Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the biggest hub airports in Europe. There are over 100 airlines working with Schiphol with over 70 million passengers every year. As a consequence, many passengers spend a lot of their time wandering around the big halls of this airport and this also implies some buying.
During your time at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, you can access to buy from over 70 shops, half of them before security and half of them after. While waiting you can shop for cheese, flowers, bags, food, perfumes, bags, books, technology, souvenirs, tulip bulbs, make up and more.
Either if you just arrived and have to get someone a present or if you forgot some of your shopping while visiting Amsterdam, this airport gives you the opportunity to get all the Dutch items you could want, plus some selected brands such as Swarovski, Victoria’s Secret or Hugo Boss.
Shopping Before Security
You either just landed at Schiphol Airport and forgot to bring a present for that special person waiting for you in Amsterdam, you haven’t closed your suitcase just yet and have some space and some spare euros to spend at the airport or you forgot to get something from your list before having to rush to the airport. For any of these reasons, there are both shops before and after security.
Before security, you have the big departure and arrival hall where all the train connections are made and all the passengers enter the airport.
Chaotic as it is, it has some amazing shops for all of the occasions. Most of them are open from 07:00 until 22:00 and a few of them are available 24 hours. There are shops for all budgets!
- AKO Kiosk: one of the few shops open 24 hours every day of the week. Here you can find books, magazines, newspapers, stationery, e-books, snacks and some drinks. There are three of these AKO before security, the other two open from 07:00 until 22:00 but if you want to get some candies or the newspaper before catching your flight, look for them close to the train gates.
- Leathergoods by Paolo Salotto: a bags and fashion accessory shop where you will be able to also find suitcases of many brands, including Samsonite, in case you are in need of one! You can find those must-needed travel accessories like adaptors, bum-bags and eye masks. For information about adapters check out our article here.
- Victoria’s Secret and Hunkemöller: for lingerie, accessories, perfume and more. From 07:00 – 22:00 every day.
- SuitSupply: Dutch handmade tailored suits, shirts, cufflinks, ties, accessories for men and a very important aspect: tailoring service during opening hours. An advantage if you are in Amsterdam and need your suit to be fixed for a meeting or something unexpected. Open from 07:00 – 22:00.
- Gall and Gall: Dutch liquor store with a big selection of wine and spirits. Most of these products you won’t be able to find in supermarkets and other stores. (07:00 – 22:00)
- GASSAN Plaza: for jewelry pieces.
- Bloem!: for flowers, balloons and many little souvenirs and gits for a last-minute surprise gift or a welcome back present. (07:00 – 22:00)
- HEMA: the most typical Dutch store where you will find a little bit of everything, from cute useless things to the most useful ones such as toiletries, travelling bags, plugs, headphones, food, souvenirs, gifts, toys, stroopwafels and more. (07:00 – 22:00)
- Nespresso: for coffee machines and coffee accessories. (07:00 – 22:00)
- Outlet Store: for independent pop up fashion and accessory shops.
- Esprit, HM and G-Star Raw: fashion and accessories for men and women. (07:00 – 22:00)
- Planes@Plaza: a store with online games, gaming accessories, toys, gadgets, plug adaptors and all KLM-themed products. (07:00 – 22:00)
- ETOS: drugstore, beauty, travel sizes, perfumes, diapers, refillable bottles, painkillers, plasters and makeup products, among other things. (07:00 – 22:00)
- Leonidas: for fancy chocolates for you or to give away. (07:00 – 22:00)
For food options, you have: Burger King (24/7); Health Food Wall (for vegan and vegetarian options 24/7); my personal favourite, La Place (07:00-21:00); HEMA food (07:00 – 22:00); Starbucks (24/7); Urban Beans (06:00-21:00) and AH to go (07:00 – 22:00).
If you want to check all the shops you have and where they are, here you can check this map. On Plaza and Arrivals, floor 0, you will be able to see all the shops and restaurants, and by clicking on them you will get the information about their opening hours, location and actual offers.
If you are interested in taking some Dutch cheese back home with you, you can read my latest cheese article, including the best places to try it in the city and where to find it at the airport. Check it out.
Shopping After Security
If you want to check all the shops you have once you have passed security and where they are, here you can check this map. On Departures and Gates, floor 1, as well as Bars and Restaurants, floor 2, you will be able to see all the shops and restaurants, and by clicking on them you will get the information about their opening hours, location and actual offers. Here is what you can buy on them:
- See Buy Fly shop: This is your shop by default. At Schiphol you will find a couple of these stores, there, you can find electronic gadgets, some magazines and drinks and very random things like its name suggests. You will have Dutch and English books, international newspapers, stationery, candies, chewing gum (05:00-09:30)
- Perfumes & Cosmetics: with all the possible options of cosmetics and perfumes. However, in my opinion, unless there is a good deal, I haven’t seen the amazing discounts there are in some British and French airports. (05:00 – 01:30)
- Chocolates, Liquor & Tobacco: several shops of this kind where you will be able to find these duty free products, some of them impossible to transport on a hand-luggage unless bought at the airport. This is your chance. (05:00 – 01:30)
- Gassan and Swarovski: for jewellery, watches and decorative pieces. (05:00 – 01:30)
- The Fashion Gallery and Fashion & Travel: for designer bags and high-end products from brands such as Michael Kors and Hugo Boss. There are a lot of bags, shoes, sunglasses, suitcases and many different types of products. (05:00 – 01:30)
- Exquisite: delicatessen store for liquor, chocolate, cigars and more, offering a cater to any range of budgets from beginners to connoisseurs, with prices ranging from €50 – €180,000. (05:00 – 01:30)
- House of Tulips: there are several of these shops after security, all of them with a selection of tulip bulbs to bring home, as well as bouquets of flowers, balloons and many Dutch souvenirs. (05:00 – 01:30)
- Burberry: official Burberry store. (05:00-01:30)
- Hugo Boss: official Hugo Boss store. (05:00-01:30)
- News & Books: for international press, English and Dutch books, stationery, pens and travelling bits, adapters, notepads, etc.
- Toys: a store for toys, gifts and funny souvenirs. (05:00-01:30)
- Dutch Food Gifts: my recommendation for where to buy cheese. It is properly wrapped and there are always good deals that will make it just as pricy as in Amsterdam city centre or even a better deal. (05:00 – 01:30)
- Montblanc: all the brand goods, watches, stationery and special pieces. (05:00 – 01:30)
There are food options in all the piers of the airport and here you have a list of those open from earlier in the day and the whole night if you need some nocturnal snack. Check all your options down below, but here it is my piece of advice, if you see a restaurant or bar where you can get some coffee or water, get it right away, don’t keep walking because the closer you go to your gate, the smallest the chances to find shops:
McDonalds (06:00 – 21:00), Burger King (07:00 – 21:00), La Place, Jamie’s Deli (07:00 – 21:30), Urban Beans, Light Lounge Café (also for some warm food besides coffee and drinks 05:00-01:30), Sushi & Noodles (06:30 – 21:00),VIT (06:00-21:00), Joe & The Juice (06:00-22:00), Douwe Egberts Coffee Bar (04:30-22:00), East Bar & Bites (06:30-22:00), Tribune Bar (06:00-21:00), Starbucks (24/7), Café Chocolat (24/7), Mediterranean Sandwich Bar (24/7), Coffee & Bakery, Coffee Break D42, Picnic, Murphy’s Irish Pub (07:00-21:00), Segafredo Espresso bar (06:00-14:00), Kiosk D27(06:30-22:00) and more!
What to Buy at Schiphol Airport: My Opinion
Here is what I think you should consider buying if you have the chance to when you are at Schiphol airport:
- Tulip Bulbs: they cost exactly the same in places such as the Flower market in Amsterdam, but this way you will not have troubles going through security. This is a tip only possible for those travelling inside Europe, other countries such as my country, Argentina, and the US don’t allow bring them.
- Cheese: if you are travelling with hand-luggage buying your cheese here is a great idea. It is something very heavy and the quality of what you will find at the airport is just as good. This way you will get a little bag to bring in the plane with you and none will be able to question if you exceed the maximum weight or not.
- Stroopwafels: because even when I have already bought some, all my family members always ask for more. Getting some extra stroopwafels you can never go wrong.
- Water: as soon as you go through security facing the duty-free section you will find good water deals, the best inside the airport. You always need water anyway.
- Beauty Sets: if you have time, checking the prices of the beauty sets is always a good idea. As I said before, Schiphol is not the airport with the best perfume and cosmetic deals, but it is definitely worth checking the beauty sets, these can be a really good deal.
