Schiphol begins enforcing 478,000-flight annual cap

The new Airport Traffic Decree for Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport entered into force on 1 November 2026 after about 18 years, setting clear limits on flights, noise, safety and emissions, the airport announced.

The decree sets a maximum of 478,000 flight movements a year, including a maximum of 27,000 at night, compared with about 500,000 flights a year and 32,000 night flights before the coronavirus pandemic.

It also requires the airport to cut noise by 20% during the day and 15% at night, while expanding the area covered by residents' protections. Schiphol CEO Pieter van Oord said the decree "provides us with a legal foundation" after years of uncertainty, adding that the airport is "of great value to the Netherlands" and needs clear rules.

Work on the comprehensive decree began in 2022 with the involvement of residents, the aviation sector and public authorities, and the Balanced Approach introduced by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in 2024 is now legally embedded in it. The approach relies on reducing noise by encouraging quieter aircraft, and more than 40% of aircraft at Schiphol are now in the newest and quietest categories.

What do these terms mean?

Airport Traffic Decree: A regulatory document that sets the rules for operating an airport, including flight numbers, noise, safety and emissions.

Flight movement: A single aircraft takeoff or landing at an airport, with total movements used to measure operational volume.

Balanced Approach: A European Union framework for reducing airport noise through multiple measures such as fleet modernisation and higher charges for noisier aircraft.