The peak seasons vary depending on where exactly you are hoping to travel to although you’ll struggle to find the cheapest flights to the Netherlands during the tulip season, which is April to the middle of May, school holidays and late December. Rotterdam sees the Unlimited Festival in June which sees a 6 day multicultural festival of live music and a street carnival. May to September are also very busy months with events scattered around and the general demand on flight tickets due to the summery weather. You’ll need to make sure you plan ahead and secure your flights to the Netherlands well in advance if you’re to have any chance of finding discounted flight tickets.
Off season:
The off season sees lots of rain and temperatures plummet, usually starting from around October time although January to March sees the winter come into full swing. This is usually when you can find the cheapest flights to the Netherlands however you are slightly limited on what you can do as the cold weather shuts down a lot of tourist activities. January does see the International Film Festival in Rotterdam which is a great event to attend if you’re in the area around the time it’s on. Some Canals in Amsterdam freeze over too which opens up the chance of skating on the ice.
When is the best time to book a flight to the Netherlands?
On average you’ll find the cheapest flights to the Netherlands three to four months prior to when you want to travel. You might have to secure your flight tickets even earlier than this if you are visiting for Christmas, New Year or one of the major festivals. Trying to figure out the best time to book your flights to the Netherlands does vary though depending on where exactly you are hoping to visit, Eindhoven for example normally has the cheapest flight tickets on offer, whereas Amsterdam can go from incredibly cheap during the off season to ridiculously expensive when peak season rolls in. Try to be as flexible as you can with your dates and location to find the best offers, and if you’re not too fussed about the weather look at having your trip set for early October time before the rain and cold weather kicks in too much.
Which airlines operate flights to the Netherlands?
There are many different airlines that offer cheap flights to the Netherlands. You’ll find the cheapest flights to the Netherlands with easyJet, Vueling, Ryanair and Iberia or if you’re happy paying a bit more for your flight tickets then you can opt for British Airways, Air France or KLM. Either way you’ll generally be able to find cheap flights to the Netherlands without too much trouble. The only difference between the airlines is comfort and service; however for the short flight time of just over an hour, it wouldn’t make too much difference regardless of who you fly with. Once you’ve decided where in the Netherlands you want to travel to you can start comparing different airlines to see who offers the cheapest flights to the Netherlands and go from there.
The Schiphol airport in Amsterdam is around 15km away from the city centre and there are a couple of ways to easily find your way there. The most commonly used method is to jump on the train service which operates directly from the airport. The service runs all-day everyday (although it is less frequent from midnight to 5:30am). A cheaper alternative is to take one of the many buses which you can find outside the Schiphol Plaza. They are less regular on weekends but throughout the day you’ll be able to catch them easily. Once you’ve booked your flights to the Netherlands you should look into shuttle services with your hotels as many do provide free transfers to and from the airport. Lastly you can get a taxi although you’ll be paying a lot more than any of the other options available so unless you can split the fare with friends, taxis are best avoided if you’re on a tight budget.
Rotterdam Airport is less than 6km away from the centre and you can find your way easily thanks to the train services that operate frequently. RandstadRail is the high-speed train which you can take to The Hague as well as Rotterdam Central Station. From there you can get more trains across the country if you need to or just walk and find your hotel. The other option you have is to take the RET bus number 50 to the metro station. Then you can jump on line E to the city centre. If you’d prefer to travel more directly then get bus number 33 instead which will take you all the way to the centre without having to change your transport.
Netherlands insider information
Amsterdam might be known as a place to have a good time, but it’s also a haven for cyclists. Here is the cycling guide to Amsterdam just in-case you decide to hop onto a bicycle and tour the city.
If you’re not interested in the party scene of Amsterdam, try a visit to the Hague in Rotterdam. Take a look at this shopping, dancing and eating guide here.
Most popular destinations in Netherlands
(prices quotes are from Wellington)
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