What is the minimum connection time between flights during a stopover?
Flights with stopovers are a wonderful option if it comes to saving money on plane trips.
One of the most frequently asked questions you is how much time must be between stopovers so as not to miss the connecting flight.
Normally the minimum time between stops is 1 to 3 hours although this can vary depending on whether it is a domestic or international flight, if you carry checked baggage in the hold, security checks, among other reasons. If your trip with stopovers has very little time between one stopover and another, you will need to calculate on your own the minimum time necessary to not miss your connecting flight. This is something we recommend when there are less than 4 hours between international flights or less than 2 hours on domestic flights.
1. Time to land
Since the plane’s captain informs us that we will start descending until the plane lands, it will be some time.
The plane will land most of the time at the indicated time, although it may be delayed if there are other flights scheduled to arrive at that same now, that an emergency happens and the landing list is busy and cannot take off or land, weather conditions, etc.
2. Transfer of the plane to the terminal
Depending on your flight, the transfer between the plane and the terminal will be through a girdle that connects the plane to the landing area or through buses.
With the girthles it will take us a few minutes to get to the disembarkation area but if the transfer is by buses the time increases to 10 or 20 minutes because you have to wait for the buses to be full before leaving for the airport.
There is no way you can know which of those 2 methods you will apply on your flight but – from experience – the use of buses is mostly used on domestic flights or when the airport is very small.
3. Migration control
In case of domestic flights, you do not go through a migration control, this only applies to international flights.
Even so, each country has its own migration policies that you should know in advance.
For example, in the case that you visit Europe you should know that to enter the Schengen area, immigration control is carried out at the first airport in the Schengen area where you land.
Once done, you can travel to other Schengen countries without going through immigration controls.There are other countries, such as Canada or South Korea where they have special migration controls – much faster – for tourists who make trips with stopovers.
4. Picking up suitcases and check-in
There are few cases in which you have to check your suitcase again on a flight with stopovers, but when it happens it can be very annoying.
This involves going to the baggage collection area, waiting for the conveyor belt to deliver your suitcase and re-checking it on your next flight.
As I will explain later, this also involves going through the airport security checks again.
Only picking up your suitcase and queuing at the airline counter can take you 15 to 30 minutes… although if the flight is congested or it is high season it can take even longer.
5. Transport between terminals
There are airports that are so large that they have more than one air terminal.
The distances between terminals are so great that to get from one terminal to another you need to use a means of transport such as bus, shuttle or tram (free services within the airport).
The fact that it is a free means of transport does not mean that it is fast..
In other words, buses between terminals could have a frequency of 20 to minutes. It seems little, but when you’re in a hurry, every minute counts.
Even more so when you don’t know the airport and you may get lost on your way to your terminal.
Of course, if your connecting flight is at the same terminal where you land, everything becomes easier since you will only have to walk to the boarding gate.
6. Security checks and security
If you have had to check your luggage again, you will also need to go through the airport security checks again before you can enter the embarcation hall.
At some airports there are special queues to pass security checks for people who have connecting flights.
But if that doesn’t happen and you’re in a hurry, you can talk to the people in front of you so that they can skip the line.
It can be complicated if you don’t speak their language but your desperate face, signs and gestures usually work. Remember that the smile is a universal language.
Some disadvantages that can harm your times.
There are other external factors that you must take into account to take the forecasts of the case.
Delays during the flight
The weather is a factor that can cause your flight to be delayed in reaching your destination. In addition, if your plane took off late, it will most likely also arrive late to its destination.
Although the weather will be difficult to predict, you will be able to investigate those airlines that are usually delayed when taking off.
Loss of luggage
Regarding the loss of luggage, it must be specified that this can happen on any type of flight, but in the case of flights with a stopover there is a greater probability that that will happen.
The reason? When you move your suitcase between several flights, you are more likely to end up getting lost on the way.
Even so, the probability is low but it would be preferable if that did not happen.
High season and bank holidays
Keep in mind that in high season as well as holidays (Christmas, New Year, Halloween, etc.) you may find long queues at the security controls.
I’m not lying to you when I say that in those situations you could take more than 1 hour in that area.
Recommendations
As you have seen, there are times when you will have to make a lot of forecasts so as not to miss your next flight. If you only travel with hand luggage or without luggage the times could be reduced but in any case it is best to look for flights with stopovers whose time between flights is at least 3 to 4 hours for international flights and 1 hour for domestic flights. In some airports it is not necessary to go through immigration control or baggage collection. All you have to do is follow the instructions that say “Connection Flight” and follow the instructions that the airport workers tell you.
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What would you add to the list?
Leave your advice in the comments.
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