Sleeping in Amsterdam Airport

Whether you are an experienced airport sleeper or new to the game, this sleep guide will give you the essential information to better prepare you for sleeping in Amsterdam Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Amsterdam Airport. If you have a tip or photos to share, please take a moment to write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

Read the latest traveller reviews.

Sleeping in Amsterdam Airport Overnight

The airport only permits sleeping in the terminal’s public area during the night when flights are not operating. You’ll have to show your ID and boarding pass to stay overnight. If you fall asleep across chairs or benches during the day, airport staff may wake you.

Locations & Seating

You should have no problem finding a place to sit, with plenty of benches throughout the areas inside Security, and many are armrest-free. By night, turn them into a makeshift bed or opt for the floor.

Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:

Padded chairs, benches, and chaise lounges in the internet area between Piers E and F, though it does get noisy.
On the top floor in Lounge 3, McDonald’s has armrest-free benches.
If you’re staying pre-Security, the cafe on the terminal’s left side has comfy seats.

Rest Zones

Amsterdam Airport offers designated rest zones where tired travellers can enjoy stress-free time in reclining relaxation chairs. Locations: Gates D, Gates E upstairs (2 locations), and near the entrances to Gates C and D.

Temperature

Reviews are mixed about the airport temperature. Some report that it is always cold, while others report that sleeping without a blanket or sleeping bag is possible. Arrive prepared, just in case. It’s better to have a blanket than to need one later on. Even a hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets colder.

Lighting

A few travellers have reported that airport lights stay on all night, though they may not be too bright. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Noise

During the day, expect typical airport noise, like boarding calls and general announcements. By night, there are fewer announcements. Still, earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones will help if you’re trying to sleep overnight.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight at pay-to-use facilities. Locations: Mercure Hotel, €19,50 gets you towels and toiletries (Location: inside Security, Lounge 3, Upper Level, piers F, G, H); Yotel, €15 includes towels and toiletries for 1 hour (Location: inside Security, Lounge 2, Upper Level, piers D, E). Free showers (as submitted by a reader – 2019) are available Airside, Lounge 2, near the Mac Store and Xpress Spa. While they are free, no towels, shampoo, etc. are provided.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors: Amsterdam Bread Co. (Lounge 2); Bread! (Lounge 3); Burger King (Plaza); Dutch Bar & Kitchen (Holland Boulevard); Harvest Market (Lounge 2); La Place Express (Landside); Mediterranean Sandwich Bar (Lounge 1); Park Cafe (Lounge 1); Silverscreen Bar (Lounge 2 Pier E).

Hotels

Prefer some privacy and comfort? Two transit hotels are available if you want a good, solid sleep between flights without the stress of going through security. The Mercure Schiphol Terminal is located in the transit area of Lounge 3. Rooms are available overnight and during the day if you are on a flight departing the same or the next day. YOTELAIR is located in Lounge 2’s transit area, with day rooms available in 4-hour blocks. You can also opt for a shower-only package. GoSleep Pods (Concourse D) may be just what you need for a quick nap. Three more hotels are located directly at the airport, within a short walk of the Arrivals Hall: A Sheraton (day rooms available), a Hilton, and a budget-friendly citizenM hotel. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations, or visit Tripadvisor to find hotel deals at Schiphol Airport.

Lounges

While Amsterdam Airport has a few lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you want to relax in a comfortable seat, check out this list of lounges in our Amsterdam Airport Guide that you can pay to access.

Security & Safety

The airport only allows sleeping inside the terminal at night when flights are not operating – which means during the day, you may asked to move or wake up if you’re sprawled out on the benches. If you stay overnight, security guards begin nightly rounds at midnight, checking for ID and boarding passes. If you don’t have a pass, you must leave the airport until it re-opens at 4:00 AM.

At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at Amsterdam Airport. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport alone or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras where you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you, and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone, we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with only earphones and a laptop bag strap, but without the attached iPods or laptops. The same goes for important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body so no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. You may want to padlock your bag to something if you are a deep sleeper. If your bags have zippers, turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, making it hard for someone to access it.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee, stay alert, and stay awake. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you sleep in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds, waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.