Over 700 flights canceled at Amsterdam-Schiphol due to snow and wind

Wednesday 07 January 2026 - 09:43

By: Sahili Aya

Over 700 flights canceled at Amsterdam-Schiphol due to snow and wind

Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s largest hubs, canceled at least 700 flights on Wednesday as snow and strong winds disrupted operations, authorities announced.

Over a thousand travelers spent the night at the airport, where camp beds were set up for stranded passengers. Schiphol stated that its snow-clearing teams are working tirelessly to resume as many flights as possible safely, but persistent winter conditions and gusty winds continue to limit air traffic. The airport warned that the number of canceled flights may rise further.

Rail services across the Netherlands were also severely affected. Dutch rail company NS advised travelers to postpone non-essential journeys. According to Peter Siegmund of the Dutch National Meteorological Institute, snow days have become increasingly rare in the country due to climate change, with temperatures rising by about 2°C and more winter rainfall replacing previous cold spells.

Data from the Dutch news agency ANP shows that De Bilt, where meteorological studies are conducted, has already experienced more snow in 2026 than in the previous four years combined. The snow began on January 2, marking six snowy days so far this year. Road congestion also reached record levels, with over 700 kilometers of traffic jams reported Wednesday morning, the worst for a midweek day since February 10, 1999.