Schiphol has capacity for a maximum of 478,000 flights starting from the coming winter season. This is stated in the new, temporary Airport Traffic Decree (LVB) published today by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. You can read more about it here.
The cabinet has recently gone through what is called the Balanced Approach procedure. In doing so, they have taken an important step towards reducing the number of flights at our airport and thus minimising noise nuisance in the area. In the package of measures that the cabinet submitted to the European Commission as part of this procedure, it was assumed there would be a maximum of 478,000 flights at Schiphol, 27,000 of which at night. That number has now been definitively laid down in a temporary traffic decree.
With this decision, the cabinet is offering both local residents and the aviation sector perspective. For local residents there is the prospect of aviation becoming more and more quiet. And by tackling the noise target, so that all new and quieter aircraft can start counting towards the reduction of the still remaining noise nuisance from November 2025 onwards, room is also created for the controlled growth of Schiphol in the future. If, after achieving the full 20 percent reduction that was agreed upon, additional noise capacity is created (for example, due to the introduction of quieter aircraft), this will be split equally between the airport and local residents.
The temporary Airport Traffic Decree that has now been published is the basis for capacity declaration for the 2025/2026 winter season. That means that a maximum of 478,000 flights will be allowed at our airport as of this winter. The government is working on a final traffic decree, which will further improve legal protection for local residents and create legal certainty for Schiphol and the aviation sector. This decree is expected to be submitted to the House of Representatives later this year. After that, so-called anticipatory enforcement can be terminated.
In addition to the government's measures, Schiphol remains actively committed to the reduction of nuisance for our neighbours. One way we are doing this is by tightening our airport charges, which came into effect on 1 April. This measure has made it more expensive for airlines to use noisier types of aircraft.