For many travellers, changing flights at the airport is the most stressful part of the whole journey.

Will I make it in time? What if my first flight is delayed? Do I have to go through security again? What about my suitcase? Can I leave the airport if I have a long lay-over?

Quick answer: airport transfers in a nutshell

• If your flights are on the same booking, the airline will rebook you in the event of a delay.
• The minimum connection time set by the airline is usually achievable.
• With a guaranteed connection, your luggage is usually transferred automatically.
• For self-transfer, it’s safe to allow at least 4 hours.
• You may leave the airport during your connection provided you meet the visa requirements and have sufficient time.

We explain the details below.

Guaranteed connecting flights vs. non-guaranteed transfers

The key to understanding the following sections is knowing the difference between a guaranteed and a non-guaranteed connection.

Guaranteed connections

This means that all your flights are on a single booking (purchased in a single transaction).

What happens if I miss my connection?

• The airline will rebook you onto the next available flight free of charge
• It may provide a meal or hotel accommodation
• Your luggage will usually be transferred automatically
• In the event of a delay or a missed connection, you may be entitled to financial compensation

Non-guaranteed connection

A non-guaranteed connection, on the other hand, arises when you decide on your own initiative to buy one ticket and then purchase another one separately.

In such a case:

• you bear the risk of missing your connection yourself (in the event of a delay, you must book a new flight yourself)
• you must collect and re-check your luggage
• you must have checked in online for your next flight (it is not always possible to obtain a boarding pass in the transit area)

Compare flights with a connection – skyscanner.com

How much time is needed for a connection?

This is a question that almost every traveller asks themselves.

The reality is that 45 minutes can be perfectly fine, whilst even two hours is sometimes not enough.

It mainly depends on:

• the type of connection (guaranteed vs. non-guaranteed)
• the size of the airport
• passport or security checks
• whether you need to move between terminals
• whether the connection is between two international flights or from an international to a domestic flight

Approximate realistic times based on our experience

Type of transfer	Actual times
Schengen- <-> Schengen Domestic <-> Domestic	30 to 65 minutes
Non-Schengen <-> Schengen	45 to 90 minutes
International -> Domestic	60 to 120 minutes
Major airports (e.g. LHR, CDG, DXB)	75 to 120 minutes
Self-transfer	ideally 3+ hours
First arrival in the USA	2–3 hours

If you are booking flights as part of a single booking, the airline must adhere to the so-called minimum connection time and the connection is officially feasible.

Minimum connection time

Every airport has a set minimum connection time.

This determines:

• the shortest possible connection time
• which airlines must not fall below when selling a ticket

The minimum time varies depending on the airport, terminal and type of flight. It will differ for Frankfurt, Riyadh, Los Angeles and Heathrow.

So, whatever your connection time may be when booking guaranteed connecting flights, it is always sufficient and there is no need to worry.

Is 45 minutes enough for a transfer?

Short transfer times are usually fine, provided that:

• you’re staying in the same terminal
• there is no passport control
• the airport is relatively small (for example, Porto, Addis Ababa, Muscat)
• it is a transfer between two domestic flights or a Schengen-to- <-> -to-Schengen transfer

In these situations, even 50 minutes can be completely stress-free.

Luggage during a transfer

What about your luggage if you have one or more connections?

In most cases, your luggage will be forwarded directly to your final destination.

Your luggage will be automatically transferred during a connection, particularly in the following cases:

• ✅ connections are guaranteed (flights on a single booking)
• ✅ the connections are: international → international (with the exception of flights via the USA), domestic → domestic or domestic → international (not always)
• ✅ there is typically less than 24 hours between connecting flights

You must collect and re-check your luggage when transferring, particularly in the following cases:

• ❌ the connection is not guaranteed (you have booked each flight separately)
• ❌ you are transferring in the USA (always)
• ❌ the connection is from an international to a domestic flight (this applies almost always, but there are exceptions, such as at Bangkok Airport)
• ❌ your connecting flights take longer than 24 hours

You will always be informed where to collect your luggage at check-in when you hand over your bags.

Do I have to go through security when transferring?

It depends on the route, but also on the specific airport.

From my own experience, I know that in Europe, for example, you never have to go through security when transferring if you’re travelling between Schengen countries or if you’re arriving from the US, for instance.

At some airports, you do not need to go through security screening if you have a domestic-to-domestic transfer <-> or a domestic-to-international or international-to-international transfer <->

Generally speaking, however, it is more common to have to go through security screening.

At some airports, however, there are special queues for passengers with short layovers.

Boarding pass when changing flights

In most cases, you will receive all your boarding passes when you check in for your first flight.

Simply keep them safe and use them when you board your next flight.

If you do not receive a boarding pass for your next flight:

• go to the transit desk
• they’ll issue one for you there
• do not leave the transit area

Visa requirements when changing flights – do I have to go through passport control?

The airport is recognised as an international zone, so if you are transferring between two international flights within the transit area and do not leave the airport terminal, you do not need to apply for a visa.

Generally, you do not go through passport control and do not need a visa in the following cases:

• connections are guaranteed (flights on a single booking)
• the connection is of the international- <-> -international type (with the exception of the USA)
  • Amsterdam – Beijing – Tokyo

You will go through passport control and therefore require a visa (unless you have visa-free travel with the country in question), for example in the following cases:

• a domestic flight as part of an international journey
  • Vienna – Delhi – Mumbai – Colombo
  • Amsterdam – Shanghai – Beijing – Tokyo
  • and others
• you are transferring between airports
  • Vienna – London Heathrow / London Gatwick – Barbados
• always in the USA

Can I leave the airport whilst changing flights?

Do you have a long lay-over and want to explore the city? Usually, that’s no problem.

You can leave the airport whilst changing flights if:

• you meet the visa requirements for the transit country
• you have enough time (bear in mind that you should be back at the airport 2 hours before your flight departs)
  • 👉 tip: on our website, we describe our experiences with transport to airports around the world

You must remain at the airport during your transit if:

• you do not have a visa for the transit country
  • This is common, for example, at airports in Riyadh,Jeddah, Delhi, Mumbai orCairo
• you have very little time (typically 6 hours or less)

Some airports also offer free organised city tours whilst you’re in transit.

The most common mistakes made during a transfer

In practice, there are several situations in which passengers often make mistakes:

• combining two separate bookings themselves, leaving little time between them
• failing to collect their luggage when changing flights in the US
• lack of awareness of visa requirements (typically when transiting through the US, India or Saudi Arabia)
• underestimating the size of the airport (the need to transfer between terminals – the most common examples being at Manila Airport)
• failing to realise the need to transfer between airports

Practical tips that really help

Before buying a flight ticket, I consider the following factors:

• I don’t plan connections that are too tight in the evening (before the last flight of the day to my destination)
• if I’m travelling in winter, I tend to opt for longer connecting flights (as there’s a higher likelihood of delays)

Even before I set off, I always draw up a quick checklist for my connections:

• I check whether I’ll need to move between terminals (this is always stated on the ticket)
• I check our travel guides to find out exactly how the transfer procedures work at that particular airport
• I check thoroughly to see whether I might need a transit visa (in the vast majority of cases, I don’t)

Once I’ve bought my ticket:

• I’ll pay extra for a seat at the front of the plane if I have a tight connection
• Immediately after disembarking, I’ll check the departure board for the gate of my connecting flight
• I check the departure boards regularly (the gate may change!)
• I always have my boarding pass ready

Airports where it’s a good idea to allow extra time

At some airports, transfers may take longer due to the size or layout of the terminals.

There are airports where I’ve found it worthwhile on several occasions to choose a connection with a longer transfer time, as they are known for their long queues or poorly organised procedures.

I describe my own experiences on these pages:

• Transfer at Paris CDG Airport
• Transfer at London LHR Airport
• Transfer at Los Angeles (LAX) Airport

Is it worth booking a hotel for a long layover?

If you have an overnight stopover or one lasting longer than 6–8 hours, a hotel near the airport can be considerably more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airport hotels are generally designed for short stays:

• the reception is usually open 24 hours a day
• some hotels offer a free shuttle bus
• it is often possible to check in at night

For very long layovers, a hotel may be a better option than heading into the city centre, as it saves you both time and stress.

Some airports even have hotels located directly in the transit area, meaning you don’t have to go through passport control at all.

Examples of hotels within the transit area (airside):

• Yotelair – International Transit Areaat Istanbul Airport (IST)
• Holiday Inn Express Terminal 3at Delhi Airport (DEL)
• Aerotel Muscat – Airport Transit Hotelat Muscat Airport (MCT)

Find a hotel near the airport for 1 night

Conclusion

In most cases, changing flights at the airport is a simple and routine matter.

You just need to remember three things:

1. Know whether you have a guaranteed connection
2. Study the transfer conditions in detail (change of airports, etc.)
3. Know whether you’ll need to collect your luggage or not

Then the connection will usually go smoothly.

Transfers are sometimes accompanied by perks such asfree accommodation whilst waiting for your connecting flight.