How much time to leave between connections
A connection is long enough when it covers everything between arriving and leaving again: getting off, moving between terminals or stations, any checks on the way, and some slack in case the first leg runs late.
There is no single right number. Airlines and airports publish minimum connection times for their own transfers, and they differ widely from one airport to the next.
What takes the time
Between flights, the main variables are whether the terminal changes, whether immigration or security has to be passed again, and whether checked bags must be collected and checked in once more. Between trains or buses it is mostly the walk between platforms or stops, and how reliably the first service runs to time.
One booking or two
When both flights are on one booking, a missed connection is usually the airline’s to resolve. When they are separate bookings, missing the second is usually the traveller’s problem, which is why separate tickets need a far larger margin.
The margins the planner flags
The planner flags a connection shorter than 90 minutes between flights and 30 minutes between journeys over land or sea. These are rules of thumb, not any airline’s or airport’s rule, and the warning always shows the actual gap so it can be judged against the real circumstances.
When a short connection cannot be avoided
A few things make it more likely to work:
- Check the minimum connection time the airline publishes for that airport.
- Travel with hand luggage only, so there are no bags to collect.
- Know the next departure on the same route before setting off.
The planner checks a trip as you build it, in your browser, with no account.
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