Sabooo

For our next trip together, my wife and I are scheduled to arrive at CPH at 10:20 on Air Canada. She then will hop on an SAS flight to AMS, leaving at 16:10. I'm staying in Copenhagen while she visits a friend in The Hague. There's more vacation after she returns to Copenhagen, but that's not important for these questions. We're both American, but flying AC from YVR. YVR > YYZ > CPH.

I'm hoping to find out how much of the airport is airside. I've had almost no luck finding an answer via google or on FT.

We've only traveled to Mexico, so our international experience is limited.

1) She will only have a carry on bag. Passport check for her, then passport and customs for me?

2) Hopefully, the departure gate for the SAS flight does not require her to leave airside. Can she then check in at any available gate well before departure?

3) Will she be able to do some reconnaissance for our train journey a few days later? Asked another way; is the train departure area airside?

Thank you for any help. ^

GUWonder

1. Right and right, in that you clear customs after going via baggage claim while she never goes to the baggage claim area that day of arriving into CPH on the AC flight.

2. She can get checked in at the transfer/transit desk airside. There can sometimes be a wait there. And you may have to take a number from a machine and then wait your turn until the number comes up.

3. The train departure area is landside. It's after going through the baggage claim area and out the customs control doors.

If you want her to scope out where the trains are and how ticketing is done, why not have her go with you through baggage claim and customs and then get checked in landside? There are kiosks for check in landside and SAS there too can check her in even several hours before for a same-day flight, if for some reason kiosk check-in doesn't work for her flight from CPH-AMS.

I'm assuming she's flying SAS, but it works if flying AF/KL too.

Sabooo

Thank you for the reply. Very helpful!

ksu

If on a through ticket (i.e. one PNR) AC/SK your wife would probably get the boarding card when checking in in YVR. If not she could also check in online from 22 h before departure and either print the boarding pass or have it sent to her smart phone. So no need to physically check in at either a kiosk or at the transfer desk.

Another question, however, is: why should se spend more than five hours in the airport? If AC is on time, she will be through passport control (and without checked luggage) through customs as well by 11.00. CPH has, for an airport, OK airside restaurants, the lounge (if she has access) is OK for waiting and drinking (less so for eating), shopping is certainly better than at NA airports. But seeing that downtown CPH is about 20 minutes away by either train or Metro, I would much rather go in to CPH, checking out the (somewhat confusing) lay-out of the airpost train station on the way, have lunch downtown and walk a bit around before taking a train or metro back at around 14.30.

The three hours spent down town are well worth it IMHO

daKav

I had almost similar itinerary few months back flying Norwegian to CPH and SAS to AMS later that evening, with a 7 hour lay over.

To answer your question, no, she wouldn't have to leave airside. While I was walking to the passport control I came across a SAS counter which strangely said "US Citizens and Green card holders" (I dont know why..or may be it was the booth next to SAS). Anywho, I had my BP for SAS by the time I got to passport control.

I thought I'd stay in the airport. But I decided to head into town and spend a few hours. It was a good idea although it was November.

GUWonder

The reason for that "US citizens and green card holders" thing may be because the USG requires airlines flying to the US to collect the emergency contact info of US persons flying CPH-US.

Sabooo

I'll mention it again. She previously said no to joining me for a couple hours.

Sabooo

So it took her quite a few days to warm up to the idea of leaving the airport. But if we arrive on time, she'll do it.

ranles

Just a note, Metro is also available airside, but right at the airport. No need to even step outside. As is the Hilton, if you crave hotel food.

GUWonder

Landside.

Sabooo

I am finally back from my trip. 27 days total.

My wife DID leave the airport. We took a taxi to the Airbnb, then showered and went to Copenhagen central station. We walked around near the station looking at stuff, had lunch, bought me a sim card and some data, then I got on the train to Aarhus. She hopped on the metro back to the airport. So it wasn't a long adventure, but it was about three hours. haha

Passport control was so fast. He asked to see our passports, then stamped them. No questions about anything.

Our trip was absolutely amazing. Already planning the next one.