A Guide to Connecting Flights (2024)

FAQs

What is the procedure for connecting flights? ›

How do flight connections work? Generally, if you are on an internal flight, once you land for your stopover, you will pass through the transfer area that will take you to the gate for your next flight where check-in is not required. Your bags will be passed on to the next flight without you having to pick them.

No, you do not have to check-in again at the transit airport as both boarding pass and checked in baggage will be through checked in till the final destination issued from the point of origin, however every passenger is required to collect their baggage at the first port of entry into India, clear the relevant customs ...

For connecting domestic flights, you almost never have to exit and reenter security, though there are some exceptions at airports where the terminals aren't all connected. For domestic-to-international connection, it's still pretty rare that you have to exit and reenter security, even if you're changing terminals.

What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

The airline may choose to accommodate you by booking you on another flight, but that's their discretion, and you may be on the hook for change fees or even fare differences. If you miss a connection because your first flight was delayed, you're entitled to compensation depending on what caused the delay.

If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.

When you book connecting flights on a single ticket, you'll typically receive all your boarding passes from the check-in agent at your point of origin. All you need to do is follow signs for connections or transfers at each connecting airport and obey any posted instructions along the way.

Most cases, they give you all the boarding passes for each flight right there, and also check your luggage through all the way. So you simply walk from gate to gate at each airport, show the next boarding pass, and fly on.

If you missed your flight because of a security check, there is usually very little that you can do about it. Airports and airlines are well within their rights to search passengers thoroughly to ensure everyone's safety. Though you can ask to be rebooked on a later flight, they will likely charge a rebooking fee.

What happens if you don't catch your connecting flight? ›

Often, when passengers can't make a connection, they're automatically re-booked on another flight, usually the next one for their specific destination. This is often the simplest option, not necessarily the best.

Allow lots of extra time for your flight connection whenever you're on a two-ticket trip. I always allow at least three hours. Four is even better.

Do connecting flights wait for delayed passengers? Most airlines will try to accommodate passengers from a delayed inbound flight, but it's not guaranteed. Flight attendants might notify the ground crew of connecting passengers, but airlines typically won't delay a departure for a small group.

Transferring between an international and domestic flight is more complicated than a domestic-to-domestic connection. Here's what you're expected to encounter: If you checked a bag, you'll have to collect it from baggage claim from the international flight. You'll need to clear customs and immigration.

When you book connecting flights on a single ticket, you'll typically receive all your boarding passes from the check-in agent at your point of origin. All you need to do is follow signs for connections or transfers at each connecting airport and obey any posted instructions along the way.

Yes, all the passengers who have purchased connecting flights have to redo a security check-in for their connecting flights. Still, there are some sorts of exceptions that will depend on the airport and flight itineraries.

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.