How long should a layover be when booking a connecting flight?

One question I get a lot from readers is how much time to leave between connecting flights. It’s a great question and in the past few years, the recommended time has changed dramatically.

During the pandemic, airlines and airports cut capacity and staff so it was more important than ever to make sure you didn’t miss your flight.

Today, there are now fewer flights but more passengers traveling, which is not a great combo for the traveling public. To give you an idea on how many Americans are traveling, Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson, shared on social media that all of the top 10 days in the TSA’s 22-year history have happened in the last 8 weeks! “You’re not imagining it–it really is more crowded in airports this summer!”

BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday was the 3rd busiest day in @TSA‘s 22-year history. Look at this Top 10 list and what do you see? All of the Top 10 days have happened in the last 8 weeks. You’re not imagining it–it really is more crowded in airports this summer! https://t.co/642ZA1dXAl

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) July 19, 2024

What this means if you miss your flight is that you might not be able to get on the next one like in the “old” days. In fact, you could be stuck for days, depending on the airline you’re flying and your destination. And if you’re traveling with multiple people in your party, there’s a very good chance you won’t be sitting together. RELATED: 8 hacks for getting the best coach seat on a plane

For this reason, you really want to avoid flights with a connection whenever possible. In some small markets and for certain destinations, this may be impossible. But if you’re choosing to make a connection because you’re going to save a few dollars, then I would consider splurging for the reasons listed above.

However, if you’ve read these 17 ways to find cheap flights and decide to make a connection that is going to save you a lot of money, then by all means roll the dice. Just do it smartly.

One way is to not check bags because having a connection not only increases the chances of you misconnecting but of your checked bags missing the connection as well. PRO TIP: If you do check a bag, pop an Apple AirTag or Samsung SmartTag in it so you can track your bags yourself. But the most important thing you can do to be a savvy traveler when you’re making a connection is to leave plenty of time in between flights.

If you’ve been following along with my family’s travel, last summer we were on the island of Ischia, which is off the coast of Naples, near Capri. There’s no airport on the island so one option, after taking the ferry back to Naples, was to take the train to Rome and fly nonstop from there. But it was much more expensive and just too much schlepping for my little kids, aged six and three at the time.

The flights from Naples (NAP) were cheaper but they required a stop somewhere. Our best option was flying Lufthansa via Munich (MUC) but I had a choice: Either spend the night in Ischia, then take the ferry in the morning to make a 1pm flight to MUC or leave Ischia the night before, get a hotel on the mainland and take the early flight at 6:20am.

You’re probably thinking the no-brainer is the first choice but what I didn’t mention is that the 1pm flight had just a 50-minute connection. That’s way too risky post pandemic. Actually, that was even too risky pre-pandemic.

So we did the latter and had a couple of mini-adventures along the way, which pretty much ensured we’d make our connection.

I’m not the only travel expert who knows it’s better to leave plenty of time in between flights. Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor says: “Never let the airline book you a domestic connection of less than 90 minutes. If they do, you stand an excellent chance of missing your flight, your bags being lost—or both. Overseas it’s even worse. A legal connecting time at London’s Heathrow Airport is two hours. But here’s what they won’t tell you: The airport considers three hours a legal connection time for your checked bags. Do the math. Give yourself a three-hour connection, no matter what the airline says.”

Scott Keyes, founder of Going.com, told Travel + Leisure, “Every airport has a minimum connection time (MCT), and an airline won’t book you on a layover below that amount.” However, MCTs can vary within an airport. As an example, he notes that “the MCT at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is 40 minutes for domestic flights and 50 minutes for international flights.” Those times may not be enough, especially if you’re traveling with a lot of baggage, have children, need to change terminals, or just don’t feel like having to sprint to your next flight.

As Scott mentions, there are a lot of variables when it comes to booking connection times so you need to do your research. If you have baggage, are traveling with children or adults who can’t run, need to change terminals, or have to clear customs or security again, you will need more time.

You’ll also want to find out how frequently your airline services your destination. If they’re only flying where you’re going once a week, don’t even think about a short layover. If they have multiple flights a day and you’re not in a big hurry to get to your destination, then you can be a little riskier.

Just remember: Airplanes are going out at or near capacity so if you miss a connection, you will need to hope that some of your fellow passengers misconnect in order for you to find a vacant seat, which just isn’t a sound strategy.

KEEP READING:

–8 Ways To Make Sure An Airline Doesn’t Lose Your Bag … And That You Don’t Get Robbed or Stalked
–The Trick For Getting Airport Luggage Carts for Free
–Airline Lost Your Luggage? Do This If You Want to Get Compensated
–Why Frequent Fliers Use Apple AirTags or Samsung SmartTags When They Travel
–An Airline Executive’s Number One Tip for Avoiding Lost Luggage When You Fly

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