ranking.
• Airports in the Netherlands, IamExpat, Rotterdam The Hague 2025 figures, airline list, and Groningen Eelde description.
• Airports in Netherlands, GoDigit, Eindhoven Airport facilities, terminal structure, city distance, and destination counts.
• 5 Helpful International Airports in the Netherlands, Hidden Holland, Eindhoven low-cost hub character and distance from Amsterdam.
• A Guide to Airports in the Netherlands, TripSavvy, Maastricht Aachen passenger estimate, route examples, city distance, and Rotterdam ground transport.
• Airports in the Netherlands, Invest in Holland, Schiphol’s 333 destinations, connectivity ranking, and Maastricht cargo ranking.