Schiphol is becoming increasingly quieter. This is the conclusion of an analysis of almost one million flights measured by the NOMOS noise monitoring system in 2018 and 2025. In this article, we explain why.
In 2025, air traffic around Schiphol was on average 2.09 dB quieter than in the peak year of 2018. To put this into perspective, a reduction of 3 dB means the sound level is halved. This finding is based on an analysis of approximately 980,000 flights measured by the NOMOS noise monitoring system in 2018 and 2025. NOMOS consists of 41 monitoring stations around Schiphol that continuously measure aircraft noise.
The reason Schiphol is becoming quieter is that we are seeing more and more next-generation aircraft operating at the airport. These aircraft demonstrably produce less noise than older aircraft types. Some of the newest aircraft generate up to 7 dB less noise per flight.
The NOMOS measurements show not only that Schiphol is becoming quieter on average, but also that newer aircraft types produce significantly less noise per flight than older aircraft. For example, the new Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft generate less noise during take-off than the older Boeing 737s they are replacing.
An Airbus A321neo departing over Zwanenburg produces an average noise level of 68.3 decibels. A Boeing 737 reaches 71.8 decibels, a difference of 3.5 dB. For the A320neo, the difference exceeds 5 dB. Clear improvements can also be seen with larger aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, compared with older aircraft types.
We encourage the use of quieter aircraft through our airport charges. The quieter the aircraft (classified as S6 and S7 categories), the lower the relative airport charges airlines pay to operate flights to and from Schiphol. Flying during the day is also less expensive than flying at night.
In 2025, approximately one-third of all aircraft operating at Schiphol belonged to the latest generations. This share has since grown further, reaching 40 percent in June. In the coming years, airlines will continue replacing older aircraft with newer, quieter models. This is a positive development. We will therefore continue working towards a quieter airport that is increasingly in balance with its surroundings.
It is important to note that, while the NOMOS monitoring system provides valuable insight into developments in aircraft noise, it is not the same as the system of noise enforcement points located at other sites around the airport. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management uses these enforcement points to calculate the maximum permitted amount of aircraft noise and to monitor and enforce compliance with noise regulations.