Our dog is flying to Amsterdam as cargo. How do we collect it?
Not from the arrivals hall. Pets flown as cargo are taken in climate-controlled vehicles to the Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo Animal Hotel on the cargo side of Schiphol, which is staffed 24 hours a day with a vet on call and handles the Dutch border inspection for pets entering the EU. Collection is arranged through your shipper or relocation agent, who tells you where and when the crate is released, often hours after landing. Book the car to that address and time, not to your own flight: a Van fits a large crate, and the trip to a new home elsewhere in the country is priced per kilometer as one fixed amount.
Last updated:
Prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €3 | €3.42/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €4 | €4.44/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €7 | €6.79/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
Rides outside Amsterdam are priced from the measured road distance (or a fixed route price where one applies) and shown as one fixed price before you book. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
The order of the day
- Your own flight lands; get through passport control and settle at the hotel or new home.
- The agent confirms the release time and the cargo address.
- The car collects you, drives to the cargo side, loads the crate, and takes you both home.
Paperwork the vet check looks for
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Microchip | ISO standard, implanted before or with the rabies shot |
| Rabies vaccination | At least 21 days before travel |
| EU health certificate | Completed by a USDA-accredited vet, then signed off by USDA APHIS |
Related questions
Can you collect the crate without us?
The release goes to the owner or the agent; ask your agent whether a driver can receive it, and ask dispatch before you plan on it.
What if our pet is a cat in a small crate?
Business Class takes it; a large dog crate needs the Van.
What if we're moving to Limburg or Brabant?
The ride is quoted per kilometer as one fixed price.
Sources
- Pet Relocation: the Air France-KLM Animal Hotel explained (checked October 31, 2026)
- Schiphol Cargo: animals (checked October 31, 2026)
- NVWA: travelling from third countries with a cat or dog (checked October 31, 2026)
Book it, or ask dispatch first
Book online in a few minutes (no account, no app), or send your flight number and address on WhatsApp and dispatch replies in English, 24 hours a day.