Things New Travellers Wish They'd Known About Airport Layovers

Airlines publish minimum connection times (MCTs) — the shortest window considered operationally feasible at a given airport. At large, multi-terminal hubs like Chicago O'Hare or Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, an MCT can be as tight as 45 minutes. That assumes your first flight lands on time, your gate is nearby, and security lines are short. None of those things are guaranteed.

As a beginner traveler, aim for at least 90 minutes on domestic connections and 2–3 hours on international ones. If you're arriving from overseas and need to clear U.S. customs and recheck bags, factor in even more time. Delays happen — a buffer is your best travel insurance.

When you book two separate one-way tickets instead of a single itinerary, you're self-connecting. This approach can sometimes save money, but it carries a significant catch: if your first flight is delayed and you miss the second, the second airline owes you nothing. No rebooking assistance, no compensation, no covered hotel.

By contrast, when both legs are on one booking (even with different carriers, if they're codeshare partners), airlines generally share responsibility for missed connections and will rebook you at no additional cost. Always check whether your tickets are linked before assuming you have protection. This is one of the travel-planning myths covered in our travel myths guide.

This surprises many first-time international travelers: some countries require a transit visa even when you're only passing through their airport without entering the country. Requirements depend on your nationality, your destination, and the specific airport — and they vary widely.

For example, U.S. citizens generally do not need a transit visa through most European Schengen countries, but citizens of other nationalities may. Requirements can also change. Always verify current entry and transit rules with the official embassy or consulate of each country in your routing, or check the U.S. Department of State's travel website, well before departure. Carriers may deny boarding if documentation is incomplete.

On a single-booking itinerary operated by the same airline or partner airlines, your checked luggage is typically tagged all the way to your final destination — you don't collect it at the connection point. But exceptions exist, particularly when clearing U.S. customs on an international-to-domestic connection, where passengers almost always must collect bags, clear customs, and recheck before continuing.

On self-connected bookings, you'll generally need to collect and recheck bags at every transfer point regardless. Confirm the exact procedure with each carrier when you check in for your first flight, and factor bag-recheck time into your connection window.

An 8-hour layover might sound grueling, but many experienced travelers treat it as a bonus stop. A growing number of airports — including Singapore Changi, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Doha's Hamad International — offer lounges, sleeping pods, showers, and entertainment within the terminal.

If you have 6 or more hours and your transit country allows visa-free airside or landside transit, you may even be able to venture into the city briefly. Research this well in advance: check transit visa rules (see tip #3), keep track of time for return security screening, and store your carry-on strategically. A long layover handled well is a mini destination in itself.

At airports like New York's JFK or London Heathrow, different airlines operate from entirely separate terminals — sometimes requiring a shuttle bus, an AirTrain ride, or a dedicated inter-terminal transit system that runs on its own schedule. These transfers can add 30–60 minutes to a connection that looks tight on paper.

Before your trip, look up the terminals for both your arriving and departing flights. Check whether they're in the same building or require a transit ride, and whether you'll need to re-clear security after the transfer. Our airport navigation guide walks through what to expect at major checkpoint types.

After a long international flight, your body clock is already under pressure. Add a layover into the mix — especially an overnight one — and disorientation can intensify. Sleep deprivation affects decision-making, so it's worth thinking through how your layover timing interacts with the time zones you're crossing.

If you have a long connection, consider whether a nap, a proper meal, or even a paid airport hotel stay makes sense. Many hub airports have on-site sleep pods or transit hotels bookable by the hour. Understanding what's physiologically happening to your body during long-haul travel can also help — our jet lag explainer covers the basics.