If you’re traveling to Europe, you’ve probably heard about EES — Europe’s new Entry/Exit System for non-EU travelers.

And while EES is designed to eventually make border processing more efficient, the rollout has led to longer immigration lines at busy European airports, particularly when multiple international flights arrive at the same time.

The good news? There are a few things you can do when planning your trip that may help you avoid the worst of the lines.

1. Be Strategic About When You Arrive

There’s no way to guarantee a short immigration line — delays depend on flight schedules, staffing, terminal operations and how many passengers arrive at once.

But arrival patterns do matter. EES congestion tends to build when multiple international flights arrive in the same window.

If you have flexibility when choosing your flight, these are the arrival periods I’d be most cautious about:

🇫🇷 PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE (CDG)
Try to avoid: 6:00–10:00 AM
There’s also a secondary afternoon arrival bank roughly 1:00–6:00 PM. Recent June data showed 8 AM producing the longest average passport-control waits, with 7 AM and 11 AM also among the heavier hours.

🇳🇱 AMSTERDAM SCHIPHOL (AMS)
Try to avoid: 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
Recent July passport-control data showed queues building after 8 AM and peaking around 11 AM. The broader morning flight bank remains a pressure point for Schiphol.

🇩🇪 FRANKFURT (FRA)
Try to avoid: 7:00–10:00 AM
The morning international-arrival rush is the main period I’d try to avoid, with recent queue data identifying roughly 9 AM as particularly busy. Frankfurt Airport is currently warning travelers about increased border-control waits related to EES.

🇪🇸 MADRID (MAD)
Try to avoid: approximately 7:00–11:00 AM
Long-haul arrival banks can put considerable pressure on EES processing, particularly during the morning.

🇪🇸 BARCELONA (BCN)
Try to avoid: approximately 8:00–11:00 AM
Barcelona’s busiest EES period currently tends to cluster around the morning arrival bank, with flight-volume tracking pointing to roughly 9 AM as a particularly busy hour.

🇮🇹 ROME FIUMICINO (FCO)
Try to avoid: approximately 7:00–11:00 AM
That’s when many overnight transatlantic and other long-haul flights arrive. Rome has generally fared better than some northern European hubs, but waits can still spike during concentrated arrival banks.

🇵🇹 LISBON (LIS)
Try to avoid: approximately 8:00–11:00 AM
Current EES flight-volume tracking puts Lisbon’s busiest period around 10 AM, so I’d be especially cautious with a mid-morning arrival.

🇬🇷 ATHENS (ATH)
Try to avoid: major afternoon/evening arrival banks, especially in peak summer
Athens is a little different from the transatlantic-heavy hubs above. Current flight-volume data indicates its busiest EES activity can occur considerably later in the day, around 8 PM, and summer traffic can make waits unpredictable.

IMPORTANT: These are planning windows, not guaranteed wait times. Airport traffic changes by day, season, terminal and flight schedule. A flight arriving during a “busy” period could sail through immigration, while an off-peak arrival could encounter an unexpected queue.

PRO TIP: When you have two similarly priced flights, don’t just compare departure time and duration. Look at the local arrival time at your first Schengen airport. A slightly different flight can potentially put you ahead of a major international arrival bank.

2. Look for Fast Track — But Know What You’re Buying

Some European airports offer Fast Track services, but there’s an important catch:

Airport Fast Track doesn’t automatically mean you’ll skip the EES or passport-control line.

Many Fast Track products are designed primarily for security or departures rather than immigration on arrival.

Before paying for Fast Track, check exactly what the service includes at your particular airport and whether it provides any expedited arrival or border-control benefits.

3. Consider VIP Meet & Greet

For travelers who want additional assistance navigating a large European airport, VIP Meet & Greet can be worth considering.

Depending on the airport and service purchased, a representative may meet you when you arrive, escort you through the airport and help you navigate the arrival and immigration process. At some airports, expedited immigration facilities may be available.

However, VIP Meet & Greet does not automatically guarantee that you’ll bypass EES. The exact process and benefits vary by airport, terminal and service.

One More Tip Before You Book Your Flight

When comparing flights to Europe, don’t look at price and connection time alone.

Look at where you’ll first enter the Schengen Area and what time you’ll arrive. That’s where you’ll complete border formalities, so your first European airport can have a much bigger impact on your arrival experience than travelers realize.

A slightly different flight schedule or European gateway could potentially save you a lot of time standing in an immigration line.

Want a Stress-Free Europe Trip?

Flights, hotels, transportation, excursions, entry requirements — there are a lot of moving pieces when planning a European vacation.

That’s exactly where working with a travel advisor can help.

If you’d rather have someone help you put all those pieces together, Wanderlust Travel by Emily can plan your trip from start to finish, so you can spend less time researching logistics and more time looking forward to your vacation.