Transiting in AMS
 

We will be coming from JFK and connecting in AMS to Johannesburg, both on KLM flights. . We will have a 3 hour layover landing at 6:50 am. We will only have carry on luggage.
1. How complicated is it to go between terminals? How long should it take?
2 As we are flying Premium Comfort will there be any faster lanes to go through for passport control or security?
3. Will we need to take out our toiletries when going through security? How strict are they?
4 I see on the website that I can book a time to go thru security. Does this apply to in transit passengers? What time would I book this if we are scheduled to land at 6:50 am?
5 Are there any lounges in this terminal?
Thanks in advance

At Amsterdam airport, even though we speak about terminal 1,2,3, everything is under one roof. No separate terminal buildings. So, to answer question 1, it is not complicated at all: you simply make your way from your arrival gate to your departure gate. Arriving from the USA and staying airside: no passport control or security to pass. So questions 2,3 and 4 don't need to be asked, not applicable to you. Finally: yes, there is the KLM non-schengen lounge, but Premium Comfort doesn't give access. But paying for entrance will if it is not full.
Now, i am local at AMS, so not used to transfers coming from NY and going to Jo'burg. So, fellow FT-ers, correct me if i am wrong here.
I wish you a very relaxed transfer at Schiphol

My understanding is that coming from the USA to Amsterdam requires one to go thru passport control and again thru security beccause we are again flying to a.non Schengen country. Anyone have this experience?

No, you don't need to go through passport control and security at AMS when you are coming from the US and going to a non-Schengen country.

On your return trip from South Africa to the US, you will need to go through security at AMS but not passport control. You will need to take out liquids and place them on a tray separately. As your arrival time is unpredictable, there is no facility to pre-book a slot for transfer security - if you arrived early, would you want to wait around in the no-man's land?

AMS is relatively compact and designed for transfers, as that is the main business model of KLM, the largest tenant. There are no separate terminals, nearly everything is under one main roof.

In both directions, you do not go thru contrôle passeports as you are not entering Schengen- similar to most countries in the world. You will be staying in the non-Schengen part of the terminal and any checked bags will be tagged directly to the final destination in both directions.

Arriving from USA and some other countries, you do not pass thru security controls. From ZA to the US, you will need to go thru security. The whole process is relatively efficient, I see no need to prebook time slots, not sure if this is even possible honestly unless you are originating at AMS. Yes, liquids need to come out......like many other countries. For a non-Schengen to non-Schengen, I would say 1h correspondance time between flights is very safe, so with 3h you will have plenty of time.

If you are flying KLM, there is Lounge 52 available for eligible passengers/tickets.

Adding to the above, there is actually no need to take toiletries (or anything else for that matter) out of the bag in AMS for several years already

Schiphol is one of the easiest major airports in Europe in which to make a connection. We've done it many times. Having cleared security at Jack Kennedy, you won't need to clear it again in Amsterdam.

The fact that you only have carry-ons doesn't matter, as any checked baggage would have been tagged through to Johannesburg by KLM anyway.

The airport is very well-run (it's one of my preferred places to fly from or through) and has a good array of shops and restaurants.

Though the 100ml limit still applies. I just came through the security after passport control into the non-Schengen D gates, and they made me get rid of all my liquids over 100ml, including a sealed bottle of water that I’d just bought minutes earlier in the terminal prior to passport control! I drank it all in front of them as it wasn’t the cheapest water just to go to waste!