A connection is where a good itinerary goes right or wrong. Too short and you are sprinting through a terminal; too long and you have spent a working day in an airport. The right length depends on the airport, whether you are changing terminals, whether you clear immigration, and — most important of all — whether both flights are on one ticket.
Minimum connection time is a floor, not a recommendation
Every airport publishes a minimum connection time (MCT) for each type of connection (domestic to international, terminal to terminal, and so on). An airline will sell a connection at or above that figure, and if you miss it through no fault of your own, the airline is responsible for rebooking you provided both flights are on the same ticket. The MCT assumes everything goes to plan: your inbound lands on time, the gate is not at the far end, the immigration queue is short. It is the minimum, not the comfortable amount.
Rules of thumb that hold up
- Domestic to domestic: an hour is usually fine at a mid-sized airport; allow more at the very largest hubs.
- International connection, staying airside: ninety minutes to two hours is comfortable at most European, Gulf and Asian hubs where you do not clear immigration.
- Arriving into the US from abroad: allow at least two and a half to three hours. You clear immigration, collect and re-check your bags, then go through security again — even when your onward flight is domestic.
- Separate tickets: treat the two flights as unrelated. Allow several hours, and know that if the first flight is late, the second airline owes you nothing.
Hub-by-hub notes
London Heathrow (LHR)
Five terminals connected by buses and the Elizabeth line, with airline alliances loosely grouped by terminal. A same-terminal connection is quick; a terminal change is not. Plan on two hours for a terminal change. Travellers on New York to London flights connecting onward to Europe should check which terminal each flight uses when booking.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
Terminal 2 is enormous and split into lettered halls; the shuttle between them is reliable but adds time. Two hours is a comfortable connection; ninety minutes is workable within the same hall.
Frankfurt (FRA)
Compact by hub standards, with an efficient SkyLine train between Terminals 1 and 2. Schengen-to-non-Schengen connections involve a passport check, so allow ninety minutes at least. Our Newark to Frankfurt guide lists the onward connections travellers use most.
Doha (DOH) and Dubai (DXB)
Both are built for connections: almost every passenger is transferring, everything is airside, and signage is excellent. Sixty to ninety minutes is standard and rarely a problem. Longer layovers in either city can include a free or low-cost stopover programme, which is worth a look on long trips.
Istanbul (IST)
One vast terminal with long walking distances between gates. Ninety minutes is comfortable if you are willing to walk briskly; two hours removes the worry.
Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT)
Both airports are efficient, but they are on opposite sides of the city and are not interchangeable. Never book an arrival at one and a departure from the other without several hours in between. Our Seattle to Tokyo guide explains which airlines use which airport.
What to do if you miss a connection
- One ticket: go to the airline's transfer desk (or use the app) — they will rebook you on the next available flight at no charge, and provide a meal or hotel if the wait is long. If the delay was the airline's fault, keep your receipts.
- Separate tickets: contact the second airline before the flight departs; a same-day change is sometimes possible for a fee, but there is no obligation. Travel insurance that covers missed connections is worth having on multi-ticket trips.
- Booked through Way4Fly: call the travel desk; the number is at the top of every page and the line is staffed 24/7. We can see both flights and speak to the airline for you.
Choosing a layover when you book
When a search shows several connections, pick by the layover, not just the total time. A two-hour layover at a hub with excellent transfer facilities is a better trip than a fifty-minute one that leaves no room for a late arrival. Every Way4Fly route guide names the connection points travellers on that pair use most, so you know what to expect before you see the results.
